The Dr. Hyman Show

The #1 Anti-Aging Tool You’re Ignoring (Hint: It’s Free and Happens at Night)

Apr 14, 2025

Shawn Stevenson, author of 'Eat Smarter' and host of a top health podcast, teams up with Dr. Matt Walker, a renowned neuroscientist focused on sleep. They dive into the profound impact of sleep on health, exploring how deprivation affects hormones, metabolism, and even aging. They unravel the intricate sleep-gut connection and discuss practical strategies for improving sleep quality, emphasizing its vital importance for overall well-being. With insights on nutrition and magnesium, they make a compelling case for prioritizing restorative sleep.

01:01:49

Episode guests

Matt Walker

Shawn Stevenson

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Sleep deprivation negatively impacts health by disrupting hormones, driving inflammation, and damaging metabolism, leading to accelerated aging.

Adequate magnesium intake is essential for improved sleep quality and overall health, influencing stress regulation and energy production.

Societal factors such as chronic stress and lack of sleep education contribute to widespread sleep deprivation, perpetuating a health crisis.

Deep dives

Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Health

Sleep deprivation has severe consequences on various aspects of health, causing a notable reduction in appetite-regulating hormones. Research indicates that just one night of inadequate sleep can lead to a 14% decrease in glucose availability in the brain, which can adversely affect cognitive function. Studies show that sleep-deprived doctors tend to prescribe less pain medication to patients, signifying a loss of empathy caused by sleep deprivation. This illustrates how chronic lack of sleep can diminish emotional awareness and professional responsibilities, contributing to a broader health crisis.

Intro

3min

The Sleep Deprivation Crisis

8min

The Sleep-Gut Connection

10min

The Crucial Role of Sleep for Health and Performance

2min

Unlocking the Power of Sleep

19min

Gut Health and Sleep Connection

10min

The Essential Role of Magnesium and Nutrition for Health

6min

Unlocking the Power of Magnesium and Community Wellness

2min

Sleep is not just a luxury—it’s a foundational pillar of health that influences nearly every aspect of our well-being. Sleep deprivation doesn’t just cause fatigue; it disrupts hormones, drives inflammation, damages metabolism, and accelerates aging. From the gut microbiome to stress hormones like cortisol, sleep is deeply intertwined with brain, immune, and metabolic health. Yet our modern world—filled with late-night screens, ultra-processed foods, and chronic stress—works against quality rest.

In this episode, I discuss, along with Dr. Matt Walker and Shawn Stevenson, why we need to address sleep as a core health priority to unlock healing, prevention of chronic disease, and renewed vitality.

Matthew Walker earned his PhD in neuroscience from the Medical Research Council in the UK, and subsequently became a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is currently a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science. Matt’s research focuses on the effect of sleep on human health and disease, brain, and body. He has published more than 100 scientific research studies and has received numerous funding awards from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. Matt has given a main-stage TED Talk that has been viewed over 13 million times, has also created several TED Miniseries on sleep, a MasterClass series on sleep, and is author of the New York Times bestseller, Why We Sleep. Matt is also the host of the 5-star-rated, The Matt Walker Podcast.

Shawn Stevenson is the author of the USA Today National bestseller Eat Smarter, and the international bestselling book Sleep Smarter. He’s also the creator of The Model Health Show, featured as the number #1 health podcast in the U.S. with millions of listener downloads each month. A graduate of the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Shawn studied business, biology, and nutritional science and became the cofounder of Advanced Integrative Health Alliance. Shawn has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times, Muscle & Fitness, ABC News, ESPN, and many other major media outlets.

This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers.

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Full-length episodes can be found here:

How to Optimize Your Sleep with Dr. Matthew Walker

How To Stay Asleep And Sleep More Deeply

Hack Your Sleep