- [40:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2445s) The 20-20-20 Power Down Hour splits the hour before bed into 20 minutes for tasks, 20 minutes for hygiene, and 20 minutes for relaxation.
## Key takeaways
- [43:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2583s) Waking up between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM is a natural biological occurrence driven by a core body temperature drop; getting trapped in wakefulness is triggered by secondary anxiety and rising heart rates.
- [45:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2710s) Mid-night awakenings should be managed without checking the clock or turning on bright lights, using side-to-back body repositioning or 4-7-8 breathing to keep the heart rate below 60 BPM.
- [50:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3005s) Cognitive distraction techniques, such as counting backward from 300 by threes or practicing Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR), can stop racing thoughts without degrading sleep quality.
- [01:02:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3751s) 1 in 7 people globally suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, but up to 90% remain undiagnosed, facing elevated risks of long-term health issues like Alzheimer's disease.
- [01:13:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4437s) Maintaining a rigid wake-up time 7 days a week is the single most effective rule for managing insomnia because it resets the internal clock for melatonin release.
- [01:20:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4841s) Melatonin is a circadian rhythm regulator rather than a sleep initiator, and high doses (10–20 mg) can cause night terrors and potential hormonal disruptions in children.
- [01:36:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5788s) Addressing underlying nutritional deficiencies in Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Iron can resolve up to 15% of chronic sleep issues.
- [01:44:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6275s) The 15-15-15 morning routine—15 deep breaths, 15 ounces of water, and 15 minutes of direct sunlight—helps set the brain's biological clock for the day.
- [01:47:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6430s) Wearable sleep trackers monitor heart rate and oxygen proxies rather than direct brain activity, making them best suited for tracking long-term trends rather than nightly perfection.
- [01:53:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6834s) Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and dream priming allow individuals to eliminate recurring nightmares by writing down the dream and scripting a safe, empowering ending.
- [02:07:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7644s) Proper pillow selection requires keeping the nose aligned with the sternum and using gusseted side panels to properly support the neck structure.
- [02:12:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7954s) Sleeping on the left side is optimal for reducing GERD and acid reflux, whereas stomach sleeping puts unnatural pressure on the spine and neck.
- [02:16:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8202s) Optimizing bedroom environment through sensory controls—warm lighting, cool core temperatures, clean air, and soft aromatherapy—directly enhances sleep architecture.
## Detailed walkthrough
### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=0s) Introduction and the Fundamentals of Sleep
Host Steven Bartlett opens the interview by asking Dr. Michael Breus about the most frequent sleep questions he encounters as a clinical psychologist and diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine. Dr. Breus outlines three major inquiries: what to do when waking up in the middle of the night (between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM) and struggling to fall back asleep, how to choose the right pillow, and when is the ideal time of day to have sex. Drawing on 26 years of active clinical practice, Dr. Breus explains that he focuses not only on medical conditions like sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and insomnia, but also on "disordered sleep"—everyday behavioral habits that undermine rest but are straightforward to correct.
To establish the biological framework of sleep, Dr. Breus details the two primary systems in the brain: **sleep drive** and **sleep rhythm**.
* **Sleep Drive:** Functioning similarly to hunger, sleep drive builds up the longer a person stays awake. At a cellular level, as cells consume glucose, a byproduct called **adenosine** accumulates in specific brain receptors. The higher the adenosine concentration, the sleepier a person feels.
* **Sleep Rhythm:** This represents the body's internal circadian rhythm, which dictates natural timing windows for sleep (typically between 10:30 PM and 11:30 PM for most adults in North America) as well as appetite cycles throughout the day. When sleep drive and sleep rhythm operate in harmony, optimal sleep occurs; disruption in either leads to sleep disorders or disordered sleep.
Dr. Breus introduces a practical performance hack he uses with executive clients called the **"nap-a-latte"** (or caffeine nap) to combat acute fatigue:
1. Drink a cup of black drip coffee cooled quickly with a few ice cubes so it can be consumed fast.
2. Immediately take a **25-minute nap**.
3. *The Science:* Caffeine and adenosine differ by only a single molecule. While sleeping for 25 minutes, the brain clears out accumulated adenosine before the caffeine finishes digesting and absorbing. As the caffeine enters the bloodstream (taking roughly 25 to 30 minutes), it fits into the vacated adenosine receptor sites, blocking new adenosine from binding and guaranteeing up to **four hours of sustained energy**.
> "When you change someone's sleep, dude, you change their life. Like it is fundamental to who they are."
---
[02:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=143s) Dr. Breus’s Clinical Background, Psychology, and Dreams
Dr. Breus details his unconventional career path into sleep medicine. Although he is a PhD clinical psychologist rather than an MD, he holds a unique distinction as one of only 168 non-medical doctors in the world to take and pass the medical board exams in sleep medicine. This allows him to work directly alongside medical doctors treating complex conditions such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy. However, because he does not prescribe medication, he emphasizes non-pharmacological behavioral interventions, noting that most individuals struggling with sleep do not require sleep medication.
```
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| DR. BREUS'S CLINICAL APPROACH |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1. Psychological Root Causes: ~75% of sleep issues stem from anxiety/fear. |
| 2. Non-Pharmacological Bias: Prioritizes behavioral habits over drugs. |
| 3. Emotional Metabolism: Uses dream processing to resolve waking anxiety. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
```
The discussion transitions into the heavy psychological component of sleep problems. Dr. Breus asserts that approximately **75% of the reason people cannot sleep is driven by anxiety or fear**—ranging from overt daytime stress to latent financial, relational, or existential anxieties.
Dr. Breus introduces his clinical framework for dreams, defining dreaming as **"emotional metabolism."** During sleep, the brain actively processes and works through emotional states experienced during waking hours:
* **The Mechanics of Nightmares:** A nightmare occurs when a dream scene becomes so emotionally intense that it triggers an awakening. However, waking up halts the processing loop. When the individual falls back asleep, they often return to the same emotional threshold, wake up again, and become trapped in a repetitive loop.
* **Dream Interpretation:** Dr. Breus cautions against generic dream symbol dictionaries (e.g., claiming that dreaming of water means a specific psychological complex). Instead, dreams must be evaluated through the specific context of the individual dreamer, mapping how their unique waking experiences intersect with their dream content.
---
[07:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=422s) Sleep Diagnostics, Props, and Chronotypes
Directing attention to the physical props brought to the studio, Dr. Breus previews the hands-on demonstrations scheduled for the episode. These include an extensive array of pillows to illustrate a systematic "pillow fitting process" based on body type and sleep posture, as well as a modern **Home Sleep Test (HST)** device. He notes that historically, diagnosing sleep disorders required overnight hospital stays in polysomnography labs, where patients were wired with **27 electrodes**, chest respiratory belts, and monitored by overhead cameras. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, diagnostic practices shifted dramatically toward portable home sleep testing units.
Finally, Dr. Breus introduces the biological basis of **chronotypes**—the internal genetic sleep code that dictates individual circadian timing:
* **The Genetic Mechanism:** Chronotypes are hardwired into human DNA, governed primarily by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the **PER3 gene**.
* **Hormonal Regulation:** An individual's chronotype dictates the exact timing of key hormone releases, including **melatonin, cortisol, adrenaline, and dopamine**.
* **Traditional vs. New Categories:** While society historically categorized individuals into traditional terms like "early birds" and "night owls," Dr. Breus outlines how aligning daily schedules—including work, coffee intake, alcohol consumption, and complex cognitive tasks—with one's underlying chronotype optimizes daily cognitive and physical performance.
Here is a detailed, faithful walkthrough of the transcript section provided:
[13:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=818s) Melatonin, Cortisol, and Why Your Chronotype Matters
Dr. Michael Breus explains that classical sleep science categorized individuals into three broad groups based on genetics: early birds, night owls, and those in the middle. However, the groundbreaking aspect of sleep science involves understanding the underlying biological irregularities in daily schedules—specifically, the timing of melatonin and cortisol production. While adenosine creates sleep pressure (making a person feel physically sleepy), melatonin acts as a hormonal guide that signals to the body precisely when it is time to sleep. For instance, an early bird naturally begins producing melatonin around 8:00 PM, creating a desire to sleep by 9:30 PM.
When host Steven Bartlett asks why identifying one's chronotype actually matters in everyday life, Dr. Breus emphasizes that knowing your chronotype allows you to optimize the timing of virtually any daily activity. By aligning tasks with your body's natural production of melatonin, cortisol, adrenaline, and other hormones, you dramatically enhance performance and efficiency.
- **Melatonin vs. Adenosine:** Adenosine builds up sleepiness; melatonin signals the circadian clock that it is time for bed.
- **Early Bird Circadian Timing:** Melatonin production begins around 8:00 PM, driving a natural bedtime of around 9:30 PM.
- **The Core Benefit:** Aligning daily tasks with underlying hormonal cycles allows you to perform those activities better and more effortlessly.
---
[14:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=895s) The Best Time for Sex and the Biology of Morning Intimacy
Addressing one of the most common questions he receives—third only to inquiries about insomnia and mattresses—Dr. Breus tackles the ideal timing for sexual intimacy. While surveys indicate that most couples are intimate between 10:30 PM and 11:30 PM due to convenience, this timing directly opposes the body's natural hormone profile. Successful, gratifying sex relies on high levels of estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, adrenaline, and cortisol, paired with low melatonin. At 10:30 PM, the body experiences the exact opposite state: melatonin is peaking while energizing hormones are at their lowest.
Dr. Breus points out that biological males frequently wake up with morning erections, calling it "mother nature telling you when to use that thing." Research and surveys confirm that couples report greater connection and better physical performance when engaging in intimacy in the morning. Dr. Breus lightheartedly notes that practicing basic hygiene first—such as brushing your teeth or using mouthwash—is essential out of courtesy for your partner, but the biological timing makes morning sex vastly superior.
- **Common Intimacy Window:** 10:30 PM to 11:30 PM (suboptimal due to peak melatonin and low sex/energy hormones).
- **Hormones Required for Optimal Sex:** High testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and adrenaline, paired with low melatonin.
- **The Morning Advantage:** Hormonal alignment and natural male morning arousal make early morning the ideal window for intimate performance and connection.
---
[16:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=999s) The Science of Morning Caffeine and Proper Hydration
When asked whether coffee should be the first liquid consumed in the morning, Dr. Breus strongly advises against it. During a typical night of sleep, a person loses almost a full liter of water simply through the humidity in their breath. Because caffeine is a natural diuretic, drinking coffee immediately upon waking exacerbates dehydration, turning you into "a raisin before this whole thing is through."
Beyond hydration, the underlying neurobiology favors delaying caffeine intake. Exiting a state of sleep requires large bursts of adrenaline and cortisol. Introducing caffeine into a brain already flooding with cortisol is ineffective—Dr. Breus likens it to "adding weak tea to somebody who's taking cocaine." By waiting 90 minutes after waking, natural cortisol and adrenaline levels begin to dip. Consuming caffeine at that 90-minute mark boosts fading cortisol and yields a significantly stronger energizing effect.
- **Overnight Water Loss:** Nearly 1 liter of fluid is lost during sleep via respiratory humidity.
- **The 90-Minute Rule:** Delay caffeine for 90 minutes post-waking to allow natural cortisol and adrenaline spikes to subside before adding a secondary stimulant.
- **Morning Hydration Target:** Drink approximately 15 to 20 ounces of water (roughly 3 to 4 cups) within the first 90 minutes of waking up, before having coffee.
- **Caffeine Cut-off:** Cease caffeine consumption by 2:00 PM to account for its 6 to 8-hour half-life, ensuring it does not interfere with a 10:00 PM bedtime.
---
[18:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1128s) Breakdown of the 4 Chronotypes: Lions, Bears, Wolves, and Dolphins
Dr. Breus walks through the four distinct chronotypes, detailing their biological traits, schedules, and daily productivity windows:
```
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THE 4 CHRONOTYPES |
+---------------+-------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Chronotype | Population Share | Typical Wake Time | Peak Work / Focus Window |
+---------------+-------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
| Lion | 10% - 15% | 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM | 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Bear | 50% - 55% | 7:00 AM - 7:30 AM | 10:30 AM / 11:30 AM - 2 PM|
| Wolf | ~15% | Late / Reluctant | Late Afternoon / 2:00 AM |
| Dolphin | ~10% | Early / Fragmented | Mid-Morning to Early PM |
+---------------+-------------------+-----------------------+---------------------------+
```
#### Lions (Early Birds)
Representing 10% to 15% of the population, Lions are natural early risers whose melatonin production stops early (around 4:30 AM to 5:00 AM) as cortisol surges. They love creating task lists and systematically checking off items. However, being a Lion makes late-night social activities difficult; dinner and a movie or late concerts are exhausting since they naturally want to sleep by 8:30 PM or 9:00 PM. They prefer a light morning breakfast and early workouts. Their prime analytical work window is between 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM. By 2:00 PM, their cognitive bandwidth drops, making the afternoon best suited for low-cognition physical tasks, walks, or process-oriented meetings.
#### Bears (The Majority)
Accounting for 50% to 55% of the population, Bears follow the sun. Dr. Breus admits he often wishes he were a Bear because modern societal structures (such as standard 9-to-5 work schedules) are built specifically around their circadian rhythm. Data from nearly 3 million quiz respondents shows Bears fall into "early bears" (peak window starting around 10:30 AM or 11:00 AM) and "later bears" (peak window running from 11:30 AM to roughly 2:00 PM).
#### Wolves (Night Owls)
Wolves represent the creative night owls, high risk-takers, actors, and artists. They detest mornings and thrive late at night. "If you know a creative, when do they get their biggest idea? It's not 2 o'clock in the afternoon, it's 2 o'clock in the morning," Dr. Breus notes. Wolves are the ones who arrive at a party at 11:00 PM, stay until 2:00 AM to help clean up, and operate best on a delayed schedule.
#### Dolphins (Anxious / Low Sleep Drive)
Dolphins are highly intelligent, detail-oriented, fast-talking, and well-read individuals who often experience mild anxiety or obsessive traits. While they desire longer sleep, their biological sleep drive is naturally low, leading to sleep frustration. When assigned a project, a Dolphin will obsessively refine minor details until forced to hand it in. Dr. Breus reveals that he wrote his book specifically with Dolphins in mind, finding them the most rewarding clients to work with once they understand their fluctuating hormonal patterns.
- **Self-Assessment Quiz:** Individuals can identify their chronotype by taking a 3-to-4-minute assessment at `chronoquiz.com`.
- **Corporate Application:** Dr. Breus shares an anecdote of a CEO who chronotyped his entire company, rescheduling early 8:00 AM meetings for Lions and scheduling 4:00 PM meetings for Wolves, resulting in dramatic improvements in team performance.
---
[24:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1481s) How Chronotypes Shift Across Aging and the Impact of Sleep Quality
Chronotypes are not static throughout a person's lifespan; individuals naturally cycle through all four chronotypes as they age:
- **Infancy:** Babies function as Lions, sleeping and waking early.
- **Childhood / Primary School:** Children transition into Bears, sleeping around 7:30 PM and waking around 7:30 AM.
- **Adolescence:** Teenagers become Wolves, staying awake past midnight and sleeping late into the day.
- **Adulthood:** Between ages 23 and 24, a person's chronotype stabilizes into one of the four types for 25 to 30 years.
- **Older Adulthood (Mid-50s+):** Around age 50 to 58, melatonin production slows or shifts earlier. Older parents frequently insist on eating dinner at 4:00 PM or 4:30 PM as their circadian clocks shift backward.
Aging also brings an increase in "EEG arousals"—micro-awakenings that break up continuous sleep architecture. Addressing whether aging inevitably makes people grumpier, Dr. Breus clarifies that mood decline stems from poor sleep *quality* rather than lower *quantity*. "I would rather have somebody who got 5 hours of really great sleep versus seven hours of really light crappy sleep every time," he explains. Maintaining high sleep quality in older age requires adjusting late-day habits, such as stopping all caffeine intake by 2:00 PM.
- **Lifespan Chronotype Progression:** Infant (Lion) $\rightarrow$ Child (Bear) $\rightarrow$ Teen (Wolf) $\rightarrow$ Adult (Settled Chronotype) $\rightarrow$ Older Adult (Advanced/Early Shift).
- **EEG Arousals:** Fragmented sleep patterns that increase with age, degrading deep restorative sleep.
- **Quality vs. Quantity:** Sleep architecture and depth impact emotional regulation and mood far more than total hours spent in bed.
---
<ElicitationsGroup message="Explore more sleep optimization insights from Dr. Michael Breus:">
<Elicitation label="Learn the 3-2-1 Rule for the perfect evening wind-down routine" query="What is the 3-2-1 Rule for evening wind-down according to Dr. Michael Breus, and how do I implement it?"/>
<Elicitation label="Discover how to fix insomnia and nighttime overthinking" query="What strategies does Dr. Michael Breus recommend for fixing insomnia and managing nighttime overthinking?"/>
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[27:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1632s) How Early School Start Times Hurt Kids’ Academic Success
Dr. Michael Breus emphasizes that standard school start times are biologically out of sync with most adolescents. Many teenagers wake up as early as 5:30 AM or 6:00 AM to endure hour-long bus rides, which is exceptionally detrimental during adolescence. When examining academic performance across chronotypes, morning types ("Lions") consistently achieve higher grades not because of superior IQ, but because standard exam schedules directly overlap with their peak alertness windows. Conversely, "Wolves"—who represent creative innovators, late-night coders, and out-of-the-box thinkers—frequently struggle in morning-heavy schedules yet catch up and outperform morning types when tested in the afternoon or evening.
This phenomenon is supported by research, including a 2020 study on nearly 800 students demonstrating the "synchrony effect," where academic performance improves significantly when class schedules align with an individual's chronotype. Furthermore, landmark research at the University of Minnesota revealed that shifting first-period class start times just 1 hour later resulted in students improving by a full letter grade (e.g., raising C students to B students). To optimize learning, Dr. Breus envisions an ideal school system that identifies children's chronotypes and aligns their test-taking hours accordingly. On a personal note, the host relates to this biological timing, sharing that he intentionally avoids scheduling podcasts in the morning because it falls outside his optimal window.
* **Academic Disparity:** Lions score higher primarily because standardized testing aligns with their morning alertness peak, whereas Wolves perform better in the afternoon or evening.
* **The Synchrony Effect:** Research proves student performance drastically improves when educational schedules mirror their underlying biological chronotype.
* **University of Minnesota Study:** Delaying school start times by 1 hour yielded an average increase of one full letter grade across students.
* **Optimal Start Times:** Dr. Breus notes that preschoolers naturally wake early and suit 7:00 AM start times, whereas high school start times should be pushed significantly later.
---
[30:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1828s) The Myth of 8 Hours and the #1 Parenting Strategy for Sleep
Debunking a widespread belief, Dr. Breus asserts that "8 hours is a myth" stemming from early Stanford research in the 1930s that calculated an average ideal duration of 8 hours and 13 minutes. In reality, healthy sleep requirements fall within a range of 7 to 9 hours, though individual needs vary. However, he establishes a strict lower boundary of 6 hours. Getting fewer than 6 hours of sleep significantly impairs driving ability and operational safety, making tasks like commuting or carpooling dangerous.
Transitioning to the immense sleep deprivation experienced by parents, Dr. Breus outlines strategic management techniques for families dealing with chaotic sleep patterns. He recommends educating children on how sleep aids their performance in sports, theater, or computer activities, while establishing strict bedtimes and wake times. For parents sharing nighttime duties, he introduces the "on-call method," where parents alternate night shifts (e.g., Parent A covers Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Parent B covers Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday; flipping a coin for Sunday). This prevents both parents from waking up at 2:00 AM when a child cries. Highlighting a quirky finding from sleep studies, Dr. Breus notes that when babies cry at night, women usually get up to care for the child, whereas men frequently stay in bed and fake sleep—a fact confirmed by researchers interviewing the men post-study.
* **Ideal Sleep Range:** Standard sleep duration ranges between 7 and 9 hours; standardizing strictly on 8 hours is unnecessary.
* **The 6-Hour Threshold:** Sleeping less than 6 hours creates severe cognitive and motor impairments comparable to unsafe driving.
* **The On-Call Method:** Alternating night-shift responsibility allows one parent to get uninterrupted sleep while the other handles nighttime awakenings.
* **Fake-Sleeping Study:** Research shows men frequently admit to pretending to remain asleep when hearing a child cry during the night.
---
[33:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2037s) How to Drink Alcohol Without Ruining Your Sleep
While many stressed parents turn to a nightcap, Dr. Breus warns that using alcohol as a nighttime relaxation tool severely degrades sleep quality. Specifically, alcohol eliminates stages 3 and 4 deep sleep. During stage 4 sleep, the brain's glymphatic system actively clears out toxic metabolic waste and proteins that wrap around nerves, which are linked to Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, destroying deep sleep with alcohol directly impairs the brain's vital neurological cleanup process.
