In the first three parts of our series with sleep expert Matthew Walker, Matt revealed the many reasons why we need sleep as well as the many short- and long-term dangers of not sleeping enough. In this special AMA episode, Matt comes back to provide a dissertation on listener’s questions about HOW to sleep. He answers questions from subscribers that largely focus on the practical and tactical ways we can improve our sleep in terms of duration, quality, consistency, and avoidance of the common things that are standing in the way the best sleep possible. We discuss:
- Matthew’s TED Talk, and his favorite public speakers [7:45];
- How good are the current sleep trackers like Oura, Fitbit, etc.? [10:45];
- Is it bad to eat food too close to bedtime? [15:30];
- How does exercise impact sleep? [17:30];
- How is appetite affected by our sleep quality? [21:30];
- Anxiety, cortisol, and weight gain: An awful feedback loop of sleep deprivation [23:30];
- How to optimize your wind down routine: lights, temperature, & relaxation [26:10];
- How alcohol disrupts sleep (and contributes to Alzheimer’s disease) [46:00];
- Sleep’s impact on sex hormones, and romantic relationships [50:00];
- Performance, accuracy, and minimizing the damage of shift work [55:30];
- Bed partners: How to sleep in separate beds and retain a good relationship [59:30];
- Can we use sound machines and electrical stimulation to improve sleep? [1:02:40];
- Will we ever be able to “supercharge” our sleep stages using technology? [1:08:30];
- Why sleep is the best insurance policy for lifespan and healthspan [1:11:45];
- Melatonin: How (and how not) to use it for sleep improvement [1:19:00];
- The dangers of sleeping pills, useful alternatives, and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia [1:28:30];
- Can CBD and THC be used for sleep? [1:43:30];
- Why haven’t we been able to develop a really effective sleeping aid? [1:50:40];
- Can you get too much sleep? [1:55:50];
- What to do (and not do) immediately following a terrible night of sleep? [2:09:15];
- Why a consistent wake up time is king [2:14:30];
- Does poor sleep speed up the aging process? [2:16:00];
- Can different people be more (or less) resilient to sleep deprivation? [2:22:50];
- Finding your optimal sleep schedule and determining your sleep chronotype [2:27:45];
- Defining sleep efficiency and how to improve it [2:33:25];
- Correcting insomnia: A counterintuitive approach [2:35:45];
- How can parents improve the sleep of their kids? [2:41:30]; and
- More.
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