The Huberman Lab Podcast discusses neuroscience: how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. We also discuss existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance. For more than 20 years, Dr. Huberman has consistently published original research findings and review articles in top-level peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Science, Cell, Neuron, and Current Biology. He is a regular member of several National Institutes of Health review panels and a Fellow of the McKnight Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Dr. Huberman regularly consults for technology development companies, professional athletic organizations, and various units of U.S. and Canadian Special Operations.
Guest Series | Dr. Matthew Walker: Protocols to Improve Your Sleep
This is episode 2 of a 6-part special series on sleep with Dr. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and psychology and founder of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
We discuss basic and advanced tools for improving sleep and explain how sleep quality is affected by temperature, light and dark, caffeine, alcohol, cannabis, nutrition, meal timing, and different medications.
Dr. Walker also provides strategies for coping with a poor night of sleep, wind-down routines, technology in the bedroom, insomnia, visualizations, and building sleep “confidence.”
We also discuss the current status of sleep research for developing advanced techniques to optimize sleep.
This episode provides numerous zero-cost behavioral protocols for improving sleep quality and restorative power, which can benefit daytime mood, energy, performance, and overall health.
The next episode in this special series explores napping, caffeine, and additional protocols to improve sleep.
For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
(00:00:00) Improving Sleep
(00:01:16) Sponsors: Helix Sleep, WHOOP & Waking Up
(00:05:30) Basics of Sleep Hygiene, Regularity, Dark & Light
(00:12:05) Light, Day & Night; Cortisol, Insomnia
(00:18:45) Temperature; “Walk It Out”; Alcohol & Caffeine
(00:26:05) Sleep Association, Bed vs. Sofa
(00:29:43) Tool: Falling Asleep; Meditation, Breathing
(00:35:23) Sponsor: AG1
(00:36:37) Alcohol & Sleep Disruption
(00:40:01) Food & Sleep, Carbs, Melatonin
(00:49:25) Caffeine; Afternoon Coffee, Nighttime Waking
(00:55:52) Caffeine Metabolism & Sleep, Individual Variation
(01:01:19) Sponsor: InsideTracker
(01:02:04) Cannabis: THC vs. CBD, REM Sleep, Withdrawal
(01:12:03) Sleep Hygiene Basics
(01:16:08) Tool: Poor Sleep Compensation, “Do Nothing”
(01:20:23) Tool: Sleep Deprivation & Exercise
(01:24:11) Insomnia Intervention & Bedtime Rescheduling, Sleep Confidence
(01:32:58) Wind-Down Routine; Mental Walk; Clocks & Phones
(01:41:29) Advanced Sleep Optimization, Electric Manipulation
(01:50:07) Temperature Manipulation, Elderly, Insomnia
(01:58:57) Tool: Warm Bath Effect & Sleep, Sauna
(02:04:36) Acoustic Stimulation, White Noise, Pink Noise
(02:13:30) Rocking & Sleep, Body Position
(02:24:17) Enhance REM Sleep & Temperature; Sleep Medications
(02:28:35) Pharmacology, DORAs & REM Sleep; Narcolepsy & Insomnia
(02:34:12) Acetylcholine, Serotonin, Peptides; Balance
(02:40:45) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter