Is that afternoon coffee having a major impact on your sleep hours later? Does sleeping longer mean living longer?

In TED’s newest original video series, Sleeping with Science, sleep scientist Matt Walker dives into the latest research on sleep — and explains what you need to know to get a better night’s rest.

While you’re dreaming, your body works overtime to repair your immune system, file your memories and literally clean your brain, so you can wake up ready for the day. But not all sleep is created equal. Walker sheds light on the mysterious mechanics of slumber in eight brief, information-packed episodes featuring colorful illustrations of the wondrous inner workings of your brain on sleep — and what happens when you don’t get enough of it.

Stroll through the stages of sleep with Walker as he finally puts to rest tired misconceptions about sleep and uncovers some surprising findings, including how coffee and alcohol really affect your sleep, how to boost your immune system with sleep, new research into the link between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease and how to hack your memory with sleep. This series was made possible with the support of Beautyrest.

Take a walk through the stages of sleep:

A look at how you might be paying for that nightcap with your sleep:

Studying for a big test? Learn how sleep boosts your memory:

Could better sleep hold the key to lowering your risk of Alzheimer’s disease:

Feeling cranky? Understand how sleep — or the lack of it — changes your feelings during the day:

Explore the connection between rest and your health:

Find out if you’re getting enough sleep:

And finally, try these tips for a better snooze:

Check out the full series on TED.com.