AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Sleep is the foundation of mental health, physical health, and performance, influencing cognitive abilities, immune function, and longevity.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Using single-ingredient supplements allows for a tailored supplementation protocol that can be adjusted for cost and effectiveness, optimizing your health and sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Light and darkness are powerful tools for regulating sleep; exposure to light signals your body to be awake, while darkness encourages sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Temperature plays a significant role in sleep; a drop in body temperature is necessary for falling and staying asleep, while an increase can wake you up.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Exercise increases body temperature and alertness, impacting sleep quality; different forms of exercise can have varying effects on sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Caffeine acts as an adenosine antagonist, preventing sleepiness and enhancing alertness, but the timing and amount of caffeine consumed are crucial for optimizing sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Digital tools, such as non-sleep deep rest scripts and self-hypnosis, can enhance your ability to fall and stay asleep, providing zero-cost options for better sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Viewing bright sunlight within the first 30 to 60 minutes after waking triggers a cortisol increase, which is essential for alertness and focus throughout the day.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

If you wake up before sunrise, turn on bright artificial lights to help you stay awake, but once the sun rises, get outside to view sunlight for optimal wakefulness.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

On clear days, aim for about five minutes of sunlight exposure to your eyes after waking; on cloudy days, increase this to about 10 minutes, and on very overcast days, aim for 20 to 30 minutes.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Do not try to get sunlight exposure through a window or car windshield, as it won't trigger the necessary biological mechanisms for wakefulness.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Get outside for morning sunlight viewing at least 80% of the days of your life to enhance wakefulness and sleep quality.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

If you miss a day of morning sunlight, try to get twice as much sunlight exposure the following day to compensate.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Use a light meter app to measure the brightness of light in your environment, as sunlight can be significantly brighter than indoor lighting.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To wake up effectively, increase your core body temperature quickly by taking a cold shower or ice bath for one to three minutes.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Exercise in the morning is one of the best ways to increase your core body temperature and enhance alertness.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Delay caffeine intake for 90 to 120 minutes after waking to clear residual adenosine and avoid an afternoon crash.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Eating early in the day supports your biological clock and increases alertness, but it's not necessary for everyone.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

If you eat a large meal, it can divert blood away from your brain, making you feel sleepy afterward.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Using tools like morning sunlight, exercise, and proper timing of food intake can help set a predictable circadian rhythm for better sleep, while during the middle of the day, limiting caffeine intake and being mindful of the clock-delaying effects of exercise can optimize your sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Napping in the afternoon is fine, but avoid napping too late or for too long to prevent disrupting your nighttime sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

If you nap, avoid napping too long or too late in the day to prevent disrupting your nighttime sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Getting sunlight throughout the day, especially in the late afternoon and evening, can help improve mood and brain function.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Viewing sunlight in the late afternoon and evening can protect your nervous system from the negative effects of bright artificial light at night.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Dimming indoor lights after sunset and using low-level lighting can help signal to your body that it's time to wind down for sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

In the evening, avoid bright artificial lights of any color, especially between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., to optimize your sleep quality.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Taking a hot bath or sauna in the evening can help lower your core body temperature, making it easier to fall asleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

For optimal sleep, keep your sleeping environment cool, ideally lowering the temperature by at least three degrees.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Using magnesium threonate, apigenin, and theanine can significantly improve your ability to fall and stay asleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

The ideal time to take sleep supplements is 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime, especially if you haven't eaten for a few hours prior. The sleep stack can be very beneficial and is preferable to melatonin because melatonin is a hormone that we produce endogenously, and the dosages in most commercial products are much higher than what our body naturally makes.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Taking melatonin occasionally for adjusting to jet lag is probably not a problem, but chronic use, especially in children, can be problematic due to its effects on hormone systems.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Every third or fourth night, I take two grams of glycine and a hundred milligrams of GABA along with my standard sleep stack, which includes magnesium threonate, apigenin, and theanine, to enhance my ability to fall asleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

I've started using 900 milligrams of myo-inositol every other night before sleep, which greatly enhances my ability to fall asleep quickly and helps me fall back asleep if I wake up during the night.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Using eye masks can improve your ability to stay asleep, but they should not be too tight and the room should be cool enough to prevent waking up due to warmth.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Elevating your feet while sleeping can increase the depth of sleep due to the glymphatic washout process, which helps with brain health, but those with acid reflux should elevate the head of the bed instead.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Sleep apnea, characterized by bouts of suffocation during sleep, is dangerous and can be alleviated by training yourself to breathe through your nose while sleeping.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

To improve sleep quality, maintain consistent sleep and wake times, even on weekends, and avoid sleeping in more than an hour beyond your normal wake-up time.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

If you wake up feeling groggy after a late night, delay caffeine intake for 90 to 120 minutes after waking to avoid disrupting your sleep architecture.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Understanding your temperature minimum, which is typically two hours before your usual wake-up time, can help you adjust your sleep schedule effectively, especially when traveling across time zones.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

For shift workers, staying on the same shift for at least two weeks is crucial to avoid detrimental effects on brain and body health.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Using red light in the hours before needing to be awake can help maintain your normal cortisol rhythm without disrupting sleep.

AH

Andrew Huberman

08/08/22

@ Andrew Huberman

Optimizing sleep is essential for mental health, physical health, and overall performance, making it a key area to focus on for a happier and more productive life.

Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing | Huberman Lab Podcast #84

Takeaways