What is the optimal light exposure to set my circadian clock?

Aim to get at least 100,000 lux of light into your eyes before 9-10 AM each day, ideally from sunlight. This high photon energy exposure, even on cloudy days, optimally triggers melanopsin cells in the retina to activate your circadian clock. Avoid excessively bright light that causes pain.

How does jet lag impact health and longevity?

Jet lag is serious and can shorten your life, cause mood fluctuations, and even amnesia. It has two components: travel fatigue and time zone jet lag. Traveling eastward is generally harder than westward because the human nervous system is better at activating to stay awake than at shutting down to fall asleep earlier on demand.

What is the 'temperature minimum' and how can I use it to adjust my sleep schedule?

Your temperature minimum is the lowest point in your body temperature during a 24-hour cycle, typically occurring 90 minutes to two hours before your average waking time. By knowing this point, you can strategically expose yourself to bright light (or exercise/eat) in the 4-6 hours after it to advance your clock (wake/sleep earlier) or in the 4-6 hours before it to delay your clock (wake/sleep later).

Should I take melatonin for jet lag or sleeplessness?

Melatonin induces sleepiness but doesn't help you stay asleep. While some find it helpful, concerns exist about its potential to suppress hormone pathways related to puberty (GnRH, LH, testosterone, estrogen), especially with unknown superphysiological doses in commercial supplements. Behavioral protocols like light exposure and temperature control are generally safer and more flexible alternatives.

What is the best approach for shift workers to manage their sleep?

The most important rule for shift workers is consistency: try to stay on the same schedule for at least 14 days, including weekends, to avoid detrimental health effects. Tailor light exposure to your work cycle: maximize light when you need to be alert and minimize it when you need to sleep. Knowing your temperature minimum is crucial.

What are Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) protocols, and how do they help?

NSDR protocols, such as hypnosis or yoga nidra, help teach your brain and nervous system to calm down and turn off thoughts when you can't sleep or feel sleep-deprived. They facilitate autonomic regulation and neurochemical reset (like dopamine levels), allowing you to recover a sense of rest even if you can't get continuous sleep.

How do light exposure, dopamine, and skin pigmentation connect biologically?

These are closely linked biological mechanisms. Iggy Provencio's discovery of melanopsin, similar to opsins in frog skin, highlights this. Long days increase dopamine and are associated with breeding, while lack of light and melatonin decrease dopamine and breeding behavior, and can affect melanin in skin or fur color in animals.

What are specific recommendations for managing sleep in babies and young children?

Babies have unique, more phasic melatonin release and sensitive eyes. Avoid intense bright light. Establish an overall 24-hour schedule, with slightly colder rooms for sleep. Try to mirror their polyphasic sleep into 90-minute ultradian cycles. Parents should prioritize their own morning and evening sunlight exposure to anchor their circadian clock amidst chaotic baby schedules.

Are there special considerations for sleep in adolescents and the elderly?

Adolescents often have a natural tendency to wake and sleep later due to puberty, which is a period of accelerated aging. Prioritize their total sleep duration, allowing some flexibility in their schedule. For the elderly, who tend to sleep and wake early, maximize natural light exposure and maintain a regular schedule. Melatonin might be a more viable option for them, after consulting a physician.

What supplements are recommended to aid sleep, and what are their effects?

Magnesium threonate or glycinate (140mg) can increase sleep depth and reduce sleep onset time by engaging GABA pathways. L-theanine (100-300mg) calms thinking and aids sleep, but can cause vivid dreams, making it unsuitable for sleepwalkers. Apigenin, from chamomile, is a hypnotic that increases GABA. Always consult a doctor before adding supplements.

Key Moments

How to Defeat Jet Lag, Shift Work & Sleeplessness

Andrew Huberman

Science & Technology3 min read111 min video

Jan 25, 2021|568,236 views|14,509|1,507

sleep andrew huberman huberman lab dr. andrew huberman how to sleep better jetlag how to beat jetlag how to beat jet lag jet lag huberman lab podcast neuroscience temperature minimum

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Master your sleep and circadian rhythm using light, temperature, and timing around your temperature minimum.