For those who still choose to drink, Dr. Breus outlines a concrete protocol to mitigate its negative effects. To properly process alcohol, one should consume a glass of water after every alcoholic drink and stop all alcohol consumption 3 hours before going to bed. The water fills the stomach, aids kidney flushing, prevents overconsumption, and counteracts dehydration (since alcohol strips the body of water and magnesium). As a recovery tip, Dr. Breus recommends drinking coconut water, as it is rich in zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins—key nutrients depleted by alcohol consumption. Additionally, he highlights that human metabolism operates on "chronotype-specific happy hours," where the body produces the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase most efficiently between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
* **Glymphatic System Disruption:** Alcohol suppresses stage 4 deep sleep, preventing the glymphatic system from sweeping away brain proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease.
* **The 3-Hour Buffer Rule:** Discontinue alcohol and food 3 hours before bed to allow adequate metabolism and digestion before sleep onset.
* **Hydration Protocol:** Alternate every alcoholic beverage with a glass of water, and finish with coconut water to restore zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins.
* **Peak Alcohol Metabolism:** The enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase processes alcohol most effectively during the standard 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM window.
---
[37:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2229s) Late-Night Snacking, Heart Rate, and Evening Wind-Downs
To achieve sleep, the human body requires a heart rate of 60 beats per minute or lower to enter unconsciousness. Dr. Breus points out that consuming food late at night forces the digestive system to remain active, keeping the heart rate elevated and delaying sleep. He uses family dinners as a practical example: parents should consider eating early with their children rather than having a late meal after the kids go to bed, ensuring enough time for digestion before sleep.
The host shares a personal story illustrating this exact mistake. While filming in Los Angeles prior to interviewing Seth Rogen, he ate a late-night hotel minibar cookie right before bed. Tracking his biometrics on his Whoop band the next morning, he observed that his heart rate remained at 75 to 80 beats per minute for the first 2 to 3 hours of the night. He woke up feeling terrible and performed poorly during the recording. Dr. Breus explains that sugar compound the issue by suppressing the body's natural production of melatonin. To reliably lower the heart rate before bed, Dr. Breus advocates for structured breathwork and meditation. He cautions that falling asleep is not like flipping an on-off switch; rather, it requires "runway to land the plane," taking roughly 12 to 15 minutes of gradual physiological slowing down.
* **Heart Rate Threshold:** A resting heart rate of 60 BPM or lower is physiologically required to cross into unconscious sleep.
* **Late-Night Sugar Impact:** Consuming high-sugar snacks late at night elevates heart rate and actively slows down natural melatonin production.
* **Sleep Onset Window:** Normal, healthy sleep latency takes approximately 12 to 15 minutes after getting into bed.
* **The "Runway" Analogy:** Falling asleep requires a gradual wind-down process—removing foot from the gas and applying the brake—rather than an abrupt transition.
[40:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2445s) The 20-20-20 Power Down Hour and the Muse Headband
To ensure an effortless transition into deep sleep, Dr. Michael Breus outlines a structured evening routine called the "Power Down Hour." He recommends setting an alarm on your phone for 10:00 PM if your target bedtime is 11:00 PM, preventing the night from slipping away unnoticed. This hour is divided into three distinct 20-minute segments:
1. **20 minutes for tasks:** Wrapping up last-minute chores or lingering responsibilities (such as packing school backpacks, laying out work clothes, or clearing out remaining emails).
2. **20 minutes for hygiene:** Taking a warm shower, washing your face, and brushing your teeth.
3. **20 minutes for relaxation:** Engaging in a calming mental practice like meditation, prayer, or light stretching.
Admitting that he is personally a "terrible meditator" who has even been kicked out of meditation retreats for asking if he was doing it right, Dr. Breus demonstrates a device he brought from home called the Muse headband. The headband features biofeedback sensors placed across the forehead and behind the ears to read real-time brainwave activity. It syncs with a smartphone app playing background music or guided audio; as your mind quiets down, the audio volume automatically drops. Reaching the deeply relaxed "alpha state"—the ideal brainwave state for meditation—triggers the sound of birds chirping in the app to signal success.
- **Muse Headband:** Retails for approximately $275 (Dr. Breus explicitly notes he has no financial affiliation with the company).
- **Alpha State:** The calm, reflective brainwave frequency produced when a person's eyes are closed in a state of quiet relaxation.
---
[43:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2583s) Mid-Night Temperature Spikes and Waking Up Between 1 AM and 3 AM
Beyond structured meditation, Dr. Breus highlights Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) as an effective tool for unwinding, where a person sequentially tenses and releases muscles starting from the toes up to the head to release physical tension. Addressing the common phenomenon of waking up unexpectedly in the middle of the night, Dr. Breus clarifies that this issue is rooted in human biology. Core body temperature naturally fluctuates throughout the night: it rises during the evening, peaks, drops sharply to signal melatonin release, and continues falling.
However, between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM, human core body temperature hits its lowest trough and must begin heating back up to prevent hypothermia. As a result, every single human being on Earth briefly wakes up or shifts arousal states between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM. While most people simply burp, roll over, and fall back asleep within 30 seconds, those suffering from insomnia or heightened anxiety get stuck in full wakefulness.
- **Progressive Muscle Relaxation:** Dr. Breus offers a free audio guide for viewers to practice PMR step-by-step.
- **Precipitatory Anxiety:** Steven Bartlett shares that his own sleep is severely disrupted before early flight schedules due to anticipatory stress.
---
[45:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2710s) The Rules of 3 AM: Bathroom Traps and Clock-Watching
When waking up in the middle of the night, Dr. Breus outlines strict rules to prevent full arousal. First, he cautions against immediately getting out of bed to use the bathroom. Transitioning from a horizontal position to sitting, standing, and walking elevates the heart rate well past the threshold required for unconsciousness. Because roughly 75% of people sleep on their sides curled up—which compresses the bladder and creates a false sense of urgency—simply rolling onto your back for 25 seconds often relieves the pressure. If you truly must urinate, keep a dim, strategically placed nightlight along the hallway to avoid turning on bright overhead lights, which signals the brain that it is morning and immediately shuts down melatonin production.
The second critical rule is to avoid checking your phone or looking at the clock. Seeing that it is 3:30 AM triggers immediate "mental math" ("I have to be up in two and a half hours!"), inducing frustration and driving the heart rate in the wrong direction.
- **Heart Rate Threshold:** Achieving unconsciousness requires keeping your resting heart rate at or below 60 beats per minute.
- **Melatonin Suppression:** Bright bathroom light exposure immediately signals the brain to stop melatonin synthesis.
---
[47:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2826s) The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique and Mental Distractions
To lower a spiked heart rate and silence "monkey mind"—the erratic, middle-of-the-night internal monologue about work, grocery lists, or past conversations—Dr. Breus teaches the 4-7-8 breathing method developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. Designed originally for military personnel to calm down in high-stress combat situations, this exercise directly lowers the heart rate below 60 beats per minute:
1. **Inhale:** Breathe in quietly through the nose for a count of **4**.
2. **Hold:** Hold the breath for a count of **7**.
3. **Exhale:** Forcefully blow the breath out through the mouth for a count of **8**.
To maintain focus and avoid losing count, close your eyes, visualize each number in your mind's eye, and track cycles on your fingers by opening a closed fist one finger at a time (reaching 10 on one hand and returning to 20). Dr. Breus notes that beginners who struggle to hold for 7 or push for 8 can scale down to a 4-5-6 or 4-6-7 sequence. After walking Steven through just two cycles on set, Steven immediately yawns, proving its rapid physiological effect.
For patients who struggle with breathing exercises, Dr. Breus recommends counting backward from 300 by threes. The task is mathematically complex enough to block worrying, yet boring enough to induce quick sleep.
---
[50:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3005s) TV, True Crime, AirPods, and Sleep Environment Conflicts
The discussion shifts to personal sleep habits and background noise. Steven confesses that he and his sister Amanda fall asleep listening to true crime documentaries and serial killer podcasts—a habit formed in childhood when their mother had *Forensic Files* constantly running on television. Dr. Breus chuckles and reveals a similar dynamic in his own home: despite being a world-renowned sleep doctor, his wife, Lauren, insists on leaving a big-screen TV on all night long playing murder mysteries or *Seinfeld*.
Dr. Breus stresses that sleep routines are highly individual and flexible. For his wife, hearing low audio out of "the corner of her ear" acts as a vital distraction technique that stops her mind from racing. While biohackers often push rigid, militant sleep rules, forcing a partner to conform can create unnecessary relationship friction. To compromise between Steven's need for true crime audio and his girlfriend's preference for total silence, Steven sleeps with a single AirPod in his top ear. Addressing the hassle of digging a lost AirPod out of the bedsheets every morning, Dr. Breus introduces the concept of specialized pillow speakers that stream low audio directly through the pillow fabric without disturbing a partner.
- **Sleep Flexibility:** A bedtime distraction technique (such as a TV sleep timer or audio) that helps a person fall asleep without degrading sleep scores should not be rigidly banned.
- **Pillow Speakers:** Bluetooth-enabled speakers placed inside or under a pillow, allowing one person to listen to audio clearly while keeping the room completely silent for their bed partner.
[54:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3250s) Smart Earbuds, Brain Waves, and Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)
Dr. Michael Breus outlines innovative tech for middle-of-the-night awakenings, starting with under-pillow speakers and special sleeping earbuds. He highlights a new company called NextSense, which makes earbuds that track brain waves during sleep. When the device detects a shift into a lighter sleep stage, it sends a targeted frequency signal to keep the user in deep sleep or seamlessly guide them back down. Steven Bartlett jokingly asks if he can listen to *The Diary Of A CEO* on them while an AI agent handles liking and subscribing in his sleep.
Moving beyond hardware, Dr. Breus addresses what to do when standard breathing exercises fail to put you back to sleep. He introduces Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR), also known as Yoga Nidra—an ancient practice done lying flat in corpse pose. While an hour of NSDR is only equivalent to about 20 minutes of actual sleep, simply lying calm and relaxed is still biologically valuable. However, if anxiety creeps in and your heart rate rises, staying in bed conditions your brain to view the bed as a place of frustration. At that point, you must get out of bed.
Dr. Breus also emphasizes managing your mental framing when waking up at 3:00 AM. Because the brain defaults to negative survival thoughts during nighttime awakenings, you must consciously intercept the second thought:
> "You can't stop your first thought, but you can stop your second thought... Give yourself permission to just chill, just relax. And then you know what happens? The natural sleep process comes over."
- **NextSense Earbuds:** Monitor brain waves to play corrective frequency signals during light sleep transitions.
- **Yoga Nidra / NSDR Efficiency:** One hour of quiet, calm NSDR yields roughly 20 minutes worth of physical sleep benefit.
- **Resetting Environment:** If your heart rate rises, move to another room with a pre-set dim light and a book until you feel sleepy again.
---
[57:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3440s) The Global Sleep Crisis: Obesity, Modern Work, and Digital Overload
Steven Bartlett and Dr. Breus discuss recent data highlighting a global sleep crisis. Studies from the CDC, Stanford Medicine, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine show alarming rates of sleep deprivation across demographics, particularly among younger generations and working adults. They discuss how social media usage, hyper-connected digital work environments, and the constant barrage of rapid news contribute to chronic elevated anxiety.
Dr. Breus points out that beyond anxiety, the single biggest driver of sleep disruption is the obesity epidemic and highly processed foods. Gaining weight—especially around the neck—directly increases the risk of obstructive sleep apnea. Men naturally store excess weight around the facial and neck area, compressing their airways at night. Combined with blurring environmental boundaries—such as living in small studio apartments or working digitally past 6:00 PM—people are losing dedicated physical and mental spaces for rest.
- **1 in 3 Adults:** Chronically sleep-deprived according to CDC and Stanford Medicine data.
- **80% of Teenagers:** Suffer from chronic sleep deprivation.
- **93% of Gen Z:** Admit to losing sleep regularly due to social media scrolling.
- **71% of Employees:** Report calling in sick specifically to catch up on lost sleep.
- **The Weight Factor:** Roughly 70%+ of adults in the U.S. are overweight, directly driving elevated rates of sleep apnea through airway restriction.
---
[01:02:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3751s) Sleep Apnea: Symptoms, Testing, and "Sleep Divorces"
Dr. Breus breaks down the mechanics of sleep apnea—a condition where an individual pulls their tongue to the back of their throat while inhaling, completely cutting off airflow. This causes repetitive grunting, gasping, and micro-awakenings throughout the night, occurring anywhere from 5 to 15 times per hour in mild cases, and far higher in severe cases. These constant awakenings prevent the brain from entering deep sleep to clear out cellular waste.
Global data indicates that nearly 1 billion adults suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, making it as prevalent as diabetes, yet 80% to 90% of cases remain undiagnosed. Dr. Breus demonstrates an at-home diagnostic sleep test ring that measures blood oxygen levels, heart rate, sleep depth, and respiratory pauses overnight for $189. Addressing a common relationship tension, Dr. Breus clarifies that sleeping in separate rooms or taking a "sleep divorce" due to snoring or CPAP machine noise does not mean a relationship is failing. In fact, many couples find that sleeping apart during the workweek improves both their health and their weekend intimacy.
> "I've saved more marriages as a sleep doctor than I ever would have as a marital therapist dealing with snoring in the middle of the night."
- **Prevalence:** 936 million to 1 billion adults worldwide (1 in 7 people) have obstructive sleep apnea.
- **Undiagnosed Rate:** 80% to 90% of individuals with sleep apnea do not know they have it.
- **Key Warning Signs:** Loud snoring, gasping for air, morning headaches, mood swings, and observed pauses in breathing.
- **At-Home Sleep Test Cost:** Approximately $189 (often covered by insurance), providing disposable, single-night tracking for oxygen and apnea events.
[01:07:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4063s) Gender Differences in Sleep Apnea and the Reality of CPAP
While men have historically been the default baseline for sleep studies, men and women present sleep apnea symptoms quite differently. Women tend to snore less than men, but they experience far more micro-arousals (waking up constantly throughout the night) and report morning headaches much more frequently. Because traditional diagnostic equipment often misses these nuances by ignoring EEG data, specialized testing devices are now being developed specifically for women. Misdiagnosis remains rampant, as women frequently present with insomnia-like symptoms rather than classic snoring, leading clinicians to overlook underlying airway obstructions.
The overarching fear surrounding sleep apnea testing is the dread of wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Dr. Michael Breus admits that he himself has sleep apnea—stopping breathing roughly 26 times an hour—despite not fitting the typical physical profile. He demystifies the CPAP as a simple air compressor that sends a gentle stream of air down the nasal passage to hold open the collapsing throat tissue. For those unwilling or unable to tolerate a mask, effective alternative treatments exist:
* **Oral Appliances:** Upper and lower mouthguards (similar to sports guards) that pull the lower jaw slightly forward to mechanically open the posterior airway space.
* **Tongue-Vibrating Devices:** Instruments worn on the tongue that cause it to shrink by a few millimeters, clearing air passages.
* **Surgical Options:** Permanent structural interventions that alter airway geometry.
* **Pharmacological Treatments:** Experimental drugs currently in clinical development (with several companies seeking FDA approval) aimed at treating sleep apnea in pill form, which could fundamentally revolutionize patient compliance.
[01:11:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4283s) Health Risks, OTC Sleep Aids, and the Alzheimer's Connection
Untreated sleep apnea carries severe long-term neurological consequences. During deep sleep, the brain’s glymphatic system clears out metabolic waste and toxic proteins. Because apnea repeatedly jerks sufferers out of deep sleep stages, these neurotoxic proteins accumulate over time. Citing research from the Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland, the discussion highlights that individuals with untreated sleep apnea face a 45% higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
A major concern is the widespread reliance on over-the-counter (OTC) night-time pain relievers (such as Tylenol PM or Advil PM) to force sleep. These medications combine pain relievers with diphenhydramine, an antihistamine that causes drowsiness. Emerging data suggests that long-term, daily use of diphenhydramine is linked directly to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Breus urges people to abandon heavy OTC self-medication in favor of natural sleep habits.
[01:13:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4437s) Demystifying Insomnia: The Four Types and the #1 Sleep Rule
Insomnia is often thrown around as a monolithic self-diagnosis, but clinically, it manifests in four distinct patterns: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up too early, and waking up feeling unrefreshed. A major mistake made after a terrible night of sleep is trying to go to bed early the next evening to "catch up." This strategy backfires because the circadian rhythm is not yet ready, leaving the person lying awake, feeling completely "wired and tired."
To break the cycle of sleep disruption, Dr. Breus outlines essential behavioral guidelines:
* **Avoid Over-Caffeinating:** Resist the urge to heavy-dose coffee during the day after a bad night, which creates a destructive "washing machine cycle" of poor sleep and fatigue.
* **Avoid Late Night Over-Stimulation:** Give yourself a mental "runway" to wind down and land the plane before getting into bed.
* **Maintain a Rigid Wake-Up Time:** The absolute single most effective sleep tip is to wake up at the exact same time seven days a week.
> "I don't actually care when you go to bed that much... I really only care about the wake-up time... The time that you wake up directly determines when your internal melatonin kicks into gear."
Explaining the biology, Dr. Breus notes that morning light striking the eye's melanopsin cells stops melatonin production and sets a timer for roughly 14 hours later (the melatonin phase response curve). Waking up at 6:00 AM suppresses melatonin until roughly 8:00 PM, preparing the body for sleep around 9:30 PM. Sleeping in until 8:00 AM on weekends shifts that biological trigger two hours later, disrupting the natural drive to sleep on Sunday night.
[01:17:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4620s) Primary vs. Secondary Insomnia, CBT-I, and Sleeping Pills
Insomnia is categorized as either primary (where the sleep disturbance is the sole issue) or secondary (where the sleep issue is triggered by an underlying condition like pain, fibromyalgia, or caffeine abuse). While alcohol is informally the most common "therapy" people use to force sleep, prescription sleeping pills are widely relied upon.
Dr. Breus stresses that there is no shame in taking medication when medically appropriate, but criticizes how sleeping pills are overprescribed. Insomnia is frequently treated as a "door handle diagnosis"—a symptom blurted out by the patient just as the doctor is leaving the room, prompting a quick prescription for drugs like Ambien or trazodone without treating the root cause. Up to 75% of insomnia cases are tied directly to underlying anxiety and depression.
The gold standard non-pharmacological treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), which addresses both the behavioral schedule and cognitive distortions:
* **Behavioral Rescheduling:** Re-establishing strict sleep-wake patterns.
* **Challenging Cognitive Distortions:** Confronting "catastrophizing" thoughts (e.g., believing a single night of bad sleep will ruin one's life) by looking at actual past evidence of survival and performance under sleep restriction.
The distinction is made between prescription pills (FDA-regulated medications requiring a doctor's order) and over-the-counter sleep supplements (non-FDA regulated products available over the counter), paving the way for a deeper discussion on non-prescription sleep aids.
---
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[01:20:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4841s) The Truth Behind Melatonin: What They're Not Telling You
Dr. Michael Breus examines the selection of sleep supplements on the table, distinguishing them strictly from pharmaceutical sleep medications. Turning to melatonin, he highlights a massive international divide: while melatonin is sold over the counter across the United States, it is strictly prescription-only in the UK, Europe, and Australia. The core reason for this restriction is that melatonin is a powerful hormone, not a benign nutrient. Just as pharmacies do not sell testosterone or estrogen over the counter, untamed access to melatonin allows people to alter a hormonal system that influences nearly 300 physiological processes without medical oversight.
```
MELATONIN VS. ADENOSINE: HOW THEY WORK
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MELATONIN │
│ • Sleep Regulator (Circadian Rhythm) │
│ • Signals *when* it is time to sleep based on light/dark cycles │
│ • Does NOT generate physical sleepiness/sleep drive │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ADENOSINE │
│ • Sleep Initiator (Sleep Drive / Pressure) │
│ • Accumulates during waking hours to create physical tiredness │
│ • Blocked by caffeine molecules due to structural similarity │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
Crucially, consumers fail to realize that melatonin interacts directly with several major classes of medication. It alters the efficacy of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)—common antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft, and Celexa—as well as birth control pills, blood pressure treatments, and diabetes medications. Furthermore, people fundamentally misunderstand its function: melatonin is a sleep *regulator*, not a sleep *initiator*. It controls sleep rhythm by signaling to the brain when it is nighttime, whereas actual sleep drive is built by adenosine accumulation.
The widespread practice of giving melatonin to children is roundly criticized as unnecessary and harmful. Children naturally produce roughly four times the amount of melatonin their brains require, making external supplementation useless for sleep onset while teaching young kids the dangerous psychological lesson that they require a pill to sleep. The single clear clinical exception where high-dose melatonin (5 to 7 milligrams) shows legitimate scientific efficacy is for children on the autism spectrum.
