Huberman Lab

Dr. Matt Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep

Aug 2, 2021

In this discussion, Dr. Matt Walker, a renowned Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology and founder of the Center for Human Sleep Science, dives deep into the biology of sleep. He uncovers how various factors, from sunlight exposure to caffeine and alcohol, affect sleep quality. The conversation also highlights the critical role of REM sleep in emotional health and longevity. Plus, Dr. Walker shares practical tips for enhancing sleep quality, including the benefits of napping and natural supplements like magnesium.

03:03:29

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Episode guests

Matt Walker

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Caffeine can disrupt sleep depth and architecture even if a person sleeps for a long duration.

Melatonin supplementation in healthy adults may have limited benefits as a sleep aid.

The evidence for magnesium supplementation as a sleep aid in healthy adults is inconclusive.

Valerian root supplements may not provide significant sleep benefits.

Optimizing sleep requires maintaining good sleep hygiene and consistency in bedtime and wake-up time.

Deep dives

The Role of Caffeine in Sleepiness

Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, preventing sleepiness signals from being activated and increasing dopamine levels. However, when caffeine is metabolized and removed from the system, there is a crash effect, where a surge of accumulated adenosine creates a strong sense of sleepiness. The crash can disrupt the depth and architecture of sleep, even if a person manages to sleep for a long duration.

Don’t count sheep, do a mental walk instead

01:25

Sleep is a Missing Part of the Circadian Forces

04:10

20-30min naps for learning

01:21

The Link Between REM Sleep and Emotional and Mental Health And Longevity

01:32

Intro

6min

Understanding the Complexity and Importance of Sleep

5min

The Mysteries of REM Sleep

6min

Unraveling Sleep Dynamics

26min

The Science of Sleep and Light

7min

Caffeine, Sleep, and Alertness Mechanics

20min

Unraveling Sleep: The Role of REM and Alcohol

15min

Cannabis and Sleep: The THC-CBD Dilemma

11min

Understanding Melatonin and Sleep

18min

10.

Understanding Magnesium's Role in Sleep and Supplementation

4min

11.

Exploring Natural Sleep Aids

11min

12.

Enhancing Sleep Quality Naturally

11min

13.

The Power of Napping

9min

14.

The Sleep and Sex Connection

19min

15.

Mastering Sleep: Insights and Strategies

17min

16.

Celebrating Influential Work in Sleep Science

2min

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Matt Walker, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology and the Founder & Director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the author of the international best-selling book Why We Sleep and the host of "The Matt Walker Podcast." We discuss the biology of sleep, including its various stages and what specifically happens to those stages when we don't get enough sleep. We also discuss the effects of sunlight, caffeine, alcohol, naps, hormones, exercise, marijuana, sexual activity, and various supplements on sleep. The episode consists of both basic science information and many science-supported actionable tools.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introducing Dr. Matt Walker

00:02:16 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:06:00 What Is Sleep?

00:10:20 REM (Rapid Eye Movement) aka 'Paradoxical Sleep'

00:16:15 Slow Wave Sleep aka 'Deep Sleep'

00:24:00 Compensating For Lost Sleep

00:32:20 Waking in the Middle Of The Night

00:39:48 Uberman (Not Huberman!) Sleep Schedule

00:42:48 Viewing Morning Sunlight

00:49:20 Caffeine

01:07:54 Alcohol

01:14:30 Growth Hormone & Testosterone

01:16:14 Emotions, Mental Health & Longevity

01:20:40 Books vs. Podcasts

01:21:20 Lunchtime Alcohol

01:25:00 Marijuana/CBD

01:36:00 Melatonin

01:54:14 Magnesium

01:58:10 Valerian, Kiwi, Tart Cherry, Apigenin

02:15:00 Tryptophan & Serotonin

02:19:24 Naps & Non-Sleep-Deep-Rest (NSDR)

02:28:23 Is It Possible To Get Too Much Sleep?

02:34:35 Sex, Orgasm, Masturbation, Oxytocin, Relationships

02:47:30 Unconventional Yet Powerful Sleep Tips

02:59:10 Connecting to & Learning More from Dr. Walker

03:04:42 The New Dr. Matt Walker Podcast, Reviews & Support

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Huberman Lab

Dr. Matt Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Role of Caffeine in Sleepiness

The Influence of Caffeine Timing on Sleep

Melatonin supplementation in healthy adults

Magnesium supplementation and sleep

Valerian root, tart cherry, and kiwi as sleep aids

Considerations for sleep aids

Importance of Sleep Hygiene and Consistency

Unconventional Tips for Better Sleep

Sleep and Sexual Behavior

Exploring the Impact of Sleep on Health and Physiology

Don’t count sheep, do a mental walk instead

Sleep is a Missing Part of the Circadian Forces

20-30min naps for learning

The Link Between REM Sleep and Emotional and Mental Health And Longevity

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Get the Snipd
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AI-powered
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highlights

Save any
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Huberman Lab

Dr. Matt Walker: The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Role of Caffeine in Sleepiness

The Influence of Caffeine Timing on Sleep

Melatonin supplementation in healthy adults

Magnesium supplementation and sleep

Valerian root, tart cherry, and kiwi as sleep aids

Considerations for sleep aids

Importance of Sleep Hygiene and Consistency

Unconventional Tips for Better Sleep

Sleep and Sexual Behavior

Exploring the Impact of Sleep on Health and Physiology

Don’t count sheep, do a mental walk instead

Sleep is a Missing Part of the Circadian Forces

20-30min naps for learning

The Link Between REM Sleep and Emotional and Mental Health And Longevity

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

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