Key Insights

Understand your body's circadian rhythm, primarily regulated by light and internal temperature cycles.

Your body temperature minimum is a critical marker for shifting your sleep-wake cycle.

Strategic light exposure (morning light advances, evening light delays sleep) is key to adjusting your internal clock.

Shift work and jet lag disrupt circadian rhythms, but can be managed by understanding and applying light and temperature principles.

Melatonin can be used cautiously, but behavioral tools like light exposure and NSDR are often safer and more effective.

Special considerations exist for babies, teens, and the elderly, emphasizing consistent routines and appropriate light exposure.

UNDERSTANDING CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS AND YOUR BODY'S CLOCK

Our bodies operate on an endogenous ~24-hour circadian rhythm, influencing sleepiness, wakefulness, temperature, metabolism, and mood. This internal clock is synchronized with the external light-dark cycle by a master clock in the brain (suprachiasmatic nucleus). Disruptions occur due to artificial light and modern life demands, leading to issues like jet lag and shift work fatigue. Understanding this rhythm is crucial for optimizing health and performance.

LEVERAGING LIGHT FOR CIRCADIAN ALIGNMENT

Maximizing bright light exposure, ideally sunlight, during waking hours sets the circadian clock and promotes alertness. Conversely, minimizing light exposure during intended sleep periods is vital. Aim for at least 100,000 lux before 9-10 AM. In the evening, viewing dimmer light can help adjust eye sensitivity, providing a buffer against disruptive light later at night. Avoid bright light between 10 PM and 4 AM to protect your sleep-wake cycle.

THE TEMPERATURE MINIMUM AS A SHIFTING ANCHOR

Your body temperature minimum, typically 90 minutes to two hours before your usual wake-up time, is a key reference point. Viewing bright light within four hours *after* this minimum will advance your clock (earlier sleep/wake times), while light exposure in the four hours *before* it will delay your clock (later sleep/wake times). This principle allows for precise adjustments to combat jet lag and shift work.

STRATEGIES FOR JET LAG AND SHIFT WORK

Jet lag results from a mismatch between your internal clock and the local time zone. Traveling east is generally harder as it requires earlier sleep. To prepare, gradually shift your schedule before travel using light exposure around your temperature minimum. Upon arrival, continue applying light and darkness principles aligned with the new local time. For shift work, maintaining a consistent schedule for at least two weeks is critical to minimize disruptions to cortisol and dopamine systems.

MANAGING SLEEP ACROSS THE LIFESPAN: BABIES TO ELDERLY

Infants have developing circadian rhythms and sensitive eyes, requiring controlled light exposure and adaptation to their ultradian (90-minute) cycles. Adolescents naturally experience a phase delay, needing sufficient sleep and morning/evening light. For the elderly, maintaining regular schedules and maximizing safe natural light exposure is crucial, with melatonin potentially being beneficial under medical guidance. Non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) protocols are universally helpful for managing anxiety and improving sleep quality.

SUPPLEMENTS AND BEHAVIORAL TOOLS FOR SLEEP OPTIMIZATION

While behavioral tools like light, exercise, and temperature are primary, supplements can offer supplementary support. Magnesium (especially threonate or glycinate) and theanine can aid sleep onset and depth. Apigenin, derived from chamomile, also has sedative effects. However, understanding mechanisms and prioritizing behavioral adjustments is emphasized over a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Melatonin should be used cautiously, particularly in children, due to potential hormonal impacts. NSDR protocols, meditation, and even strategic napping are also discussed as vital tools for sleep regulation.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Drugs & Medications

●Studies Cited

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Sleep and Wakefulness Optimization Guide

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Aim for at least 100,000 lux of light (ideally sunlight) exposure to your eyes before 9-10 AM to set your circadian clock.

View afternoon/evening sunlight to lower eye sensitivity, providing a buffer against late-night artificial light.