- **Overdosing Norms:** Effective adult doses range between 0.5 mg and 1.5 mg (capping out around 3 mg), yet US pharmacy shelves are dominated by 10 mg and 20 mg gummies.
- **Primary Overdose Side Effect:** Consuming excessive melatonin directly triggers unnaturally vivid dreams and nightmares.
---
[01:24:11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5051s) The Unregulated Supplement Market and Rising Overdoses
The conversation shifts to a staggering lack of quality control in US retail melatonin, driven by its status as an unregulated dietary supplement rather than an FDA-approved drug. A landmark 2024 study analyzing commercial melatonin gummies revealed extreme discrepancies between label claims and actual contents. Doses in tested products ranged from 0% all the way to 667% of the listed quantity. Some gummies contained zero melatonin whatsoever, while others were contaminated with unlisted substances such as CBD.
```
MELATONIN USE & POISONING RISKS
┌───────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Metric │ Statistic / Finding │
├───────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ US Adult Usage (1999) │ 0.4% │
│ US Adult Usage (Today) │ ~30% (~70 million Americans) │
│ Label Accuracy Variance │ 0% to 667% of stated dose │
│ Child Poisoning Surge │ ~600% increase in reported overdoses │
└───────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
This complete absence of regulatory oversight is particularly alarming given the massive surge in consumption. In 1999, only 0.4% of American adults used melatonin; today, nearly 30%—representing roughly 70 million people—take it. This explosion in availability has fueled a dangerous trend: pediatric melatonin overdoses have become the fastest-growing spike in poison control data, showing an increase of nearly 600%.
Dr. Breus emphasizes that high doses of melatonin act as a contraceptive, which introduces severe risks of disrupting or pausing puberty in developing adolescents. Because of these hormonal implications, he advises against giving melatonin to anyone under the age of 18, outside of diagnosed spectrum cases. For adults, legitimate medical applications for melatonin remain narrow and specific:
- **Jet lag mitigation:** Resetting the central clock across multiple time zones.
- **Shift work sleep disorder:** Helping night-shift workers sleep during daylight hours.
- **Age-related deficiency:** Replacing diminished natural melatonin output, which commonly declines around age 50.
- **Specific neurological conditions:** Assisting with ADHD-related sleep issues or REM Behavior Disorder.
---
[01:27:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5270s) The Smart Way to Beat Jet Lag Fast
Sharing a personal anecdote, the host admits to caving and taking melatonin after being battered by continuous international travel between the UK, Los Angeles, Cape Town, and the Middle East, which had him falling asleep at 5:00 AM every night. Dr. Breus validates its effectiveness when used strictly for jet lag and breaks down the science behind resetting the biological clock, referencing his involvement with the *Timeshifter* app.
```
HOW TIMESHIFTER MANAGES JET LAG
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 1. High-Intensity Blue Light (~10,000 Lux) │
│ Shifts biological clock by up to 8 hours when timed correctly │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 2. Strategic Caffeine Usage │
│ Blocks adenosine to maintain alertness during target wake windows │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 3. Micro-Dose Melatonin (0.5–1.5 mg) │
│ Signals darkness/sleep readiness to shift circadian timing │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
The algorithm behind *Timeshifter* originated from space research conducted by Dr. Steven Lockley at Harvard for NASA. Because the International Space Station orbits Earth at 17,500 miles per hour, astronauts experience 12 sunrises and sunsets every day (one every two hours), severely disrupting their circadian rhythms. To prevent cognitive errors, researchers developed a specialized lighting and timing protocol tested on Space Shuttle missions, which was later adopted by the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 team for driver Lewis Hamilton to manage extreme global travel schedules.
Jet lag is fundamentally a mathematical timing problem. Exposing the eyes to specific frequencies of light (approximately 10,000 lux of bright blue light) at precise times can shift the circadian rhythm by up to eight hours. By inputting flight numbers into an app, travelers receive precise, actionable prompts on when to seek bright light, when to consume caffeine, when to adjust meal times, and when to take a small dose of melatonin to lock in the target time zone.
- **International Space Station Speed:** 17,500 mph, yielding a sunrise/sunset cycle every 2 hours.
- **Circadian Reset Threshold:** ~10,000 lux of blue-spectrum light used strategically can shift internal clocks by up to 8 hours.
---
[01:31:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5510s) Is It Safe to Take Melatonin Every Night?
Addressing whether daily melatonin use is safe, Dr. Breus advises strongly against taking it as a nightly routine unless an individual has a diagnosed age-related deficiency or works night shifts. While some researchers worry that long-term supplementation causes the pineal gland to shut down endogenous melatonin production, current clinical studies tracking continuous use up to one year show that natural production recovers once supplementation stops. This differs from synthetic testosterone usage, which rapidly shuts down the body's natural hormone production.
```
MELATONIN VS. TESTOSTERONE SUPPLEMENTATION
┌─────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Supplement │ Endogenous Suppression Risk │
├─────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Exogenous Testosterone │ HIGH: Suppresses natural testicular production│
│ Exogenous Melatonin │ LOW/UNKNOWN: Reversible up to 1 year; data │
│ │ lacking for 5–10+ years of daily use │
└─────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
However, safety data beyond a single year of daily ingestion is virtually non-existent, leaving the long-term impact of taking synthetic melatonin every night for 5 to 10 years completely unknown. Additionally, oral melatonin supplements are structurally distinct from the native melatonin synthesized directly inside the brain's pineal gland.
The host recalls a conversation with neuroscientist Andrew Huberman regarding the dangers of high-dose melatonin in children, specifically its potential to impact puberty. Dr. Breus agrees, explaining that at elevated dosages, melatonin acts as a contraceptive hormone that can delay or alter pubertal development in ways science does not yet fully understand. Reiterating the physiological connection between high doses and vivid nightmares, Dr. Breus notes that excessive melatonin likely forces the brain into REM sleep faster and holds it there longer than normal, generating intense, hyper-realistic dreams.
- **Safety Horizon:** Research confirms natural production resets after 1 year of daily use, but long-term effects (5–10+ years) remain unstudied.
- **Puberty Impact:** High doses act as a hormonal contraceptive, creating significant risks of altering sexual maturation in children under 18.
- **REM Mechanism:** Overdosing shortens the latency to REM sleep and extends REM duration, directly causing vivid dreams and night terrors.
[01:34:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5640s) Single-Ingredient Supplements, Valerian, and GABA
Dr. Michael Breus emphasizes that when selecting sleep supplements, consumers should be wary of pre-mixed complex formulas that combine dozens of ingredients into a single capsule or powder. Many supplement companies put just enough of an ingredient into a blend to claim it on the label, but not enough to provide a therapeutic dosage. He strongly advocates for single-ingredient supplementation so that dosage can be accurately controlled for individual needs.
Addressing specific remedies, Dr. Breus notes that Valerian root is among the most extensively studied sleep herbs, functioning primarily as an anti-anxiety agent to slow down racing thoughts. Interestingly, research demonstrates that Valerian works far more effectively when combined with hops (the same plant ingredient used in brewing beer). For individuals specifically struggling with late-night anxiety or overthinking, Dr. Breus recommends GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)—a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that acts as "the brakes of the brain" to quiet mental chatter before bed.
- **Valerian Root:** Functions as an anti-anxiety agent rather than a sedative; works synergistically when combined with hops.
- **GABA:** Acts as the brain's natural inhibitory neurotransmitter to calm an overactive mind.
- **Formulation Strategy:** Single-ingredient supplements ensure clinically effective dosages compared to multi-ingredient blend powders.
---
[01:36:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5788s) Fixing Blood Work Deficiencies First
Before jumping into specialized sleep aids like melatonin or valerian, Dr. Breus advises everyone to get comprehensive blood work. Roughly 15% of the patients who come to his clinical practice experience massive sleep improvements simply by correcting underlying nutritional deficiencies. The three most vital markers to check and address first are Vitamin D, magnesium, and iron.
Additionally, unmanaged blood sugar levels or underlying conditions like diabetes frequently ruin sleep quality. When blood sugar drops precipitously during the night, it triggers hunger signals that wake people up, sometimes sparking nocturnal binge-eating habits (sleep-eating syndrome) that severely disrupt rest.
- **Top 3 Nutrients for Sleep:** Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Iron.
- **Blood Sugar Disruption:** Nighttime hypoglycemia triggers waking and nocturnal eating habits.
---
[01:37:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5841s) The Truth About Tryptophan, Calcium, and Magnesium
Dr. Breus debunks popular myths around tryptophan-rich foods like Thanksgiving turkey and warm milk. While tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid that plays a role in sleep, the dietary concentrations are far too low to induce drowsiness on their own. In order to get enough tryptophan to actually make a person sleepy, one would need to consume a 46-pound turkey or drink nearly half a gallon of warm milk in a single sitting.
Turning to magnesium, Dr. Breus explains that pairing it with calcium enhances its absorption in the body. However, navigating magnesium supplementation is tricky because there are 13 different forms of magnesium available, few of which have validated clinical research for sleep. He highlights two specific formulations backed by evidence: Magnesium L-Threonate (such as Magnesium 308 by Magceutics/Magen) and a specialized formulation by Upgraded Formulas, which Dr. Breus personally validated through a $75,000 clinical trial. While the exact biological mechanisms are still being researched, magnesium supports over 300 biochemical functions in the body and induces physical muscular relaxation.
- **Tryptophan Myth:** Dietary turkey or milk contains negligible effective amounts; requiring absurd quantities (a 46 lb turkey or 0.5 gallons of milk) to yield a sleep-inducing effect.
- **Calcium:** Facilitates higher absorption rates when paired with magnesium.
- **Validated Magnesium Brands:** Magnesium 308 (Magen) and Upgraded Formulas magnesium.
- **Physiological Action:** Supports ~300 bodily functions and induces physical muscular relaxation.
---
[01:39:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5998s) The "Banana Tea" DIY Magnesium Recipe
Because modern agricultural practices have depleted topsoil of essential minerals, even eating large quantities of leafy greens like kale often fails to provide sufficient magnesium. To provide a natural food-based solution, Dr. Breus demonstrates a simple routine called "Banana Tea." Since the highest concentration of magnesium and beneficial phytosterols (which aid mineral absorption) resides in the banana peel rather than the fruit itself, he steeps the whole fruit in boiling water.
To prepare Banana Tea:
1. Wash a regular banana thoroughly and cut off both ends (the stem and tip).
2. Cut the banana in half, leaving the skin intact.
3. Drop the banana into a pot of boiling water and steep for 5 minutes until the water turns brown.
4. Pour the infused hot banana water into a mug and drink it 30 to 40 minutes before bed.
Dr. Breus notes that this warm beverage serves as an ideal evening wind-down ritual and can also be brewed alongside caffeine-free herbal fruit teas for enhanced flavor. Consuming it 30 to 40 minutes before bed allows time for digestion while avoiding late-night bathroom trips.
> "A lot of people want to know, 'How should I take my supplements? I'm tired of taking a fistful of pills every morning... What's the best way?' The best place to get it from is food."
---
[01:42:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6155s) Vitamin D and the Ideal Morning Routine
Vitamin D acts as a crucial circadian pacemaker. When sunlight hits the eyes in the morning, it triggers a cascade of hormonal shifts that help regulate the body's master biological clock and dictate precisely when melatonin will be released later that night. Because widespread indoor lifestyles leave millions deficient, proper daylight exposure or supplementation is critical for solid sleep architecture.
To optimize the circadian clock and start the day energized, Dr. Breus prescribes a simple "15-15-15" morning routine for all his patients:
- **15 Deep Breaths:** Taken immediately upon waking to activate and expand the respiratory system.
- **15 Ounces of Water:** Drunk right away to reverse nighttime dehydration.
- **15 Minutes of Direct Sunlight:** Received outdoors without sunglasses to set the circadian clock and stimulate Vitamin D synthesis.
---
[01:45:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6352s) Dr. Breus's Personal Daily Morning Protocol
When asked about his personal routine, Dr. Breus explains how he structures his morning to maintain high energy and focus:
- **6:10 AM – 6:25 AM:** Wakes up naturally without an alarm clock.
- **Red Light & Meditation:** Spends 15 minutes in front of a red-light therapy panel while meditating (sometimes with his sons sitting on his lap).
- **Morning Walk:** Takes a 15-minute outdoor walk without music, podcasts, or phone distractions.
- **Exercise & Sauna:** Works out at the gym from 8:00 AM to roughly 9:30 AM or 10:00 AM, followed by a daily sauna session.
- **10:30 AM (Desk & Breakfast):** Begins his work day at his desk while eating a high-protein breakfast consisting of 1/3 lb of ground turkey, three eggs, and broccoli cooked in a skillet.
[01:47:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6430s) The Truth About Sleep Trackers and Temperature Control
Dr. Michael Breus shares his candid perspective on popular sleep tracking wearables, including the Oura Ring and Whoop strap. Having tested many devices himself to better guide his patients, Dr. Breus notes that while the Oura Ring performs admirably, consumers must understand how these wearables actually function. Because true sleep depth and stages are determined by brain waves, a finger- or wrist-based wearable can only measure proxies like heart rate, oxygen levels, and pulse. They use algorithms to guess when someone is in REM or deep sleep. Consequently, users often experience extreme inaccuracies—such as a tracker claiming they only slept 14 minutes. Dr. Breus advises against obsessing over daily raw numbers, pointing out that tracking relative trends over time is where the true value lies.
Steven Bartlett adds his own personal experience with Whoop, disclosing that he became an investor in the company after seeing how accurately it correlated habits with sleep quality. He recalls how a single glass of wine triggered a Whoop alert stating he was either sick, stressed, or had consumed alcohol, revealing the profound impact of drinking on sleep recovery. Their discussion shifts to thermal regulation as one of the most effective, actionable levers for improving sleep. Dr. Breus highlights temperature-control technologies, like the Eight Sleep mattress topper, as game-changers. Keeping a cool, consistent mattress environment prevents night wakings caused by biological temperature spikes or menopausal hot flashes, allowing the body to settle into deeper, restorative sleep stages.
* **Oura Ring:** Recommended by Dr. Breus as one of the better wearables, though still limited by using peripheral proxies (pulse, heart rate) instead of direct brain-wave measurement (polysomnography).
* **Whoop 4.0:** Steven notes independent testing showed Whoop 4.0 scored closest to hospital-grade polysomnography among consumer devices.
* **Eight Sleep:** Mentioned as a leading bed-temperature regulation topper that dynamically cools or warms the bed surface.
* **Bedding Essentials:** Pillows, sheets, and comforters (the "accoutrements") play a direct role in maintaining a cool microclimate to prevent disruptive micro-arousals.
---
[01:50:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6617s) What Dreams Really Mean: Science, Evolution, and Processing
The conversation transitions into the mysterious realm of dreams. Dr. Breus explains that while dream interpretation is often treated as pseudo-science, dreams carry profound personal meaning to the dreamer. Having completed a year and a half of specialized training to become a certified dream therapist, Dr. Breus clarifies that clinical dream therapy is not about reading fortune-cookie symbols; rather, it uses a patient's dreams as a therapeutic tool to treat deep-seated anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
When Steven asks why humans dream at all, Dr. Breus outlines the primary scientific theories. First, dreaming acts as a "virtual practice stage," enabling the brain to rehearse real-world scenarios and challenges risk-free. Second, dreams serve as "emotional metabolism"—a natural nightly therapy session where the mind processes intense emotions and consolidates disparate information. From an evolutionary standpoint, dreams function as a survival tool, helping humans synthesize complex problems into creative solutions. Steven resonates with this, sharing how sleeping on a business problem often makes the answers clear by morning, allowing him to use sleep as a direct problem-solving tool rather than staying awake to overthink.
* **Dream Therapy vs. Interpretation:** Dream therapy utilizes dream content within a psychological framework to treat trauma and mood disorders, contrasting with symbolic dictionary-style interpretations.
* **Emotional Metabolism:** Dreams allow the brain to digest daily stress and emotional friction so individuals can wake up with a fresh mental slate.
* **Decision-Making ("Sleeping On It"):** Sleeping prompts the brain to cross-reference unconnected memories and information, yielding breakthrough solutions upon waking.
---
[01:53:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6834s) How to Reprogram Recurring Nightmares with Dream Priming
Dr. Breus breaks down a practical psychological technique called "dream priming" and Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), which can literally rewrite recurring nightmares. He illustrates this with a poignant clinical case involving a patient suffering from severe trauma and recurring nightmares following an assault. In therapy, Dr. Breus guided her into a relaxed, mild hypnotic state using simple breathwork and had her detail her nightmare—being chased through a dark jungle.
By asking gentle, sensory-focused questions, Dr. Breus helped her alter the dreamscape in real time. She began noticing colorful flowers, and then encountered a friendly lion. When asked the lion's name, she unexpectedly answered "Jack"—realizing on the spot that Jack was her real-life uncle who had protected her from her abusive stepfather. By identifying her protector within the dream structure and actively rewriting the narrative ending on paper, she rehearsed the new ending multiple times before bed. Within three to four sessions, her traumatic nightmares ceased completely because her brain was able to finish processing the scene without waking up in terror.
```
Nightmare Trigger → Wake Up mid-dream → Unprocessed Trauma Loop
↓ (Apply Dream Priming & Scripting)
New Narrative Ending → Sleep Through Scene → Successful Emotional Processing
```
* **Dream Priming Steps:**
1. Write down the entire nightmare in explicit detail upon waking.
2. Rewrite the ending into a safe, empowering, or positive outcome.
3. Read the new script multiple times right before going to bed for 7 to 10 consecutive days.
* **The Role of AI:** Dr. Breus strongly cautions against plugging dream descriptions into ChatGPT or generic online AI tools for interpretation, as AI lacks personal context and provides generic symbol glossaries that offer no real therapeutic benefit.
* **Dream Journaling:** Keep a journal by the bed to record basic elements immediately upon waking: atmosphere/lighting, emotional tone, location, and key characters.
---
[01:59:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7176s) Sleep Accessories and Eye Mask Customization
The segment concludes with Steven pointing out various physical sleep products laid out on the table, starting with a contoured sleep mask that he considers an absolute "game changer" for travel and flights. Dr. Breus warmly agrees, joking that his own wife says wearing sleep masks makes him look like he's living in the 1950s. However, he emphasizes that blocking out light pollution is essential for maintaining uninhibited melatonin production. He notes that high-quality modern sleep masks allow users to remove or adjust individual eye cups, ensuring zero pressure on the eyelids while achieving total pitch-black darkness.
[02:00:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7202s) Light Restriction and Room Air Quality
The discussion opens with praise for a highly effective, pitch-black eye mask. Host Steven Bartlett shares that covering his eyes has been an absolute "game changer" for his sleep, noting how many nights were previously disrupted by cracked curtains or people waking up early. Dr. Michael Breus agrees, highlighting that travelers in changing environments often suffer from the "first night effect"—a human trait where new sounds, smells, and sights in a foreign room cause poor sleep. An eye mask removes the variable of unwanted light entirely.
Steven asks whether carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) and ventilation play a role in sleep, mentioning how hotel rooms frequently lack openable windows. Dr. Breus explains that air quality is just as crucial as air quantity. If an environment lacks sufficient oxygen—such as when someone burrows completely under the covers—they feel restricted and will wake up. He offers simple recommendations for optimizing bedroom air:
* **Air Purifiers:** Buy a simple $20–$25 air purifier to sit in the corner and cycle air continuously, keeping it fresh and filtered in the room where you spend the most time.
* **Airing Out the Room:** Open bedroom windows once a week to let fresh air in (provided you don't suffer from severe pollen or dust allergies that could trigger symptoms).
---
[02:02:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7338s) Managing Stress and Difficult Conversations in Relationships
Steven transitions the conversation to relationships, asking how to navigate topics like arguments and sex without compromising sleep. Referring to page 101 of Dr. Breus's book, *The Power of When*, Steven highlights the danger of arguing with a partner before bed. Dr. Breus confirms this is one of the worst pre-sleep habits because it jacks up heart rate and triggers emotional arousal.
Instead of having tough conversations on the pillow—a habit many couples fall into simply because it is the only time they are face-to-face—Dr. Breus recommends scheduling difficult discussions right after dinner (around 7:00–8:00 p.m.) or even after breakfast at 11:00 a.m. This provides buffer time to resolve issues without going to bed angry, which "absolutely ruins your sex life" and destroys sleep quality. Steven shares that he and his partner have strictly banned difficult late-night conversations. Dr. Breus praises this boundary, noting that sleep loss compounds emotional volatility as people age:
> "Look, you're 33 years old and you're already seeing things changing in your sleep that have a big effect in your life. I'm 58 years old, okay? I see the same thing happening. Everybody... sleep is so fundamental to the human condition that it's one of those things that we've got to really pay attention to."
