Dr. Matt Walker: Protocols to Improve Your Sleep | Huberman Lab Guest Series

Host of the Huberman Lab podcast and professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine, co-discussing sleep optimization with Dr. Matthew Walker.

The institution where Andrew Huberman holds professorships in neurobiology and ophthalmology.

A dear friend of Andrew Huberman, mentioned for his discussions on alcohol and other topics related to health.

A colleague at UC Berkeley who conducted studies on sleep, demonstrating that counting sheep prolongs sleep onset, while mental walks can accelerate it. Also, she studied the effects of removing clocks from bedrooms.

A Stanford researcher who has done work on the body's thermal regulation, specifically how pushing blood to the surface regions of the skin (hands and feet) helps cool the core body and brain for sleep onset.

A sleep science legend from Loughborough University in the UK who pioneered studies showing that warm baths or hot showers before bed can improve deep sleep by almost 40 minutes and reduce sleep onset time.

A sleep scientist from the University of Geneva who conducted an epic study on kinesthetic stimulation (rocking) using a suspended bed, showing increased sleep speed, deep sleep, and memory benefits.

A former mentor of Matthew Walker at Harvard who discovered the dominant role of acetylcholine in REM sleep in the 1970s.

A sleep clinician who influenced Matthew Walker's understanding of managing poor sleep by advocating the 'do nothing' approach.

A public health educator whose work showed that morning exercise can partially offset blood glucose dysregulation caused by partial sleep deprivation.

A researcher at Stanford who studied narcolepsy and contributed to the discovery of orexin's role in the condition.

A scientist in Germany whose group conducted pioneering work on electrical and acoustic brain stimulation to enhance deep sleep and memory.

A colleague in the Netherlands whose group developed a thermal wet suit with thin tubes to manipulate peripheral body temperature, accelerating sleep onset by 25% and increasing deep sleep by 25-40 minutes.

Expert guest and sleep researcher discussing conventional and unconventional protocols to improve sleep quality, quantity, regularity, and timing.

A scientist from Harvard Medical School whose laboratory showed that as little as 15 seconds of bright light in the evening can suppress melatonin.

A Harvard Medical School professor who has advocated for ketogenic diets in treating psychiatric conditions, sometimes associated with hypomania and sleep challenges.

A fitness wearable device that tracks daily activity and sleep, providing real-time feedback for optimizing training and sleep schedules. Andrew Huberman is on its scientific advisory council.

A personalized nutrition platform that analyzes blood and DNA data to help individuals understand their bodies and reach health goals. It provides specific directives in nutrition, exercise, and supplementation.

A mattress company mentioned for developing technology related to thermal manipulation for sleep.

A mattress and pillow company that customizes products based on individual sleep needs, highlighted as a podcast sponsor.

A non-sleep deep rest protocol that can enhance dopamine levels in certain brain areas by up to 60%, leading to mental refreshment and improved readiness for work.

A hormone that should be highest in the morning for elevated mood, focus, and alertness, and lower in the afternoon and evening for ease of sleep.

A neurotransmitter in the brain that is primarily responsible for rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, indirectly boosted by DORA drugs to enhance REM sleep.

A very low-carbohydrate diet, explored for its potential role in treating psychiatric conditions but can sometimes lead to hypomania and sleep disruption for some individuals.

A type of noise with less intensity in higher frequencies and more in slower domains, found in a study to increase total sleep time, enhance Stage 2 NREM sleep, and modestly increase REM sleep.

A well-validated psychological intervention for insomnia, whose most impactful tool is bedtime rescheduling (formerly sleep restriction therapy).

A technique within CBT-I that limits time in bed to increase sleep efficiency and rebuild confidence in the ability to sleep. It helps the brain to become ruthlessly efficient with sleep, often starting with 5 hours of sleep.

A gene encoding liver enzymes responsible for caffeine metabolism, variations in which explain differences in individual caffeine sensitivity and half-life.

The institution where Chuck Czeisler's laboratory researches circadian rhythms and sleep.

A magazine that published an article years ago charting countries with the highest caffeine consumption, with Switzerland reportedly at the top.

The institution where Ethan Lerner's group conducted a study on pink noise and its effects on sleep.

The institution where Sophie Schwarz conducted research on kinesthetic stimulation for sleep.

A cannabinoid with some potential sleep-promoting benefits due to its anxiolytic and hypothermic effects, though data is mixed and the industry is unregulated.

A supplement that taps into the serotonergic system, which can initially promote deep sleep but may disrupt later phases of sleep, leading to waking up very alert.

A chemical in the brain crucial for wakefulness and feeding behaviors. A deficiency in orexin is linked to narcolepsy, and blocking its receptors (with DORAs) helps induce sleep by switching off wakefulness signals.

A chemical in the brain that, when triggered by DORA drugs, can stimulate acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter for REM sleep.

An over-the-counter supplement that acts as a precursor to acetylcholine, discussed in the context of its potential yet tricky role in sleep augmentation.

A hormone released in darkness that helps time the onset of sleep. Its release is inhibited by bright light.

A vitamin, mineral, and probiotic drink with adaptogens, designed to meet foundational nutritional needs and buffer against stress. Andrew Huberman has been taking it since 2012.

The primary psychoactive component of cannabis; it helps people fall asleep faster but leads to tolerance, dependency, blocks REM sleep, and can cause severe insomnia during withdrawal.

A method of electrical brain stimulation that applies a small voltage to the brain via electrodes on the head to boost and amplify deep sleep brain waves and improve memory. Should not be attempted at home.

A type of sound machine; data on its effect on sleep is equivocal, but it may be beneficial in environments with external sound pollution for masking noise.

A meditation app with hundreds of meditations, Yoga Nidra, and non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) protocols, recommended for improving mood, reducing anxiety, and enhancing focus and memory.

A classic Z-drug sleep medication mentioned as a sedative-hypnotic that induces sedation rather than natural sleep and can detrimentally affect electrical brain wave activity during deep sleep.

A class of classic sleep medications (e.g., Ambien) that are sedative-hypnotics, leading to sedation rather than natural sleep, and can disrupt beneficial slow brain wave activity during deep sleep.

A new class of sleep medications that block orexin receptors, helping turn off wakefulness signals in the brain to treat insomnia. These drugs can improve most aspects of sleep, including REM sleep, by indirectly boosting acetylcholine.

A growth hormone-releasing hormone analog (secretagogue) that some individuals use. Anecdotally, it can induce a hypnotic state and deep sleep but may completely eliminate REM sleep according to sleep trackers.

Once cited by The Economist as the country with the highest caffeine consumption.