Identify your temperature minimum (90-120 minutes before average wake time); use it as a reference for clock shifting.

To advance your clock (sleep earlier, wake earlier), expose eyes to bright light, exercise, or eat in the 4-6 hours *after* your temperature minimum.

To delay your clock (sleep later, wake later), expose eyes to bright light, exercise, or eat in the 4-6 hours *before* your temperature minimum.

If traveling for 48 hours or less, try to stay on your home schedule to avoid disrupting your clock.

Eat meals on the local schedule when traveling or doing shift work to help peripheral clocks align.

For shift work, maintain a consistent schedule for at least 14 days, including weekends.

During shift work, see as much light as safely possible when you need to be alert and as little light as safely possible when you want to sleep.

Utilize Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) protocols like hypnosis or yoga nidra to calm your nervous system and fall back asleep or recover rest.

For babies and young children, ensure the overall environment follows a 24-hour schedule, slightly colder for sleep and warmer for wakefulness.

For adolescents/teens, prioritize total sleep duration; consider using timed lights to turn on before wake-up time for improved sleep.

For the elderly, maximize natural light exposure (even through windows) and maintain a regular schedule. Discuss melatonin use with a physician.

Consider magnesium threonate/glycinate and L-theanine 30-60 minutes before bed for improved sleep depth and onset (avoid L-theanine if sleepwalking/night terrors).

Avoid This

Do not stare at painfully bright lights that could damage your eyes.

Avoid bright artificial light between 10-11 PM and 4 AM, as very little light can easily shift your clock negatively.

Don't take naps longer than 20-60 minutes when adjusting to a new time zone westward, as it can disrupt evening sleep.

Do not stay on your home meal schedule when trying to adjust to a new time zone, especially eating in the local middle of the night.

Avoid 'swing shifts' that frequently alter work schedules, as they are highly detrimental to health.

Do not administer melatonin to children without physician consultation due to potential super-physiological doses and effects on hormone systems and puberty.

Avoid 5-HTP and L-Tryptophan if they make you fall into deep sleep quickly but then wake up unable to fall back asleep.

Avoid L-Tyrosine in pill form if it causes a hard 'crash' after a dopamine increase.

Common Questions

The circadian rhythm is an endogenous, roughly 24-hour rhythm in various bodily functions, most notably wakefulness and sleepiness. It is fundamentally controlled by a clock in your brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is entrained by the external light-dark cycle, influencing metabolism, immune system, and mood.

Topics

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Optimization Health & Longevity Neuroscience & the Brain Mindset & Self-Improvement Sleep Supplements Shift Work Jet Lag Aging And Sleep Light Exposure Temperature Regulation Pediatric Sleep

Mentioned in this video

People

Andrew Huberman

Host of the Huberman Lab Podcast and a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine, known for discussing science and science-based tools.

Jamie Zeitzer

Dr. Jamie Zeitzer from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, whose research shows that turning on lights in a teen's room before they wake up can increase deep sleep.

Samer Hattar

A neuroscientist and head of the chronobiology unit at the National Institutes of Mental Health, who emphasized the detrimental effects of swing shift work on health parameters.

Iggy Provencio

A scientist who, around 20 years ago, discovered melanopsin in the eye, noting its similarity to opsins in frog melanophores.

Supplements

Vitamin D3

Mentioned as an important supplement for immune system function and metabolic function, offered as a year supply with Athletic Greens.

Melatonin

A hormone released from the pineal gland that induces sleepiness but does not help stay asleep. Its supplementation, especially in high doses, may have detrimental effects on hormone systems like GnRH, LH, testosterone, and estrogen, particularly in developing children.

L-Theanine

A supplement (100-300mg) that activates GABA pathways to calm top-down thinking, making it easier to fall asleep. It can increase dream intensity, so sleepwalkers or those with night terrors should avoid it.

Apigenin

A derivative of chamomile that acts as a hypnotic by activating chloride channels, hyperpolarizing neurons, and increasing GABA in the brain, inducing sleepiness. It also has intra-estrogenic effects that may require caution.