---
[02:05:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7541s) Chronotypes and the Best Time to Fall in Love
Steven brings up an intriguing concept from *The Power of When*: the ideal time of day to fall in love. Dr. Breus explains that emotional connection depends on hormonal timing. Going on dates or trying to connect when completely exhausted leads to poor impressions and clouded thinking. Matching activities to specific chronotypes optimizes mood and connection.
Referencing page 94 of his book, Dr. Breus breaks down the optimal times for each chronotype to fall in love based on when their mood is naturally at its peak:
* **Lions:** 7:00 a.m. (They are early risers whose energy is spent by the end of the day, meaning they thrive on morning dates.)
* **Bears:** 4:00 p.m.
* **Dolphins:** 8:00 p.m. (Their best mood hits during the late afternoon into the evening.)
* **Wolves:** 11:00 p.m. (Night owls like Steven and Dr. Breus himself, who rarely operate before 11:00 a.m.)
Upon learning this, Steven—who recently got engaged—realizes why late evening dates have always worked best for his schedule.
---
[02:07:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7644s) Decoding Pillows: How to Choose the Right Support
The two move downstairs to a bedroom set up with various pillows to assess sleep posture and bedding technology. Dr. Breus dismisses the common habit of grabbing whatever random pillow is available, asserting that "a pillow is a bed for your head." The ultimate goal of a pillow is to keep the nose aligned with the sternum without tilting the head up or down. A misaligned head strains neck musculature, sending pain signals to the brain that block deep sleep and cause morning stiffness.
Dr. Breus breaks down how to choose the right pillow using specific construction features:
* **Squishy vs. Firm:** Firm pillows (like solid blocks of memory foam) offer rigid structure, while squishy pillows allow the user to manipulate the fill to their preference.
* **The "Knife's Edge" vs. A Gusset:** Standard pillows stitch two pieces of fabric directly together at the edge (a knife's edge), which sags and offers zero support under the curve of the neck. A *gusseted* pillow features a side panel of fabric that adds side height, supporting the neck all the way down to the shoulders.
* **Cutout Contour:** Some pillows feature an arched moon cutout at the bottom to nestle right over the neck and shoulder line.
Dr. Breus showcases his personal favorite: a adjustable pillow by the brand **Coop**. It features a side zipper that lets users add or remove its shredded latex filling to adjust the height, paired with a neck cutout contour. Conversely, he identifies the worst type of pillow as a ultra-squishy, non-gusseted pillow stuffed with cheap polyester, which traps body heat and lacks structural support.
Dr. Breus has Steven lie down on the bed to demonstrate proper neck alignment and evaluate his natural starting posture. When asked how he sleeps, Steven reveals that he starts flat on his stomach before rolling over onto his right side. Dr. Breus outlines the breakdown of human sleep positions:
* **Side Sleepers:** ~75% of the population (sleeping on either the right or left side).
* **Back Sleepers:** ~20% of the population.
* **Stomach Sleepers:** ~5% of the population (the rarest category, which Steven belongs to).
Dr. Breus warns that stomach sleeping is biologically the worst position for the spine because resting flat on the stomach forces unnatural pressure on the lower back and twists the neck out of alignment.
[02:12:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7954s) Bed Demos: Pillow Fitting, Sleep Position, and Temperature Control
Dr. Michael Breus examines Steven Bartlett’s real-time sleep setup right on the bed, immediately warning him about lying flat on his back without support, as it leads to "splay"—extra pressure on the lower back that causes chronic pain over time. Steven admits he only stays on his back for the first 10 minutes before rotating onto his side. Asked which side, Steven points to his right. Dr. Breus quickly interjects with his rule of thumb: "right is wrong." Lying on the right side forces internal organs to press down on the stomach, leaking gastric juices and triggering gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Instead, sleeping on the left side is biologically optimal.
Dr. Breus then conducts a live pillow evaluation. Steven drops flat on his face without a pillow first, then turns to his side. Observing Steven on a properly sized pillow (which happens to be Dr. Breus's own high-quality pillow), Dr. Breus highlights how his head stays perfectly aligned with his sternum—the central breastplate—without dipping or tilting, eliminating neck strain. When Steven switches to a bad, ultra-thin pillow, his head sags down toward the mattress, leaving his shoulder crushed and his arm un-supported. Dr. Breus draws an analogy to running: just as a runner needs proper shoes, technical moisture-wicking gear, and the right music, a sleeper needs proper equipment like mattresses, sheets, and pillows to achieve peak performance.
Transitioning to environmental factors, Dr. Breus guides Steven to feel the mattress surface, which has two wildly different sides: one warm, one noticeably cold. Sleep naturally follows the body’s internal core temperature drop, so keeping the bed cool prevents mid-night awakenings. Dr. Breus introduces the Orion sleep system mattress topper, which circulates temperature-controlled fluid through microscopic tubes to match a person's circadian cycle. He notes that while consumers cannot write prescriptions or buy CPAP machines freely, temperature is the one major sleep variable they can directly manipulate—which is essential for demographics like 45-year-old women battling menopausal hot flashes. Steven asks about pricing and disclosure, and Dr. Breus candidly confirms the unit costs a little over $2,000 USD (roughly a third cheaper than its nearest competitor) and reveals that he serves as Orion's self-titled "Chief Sleep Officer."
* Lying flat on the stomach/back causes "splay" (lower back strain).
* Sleeping on the right side causes organs to compress the stomach, increasing GERD/acid reflux risk.
* Ideal head alignment: Nose stays in a straight, neutral line with the sternum without lateral neck tilting.
* Orion Sleep System: Active cooling/heating mattress topper costing slightly over $2,000 USD.
[02:16:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8202s) The Five Senses of the Bedroom & Nighttime Myths
Dr. Breus systematically breaks down how to optimize the bedroom environment across all five senses:
* **Sight:** Dim overhead lights and transition exclusively to warm bedside lamps about 30 minutes before bed to signal nighttime transition.
* **Sound:** While total quiet is ideal, sleep disruption often stems from the emotional reaction attached to a sound rather than just the decibel level. However, heavy noise pollution from highways requires active acoustic buffering.
* **Touch (Temperature):** Air conditioning is best, but for those trapped in hot rooms without cooling mattress pads, Dr. Breus shares a travel hack: fill two plastic water bottles, freeze them solid, slip them into thick socks, and tuck them against your sides under the sheets as mini air conditioners.
* **Smell:** Aroma therapy is scientifically backed by at least two rigorous studies. However, open candles present a major fire hazard. Diffusers, sachets, or pillow mists containing lavender, ylang-ylang, or vanilla actively induce calm.
* **Nudity & Socks:** Sleeping naked aids thermal regulation because clothing acts as a heat barrier. However, Dr. Breus humorously cautions pet owners to be careful, as curious pets might mistake uncovered body parts for chew toys. As for socks, feet dissipate heat quickly because they lack hair; for patients struggling with thermoregulation, Dr. Breus advises wearing socks to bed initially, then slipping them off once the core temperature drops.
[02:20:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8418s) The Final Question and Concluding Remarks
Steven transitions to the show's tradition where the previous guest leaves a mystery question for the current expert: *"If you could have the power to change one thing in the US healthcare system, what would it be and why?"*
Dr. Breus offers a dual-part answer. Pragmatically, he calls for mandatory, universal sleep apnea screening for every single person in the United States, citing it as a massive, underdiagnosed epidemic destroying millions of lives. Spiritually, his broader dream is for every human on Earth to receive a single night of perfect, restorative sleep at the exact same time. He muses on how global hostility might drop, how warring nations might find peace, and how philanthropy and innovation would explode if humanity were fully rested—joking along with Steven that nine months later, the global birth rate would skyrocket.
Steven closes by thanking Dr. Breus for his rare combination of deep clinical expertise, psychological insights, and engaging storytelling, highlighting how sleep issues sit upstream of almost every modern health, relationship, and career problem. He encourages viewers to check out Dr. Breus's YouTube channel for targeted guides on middle-of-the-night waking, as well as his bestselling books, *The Power of When* and *Sleep, Drink, Breathe*, before sending the audience off to the algorithm's next video recommendation.
## Notable quotes
> [56:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3370s) You can't stop your first thought, but you can stop your second thought... Give yourself permission to just chill, just relax. And then you know what happens? The natural sleep process comes over. — Dr. Michael Breus
> [01:02:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3751s) I've saved more marriages as a sleep doctor than I ever would have as a marital therapist dealing with snoring in the middle of the night. — Dr. Michael Breus
> [01:13:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4437s) I don't actually care when you go to bed that much... I really only care about the wake-up time... The time that you wake up directly determines when your internal melatonin kicks into gear. — Dr. Michael Breus
> [01:42:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6155s) A lot of people want to know, 'How should I take my supplements? I'm tired of taking a fistful of pills every morning... What's the best way?' The best place to get it from is food. — Dr. Michael Breus
> [02:02:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7338s) Look, you're 33 years old and you're already seeing things changing in your sleep that have a big effect in your life. I'm 58 years old, okay? I see the same thing happening. Everybody... sleep is so fundamental to the human condition that it's one of those things that we've got to really pay attention to. — Dr. Michael Breus
> [02:20:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8418s) If you could have the power to change one thing in the US healthcare system, what would it be and why? — Steven Bartlett
## Mentioned
Dr. Michael Breus, Steven Bartlett, Muse headband, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Dr. Andrew Weil, NextSense, CDC, Stanford Medicine, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Timeshifter, Dr. Steven Lockley, NASA, Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 team, Andrew Huberman, Magceutics, Magen, Upgraded Formulas, Oura Ring, Whoop 4.0, Eight Sleep, ChatGPT, The Power of When, Sleep, Drink, Breathe, Coop, Orion, The Diary Of A CEO
Clinical psychologist and sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus argues that the vast majority of sleep problems stem from behavioral misalignments, anxiety, and unrecognized physiological issues rather than untreatable clinical insomnia. He contends that synchronizing daily habits with individual circadian biology and identifying conditions like sleep apnea can resolve disordered sleep without dependency on medication.
Circadian Biology and the Four Chronotypes (18:48)
Sleep is regulated by two biological forces: sleep drive, governed by the accumulation of adenosine as cells metabolize glucose, and sleep rhythm, governed by circadian hormone production such as melatonin and cortisol. Dr. Breus categorizes human circadian tendencies into four distinct chronotypes: Lions (10%–15% of people, early risers who peak before noon), Bears (50%–55%, whose schedules mirror the solar cycle), Wolves (~15%, evening-oriented individuals with peak focus late at night), and Dolphins (~10%, light, anxious sleepers with low natural sleep drive). These chronotypes are genetically influenced and evolve across a lifespan, shifting from childhood early rising to adolescent Wolf patterns before stabilizing in adulthood and moving earlier past age 50.
Dr. Breus asserts that aligning daily tasks with these underlying hormonal cycles dramatically improves physical and mental performance. For instance, exiting sleep triggers natural surges of cortisol and adrenaline; consequently, Dr. Breus recommends delaying caffeine intake by 90 minutes post-waking to avoid blunting natural alertness spikes and worsening overnight dehydration. Similarly, he notes that while most couples default to late-night sexual intimacy, human biology naturally favors morning intimacy when energizing hormones like testosterone and cortisol peak and melatonin is low.
Behavioral Rules for Evening Wind-Downs and Awakenings (45:10)
Falling asleep requires lowering the resting heart rate to 60 beats per minute or below. To transition the body toward sleep, Dr. Breus advises implementing a structured 'Power Down Hour' divided into three 20-minute segments: completing lingering chores, performing hygiene routines, and engaging in relaxation practices like meditation or breathwork. Late-night meals and sugar should be avoided, as digestion keeps the heart rate elevated and sugar suppresses melatonin secretion.
For individuals waking in the middle of the night, Dr. Breus establishes strict protocols to avoid full physiological arousal. He warns against checking the clock, which triggers anxiety-inducing mental calculations that elevate heart rate. Additionally, individuals should avoid immediately getting out of bed to use the bathroom; because 75% of people sleep curled on their sides, bladder compression can falsely mimic urgency, which rolling onto the back for 25 seconds can often alleviate. To calm racing thoughts, he recommends the 4-7-8 breathing method or counting backward from 300 by threes. If sleep does not return, Dr. Breus advises practicing Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR), but cautions that individuals experiencing rising frustration must leave the bed to prevent negative psychological conditioning.
Sleep Apnea and Neurological Health Risks (62:31)
Dr. Breus warns that untreated airway obstructions pose severe long-term health risks. During stage 4 deep sleep, the brain's glymphatic system clears out metabolic waste and toxic proteins linked to neurodegenerative disorders. Obstructive sleep apnea repeatedly interrupts this deep sleep through micro-arousals caused by airway collapse. Citing research from the University of Queensland, the source notes that untreated sleep apnea increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 45%. Despite affecting an estimated 1 billion adults globally, roughly 80% to 90% of cases remain undiagnosed.
To preserve restorative deep sleep, Dr. Breus advises against using alcohol as a sedative, noting that it suppresses stages 3 and 4 sleep and impairs glymphatic cleanup. He similarly cautions against long-term reliance on over-the-counter sleep aids containing diphenhydramine due to emerging links to Alzheimer's risk. For managing apnea, Dr. Breus demystifies CPAP machines as gentle air compressors while highlighting alternatives like mandibular advancement oral appliances. He also normalizes 'sleep divorces,' asserting that sleeping in separate rooms to escape snoring can protect both restorative sleep architecture and relationship health.
Melatonin Concerns, Nutrient Deficiencies, and Wake Consistency (80:41)
Dr. Breus cautions against the routine daily use of melatonin supplements. Unlike adenosine, melatonin acts as a circadian clock-setter rather than a sleep initiator, and it affects hundreds of physiological processes. In the United States, where melatonin is sold as an unregulated supplement rather than a prescription medication, a 2024 study cited in the notes revealed actual dosages ranging from 0% to 667% of stated label amounts, alongside a 600% surge in pediatric overdoses. Dr. Breus restricts melatonin recommendations primarily to circadian disruptions like jet lag, pointing out that clinical safety data for daily use beyond one year is virtually non-existent.
Rather than turning to exogenous hormones, Dr. Breus urges patients to address underlying nutritional deficiencies, noting that correcting low levels of Vitamin D, magnesium, or iron resolves sleep issues in roughly 15% of his clinical cases. Because modern soil depletion reduces dietary magnesium, he highlights Magnesium L-Threonate and suggests a whole-banana peel tea steep for bioavailable minerals. Above all individual behavioral tips, Dr. Breus emphasizes that maintaining a rigid wake-up time seven days a week is the single most critical sleep rule, as morning light exposure sets the circadian timer for evening melatonin release.
Dr. Breus advocates for universal sleep apnea screening in healthcare systems to treat widespread, unrecognized airway obstructions. However, he notes that commercial wearable sleep trackers rely on physiological proxies rather than direct brain-wave data, meaning patients should track relative trends rather than obsessing over nightly algorithmic sleep scores while addressing the underlying anxiety that fuels most sleep complaints.
