1min snip

#650: Dr. Matthew Walker, All Things Sleep — How to Improve Sleep, How Sleep Ties Into Alzheimer’s Disease and Weight Gain, and How Medications (Ambien, Trazodone, etc.), Caffeine, THC/CBD, Psychedelics, Exercise, Smart Drugs, Fasting, and More Affect Sleep

The Tim Ferriss Show

notes

NOTE

How to increase deep sleep

Avoid caffeine and light exposure at night to increase deep sleep quality, according to a recent study by Phyllis Z from Northwestern. Caffeine disrupts sleep and selectively deprives the brain of deep sleep, especially in the first few hours of the night. Light exposure in the bedroom at night can also decrease deep sleep despite closed eyelids. To increase deep sleep, think about what factors facilitate sleep rather than roadblocks.

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Transcript

Episode notes

Brought to you by Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating, Athletic Greens all-in-one supplement, and LMNT electrolyte supplement.

Matthew Walker, PhD (@sleepdiplomat), is professor of neuroscience at the University of California Berkeley and founder and director of the school’s Center for Human Sleep Science. Dr. Walker is the author of the New York Times and international bestseller Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, which was recently listed by Bill Gates as one of his top five books of the year. His TED Talk, “Sleep is Your Superpower,” has garnered more than 17 million views.

He has received numerous funding awards from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health and is a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences. In 2020, Dr. Walker was awarded the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Achievements. Dr. Walker’s research examines the impact of sleep on human health and disease. He has been featured on numerous television and radio outlets including 60 Minutes, Nat Geo TV, NOVA Science, NPR, and the BBC. Dr. Walker is also scientific advisor to Oura, a sleep-tracking ring.

Dr. Walker hosts the 5-star-rated podcast The Matt Walker Podcast, which is all about sleep, the brain, and the body.

Resources from this episode: https://tim.blog/2023/01/18/matthew-walker-sleep/

This episode is brought to you by LMNT! What is LMNT? It’s a delicious, sugar-free electrolyte drink mix. I’ve stocked up on boxes and boxes of this and usually use it 1–2 times per day. LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or Paleo diet. If you are on a low-carb diet or fasting, electrolytes play a key role in relieving hunger, cramps, headaches, tiredness, and dizziness.

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[05:55] Sleep and Alzheimer’s disease.

[19:55] What causes the decline of deep sleep as we age?

[24:36] Are there any known species that don’t require sleep?

[29:15] Brain stimulation for more deep sleep, less insomnia.

[41:01] Tips for better sleep without laboratory budget or access.

[51:45] Ideal types of exercise for promoting deep sleep.

[53:51] Matt’s updated thoughts on caffeine and sleep.

[1:11:12] Cannabis (CBD, THC, CBN) and sleep.

[1:30:18] A crowdsourcing request of listeners.

[1:36:17] If the bed’s a-rocking…

[1:41:45] The Da Vinci Code magic sleep device.

[1:46:04] DARPA innovation.

[1:46:32] Ensuring proper function in the glymphatic system.

[1:50:42] Psychedelics and sleep.

[2:01:20] How sleep affects food intake and weight fluctuation.

[2:10:46] Orexin, I reckon.

[2:22:11] Fainting goats and narcolepsy.

[2:25:36] Modafinil.

[2:30:32] How sleep medications affect sleep quality.

[2:36:16] Trazodone.

[2:46:26] Perilous polypharmacy.

[2:49:04] Pregabalin and gabapentin.

[2:54:33] The psychological value of emergency sleep medicine for insomniacs.

[2:58:16] CBTI and the balancing role of pharmacology.

[2:59:56] Parting thoughts and what to expect from a future round two.

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