Vitamin K2

Mentioned alongside Vitamin D3 as part of a year supply offered by Athletic Greens.

Magnesium Citrate

A form of magnesium primarily associated with a laxative effect rather than cognitive benefits.

L-Tryptophan

A supplement that can induce deep sleep but for some, like the speaker, causes waking up later unable to fall back asleep; affects the serotonin system.

Magnesium Threonate

A bioavailable form of magnesium preferentially delivered to the brain, shown to increase sleep depth, decrease time to fall asleep, and potentially offer neuroprotective effects.

Magnesium Glycinate

A form of magnesium similar to Magnesium Threonate in tissue shadowing for sleep benefits.

Chamomile

A plant known for sedative-like effects, from which apigenin is derived.

Magnesium Malate

A form of magnesium preferentially delivered to muscle tissue, more for muscle repair and restoring peripheral magnesium stores than for brain effects.

5-HTP

A supplement that can induce deep sleep but for some, like the speaker, causes waking up later unable to fall back asleep; affects the serotonin system.

L-Tyrosine

A supplement that, in pill form, increases dopamine but causes a hard 'crash' the next day for the speaker.

Software & Apps

Headspace

A meditation app that makes meditation easy and helps users maintain a consistent practice, facilitating cognition and recovery.

Reverie Health

An online platform offering clinically and research-tested free hypnosis protocols for anxiety and sleep, referred to as NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest).

Light Meter

A free app that can be downloaded to measure lux levels, helping users quantitatively assess light exposure.

Organizations

University of Colorado

The institution that conducted studies on how camping can reset melatonin and cortisol rhythms.

National Institutes of Mental Health

The institution where Samer Hattar is a neuroscientist and head of the chronobiology unit.

Stanford School of Medicine

The institution where Andrew Huberman is a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology.

Cell Press

A scientific publishing company that publishes the journal Neuron, featuring studies on acupuncture.

Mayo Clinic

A renowned medical organization that partners with Thorne, a supplement company.

Stanford

The institution where Dr. Jamie Zeitzer conducts research on sleep and circadian rhythms.

Concepts

Neuron

A Cell Press journal where quality peer-reviewed studies on acupuncture were published.

Melanopsin

A type of light-sensitive cell (opsin) in the retina that converts light into electrical signals to set the circadian clock, discovered by Iggy Provencio.

Suprachiasmatic nucleus

A group of neurons located above the roof of the mouth, acting as the brain's internal clock that generates a 24-hour rhythm and is entrained by the external light-dark cycle.

Luteinizing Hormone

A hormone stimulated by GnRH, which in females causes estrogen release and is involved in reproductive cycles, and in males stimulates testosterone.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone

A hormone released from the hypothalamus that stimulates the release of luteinizing hormone and is inhibited by melatonin.

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

A neurotransmitter pathway engaged by Magnesium Threonate and Theanine, involved in turning off top-down processing and thinking to facilitate sleep.

Books

Current Biology

A quality peer-reviewed journal where studies from the University of Colorado on camping and resetting circadian clocks were published.

Studies & Research

Ates et al.

A quality peer-reviewed paper, 'Dose-Dependent Absorption Profile of Different Magnesium Compounds,' exploring various forms of magnesium.

Davidson et al. 2006

A paper published in Current Biology by Davidson and colleagues in 2006, discussing the differences in life span for frequent eastward versus westward travel due to jet lag.

Companies

Athletic Greens

A sponsor of the podcast, offering an all-in-one vitamin, mineral, and probiotic supplement (greens drink).

Examine.com

A website highly recommended for its detailed, quality peer-reviewed studies related to supplements, including safety warnings, dosages, and study populations.

Thorne

A supplement company partnered with the Mayo Clinic and major sports organizations, known for high quality and stringency in their supplements.

Drugs & Medications

Kisspeptin

An interesting peptide mentioned in relation to hormone pathways, specifically involved in the suppression by melatonin on the reproductive axis.