## Background
该视频由频道 The Diary Of A CEO（主持人 Steven Bartlett）于 2026 年 2 月 9 日发布在 YouTube 平台上。页面简介指出，临床心理学家兼认证睡眠专家 Dr. Michael Breus 深入解析了四大睡眠时型、破除 8 小时睡眠迷思、阐明凌晨 3 点惊醒的生理机制、揭开睡眠呼吸暂停真相，并给出了睡前“3-2-1 法则”及科学挑选枕头的实操建议。
## TL;DR
Dr. Michael Breus 结合逾二十年临床经验，系统阐述了由基因决定的四大睡眠时型（狮子型、熊型、狼型、海豚型）及其对精力、工作与生活节奏的深刻影响，强调应顺应激素与体温节律而非盲目遵从固定的 8 小时教条。对话深入剖析了凌晨惊醒的体温与心理机制，提出“不要看表、不要立刻起夜、运用 4-7-8 呼吸法占满大脑带宽”等硬核应对法则，并警告了褪黑素滥用风险与非处方助眠药对大脑结构的损害。此外，专家拆解了阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）的高危隐患、梦境作为“情绪代谢”的本质与改写噩梦结局的意象排练疗法，最终落脚到晨间 15-15-15 唤醒法则、微环境控温及支撑性寝具搭配等具体睡眠卫生实践。
## Atmosphere & style
整场对话沉稳、理性且极具临床启发性，Steven Bartlett 敏锐而生活化的提问与 Dr. Breus 严谨扎实的医学科普形成了流畅且富有默契的双向互动。Dr. Breus 的语气笃定而充满人文关怀，既有一针见血拆解助眠神话的犀利，又有引导受焦虑困扰患者重获掌控感的温和力量。随着话题从深夜失眠的恐惧逐步拓展至创伤梦境疗愈与全球公共卫生危机，对谈在严谨的神经科学逻辑与抚慰人心的实操指导中层层推进，带给听众一种豁然开朗且倍感踏实的安稳感。
## Bulletin
- [01:02:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3751s) 全球约有近10亿成年人患有阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA），其中80%至90%未被确诊；未经治疗的OSA会使阿尔茨海默病发病风险飙升45%。
- [01:22:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4971s) 褪黑素本质上是调节生物节律的荷尔蒙而非直接催眠剂，健康成人适宜剂量仅为0.5至1.5毫克，市售大剂量补充剂易引致REM睡眠过载与荒诞怪梦。
- [12:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=736s) 人体睡眠时型由PER3基因决定，全天精力节奏因狮子型、熊型、狼型与海豚型而异；盲目固守8小时睡眠教条缺乏科学依据，7至9小时且不低于6小时是生理底线。
- [43:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2621s) 凌晨1点至3点因核心体温自然回升常出现生理性微觉醒，此时看时钟或立刻起床开灯会激活交感神经并抑制褪黑素，导致再度入睡受阻。
## Key takeaways
- [09:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=561s) 人体睡眠由“睡眠驱动力”（腺苷累积产生困意）与“睡眠节律”（褪黑素作为时钟开关）两大独立系统共同调控。
- [09:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=561s) “咖啡小憩”（Nap-a-Latte）机制：喝完加冰黑咖啡后立即小憩25分钟，可在清除腺苷的同时让起效的咖啡因抢占受体，换取约4小时高效精力。
- [16:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=976s) 晨起因呼吸失水约1升且自身皮质醇浓度处于峰值，醒后前90分钟宜先补充450至600毫升水，待皮质醇自然下降后再饮用咖啡提神效果最大。
- [18:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1128s) 人类存在四大天生基因时型：早起狮子型、占据半数人口的熊型、夜猫子狼型以及睡眠驱动力偏弱的海豚型，强行违背节律会严重损耗认知效率。
- [34:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2072s) 睡前饮酒会剥夺关键的慢波深睡眠，抑制脑部类淋巴系统清除β-淀粉样蛋白；践行睡前3小时停酒停食法则，有助于心率降至60 BPM以下的理想入睡阈值。
- [47:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2826s) 半夜惊醒切忌看时间与开灯，可运用4-7-8呼吸法或从300开始以3递减倒数，占用前额叶认知带宽以阻断焦虑反刍。
- [01:13:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4437s) 临床上75%的失眠本质是焦虑与恐惧所致；失眠认知行为治疗（CBT-I）与每周7天固定时间起床、接受晨光照射是重建生物钟的黄金非药物疗法。
- [01:07:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4063s) 女性睡眠呼吸暂停多表现为夜间频繁微觉醒与晨起顽固偏头痛，极少出现男性典型的剧烈打鼾，临床上常被误诊为原发性失眠。
- [01:22:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4971s) 儿童自身褪黑素分泌量约为成人的4倍，非特殊神经病理情况下随意给儿童服用褪黑素软糖存在严重用药与发育安全风险。
- [01:36:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5787s) 针对思维过载与焦虑反刍，中枢神经抑制性递质GABA与高吸收率镁补充剂（如L-苏糖酸镁或带皮煮香蕉茶）比盲目服用大剂量褪黑素更具生理针对性。
- [01:42:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6155s) 晨间践行“15-15-15法则”（15次深呼吸、15盎司水、15分钟户外阳光），可有效重置视网膜黑视素细胞定时器，锚定入夜后的褪黑素分泌。
- [01:54:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6866s) 梦是大脑消化与处理未解情绪的“情绪代谢”机制；对反复出现的创伤噩梦，可采用意象排练疗法通过睡前预先书写掌控性新结局来实现心理脱敏。
- [02:07:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7650s) 枕头的核心力学功能是维持睡眠中鼻子与胸骨处于同一直线；立体嵌边（gusset）配合微调乳胶能提供稳定的颈椎支撑，且左侧卧比右侧卧更有利于防止胃酸反流。
- [02:19:04](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8344s) 核心体温下降是诱发深睡的关键开关；裸睡或睡前穿袜促使末梢血管扩张充血，均是加速体表热交换与降低核心体温的有效生理手段。
## Detailed walkthrough
### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=0s) 睡眠专家的三大高频提问与体内“睡眠基因代码”
作为拥有 26 年临床经验的资深睡眠专家，Dr. Michael Breus 透露大众向他请教最多的其实是三个极其具体的问题：第一，“如果我能正常入睡，但半夜突然醒来再也睡不着，该怎么办？”；第二，“我到底该买什么样的枕头？”；而第三个高频提问常常出人意料——“在一天当中的什么时间发生性关系最好？”面对主持人的好奇，Dr. Breus 解释道，睡眠不仅与呼吸暂停或慢性失眠等病理症状相关，更与每个人体内由基因决定的“睡眠时型”（Chronotype）密不可分。
睡眠时型就像一套隐藏在体内的生物节律代码，精准调控着褪黑素、皮质醇、肾上腺素和多巴胺等关键神经递质的释放节奏。依据个体的睡眠时型，不仅可以确定最佳就寝时间，甚至能反推喝咖啡、饮酒、攻克复杂认知概念乃至进行日常活动的黄金窗口期。科学界以往通常归纳出三种睡眠时型，而 Dr. Breus 广为人知的一大贡献便是发现并定义了第四种时型。
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 基因睡眠时型的生化调控逻辑
accDescr: 展示体内基因时型如何调控核心神经递质与激素释放，从而决定人类日常行为的最佳节律。
subgraph G1["基因睡眠时型 (Chronotype)"]
A["生物时钟基因代码"]
end
subgraph G2["激素与神经递质释放"]
B["皮质醇与肾上腺素"]
C["褪黑素"]
D["多巴胺"]
end
subgraph G3["日常行为黄金窗口"]
E["认知决策与高效工作"]
F["最佳就寝与咖啡/饮酒时机"]
end
A --> B & C & D
B --> E
C --> F
D --> E
```
- **三大高频咨询**：夜间惊醒难以复睡的应对方案、个人匹配枕头的挑选逻辑、性生活的最佳生理节律时间点。
- **生化调控机制**：睡眠时型决定了皮质醇（唤醒）、褪黑素（入睡催化）、肾上腺素（警觉）与多巴胺（驱动与奖赏）的分泌时段。
- **拓展议题**：除睡眠时型外，对话还将深入梦境解析、倒时差技巧、开电视睡觉的利弊、褪黑素补充剂的真相以及最佳的镁元素摄入方式。
---
### [01:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=95s) 播客频道的订阅里程碑寄语
在正式展开深度探讨前，主持人 Steven Bartlett 与观众进行了一次诚恳的互动。频道当时正临近一个具有重大象征意义的订阅里程碑，但数据显示，约有 69% 经常收听且喜爱这档节目的听众实际上尚未点击订阅。Steven 表示，如果节目曾经为听众带来过任何启发或价值，动动手指点击免费订阅便是对整个制作团队最大的支持。每当达成阶段性目标，团队都会齐聚庆祝，而这也是激励制作组持续把节目打磨得更加精良的核心动力。
---
### [02:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=140s) 改变睡眠就是改变人生：从临床医学到紊乱习惯的重塑
当被问及自己的核心工作和视角为何与众不同时，Dr. Michael Breus 坦言，自己最初并未规划成为一名睡眠医生，但职业历程中他深刻领悟到：一旦彻底改变了一个人的睡眠，就能从根本上改变对方的一生。在长达 26 年的临床工作中，他不仅诊治阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（Sleep Apnea）、发作性睡病（Narcolepsy）和失眠（Insomnia）等标准医学定义的“睡眠障碍”（Sleep Disorders），更倾注大量心血去研究日常行为习惯导致的“紊乱睡眠”（Disordered Sleep）。
大众往往在日间无意间做着许多破坏睡眠质量的小事，而这些行为偏差通常极易修正。Dr. Breus 认为，这期播客适合三类群体：纯粹对睡眠科学感到好奇的人、渴望提升睡眠质量的人，以及怀疑自己存在潜在睡眠问题的人。在接下来的讨论中，他计划提供一套实操性极强的五步改善方案，帮助听众建立能即刻落地的习惯，真正从生理层面掌握自己身体的底层睡眠节律。
---
### [04:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=268s) 梦境是“情绪代谢”：为何噩梦会陷入死循环
Dr. Breus 将梦境生动地定义为人类的“情绪代谢”（Emotional Metabolism）。人在梦境中经历的并非无意义的神经元随机放电，而是在系统性地消化和处理日间未解的情绪状态。梦境对于人类心理健康具有关键的调节功能，但一旦处理通路受阻，就会引发具有高度破坏性的睡眠体验。
噩梦的本质就是一种情绪超载。当梦境发展到极其惊悚或情绪烈度突破临界点时，大脑被迫强行唤醒身体，这在临床上被称为真正的“噩梦中断”。此时情绪代谢被骤然掐断；当人再次迷迷糊糊入睡并重返梦境时，大脑会试图继续处理先前的任务，往往又回到那个恐怖的临界点再次惊醒，从而形成可怕的恶性循环。Dr. Breus 强调，市面上所谓“梦见水代表讨厌母亲”的标准化解梦大全完全缺乏科学依据，梦境的真正含义必须结合做梦者本人的现实生活情境、人格特质与当下心境进行严谨分析。
---
### [05:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=352s) 独特的双重背景：75%的失眠本质是焦虑与恐惧
Dr. Michael Breus 的专业身份在全球医疗界极为罕见。作为一名拥有临床心理学博士（PhD）学位而非传统医学博士（MD）的学者，他是全球仅有的 168 位未曾就读医学院却凭借深厚功底考取并通关美国睡眠医学委员会（American Board of Sleep Medicine）专业资格认证的专业人士之一。这使他既能够与医学博士在同一个办公体系内无缝协作，诊疗呼吸暂停、不宁腿综合征和嗜睡症等严重生理疾患，又能以心理学视角透视神经官能层面的睡眠困扰。
在用药理念上，Dr. Breus 强调自己不给患者开具处方药，且坚信绝大多数被睡眠困扰的人根本不需要安眠药，完全可以通过非药物的心理和行为干预恢复安稳睡眠。他指出，临床上高达 75% 的失眠病因都可以归咎于“焦虑或恐惧”——无论这种恐惧是来自日间具体的职场压力、亲密关系中的潜在危机、悬而未决的财务困扰，还是深藏潜意识中的生存焦虑，心理学在睡眠医学中都扮演着不可替代的基石作用。
---
### [07:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=422s) 从满身电极到便携居家监测：演播室里的睡眠道具
针对大众在选择睡眠工具时的困惑，演播室现场准备了各式各样的道具。Dr. Breus 带来了整整一叠材质、高度与支撑度截然不同的枕头，准备在接下来的环节中为现场观众系统拆解枕头的精准匹配流程（Fitting Process）。他指出，不同睡姿、肩宽和颈椎弧度的人群，在枕头的高度和硬度选择上有着严格的力学考量。
此外，他还拿出了一款小巧的现代化便携式居家睡眠监测设备。回顾睡眠医学的检测历史，患者过去必须专门住进医院的睡眠监测室：医护人员会在患者全身黏贴多达 27 个感应电极，胸腔绑上沉重的呼吸感应带，头顶更有高倍红外摄像头全程特写拍摄，在如此反人类的环境下强求患者正常入眠。随着技术迭代，特别是新冠疫情暴发后患者对医院环境的抗拒，新一代轻量化居家检测设备已经彻底颠覆了传统的睡眠监测模式。
### [08:02](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=482s) 居家睡眠检测与睡眠专家的三大高频咨询
随着技术的进步，传统的睡眠监测方式已经发生了巨大的变革。过去，患者必须前往医院的睡眠实验室，躺在“前一天别人刚睡过的床”上过夜，这种环境往往令人感到别扭和不适；而现在，医学界已经广泛采用家庭睡眠检测（HST, Home Sleep Tests），让人们可以在自己熟悉的家中完成监测。
当被主持人问及作为睡眠医生平时被问得最多的问题是什么时，迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）列举了临床上最突出的三大痛点：
- **夜半惊醒与再入睡困难**：“迈克尔医生，我入睡明明很轻松，但总在凌晨 1 点到 3 点之间醒来，随后要么折腾 20 分钟，要么干脆耗上 3 个小时才能再次睡着，这到底是怎么回事？”布劳斯博士表示，这几乎是所有人都面临的普遍问题，他将在后续详细分享他在诊所针对该病症的具体应对方案。
- **睡眠装备的选择困惑**：“我到底该买哪种床垫，或者该挑什么样的枕头？”
- **节律失调与时差感**：许多人经常感到自己的生理节律全乱了，甚至向他抱怨说：“我总觉得如果自己换一个时区生活，所有的问题都会迎刃而解。”
---
### [09:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=561s) 揭秘大脑的两大睡眠系统：睡眠驱动力与咖啡小憩（Nap-a-Latte）
要理解睡眠问题，首先必须弄清大脑掌管睡眠的两个独立系统：**睡眠驱动力（Sleep Drive）**和**睡眠节律（Sleep Rhythm）**。这两者在运行机制上都非常类似于饥饿感。
睡眠驱动力就像身体对食物的渴望：人醒得越久，体内积累的困意就越强，就像越饿越想吃东西一样；而一旦睡上一觉，这种驱动力就会被重置消散。从生物学分子层面来看，身体细胞在消耗葡萄糖供能时，代谢副产物中会产生一种名为**腺苷（Adenosine）**的物质。腺苷会在大脑中逐渐累积，并与特定的神经受体结合；腺苷结合得越多，人就感到越来越困倦。
有意思的是，腺苷与咖啡因在分子结构上仅仅相差一个分子。正因如此，布劳斯博士向听众分享了一个他为辅导的所有 CEO 都会传授的独家精力恢复秘籍——**“咖啡小憩”（Nap-a-Latte）**：
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 咖啡小憩运行机制流程图
accDescr: 展示摄入咖啡因与短暂小憩如何协同阻断腺苷受体并恢复精力
subgraph Prep["步骤一：快速摄入"]
A["黑咖啡加冰块降温"] --> B["一口气快速饮尽"]
end
subgraph Action["步骤二：25分钟小憩"]
B --> C["立即定闹钟闭目小憩 25 分钟"]
C --> D["大脑在睡眠中代谢并清除累积的腺苷"]
C --> E["咖啡因经消化系统吸收需 25-30 分钟"]
end
subgraph Effect["步骤三：清醒与阻断"]
D --> F["受体空出 + 咖啡因吸收达峰"]
E --> F
F --> G["咖啡因精准抢占腺苷受体"]
G --> H["阻断新腺苷结合，锁定 4 小时充沛精力"]
end
```
许多人误以为咖啡喝下去会立即见效，但实际上咖啡因经过胃肠道消化、吸收入血通常需要 25 到 30 分钟。如果在喝完咖啡后立刻小睡 25 分钟，大脑刚好利用这段小睡快速清除体内堆积的大量腺苷；等小憩醒来时，吸收完成的咖啡因恰好赶到，由于两者结构高度相似，咖啡因会抢先占据那些空出来的受体，进而阻断任何后续腺苷的结合。即便前一晚只睡了 3 到 4 个小时，下午 2 点感到疲惫拖沓，这一招也能保证换来整整 4 个小时的高能状态，从容应对重要演讲或大型活动。
---
### [12:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=736s) 昼夜节律、PER3 基因与睡眠生物原型的科学逻辑
除了睡眠驱动力，大脑的另一个核心系统是**睡眠节律（即昼夜节律）**。正如人们通常会在固定的早餐、午餐和晚餐时间感到饥饿一样，人体对于睡眠也有内在的时间节律。在北美，大多数人倾向于在晚上 10:30 到 11:30 之间入睡。当个人的行为与昼夜节律高度重合（On Point），同时睡眠驱动力充足时，就能获得优质睡眠；但凡其中一个环节出现错位，就会引发睡眠障碍或紊乱。
了解自身昼夜节律的关键，在于认识自己的**睡眠生物原型（Chronotype）**。大众所熟知的“早起鸟（Early Bird）”和“夜猫子（Night Owl）”，本质上完全是由基因决定的，根本无法自主选择：
- **基因层面的决定机制**：人类基因组中存在一个名为 **PER3** 的特定区域，该区域的单核苷酸多态性（SNP）决定了节律类型。如果基因开关偏向一侧，人就是天生的早起鸟；偏向另一侧，则是夜猫子；若没有发生突变翻转，则处于二者之间的中间型。
- **激素分泌节律的差异**：早起鸟体内的褪黑素（Melatonin）分泌时间更早，通常在傍晚 8:00 左右就开始启动，促使他们在晚上 9:30 左右便产生睡意；而夜猫子该激素的分泌则大幅后延。
- **褪黑素与腺苷的功能区别**：腺苷是带来生理“困意”的代谢产物，而褪黑素则是告诉身体“睡眠时间到了”的生物时钟信号灯。
掌握自己的生物原型之所以至关重要，是因为激素不仅调控睡眠，更控制着皮质醇、肾上腺素等全身分泌节律。只要掌握了这些激素在体内的峰值时间表，就能顺应天性，将生活中的各项活动安排在最适宜的黄金时段。
---
### [14:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=896s) 顺应激素节律：为什么深夜并非最佳亲密时机？
布劳斯博士指出，除了失眠和挑床垫之外，向他咨询最多的问题莫过于：“到底什么时候才是进行性生活的最佳时间？”尤其当一方是早起鸟而伴侣是夜猫子时，彼此的时间差常常给亲密关系带来极大的挑战与困扰。
大量调查数据显示，绝大多数人的亲密行为都发生在深夜 10:30 到 11:30 之间。然而从内分泌学和生物学的角度来看，这个时间段的激素状态其实最糟糕：
- **理想的性激素环境**：一次高质量的性生活，需要体内的雌激素（Estrogen）、睾酮（Testosterone）、孕酮（Progesterone）、肾上腺素（Adrenaline）以及皮质醇（Cortisol）均处于较高水平，同时褪黑素（Melatonin）处于低位。
- **深夜 10:30 的激素现实**：此时体内的状态恰好完全反转——褪黑素浓度飙升至高峰，而维持兴奋与活力所需的睾酮和皮质醇等激素却跌至低谷，身体在生理层面只想尽快进入睡眠。
- **大自然的时间提示**：如果性伴侣是顺性别男性（Biologically Male），男性在早晨醒来时普遍伴随晨勃现象。正如布劳斯博士幽默所言：“如果这都不算大自然母亲在提醒你何时该使用那件工具，那我真不知道还能是什么了。”这一生物现象直接证明了清晨拥有更适配的激素分泌水平。
### [16:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=976s) 早晨亲密行为与“醒后先补水、再摄入咖啡因”的生理学原理
Dr. Michael Breus 指出，大量调查数据显示，人们在早晨进行性生活时，往往能感受到更强的情感联结和更好的生理表现。虽然他打趣道“当然得先刷个牙、含点漱口水，毕竟得对伴侣负责”，但这背后的核心逻辑在于倾听身体信号——清晨的激素环境正是身体暗示的最佳时段。
随后，话题转向日常生活习惯。Breus 询问主持人 Steven Bartlett 早晨醒来咽下的第一口液体是否含有咖啡因，Steven 坦白承认确实如此。Breus 随即指出了这一习惯的严重弊端：
1. **睡眠是脱水过程**：人体整夜呼吸所排出的水分，会让身体在夜间直接失去接近整整 1 升的水分；
2. **咖啡因是利尿剂**：在身体已经处于亏水状态下，如果第一件事就是喝下两杯咖啡，咖啡因的利尿特性会进一步加剧脱水，“让人在这一天刚开始时就干瘪得像颗葡萄干”。
因此，Breus 对患者的核心建议是：**醒来后的前 90 分钟内绝对不要摄入咖啡因**。
面对大多数人“清晨闻到咖啡香味就忍不住、90分钟太长怎么熬”的质疑，Breus 从神经内分泌机制做了解释：
- **苏醒机制依赖强烈内源刺激**：为了从无意识状态中彻底清醒，大脑需要释放大量的去甲肾上腺素（adrenaline）和皮质醇（cortisol）。
- **咖啡因的边际效应**：当大脑本身已经被高浓度的皮质醇与肾上腺素充满时，此时摄入咖啡因就像“给一个刚吸食了可卡因的人递上一杯淡茶”——相比人体自身的激素风暴，外来咖啡因的刺激微不足道。
- **最佳摄入时机**：只要等待 90 分钟，体内的皮质醇与肾上腺素便会自然回落；此时再喝咖啡，咖啡因正好能够托举并提升皮质醇水平，带来最大化的提神收益（“bigger bang for your buck”）。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 晨间咖啡因与补水时机工作流
accDescr: 展示醒来后90分钟内激素变化及正确的补水与咖啡因摄入策略
subgraph WakeUp ["刚醒来阶段（0 - 90 分钟）"]
W1["夜间呼气失水约 1 升\n处于生理性脱水状态"]
W2["体内去甲肾上腺素与皮质醇激增\n自身生理刺激处于峰值"]
ACT1["正确行动：补水 15 - 20 盎司（约 3 - 4 杯水）\n严禁摄入含咖啡因饮品"]
end
subgraph Delay ["90 分钟之后"]
D1["体内皮质醇与肾上腺素自然下降"]
ACT2["摄入咖啡因：有效补充能量\n提神效果与性价比达到最高"]
end
WakeUp --> Delay
```
- **补水建议**：醒来后的前 1.5 小时内，先喝下大约 15 至 20 盎司（约合 450 至 600 毫升，相当于日常的 3 到 4 杯）的水，以此补充睡眠以及前一天锻炼等流失的水分，然后再喝咖啡。
---
### [18:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1128s) 四大睡眠体质解析：狮子型（早起者）与熊型（大多数人）
谈及人体的内在生物钟，Breus 详细拆解了由他归纳的四种“睡眠体质（Chronotypes）”：
#### 1. 狮子型（Lion / Early Birds）
- **人群画像与习惯**：占总人口的 10% 到 15%。这类人是典型的早起者，清晨 6:00 就会发出工作邮件。他们极具条理，喜欢列任务清单并严格按部就班推进，从中获得极大的掌控感与愉悦感。
- **作息与生活代价**：狮子型通常在清晨 5:00 至 5:15 起床（极端的甚至 4:30 就会醒来，但 Breus 并不推荐起得过早），晚上 8:30 到 9:00 就必须上床睡觉。这导致他们很难拥有丰富的夜生活，“共进晚餐再看场夜场电影或听深夜演唱会对狮子型来说完全不可能”。
- **生理机制**：狮子型的褪黑素分泌停止得极早（凌晨 4:30 至 5:00 即停止），皮质醇同时提早飙升，促使他们清醒。
- **日常节律**：醒来后通常吃清淡少量的早餐，随即喜欢去晨练（与夜猫子截然相反）。其**高价值黄金工作窗口集中在上午 9:30 至 11:30**，这是他们处理复杂细节和头脑风暴的最佳时段。下午 2:00 之后精力显著耗尽，此时适合安排低认知消耗的事务，如散步、例行流程会议或基础行政琐事。
- **管理案例**：曾有企业管理者根据员工的睡眠体质对全公司进行分流，将清晨 8:00 的会议安排给狮子型员工，下午 4:00 的会议留给夜猫子，团队运转效率得到了惊人的提升。
#### 2. 熊型（Bear）
- **人群画像**：介于早起鸟与夜猫子之间，占总人口的 50% 至 55%（即每两个人中就有一个是熊型）。现代社会常规的“朝九晚五（9 to 5）”工作作息完全是围绕熊型的生物节律设计的，Breus 直言“真希望自己也是一只熊”。
- **效率高峰分流**：根据近 300 万人参与的测试数据，熊型内部存在“偏早”与“偏晚”两个细分亚型：
- **早熊型（Early Bears）**：起得稍早一些，核心高效工作窗口在上午 10:30 到 11:00 开启；
- **晚熊型（Later Bears）**：工作爆发期通常在中午 11:30 或 12:00 开启，随后持续约 2 小时的巅峰状态。总体而言，熊型的高效工作窗口普遍落在正午 12:00 至下午 2:00 之间。
---
### [22:25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1345s) 狼型（夜猫子）与海豚型（敏感浅眠者）的特征及测试途径
随着访谈深入，Breus 介绍了其余两种睡眠体质，并现场揭示了主持人与自己的分类：
#### 3. 狼型（Wolf / Night Owls）
- **人群特征**：Breus 本人正是狼型。这类人代表典型的夜猫子，多为艺术家、演员、高风险承受者及创意工作者。他们的顿悟时刻往往爆发在“凌晨 2:00 而非下午 2:00”。
- **社交与生活节律**：他们极度厌恶早晨，社交活动中通常在夜里 11:00 才入场，一直嗨到凌晨 2:00，并乐意留下来帮忙收拾残局。Steven 听闻后笑着表示自己应该也是一只狼。
#### 4. 海豚型（Dolphin）
- **主持人归属**：Breus 随即指出，根据此前测试，Steven 实际上属于“海豚型”。
- **性格与认知特征**：海豚型通常智商极高、语速快、阅读量大，极具专注力，但神经系统中往往伴随着一丝焦虑特质。他们非常注重细节，甚至普遍带有一点强迫症（OCD）倾向。如果交给海豚型一个项目，他们会永无止境地死磕微小细节，除非管理者主动催促“现在就把成果交出来”，否则他们永远觉得没做完。
- **睡眠困境与生理机制**：海豚型虽然像狮子一样渴望能够长睡，但生理上其内在的睡眠驱动力（Sleep Drive）天然偏弱，经常因此陷入睡眠不足的沮丧中。
- **咨询价值**：Breus 表示海豚型是他最喜欢接触的人群，他写书的初衷很大程度上也是为了帮助海豚型。因为海豚型由于激素节律波动起伏剧烈，一旦向他们解释清楚皮质醇与褪黑素在体内的真实走势，他们便能迅速理解自身状态并找到调控节奏。
- **自测途径**：若想确定自己的睡眠体质类型，可访问 `chronoquiz.com` 进行测试，耗时约 3 至 4 分钟，测试包含睡眠习惯、日程偏好等一系列针对性问题。
### [24:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1471s) 睡眠类型随年龄演变与老年时期的睡眠质量恶化
主持人在节目中提醒听众可以先去评论区以及简介链接测试自己的生物作息类型（Chronotype），随后切入核心疑问：一个人的睡眠和生物类型会随着年龄改变吗？Michael Breus 博士给出了肯定的回答。实际上，绝大多数人在一生中都会遍历所有睡眠类型：
- **婴儿时期（Lion / 狮子型）**：起得极早，睡得也极早。
- **幼儿与学龄期（Bear / 猎熊型）**：作息逐渐规律，通常晚上 7:30 入睡，早上 7:30 起床。
- **青春期（Wolf / 野狼型）**：荷尔蒙与身体剧烈变化，青少年普遍渴望熬夜到凌晨午夜、一直睡到下午 2:00。
- **青年至中年稳固期（约 23–24 岁起）**：生物类型基本固定为狮、熊、狼或海豚中的某一种，并在接下来的 25 至 30 年内保持稳定。
转变往往发生在中年后期。以 Breus 博士自身即将年满 58 岁为例，大约在 45 至 50 岁之后，人体的褪黑素分泌开始显著减缓，或者分泌时间发生前移。典型的生活场景是年迈的父母往往在下午 4:00 或 4:30 就催促着吃晚饭，这正是生物类型在“向后倒退”回归早起早睡的特征。
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 随年龄演变的睡眠类型发展轴
accDescr: 展示从婴儿到老年的睡眠类型变化阶段
subgraph Early ["成长阶段"]
A["婴儿期: 狮子型<br/>(早睡早起)"] --> B["幼儿/小学: 猎熊型<br/>(常规 7:30 节律)"]
B --> C["青春期: 野狼型<br/>(晚睡晚起)"]
end
subgraph Adult ["成年阶段"]
C --> D["23-50岁: 稳定类型<br/>(锁定为专属 Chronotype)"]
end
subgraph Late ["老年阶段"]
D --> E["50岁以上: 节律前移<br/>(褪黑素减少 / 易醒断续)"]
end
```
这种生理退化伴随着脑电图（EEG）唤醒（EEG arousals）的激增，导致睡眠碎片化，夜间难以维持连续深睡。当主持人询问“变老是否意味着睡得更少、脾气变得更暴躁”时，Breus 博士纠正道：变老后不一定会睡得更少，但**睡眠质量会显著下滑**。低质量的睡眠会直接让人变得易怒暴躁；他宁愿一个人获得 5 小时高品质深睡，也绝不建议睡 7 小时浅而糟糕的垃圾觉。为了防止衰老带来的睡眠劣化，老年人必须纠正日常习惯，尤其是戒除在午后甚至傍晚喝咖啡的不良习惯。
- **咖啡因代谢半衰期**：咖啡因半衰期为 6 至 8 小时。如果下午 2:00 停止摄入咖啡，大约在晚间 10:00 左右咖啡因浓度才能减半，刚好吻合常规入睡时间窗口。
---
### [27:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1621s) 早起上学制对青少年的摧残与“同步效应”研究
主持人回顾自己与三位兄弟姐妹的成长经历，发现自己从小就是早上最难被叫醒的孩子，同时也是在学校学业中最挣扎的一个。Breus 博士指出这是典型的“野狼型”特征。现实中，强迫大多数儿童和青少年清晨 5:30 或 6:00 起床、坐一个小时校车赶往学校上学，是违背生物天性的；相比之下，幼儿园孩子反而容易自然早起，却常被安排在较晚时段，这种时间安排完全颠倒。
针对作息类型与学术表现的研究表明，晨型人（狮子型）往往在学校获得更高的平时成绩与绩点。然而，这并不是因为早起型学生智商（IQ）更高，而是因为现行的考试和早读评估全部安排在晨型人的注意力巅峰窗口。相反，野狼型青少年中蕴藏着大量极具创造力的科技人才和代码天才，但因为早晨大脑未苏醒，他们的真实潜力在传统时间表下被严重掩盖。
- **明尼苏达大学（University of Minnesota）学校开学时间研究**：仅将高中第一节课的时间推迟 1 个小时，学生的平均成绩就提升了整整一个等级（从 C 等生跨越到 B 等生，或从 B 等生提升到 A 等生）。
- **2020 年近 800 名学生“同步效应”（Synchrony Effect）研究**：当课程与考试日程与学生的自身生物作息类型匹配时，学术表现大幅飞跃。晨型人在早间测试中占优，而“猫头鹰/野狼型”学生在下午或傍晚测试时不仅能迅速迎头赶上，成绩甚至超越早起型学生。
主持人也借此分享，自己正是顺应了自身的生物钟特性，从不在早晨录制播客节目，因为上午根本不在他的思维巅峰状态。
---
### [30:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1828s) 8小时睡眠神话的破灭与家长的睡眠困境
关于大众常年奉为教条的“每晚必须睡足 8 小时”，Breus 博士明确指责其为一种迷信。该理论最早源于 1930 年代斯坦福大学的一项研究测算出的“8 小时 13 分钟”，但现实中健康人群的睡眠需求普遍落在 **7 至 9 小时** 的弹性区间内。
尽管并非所有人都有时间享受充裕的睡眠，但 Breus 博士划出了一条不可逾越的生理底线：**每晚绝不能少于 6 小时**。一旦连续睡眠不足 6 小时，个体的运动神经控制与反应能力会出现与醉酒无异的偏差，导致其无法安全操作精密机械；如果在此类严重睡眠剥夺状态下驾车通勤或接送孩子拼车，安全隐患极大。
谈及育儿对睡眠的摧毁，主持人提到身边拥有三个 7 岁以下幼童的哥哥，夫妻俩的生活与睡眠被彻底搅碎。Breus 博士深表理解，指出育儿与良好睡眠确实难以并存，但通过严格的纪律和科学策略可以改善。作为两个二十多岁成年子女的父亲，他回忆自己当年负责全家晨间叫醒的辛苦，强调面对在夜间哭闹或作息不规律、折腾得全家无法安睡的孩子，父母必须采取的第一步核心举措是“对孩子进行睡眠教育”：许多孩子并不知道自己的晚睡和吵闹正在对整个家庭系统造成巨大破坏，他们需要被正面引导和系统告知。
### [32:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=1955s) 育儿与睡眠管理：将作息与表现挂钩及“轮流值班法”
面对充满活力、晚上不肯上床的孩子，单方面的强迫往往收效甚微。迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）指出，教育孩子的关键在于将睡眠与他们真正热爱的事物绑定在一起：向他们解释，睡眠是身体机能恢复的时间，决定了他们第二天在运动场上的耐力、在舞台戏剧中的发挥，或是操作电脑时的专注力。“只要你把睡眠和第二天的个人表现挂钩，孩子们通常很快就能理解按时休息的重要性。”除了确立固定的就寝和起床时间外，针对那些每晚因照看夜醒儿童而濒临崩溃的家长，布劳斯博士提出了一套借鉴自医院医生排班的“轮流值班法”（On-call method）。
如果夫妻双方每晚都被夜啼的孩子同时折腾醒，两人的精力都会被榨干，甚至会严重侵蚀婚姻关系——不少家长向布劳斯博士诉苦：“这快把我们的婚姻毁了，我们已经三年没有夫妻生活了。”布劳斯博士给出的解决方案是明确分工：一方负责周一、周三、周五的夜间值守，另一方负责周二、周四、周六，周日则通过抛硬币决定。如此一来，当孩子凌晨两点哭闹时，只有当天的“值班家长”需要起床，另一方则可以安心合眼睡整觉。
有趣的是，布劳斯博士提到了一项针对夫妻面对孩子夜啼行为的研究。数据揭示了一个令人啼笑皆非的现象：当婴儿啼哭时，母亲通常会起身查看，而父亲们往往躺在床上“装睡”。在事后询问中，男士们坦白承认自己其实当时已经醒了，只是通过装睡来逃避起床。布劳斯博士强调，无论是面对有特殊需求的孩子还是经历正常发育阶段的儿童，父母不仅要为孩子制定睡眠规矩，更必须建立起保护自身作息与心理健康的防线。
- **儿童睡眠引导核心**：将早睡早起与孩子具体的兴趣爱好（如体育、艺术、游戏表现）直接挂钩，建立清晰且一贯的作息边界。
- **父母轮流值班制**：一人负责一、三、五，另一人负责二、四、六，周日抛硬币，确保每晚至少有一方能获得不被打扰的完整睡眠。
- **夜间育儿行为研究**：实验证明相当比例的父亲在听到婴儿啼哭时会选择“闭眼装睡”，这凸显了明确分工机制对维持婚姻和谐的必要性。
---
### [34:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2072s) 睡前饮酒的生理代价与“3小时安全饮酒法则”
许多身心俱疲的父母在孩子入睡后，第一件事就是倒上一杯红酒来解压。然而，布劳斯博士直言不讳地指出，睡前喝红酒几乎是对睡眠破坏力最强的生活习惯：“如果你把酒精当成睡前减压工具，你的睡眠质量会被毁得一塌糊涂。”酒精虽然具备镇静催眠的外象，能让人更快闭上眼，但它会彻底摧毁至关重要的第三阶段和第四阶段深睡眠（慢波睡眠）。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 睡前饮酒对大脑清除机制的破坏
accDescr: 展示酒精如何破坏慢波睡眠并导致阿尔茨海默病相关致病蛋白在脑内异常沉积
subgraph SleepImpact["深度睡眠受阻"]
A["睡前饮酒"] --> B["剥夺第3与第4阶段深睡眠"]
end
subgraph GlymphaticSystem["脑部垃圾清理停滞"]
B --> C["脑部类淋巴系统功能关闭"]
C --> D["β-淀粉样蛋白等异常蛋白无法被冲刷清除"]
end
subgraph DiseaseRisk["长期神经病理风险"]
D --> E["异常蛋白缠绕包裹神经元"]
E --> F["诱发阿尔茨海默病 (Alzheimer's)"]
end
```
在第四阶段深睡眠期间，大脑内独特的“类淋巴系统”（Glymphatic system）会全面启动，像清洁工一样铲除和冲刷白天积累的致病蛋白。如果这些异常蛋白质无法被及时清理，就会在脑组织内堆积并包裹神经纤维，最终诱发阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer's disease）。因此，从长远来看，摄入酒精扼杀深睡眠是在直接透支神经系统的健康底线。
不过，布劳斯博士也坦言自己并不主张极端的禁酒主义，他自己也喜爱波旁威士忌与香槟。如果想要社交或小酌，又不想牺牲睡眠，他给出了一套精确的“时间与水分对冲法则”：
1. **酒水交替**：傍晚6:30吃晚餐时喝第一杯酒，喝完后立刻喝下一整杯清水；大约7:00喝第二杯酒，随后再喝下一整杯清水。
2. **严格截点**：在晚上7:30前停止一切酒精与食物摄入。
3. **留足3小时缓冲期**：身体至少需要3个小时完全代谢酒精，等到10:30方可就寝。
补充大量水分不仅能稀释胃部酒精浓度、加速肾脏排泄，还能防止酒精利尿机制排空体内的镁与水分，从而显著减轻次日宿醉的头痛感。此外，布劳斯博士推荐在睡前喝少许富含锌、镁和B族维生素的椰子水，以迅速补足被酒精剥夺的微量元素。他还透露，人体的乙醇脱氢酶（Alcohol dehydrogenase）分泌具有生物钟特征，大部分人的代谢峰值集中在下午4点到晚上8点之间，这也是传统“欢乐时光”（Happy Hour）在生理学上最适宜饮酒的黄金窗口。
- **饮酒交替比例**：每喝一杯酒，必须紧跟一杯白开水，利用饱腹感限制饮酒总量并补充流失水分。
- **睡前微量元素补充**：椰子水富含锌、镁与B族维生素，能精准修复因酒精利尿作用造成的电解质流失。
- **最佳酒精代谢时段**：体内乙醇脱氢酶在下午4:00至晚上8:00分泌最旺盛，是身体处理酒精最具效率的生理区间。
---
### [37:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2229s) 晚餐时间、心率红线与“迷你吧饼干”的惨痛教训
在探讨睡前饮食时，布劳斯博士提出了与饮酒相同的铁律：就寝前3小时必须完全停止进食和大量饮水。人体需要数小时来消化并清空胃肠道，只有消化器官的工作告一段落，身体的代谢机制才能全神贯注地转向睡眠中的细胞修复与生理重置。布劳斯博士强调了一个决定能否入睡的核心生物生理指标：**人体的静息心率必须降至每分钟60次或以下，大脑才能顺利进入无意识状态**。一旦胃里塞满食物，血液大量涌向消化道，交感神经处于兴奋状态，心率就无法顺利回落。
为了说明这一点，主持人史蒂芬·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）分享了一段亲身经历。此前他在洛杉矶录制播客采访著名演员塞斯·罗根（Seth Rogen），前一天晚上在酒店房间没能抵挡住诱惑，打开迷你吧吃下了一块高糖饼干后随即入睡。第二天醒来，他感觉整个人昏昏沉沉、状态极差，直接影响了当天的采访发挥。随后他查看自己的WHOOP智能手环监测数据，震惊地发现自己在入睡后的前两到三个小时里，心率一直死死卡在75到80次/分的高位。布劳斯博士指出，这正是深夜进食带来的直接恶果，而且糖分的摄入还会直接抑制褪黑素的分泌，而褪黑素正是人体“启动睡眠引擎的关键钥匙”。
针对家庭生活，布劳斯博士特别提醒父母们改变生活惯性：许多家长习惯先早早喂饱孩子，等孩子上床后，夫妻俩再在深夜八九点坐下来享用大餐。这种过迟的晚餐会严重推高父母夜间的心率，导致睡眠浅薄、易醒。布劳斯博士建议父母不如改与孩子一同早吃晚餐，这样不仅能增进亲子互动，还能为睡前留出充足的胃肠排空与心率回落时间。
- **入睡心率阈值**：静息心率降至60 BPM或以下，是大脑跨越门槛进入无意识深度睡眠的必要生理前提。
- **糖分的催眠阻碍**：高糖食品不仅会导致消化系统心率飙升，还会直接阻碍脑内褪黑素的自然分泌合成。
- **就寝倒计时禁食区**：睡前3小时杜绝正餐与零食，使机体资源从“食物消化模式”完全切换至“睡眠修复模式”。
---
### [39:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2374s) 睡前降心率：呼吸法与“飞机降落跑道”理论
想要在躺下前将心率有效平抑至60 BPM以下，布劳斯博士推荐在就寝前进行冥想与呼吸练习。他在自己的著作《睡眠、饮水与呼吸》（*Sleep, Drink, Breathe*）中详尽拆解了呼吸对自主神经系统的调控原理：尽管人类每时每刻都在呼吸，但绝大多数人的呼吸模式并不利于睡眠。正确的呼吸法能迅速激活副交感神经，无论是在睡前做准备，还是在凌晨醒来脑子胡思乱想时，都能起到强效的镇静作用。
谈及入睡过程，布劳斯博士提出了著名的“降落跑道理论”（Runway to land the plane）。他指出，很多人误以为睡眠就像家里的电灯开关，可以一瞬间关掉；他们往往一边看着电视打瞌睡，等到脑袋开始小鸡啄米般晃动时，才起身去刷牙，结果一爬上床反而双眼圆睁、彻底清醒，陷入焦虑。
“入睡绝不是一个‘开’与‘关’的动作，它更像是在开车的过程中慢慢将脚从油门上移开，然后平缓地踩下刹车。”布劳斯博士解释道，人的生理系统需要一段平稳滑翔的“跑道时间”来逐步下调神经张力。在正常生理条件下，一个人躺下后需要大约12到15分钟才能真正进入睡眠。如果期望倒头秒睡，或者忽视睡前的过渡缓冲，就必然会遭遇失眠的困扰。
### [40:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2442s) 睡前一小时法则：拆分为三个“20分钟”
迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）提出了睡前最后一小时的黄金分配法则——将其切分为三个各20分钟的时段。他建议大家在手机上专门设一个晚上10点（假设11点就寝）的闹钟，因为人在夜晚极易不知不觉推迟上床时间，一旦错过窗口，睡眠节律就会被打乱。第一个20分钟用来处理“杂七杂八的琐事”（"shit you just got to do"）：比如收拾孩子上学用的书包、整理运动器材、备好次日上班要穿的衣物或发出最后几封工作邮件。
第二个20分钟属于个人卫生与洗漱，包括刷牙、洗脸、冲温水澡等常规清洁流程。最后的20分钟则完全留给放松与平静身心的活动，可以是冥想、放松练习或祈祷。布劳斯博士强调，具体形式因人而异，核心在于必须是能够让神经系统平复下来的活动。
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 睡前一小时三段式流程图
accDescr: 睡前一小时被均匀划分为琐事处理、卫生清洁和深度放松三个阶段。
subgraph WindDown ["睡前1小时（如22:00 - 23:00）"]
A["第1个20分钟<br/>处理杂务琐事"] --> B["第2个20分钟<br/>个人卫生洗漱"]
B --> C["第3个20分钟<br/>冥想 / 放松 / 祈祷"]
end
```
### [41:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2488s) 冥想“学渣”的救星：Muse 脑波反馈头环
谈到冥想，布劳斯博士坦白承认自己是个“极其糟糕的冥想者”，甚至曾因为在静修营里按捺不住好奇、四处张望问“现在是在干嘛？我做得对不对？”而被人请了出去。为了解决难以进入冥想状态的问题，他在现场展示了自己的私人物品——Muse 脑波头环。该设备在额头和耳后部位布置了精密传感器，佩戴后能够实时监测用户的脑电波，并通过蓝牙连接手机 App。
这款设备的核心机制在于实时神经生物反馈：当用户戴上头环聆听特定音乐或引导词冥想时，App 会根据脑波状态调整音量——大脑越放松，背景音量就会自动减小；而一旦大脑进入深度的阿尔法波状态（Alpha state，即闭眼时大脑极度放松、平静的状态），耳机里就会响起小鸟清脆的鸣叫声。布劳斯博士澄清自己与该设备公司没有任何利益关联或代言合作，该设备售价约为275美元，他认为它非常适合那些难以感知自己何时真正放松的初学者。
### [43:04](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2584s) 渐进式肌肉放松法（PMR）
除了借助科技工具，布劳斯博士还推荐了经典的渐进式肌肉放松法（Progressive Muscle Relaxation, PMR）。这种技术要求练习者从双脚开始，逐步向上延伸至面部，依次收紧某个部位的肌肉群，保持片刻后再彻底释放紧绷感。通过这种主动制造紧张再瞬间释出的物理对比，身体能够深度感知并释放积聚的压力，从而迅速诱发困意。布劳斯博士现场向主持人史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）承诺，会提供一份由他亲自录制的完整 PMR 引导音频，供听众免费下载使用。
### [43:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2621s) 凌晨1点至3点惊醒的生理学真相
针对巴特利特提到自己在焦虑（如第二天清晨要赶8点的早班机）或心事重重时容易半夜惊醒的经历，布劳斯博士指出，凌晨醒来背后有极为普遍的生理学机制。人类的核心体温在一天之中处于动态变化中：入夜前体温逐渐上升至峰值，随后开始骤降，而体温下降正是大脑启动褪黑素释放的生理开关，这亦是睡眠环境宜凉不宜热的进化根源。然而，体温不可能无休止地下降，否则人体会陷入失温状态。
为了维持生命体征，人体核心体温必须在某一时刻重新回升——这一自然升温的节点恰恰发生在凌晨1:00到3:00之间。布劳斯博士直言：“地球上的每一个人都会在这个时间段醒来。”区别在于，绝大多数健康人只会迷迷糊糊打个嗝、翻个身、调整一下姿势，在30秒内重新入睡；但有相当一部分人（往往成为他的临床门诊患者）一旦在此刻醒来，就会彻底清醒，无法再次入眠。
### [45:10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2710s) 夜半惊醒应对守则一：不要立刻起床上厕所
对于凌晨惊醒后辗转反侧的困扰，布劳斯博士提出了至关重要的应对原则。第一条也是最反直觉的一条：**千万不要下床去小便**。很多人半夜醒来习惯性地认为“既然醒了，顺便去趟洗手间吧”。然而，要想进入睡眠的无意识状态，静息心率必须降到60次/分或更低；而当人体从完全平躺转变为坐姿、站姿，并穿过房间走动时，心率会瞬间飙升，彻底摧毁睡眠准备状态。
- 约75%的人习惯侧卧，身体卷缩会压迫膀胱，造成需要排尿的假象。
- 醒来后应先在床上仰卧平躺约25秒，通常膀胱压迫感会消退，此时切勿起身，继续静躺保持心率平缓。
- 若确实尿急非去不可，务必提前在走廊和洗手间布置微弱的感应小夜灯，严禁打开刺眼的顶灯，因为强光会向大脑发送“天亮了”的信号，瞬间切断褪黑素的分泌。
### [46:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2778s) 夜半惊醒应对守则二：切忌看手机与时钟
第二大禁忌是拿起手机或看表。布劳斯博士指出，多达99%的人醒来第一件事就是抓起手机查看时间或顺手刷社交软件。一旦看清时间，大脑就会不受控制地开启“心算模式”——“现在是凌晨3:30，我6:00必须起床，只剩两个半小时了，我必须马上睡着！”
这种焦虑和挫败感会立即激发交感神经兴奋，导致心率大幅反弹。布劳斯博士感慨道：“纵观人类历史，从没有任何人能靠用意志力强迫自己的大脑入睡。”（"Dude, in the history of time, nobody has been able to force their brain to sleep."）因此，绝不要在夜间确认具体时间，避免给大脑制造压力。
### [47:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2826s) 4-7-8 呼吸法实战与调控
在确保不上厕所、不看时钟的前提下，如果依然清醒，布劳斯博士推荐采用哈佛大学背景的安德鲁·韦尔博士（Dr. Andrew Weil）研发的 **4-7-8 呼吸法**。该方法原本用于帮助军方特种人员在高压极端环境下快速降低心率，在助眠领域同样效果卓越。
布劳斯博士现场引导巴特利特进行了实操演示：闭上双眼，端正坐姿或平躺，全程鼻吸口呼：
1. **吸气 4 秒**：通过鼻腔平稳吸气，在脑海中清晰想象数字“2、3、4”的具象形态；
2. **屏息 7 秒**：闭气不呼不吸，在心中默念并观想“2、3、4、5、6、7”；
3. **呼气 8 秒**：将嘴唇微缩，缓慢而持续地将气体彻底推出，并在脑中默数到8。
布劳斯博士建议目标是连续完成约20个循环，他本人在登台录制该播客前就以此平复心率、找回专注。针对初学者可能面临的憋气困难，他提供了阶段性降阶方案：如果屏息7秒或呼气8秒感到吃力，可以先从“4-5-6”或“4-6-7”的节奏循序渐进，待肺活量与副交感神经适应后再提升至标准的4-7-8节奏。
### [48:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2931s) 驯服“猴子思维”：呼吸计数与大脑转移技巧
迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）详细拆解了一套结合手指动作的呼吸放松法：在进行深长呼吸时，双手先轻轻握拳，每完成一个完整的呼吸循环就伸出一根手指，数满十根手指后再逐一收回，不知不觉中便完成了 20 个呼吸周期。史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）现场尝试只做了两轮便忍不住打起哈欠，布劳斯笑着感叹这套方法的立竿见影。这套生理干预技巧的核心价值在于彻底阻断所谓的“猴子思维”（Monkey Mind）——即大脑在深夜毫无意义地胡思乱想，比如纠结杂货采购清单、反思白天对伴侣说错的话、或是担忧播客录制表现。正如布劳斯所言：“你不可能一边数数，一边还能焦虑担忧（You cannot count and worry at the same time）。”
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 呼吸与认知转移阻断焦虑机制
accDescr: 展示生理放松与大脑认知转移如何双管齐下促进入睡
subgraph PHYSIO ["生理调节层面"]
P1["手指计数配合深度呼吸"] --> P2["心率自然下降"]
P2 --> P3["启动天然入睡程序"]
end
subgraph COGNITIVE ["认知转移层面"]
C1["强行占用大脑运算资源"] --> C2["阻断深夜杂念与猴子思维"]
C2 --> P3
end
```
从生理机制来看，这些方法本质上都是精密设计的“注意力分散技术”（distraction techniques）。通过将前额叶皮层的注意力从令人焦虑的压力源强行拉开，心率随之下降，人体内在的天然睡眠机制才能顺利接管。布劳斯提到，临床上他还经常给失眠患者开出另一道奇效处方——“从 300 开始以 3 为步长倒着数”（300、297、294……）。这一计算在数学逻辑上足够复杂，能完全霸占思维带宽，同时内容又极度枯燥无聊，往往数不了几步人就直接昏睡过去。
- **生理转移逻辑**：强迫大脑聚焦于机械化或计算型任务，切断交感神经兴奋，降低心率。
- **倒数 300 技巧**：以 3 为基数倒数（300 - 3 - 3...），兼具脑力占用与单调催眠双重效果。
---
### [50:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3005s) 睡前听罪案纪录片？睡眠环境与伴侣差异的包容性
在探讨注意力分散时，史蒂文坦白自己和姐姐阿曼达（Amanda）都有一个看似怪异的习惯：睡前必须听连环杀手纪录片或罪案节目。史蒂文推测这源于童年记忆——母亲因为不会用遥控器，每晚都让他帮忙调到真实犯罪纪录片《法医侦查档案》（*Forensic Files*），楼上卧室的电视又同步转播楼下画面，听着谋杀案入眠反而成了他潜意识里安全感的背景音。布劳斯坦言这解释了史蒂文的许多特质，并随即自曝了自己家中的“秘密”：作为享誉全美的睡眠专家，他自己的主卧里竟然常年挂着一台大屏幕电视，而且整夜不关。
布劳斯回忆，三十岁刚结识妻子劳伦（Lauren）时，妻子就明确告知自己睡觉必须开着电视。当时初生牛犊不怕虎的布劳斯自负地放话：“别担心，我是未来的睡眠医学博士，我来帮你纠正。”然而试图强行改变伴侣睡眠习惯的尝试遭遇惨败——电视刚被搬走，妻子就下了最后通牒：“如果你还想进这间卧室，最好把电视搬回来。”经过深入观察，布劳斯发现妻子其实只是用“耳朵的一角”在听，眼睛根本不睁开，播放的也多是《宋飞正传》（*Seinfeld*）或犯罪调查剧，纯粹是妻子的专属思维转移机制。再加上家里还有两条大狗同床共枕，布劳斯用自己的家庭生活强调：睡眠具有极大的灵活性，不存在放之四海而皆准的绝对教条。
- **电视定时器功能**：现代 99% 的智能电视都内置睡眠定时关机功能，可以避免屏幕亮光整夜干扰。
- **个体差异与包容**：某种方法适合自己并不代表适合伴侣，无需将教科书式的“无屏幕卧室”奉为不可逾越的死律。
---
### [52:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3174s) 告别“极端睡眠教条”：单耳耳机、枕头音箱与脑波睡眠技术
史蒂文指出，许多人听了健康播客或受到“生物黑客”（biohackers）的影响后，会变得异常激进和教条，甚至因为伴侣睡眠习惯不同而引发激烈的情感冲突。他自己就曾面临这种矛盾：伴侣入睡要求极致的安静和严苛的睡前仪式，而他却习惯看手机或听着凶杀案音频入睡。为了互不干扰且不影响睡眠质量（经 Whoop 手环监测显示，听罪案音频并不损害他的睡眠深度，反倒是睡前吃饼干会毁了数据），史蒂文摸索出折中方案：睡觉时朝上一侧的耳朵单戴一只 AirPod，既能听自己的音频，又能留出一只耳朵听伴侣说话，唯一的缺点是早晨醒来总得在被窝里翻找掉落的耳机。
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 伴侣差异化睡眠音频解决方案演进
accDescr: 展示从容易掉落的普通耳机到枕下音箱及智能脑波干预耳机的迭代
A["传统 AirPods 单耳佩戴"] -->|"痛点：易移位脱落、耳道压迫"| B["枕头骨传导/超薄音箱"]
B -->|"进阶需求：实时监测与睡眠加深"| C["NextSense 智能脑波耳塞"]
```
针对史蒂文早起“床底捞耳机”的狼狈，布劳斯给出了进阶的技术解决方案。市场上已有极为平价的超薄蓝牙“枕头音箱”（pillow speakers），直接塞在枕头下方，只有侧卧贴枕的人能听见声音，丝毫不影响身旁伴侣。此外，布劳斯介绍了一款名为 NextSense 的前沿睡眠耳塞。这款由他好友研发的设备专为整夜佩戴打造，不仅能在耳道内实时监测脑电波（EEG），还能敏锐察觉用户何时滑向浅睡眠阶段；一旦探测到睡眠变浅或即将苏醒，系统便会自动发射特定频率的声学信号，引导大脑重新回归深睡眠。史蒂文打趣道，如果用它通宵播放《CEO日记》（*The Diary Of A CEO*），不仅能睡得安稳，甚至还能在睡梦中通过 AI 自动给节目“点赞并订阅”。
- **枕头音箱优势**：隐藏于枕下，定向传音且免除入耳异物感，彻底解决无线耳机翻滚掉落问题。
- **NextSense 闭环干预**：耳道集成脑电感应，在浅睡临界点释放特定声波频率以稳固睡眠深度。
---
### [55:11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3311s) 凌晨醒来无法入睡：NSDR深层放松与重塑负面思维模式
如果不看手机、不上厕所、做完呼吸法后依然清醒，究竟该如何应对？布劳斯引出了源自古老“瑜伽休息术”（Yoga Nidra）的现代科学概念——“非睡眠深层休息”（NSDR, Non-Sleep Deep Rest）。他澄清，虽然平躺处于完全放松的“大字摊尸式”（Corpse Pose）无法等同于真正的睡眠，但经科学测算，处于该状态下静卧 1 小时所带来的神经系统修复价值，约等于 20 分钟的实际睡眠。因此，即使睡不着，只要身体保持彻底的平静与放松，本身就是在为身心充电，绝非徒劳无功。
然而，NSDR 的前提是内心不起波澜。布劳斯发出严肃警告：一旦大脑开始产生烦躁情绪、心率逐步拉升，就必须立刻起床离开卧室。否则，大脑就会建立起致命的病态条件反射，将床铺等同于“焦虑、挫败和愤怒的刑场”。与此同时，控制半夜醒来后的心理预期至关重要。布劳斯指出，人类在凌晨三点醒来时，大脑演化机制天然被设定为“负面偏好”——毕竟在这个时间点醒来，远古时期通常意味着遭遇野兽袭击或部落危机，绝不会有人在凌晨三点冲进屋里对你说“祝你生日快乐”。正因如此，人们半夜一睁眼总会本能地被恐惧和坏消息吞噬。
> “你无法阻止脑海中蹦出的第一个念头，但你完全可以掐断并重塑第二个念头（You can't stop your first thought, but you can stop your second thought）。”
当凌晨三点被负面杂念惊醒时，布劳斯建议立即启动积极认知重构。不要放任恐慌滋生，而是平静地与自我对话：“好吧，身体由于某种生理原因在凌晨三点醒过来了，这完全没关系……”通过接纳现状来卸下心理包袱。
- **NSDR 休息代偿率**：1 小时高质量的清醒静卧深层放松，约能提供相当于 20 分钟正式睡眠的神经系统恢复效益。
- **起立离床临界点**：当平静转为焦虑、心率开始加速上升时，必须立刻离开床铺，打破“床=失眠焦虑”的恶性条件反射。
- **第二念头控制法**：认清凌晨三点大脑的情绪易感性属于进化留存的负面偏差，主动用平和理性的认知覆盖第一反应的本能恐慌。
### [56:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3407s) 夜间清醒时的应对心法与心率调节
当半夜醒来无法入睡时，Dr. Michael Breus 强调绝不能陷入恐慌或强行逼迫自己入睡，而是要在心理上给予自己宽慰。他分享了自己的内心独白：“这并不是我今晚想玩的把戏，但我知道我不会有事的。我只需要躺在这里彻底放松，让自然的睡眠机制重新接管。”如果感到自己的心率开始上升、大脑逐渐兴奋，他的应对法则不是在床上翻来覆去，而是果断起身前往家中的另一个房间。在那个房间里，他早已准备好了一本纸质书和一盏柔和的阅读灯，做一些轻松的翻阅，等困意再次袭来再回到床上。
这种应对策略的核心在于主动打破焦虑的恶性循环，并给身体一个明确的信号——“允许自己彻底放松”。Dr. Michael Breus 指出，睡眠的重启本质上与生理指标息息相关，尤其是心率。只要呼吸放缓、心率降下来，人体的自然生物节律就会主动诱导大脑重新进入梦乡。相反，在床上挣扎只会升高心率，让交感神经更加兴奋。
---
### [57:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3440s) 全球睡眠危机：数字过载、全天候工作与肥胖流行
对话转向了现代人日益严峻的整体睡眠状况。Steven 提到，2025 年末至 2026 年初的多项权威数据证实我们正处于一场“全球睡眠危机”之中。美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）和斯坦福医学院的报告显示，目前有三分之一的成年人和将近 80% 的青少年处于长期睡眠不足的状态；美国睡眠医学学会（AASM）的调查更显示，高达 93% 的 Z 世代坦承因刷社交媒体而经常熬夜，甚至全球 71% 的职场人士承认曾因睡眠不足至少请过一到两次病假，而请假的目的仅仅是“为了补觉”。Dr. Michael Breus 回忆起他在澳大利亚工作时的见闻，许多当地人甚至专门休年假，整整几天什么都不做，纯粹用来补觉。
探讨造成这一危机的根源时，两人剖析了多重现代社会因素。首先是现代信息媒体的高速轰炸，使人们长期处于过度亢奋与神经紧绷的焦虑状态中；其次是现代职场性质的剧变——以往在工厂或实体单位上班，到了下午六点就准时下班，而如今的数字化工作“只有在你闭眼睡觉时才算结束”，工作与生活的界限彻底瓦解。再加上居住空间狭小（如单身公寓中床、沙发、厨房混杂在同一空间），身体无法建立专属的“睡眠区域关联”，导致大脑始终无法关机。
更为严重的器质性诱因则是肥胖率的激增。在美国，超重人群比例已超过 70%。超加工食品带来的体重增加，尤其容易在颈部堆积脂肪软组织。当颈围变粗、气道变窄时，睡眠呼吸暂停（Sleep Apnea）的风险便呈几何级上升，成为当代人夜间频繁微觉醒、深睡眠剥夺的最主要隐蔽推手。
- **CDC 与斯坦福医学院数据**：约 33%（三分之一）成年人及近 80% 的青少年陷入长期慢性睡眠剥夺。
- **AASM 调查**：93% 的 Z 世代因夜间使用社交媒体导致睡眠不足；71% 的在职受访者曾因缺觉而请病假。
- **环境与生理痛点**：空间缺乏区隔破坏了身体的“入睡条件反射”，而颈部脂肪堆积则是气道阻塞的直接结构诱因。
---
### [01:00:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3640s) 商业赞助环节：Stan 创作者平台与 LinkedIn 广告营销
在此处插入了节目的赞助内容。Steven Bartlett 首先介绍了由其联合创立的创作者商业变现平台 Stan，重点提及了旨在激励人们从“空想”迈向“实际创造”的“Dare to Dream”挑战赛，该平台为数字产品销售、线上课程及会员社群搭建提供一站式支持。随后，Steven 分享了 B2B 营销中触达精准受众的痛点，并推荐了 LinkedIn 广告服务。他强调 LinkedIn 拥有超过 10 亿职场专业人士网络及 1.3 亿核心决策者，支持根据具体职位、资历、公司规模及技能标签进行超精准定向投放，具有极高的 B2B 广告投资回报率（ROAS）。
---
### [01:02:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3751s) 隐形杀手睡眠呼吸暂停：波及十亿人的流行病
两人随后将焦点转向危害最大、却最容易被公众忽视的睡眠障碍——阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（OSA）。Dr. Michael Breus 详细拆解了其病理机制：绝大多数患者在夜间都会打鼾。当吸气时，由于上呼吸道软组织塌陷，舌根向后坠落堵塞咽喉气道，空气彻底被阻断，患者在睡梦中会完全停止呼吸长达数秒甚至数十秒；随后，大脑因缺氧拉响警报，伴随着剧烈的喘息声、呼噜声或呜咽挣扎声，患者从深度睡眠中惊醒以恢复通气。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停发生过程
accDescr: 展示患者从正常入睡到气道受阻、大脑微觉醒再到深睡眠被剥夺的恶性循环机制。
subgraph Phase1["呼吸受阻"]
A["夜间熟睡肌肉松弛"] --> B["舌根后坠堵塞咽部"]
B --> C["气流阻断并停止呼吸数秒至数十秒"]
end
subgraph Phase2["微觉醒与循环"]
C --> D["血氧骤降，大脑触发惊醒警报"]
D --> E["伴随剧烈喘鸣/哼声急促恢复通气"]
E --> F["整夜重复数十次至数百次"]
end
subgraph Impact["病理后果"]
F --> G["严重剥夺深度睡眠"]
G --> H["大脑代谢废物无法正常清除"]
end
```
这种呼吸暂停在整夜可能发生数百次，严重阻碍患者进入至关重要的深睡眠阶段，导致大脑无法有效清除白天积累的毒性代谢废物。Steven 引述数据指出，全球有大约 9.36 亿至 10 亿成年人患有阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停，患病率高达约七分之一（1/7），“其普及程度堪比糖尿病”，令人震惊的是，其中 80% 至 90% 的患者从未得到正式确诊，对此一无所知。
面对如此高的未确诊率，Dr. Michael Breus 拿出了一款便携式家庭睡眠监测设备。针对那些怀疑自己有潜在风险的群体，此类检测能整夜实时记录核心生理指标，为后续科学干预提供依据：
- **夜间血氧饱和度（SpO2）**：监控停止呼吸期间血氧骤降的低谷程度。
- **心率动态**：评估微觉醒与交感神经剧烈兴奋造成的心血管负荷。
- **呼吸暂停低通气指数（AHI）**：统计每小时气流中断的频次（每小时 5 至 15 次即属于轻度异常）。
- **睡眠结构与分期**：精确量化患者实际获得的浅睡眠、深睡眠与快速眼动睡眠（REM）比例。
### [01:04:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3892s) 睡眠呼吸暂停的自查信号与低成本居家检测
Dr. Michael Breus 指出，许多人并未意识到自己正饱受睡眠呼吸暂停（Sleep Apnea）的困扰。他列举了一系列典型的警示症状供人们自我排查：平时睡觉是否打鼾？是否曾从睡眠中因窒息或大口喘气（gasping for air）而惊醒？伴侣是否曾提醒过你的呼噜声会突然中断几秒钟，随后伴随倒抽气声？早晨醒来是否经常伴有钝痛感头痛？日间情绪是否阴晴不定、大起大落？这些都是睡眠呼吸暂停的直接临床表现。
为了帮助大众更便捷地排查该问题，现场展示了一款轻便的居家睡眠监测设备。Dr. Breus 澄清自己与该设备公司没有任何利益关联，但在其个人网站上有提供，售价为 189 美元，并且多数情况下可由医疗保险报销。该设备使用极其简便，只需将传感器贴在手臂或穿过衣袖固定，设备会整晚监测生理体征并通过蓝牙将数据传输至手机 App，次日清晨即可出具完整的睡眠分析报告。更令人惊讶的是，这款测完整晚睡眠后即可直接作为一次性耗材丢弃，极大降低了传统实验室多导睡眠监测的门槛与心理负担。
- **常见自测警示表现**：频繁打鼾、睡眠中呼吸骤停并倒抽气惊醒、晨起头痛、日间情绪易怒或剧烈波动。
- **居家检测方案特点**：价格仅 189 美元，医保常可覆盖，仅需佩戴一晚，数据直连手机，使用后可直接丢弃。
---
### [01:06:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3979s) 分床睡会破坏感情吗？“工作日分房，周末度假”的婚姻保鲜法
针对佩戴监测设备或使用止鼾呼吸机会影响床笫之欢的顾虑，Steven Bartlett 幽默地调侃道，如果自己戴着这套装备钻进未婚妻的被窝并问“这有助于我们的性生活吗？”，画面实在滑稽。Dr. Breus 则笃定地回应：“这绝对能改善你的性生活。”他直言，作为一名睡眠医生，自己在调解睡眠障碍和深夜打鼾冲突的过程中，“挽救的婚姻比全职婚姻治疗师还要多”。
谈及伴侣是否必须同床共枕，Dr. Breus 破除了一项长期存在的社会偏见：“你感情关系的牢固程度，与你们睡在哪里毫无关系。”现实中很多人由于一方严重的打鼾或使用 CPAP 呼吸机的噪音而被迫同床忍受，导致双方白天极度疲倦、怨气丛生，甚至直接借口“今晚我头痛”来逃避夫妻生活，其实潜台词往往是“今晚我实在太累了”。他极力推崇一种折中的睡眠模式——工作日分房保证双方高质量休息，周末再同床“度假”共享亲密时光。实践表明，当双方在工作日得到充分的深度睡眠后，周末的精力更充沛，亲密关系和性生活质量反而会显著提升。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 伴侣睡眠与亲密关系循环
accDescr: 对比传统勉强同床造成的恶性循环与分房分时睡眠带来的良性循环
subgraph Bad["勉强同床的恶性循环"]
A["一方打鼾或呼吸机噪音"] --> B["双方工作日睡眠剥夺与慢性疲惫"]
B --> C["借口头痛回避亲密接触，关系摩擦加剧"]
end
subgraph Good["分时睡眠的良性循环"]
D["工作日分房独立安睡"] --> E["精力得到充分恢复"]
E --> F["周末卧房同床'度假'，亲密感与精力自然回归"]
end
```
---
### [01:07:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4063s) 男女症状大不同：女性为何容易被严重误诊？
Dr. Breus 指出，医学界在历史上往往使用同一套标准评估男女的睡眠呼吸暂停，这导致了严重的性别偏差。大众普遍将该疾病刻板地视为“老年肥胖男性才会得的病”，导致大量女性患者被严重漏诊。
男女在症状表现上存在显著差异：
- **男性表现**：更多表现为雷鸣般的打鼾、明显的呼吸暂停中断与憋气。
- **女性表现**：打鼾症状通常较轻甚至完全不打鼾，反而表现为夜间反复发生微觉醒（arousals）、频繁惊醒以及晨起顽固性偏头痛。
由于缺乏典型打鼾，女性患者向医生求助时往往只主诉失眠、多梦或晨起头痛，因而常被误判为原发性失眠症。Dr. Breus 提到，当前正在研发并推广更具针对性的女性检测设备，例如加入脑电图（EEG）微觉醒监测指标，以精准捕捉女性在睡眠阶段的呼吸微结构紊乱。
---
### [01:08:40](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4120s) 从呼吸机、口腔矫正器到即将问世的药物
许多人即便怀疑自己有呼吸暂停也不愿就医，核心原因是对佩戴面罩式呼吸机（CPAP）充满抗拒。Dr. Breus 坦言自己也是一名中重度睡眠呼吸暂停患者，每小时呼吸暂停高达 26 次，但他每晚都依赖 CPAP 机器安睡。他向听众解释了 CPAP 的工作原理：喉部软组织塌陷阻塞气道时，呼吸机通过细软管和微型气泵输出一股温和的恒定气流，将塌陷的气道组织轻柔撑开，确保氧气直达肺部。虽然听起来像“整晚往鼻子里吹吹风机”，但在严重病情下它是不折不扣的救命工具。
除了 CPAP，目前还有多种针对不同耐受度的干预选择：
1. **下颌前移口腔矫正器（Oral Appliance）**：类似于运动员佩戴的双层牙套，通过在夜间将下颌轻微向前拉动，以物理结构方式打开后咽部气道空间，无需面罩和气流管道，适合轻中度患者或出差旅行时使用。
2. **舌下振动刺激装置**：佩戴在舌部，通过微振动使过度松弛的舌体组织体积收缩数毫米，从而解除后气道狭窄。
3. **外科手术**：针对气道结构畸形或扁桃体/软腭严重肥大者，可提供较为持久的物理结构修复。
4. **新型口服药物研发**：目前已有针对睡眠呼吸暂停的靶向药物进入临床及 FDA 审批流程。Dr. Breus 兴奋地指出，一旦呼吸暂停能像高血压一样通过每晚服用药片来维持气道张力，治疗的顺应性将呈爆发式增长，这对全球公共卫生而言将是一场“彻底终结疾病”的颠覆性革命。
---
### [01:11:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4283s) 阿尔茨海默病隐患与滥用“PM”类助眠药的认知陷阱
Steven 与 Dr. Breus 深入探讨了睡眠呼吸暂停对长期大脑健康的毁灭性打击。睡眠呼吸暂停会通过反复缺氧和微觉醒，将大脑强行剥离在慢波睡眠（深睡眠）之外。而慢波睡眠阶段正是大脑类淋巴系统（Glymphatic System）全速运转的时段，负责冲刷和清除白天积累的淀粉样蛋白（Amyloid）与 Tau 蛋白。深睡眠被剥夺意味着这些神经毒性蛋白在大脑中堆积，显著增加未来罹患阿尔茨海默病（老年痴呆）的风险。
与此同时，Dr. Breus 警告了那些受失眠困扰却盲目自救的群体。许多人在药房随手购买标有“PM”字样的非处方复方止痛助眠药（如 Tylenol PM、Advil PM 等）。这些药物通常是由常规止痛成分叠加一种名为苯海拉明（Diphenhydramine）的物质组成。
- **作用机制**：苯海拉明实际上是一种具有强嗜睡副作用的第一代抗组胺药（常用作抗过敏及鼻塞缓解）。
- **潜在危害**：很多患者并未意识到，虽然它能让人快速昏睡，但这类抗胆碱类成分会严重破坏正常的睡眠脑电波结构。长期日常服用“PM”成分已被多项研究证实与认知功能衰退乃至神经退行性疾病风险升高存在直接关联。
### [01:12:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4358s) 睡眠呼吸暂停与阿尔茨海默病的致命关联
未经治疗的睡眠呼吸暂停对大脑健康的破坏远超多数人的想象。昆士兰大学昆士兰脑研究所（Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland）的研究表明，患有未接受治疗的睡眠呼吸暂停人群，罹患阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer's disease）的风险要高出 45%。这个惊人的数据揭示了夜间缺氧对神经退行性病变的直接推动作用。迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）急切呼吁观众认真审视自己的身体症状，因为很多人一生都在与未被诊断的睡眠呼吸暂停共处，任由体内各项系统被慢慢拖垮。
测试如今在全球范围内都极其便捷，不仅有布劳斯博士这样的专家，世界各地都有正规的睡眠中心可以提供检测。睡眠的本质是修复与再生，是维持生理系统正常运转的基石。如果希望拥有一段健康、繁荣的长寿人生，就绝不能忽视睡眠呼吸暂停发出的警报。
- **关键数据**：昆士兰脑研究所证实，未治疗的睡眠呼吸暂停使阿尔茨海默病发病风险飙升 45%。
- **危害机制**：长期未确诊的呼吸暂停会造成持续的慢性内部消耗，彻底摧毁睡眠固有的身体修复机能。
---
### [01:13:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4437s) 失眠的四大类型与最严重的补觉误区
“失眠”（Insomnia）在当今社会已经变成一个被过度泛滥使用的词汇，许多人只要某一晚睡不好就会给自己贴上失眠标签。布劳斯博士厘清了临床上失眠的四种具体表现形态：第一种是入睡困难（无法入睡）；第二种是难以维持睡眠（半夜频繁醒来）；第三种是过早醒来且无法再次入睡；第四种则是醒后缺乏恢复感（睡眠无法缓解疲劳）。
失眠患者最容易犯下的严重错误，就是在经历了一个糟糕的夜晚后，第二天晚上试图“早早上床补觉”。布劳斯博士直言这是一个极其糟糕的主意，因为人体的昼夜节律根本还没有做好早睡的准备。结果就是躺在床上辗转反侧，陷入极度疲惫却异常清醒的“又困又亢奋”（wired and tired）状态。
为了打破这种恶性循环，必须警惕白天的过度咖啡因摄入。很多人因为前一晚没睡好，白天呵欠连天就拼命喝咖啡，一路摄入咖啡因直到傍晚甚至夜间，导致当晚睡眠质量进一步恶化，陷入如同洗衣机滚筒般不断重复的恶性循环。另一个常见误区是夜晚过度刺激，许多人带着焦虑的神经能量忙东忙西，然而入睡如同飞机降落，必须预留足够的滑行跑道。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 晨光锁定褪黑素分泌时序图
accDescr: 展示早晨光线刺激视网膜后，14小时褪黑素水龙头开启的生物钟机制
subgraph Morning["早晨触发"]
A["早晨按时起床"] --> B["阳光射入眼睛"]
B --> C["黑视素细胞 (Melanopsin) 激活"]
C --> D["关闭脑内褪黑素水龙头<br/>并重置 14 小时生物定时器"]
end
subgraph Night["夜间分泌"]
D --> E["14 小时后到达晚间"]
E --> F["褪黑素相反应曲线启动"]
F --> G["体内褪黑素浓度攀升<br/>约 1.5 - 2 小时后自然产生强烈睡意"]
end
```
布劳斯博士给出了他认为适用于所有人的“头号睡眠法则”：无论何时入睡，每周 7 天必须在完全固定的时间起床。相比入睡时间，起床时间对于设定生物钟具有压倒性的决定力。早上醒来时，晨光射入眼睛，视网膜上被称为黑视素细胞（melanopsin cells）的特殊感光细胞会向大脑发出信号，彻底关掉体内的“褪黑素水龙头”，同时启动一个精确为期 14 小时的倒计时定时器（即褪黑素相反应曲线，melatonin phase response curve）。如果早上 6 点起床，褪黑素会在晚上 8 点左右开始重新分泌，经过一个多小时的浓度累积，人体在晚上 9 点半左右就会自然感到困倦；但如果周六赖床到早上 8 点，褪黑素分泌的启动时间就会被推迟到晚上 10 点以后。因此，严格固定起床时间，身体便会在夜晚合适的时间自动催生睡意。
---
### [01:16:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4618s) 原发性与继发性失眠的区别
医学上将失眠清晰划分为两类：原发性失眠（Primary Insomnia）与继发性失眠（Secondary Insomnia）。
- **继发性失眠**：由生活中的其他外在因素或潜在疾病引发。常见诱因包括滥用咖啡因、精神压力、或是严重的身体慢性疼痛（例如纤维肌痛综合征、慢性下背痛等因剧烈疼痛而无法入睡的情况，即属于继发于疼痛的失眠）。
- **原发性失眠**：指排除了所有其他器质性病变、心理障碍或外部诱因后，纯粹作为独立睡眠障碍存在的失眠状态。
---
### [01:17:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4656s) “门把手诊断”、药物滥用与认知行为治疗（CBT-I）
谈及应对失眠的方式，现实情况令人担忧。布劳斯博士坦言，全社会最普遍的“自我治疗方式”其实是酒精——靠喝酒把自己灌醉强行催眠的人数，超过了采用任何其他疗法的人。
紧随其后的是处方安眠药。布劳斯博士客观强调，药物本身并没有原罪，某些人群（尤其是伴有严重心理精神疾病的患者）在医生评估下确实需要安眠药的辅助支持。真正的问题在于药物被严重过度开具。在全科诊室里，失眠常常演变成一种“门把手诊断”（door handle diagnosis）：医生问诊完毕、手已经搭在门把手上准备离开的瞬间，患者突然来一句“对了医生，我最近总是睡不着”。医生顺手抽出处方签，大笔一挥开出安必恩（Ambien）或曲唑酮（Trazodone），丢下一句“吃一个月再来看看”，便关门离去。这种做法并未解决根本病因，反而让患者在短短一个月内产生了心理或生理上的药物依赖。
失眠与情绪障碍高度共存，焦虑和抑郁在所有失眠病例中占据了大约 75% 的比例，其中焦虑带来的影响甚至更为显著。针对这些情况，正统且被公认为黄金标准的非药物疗法是失眠认知行为治疗（CBT-I）：
- **行为层面（Behavioral）**：重新规划作息节律，调整床与睡眠的条件反射。
- **认知层面（Cognitive）**：纠正关于睡眠的“灾难化思维”（catastrophizing）。许多失眠者心怀极端恐惧，坚信“只要睡不满 8 小时，我第二天整个人生就全毁了”。治疗中会引导患者“用数据算账”打破认知扭曲——通过追问“你以前有过只睡 4 小时的情况吗？”“有。”“那第二天发生什么无可挽回的灾难了吗？”“并没有。”进而引导患者直视现实，卸下精神重压。
介于传统处方药与心理行为治疗之间，有大量人群试图通过非处方的膳食补充剂（Supplements）来改善睡眠。对话在此处转向探讨补充剂的效用与边界，补充剂与处方药的核心差异在于其不受美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）严格审批规管，其安全性与有效性存在着截然不同的讨论维度。
### [01:20:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4833s) 褪黑素真相：它是荷尔蒙，而不是非处方助眠安眠药
迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）首先严格界定了讨论的用词标准：在药妆店随时随地能买到的被称为补充剂（Supplements），而需要医生处方开具的才算药物（Prescription Pills）。摆在他面前的全部是各类睡眠营养补充剂，而非处方药。
话题迅速聚焦到大众最为熟悉的补充剂——褪黑素（Melatonin）。布劳斯博士指出，除美国之外，在英国、欧洲大部分国家以及澳大利亚，褪黑素几乎都属于严格的**处方药**，普通人根本无法在药妆店货架上随意购买。这背后的原因极为关键：**褪黑素本质上是一种荷尔蒙**。人们不可能随随便便去 CVS 药店的开架区购买睾酮（Testosterone）或雌激素（Estrogen），因为荷尔蒙会系统性影响全身近 300 种生理功能，绝对不应该在没有专业医疗指导的情况下被胡乱摄入。
更为严重且极少被大众知晓的是褪黑素与多种常用药物的相互作用：
- **抗抑郁药（SSRI）**：褪黑素会与选择性 5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂（如百忧解 Prozac、左洛复 Zoloft、喜普妙 Celexa 等）发生相互作用。
- **口服避孕药（Birth Control）**：它会直接影响避孕药的药效。
- **慢病药物**：它还会干扰降血压药物和糖尿病治疗药物。
很多人因为近期睡不好，就去药店买一瓶褪黑素当安眠药吃，布劳斯博士直言这完全是对其机理的误解。褪黑素是**睡眠节律调节剂（Sleep Regulator）**，而非**睡眠启动剂（Sleep Initiator）**。它不负责产生睡眠压力（Sleep Drive），无法直接诱导睡意（产生困意是腺苷 Adenosine 的工作），它的唯一功能只是向大脑通报“该去睡觉的时间到了”。
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 褪黑素与腺苷的生理作用区别
accDescr: 对比褪黑素（调节睡眠生物节律）与腺苷（产生实际睡意与睡眠压力）的功能差异
subgraph RHYTHM["生物节律调节系统"]
M["褪黑素 (Melatonin)"] --> R["告知大脑目标入睡时间<br/>（调节生物钟节律）"]
end
subgraph DRIVE["睡眠稳态驱动系统"]
A["腺苷 (Adenosine)"] --> D["产生困意与入睡驱动力<br/>（受咖啡因拮抗）"]
end
```
---
### [01:22:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=4971s) 儿童乱用乱象、剂量超标与混乱的市场监管
布劳斯博士对当下给儿童服用褪黑素的泛滥现象提出了严厉批评。面对许多家长声称有儿科医生建议给孩子吃褪黑素的情况，他毫不客气地表示：“这是我很久以来听过的最愚蠢的想法。”这种做法不仅让孩子从小在心理上建立起“必须吃药才能入眠”的错误依赖，而且从生理上看完全违背自然规律：绝大多数儿童自身分泌的褪黑素几乎是大脑所需量的四倍，外源性补充毫无意义。唯一的例外是患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童，临床数据显示 5 至 7 毫克的剂量对他们可能确实有积极帮助。
在剂量方面，普通货架产品普遍存在严重的超标问题：
- **人体适宜剂量**：仅需 **0.5 mg 到 1.5 mg** 左右，最多不超过 3 mg。
- **市面常见剂量**：在 CVS 等药房随处可见 10 mg 甚至 20 mg 的大剂量软糖（Gummies）。
- **过量服用最典型的副作用**：出现极其怪异、生动的荒诞梦境（Crazy Dreams）。
由于褪黑素在美国被列为膳食补充剂而非药品，完全不受 FDA（美国食品药品监督管理局）上市前安全性和真实含量的严格审查。主持人史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）引用 2024 年的一项权威研究指出，市面上标称面向儿童的褪黑素软糖中，实际有效成分含量竟然在标称值的 **0% 到 667%** 之间巨幅波动；有的产品根本检测不到任何褪黑素，有的则被检测出未在标签上标注的有害污染物（如 CBD 等）。
布劳斯博士归纳了真正需要且适合使用褪黑素的极少数特殊情境：
1. **时差调整（Jet Lag）**：跨时区飞行后的生物钟校准。
2. **倒班工作者（Shift Workers）**：上夜班、白天需要补觉的人群。
3. **内源性褪黑素缺乏者**：通常在 50 岁左右，人体自发生殖与分泌褪黑素的能力开始显著退化。
4. **特定神经或睡眠障碍**：某些 ADD/ADHD 患者，以及极罕见的 REM 睡眠行为障碍（RBD）。
---
### [01:26:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5166s) 激增的使用狂潮、儿童中毒危机与时差自救法
全社会对褪黑素的滥用已经达到病态程度。数据显示，1999 年全美仅有 0.4% 的成年人表示自己使用褪黑素，而如今这一比例已飙升至接近 30%（约 7,000 万美国人）。与此相伴的是全美中毒控制中心（Poison Control）接收到的儿童因误食或过量服用睡眠软糖而中毒的报告激增，其增幅在近年甚至高达近 600%，成为增速最快的毒理学警报之一。布劳斯博士对此十分痛心，尤其指出对于身体处于发育期的年轻女性，无端摄入具有避孕药相互作用的荷尔蒙物质极其荒唐。对于正常孩子而言，只要家长设定好规律的睡前规范（按时上床、拒绝睡前反复要水喝等无休止的拖延），孩子本身完全具备自然的睡眠本能。
史蒂文分享了自己唯一的亲身经历：他过去从不吃褪黑素，但一周前连续经历英国、洛杉矶、开普敦、中东的多轮高强度飞行，身体严重黑白颠倒，每天凌晨四五点才能勉强合眼，早上十点又必须爬起来，熬了整整两周苦不堪言。最后他选择妥协吃了一次褪黑素，结果立竿见影地把节律彻底倒了过来。布劳斯博士对此表示认同，强调只要使用方式对路，褪黑素在应对时差方面确实极具成效。
提到跨时区节律调整，布劳斯博士提到了由自己好友参与开发的生物节律调节工具应用 Timeshifter（史蒂文亦对此非常熟悉并表示自己有合作关联）。布劳斯博士介绍自己是个十足的太空迷，而史蒂文也透露自己是 SpaceX 的投资人。谈及这一科学节律系统研发的最初源头，布劳斯博士以国际空间站（ISS）为例：空间站以每小时约 17,500 英里（约 28,160 公里）的高速绕地轨道疾驰，宇航员每天在短时间内要经历多次日出与日落，如何在如此极致的极端环境下精确定制光照与褪黑素节律，构成了这套现代昼夜节律重置科学的底层基石。
### [01:28:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5325s) 太空照明实验与 Timeshifter：时差其实是一道“数学题”
宇航员在国际空间站每两小时就会经历一次日出，相当于每24小时能看到多达12次昼夜交替。如此高频的光暗颠倒彻底击碎了人体的昼夜节律，导致空间站上所有人都挤在同一时间段争抢实验设备，甚至可能因为疲劳而犯下致命错误——比如误开气闸。为此，NASA 紧急求助哈佛大学顶尖的昼夜节律专家史蒂文·洛克利（Steven Lockley）。洛克利通过哥伦比亚号航天飞机（Columbia）将一套特制照明组件送入太空，为宇航员精准排布早班、中班与晚班的光照周期。这套算法在空间站验证成功后被引入地面，率先应用于梅赛德斯-奔驰 AMG F1 车队，帮助车手刘易斯·汉密尔顿（Lewis Hamilton）在每三周跨国转场的高压赛程中保持毫秒级的巅峰反应。随后，该算法被转化为大众可用的手机应用 Timeshifter。
布劳斯博士指出，时差从本质上来说是一道可以用光照破解的“数学题”。大约20年前的研究证实，只要使用特定频率、强度达到约 10,000 勒克斯（lux）的蓝光照射人眼，就能将人体的内在生物钟（即身体预设的入睡与清醒时间）前后平移大约8小时。以从洛杉矶飞往曼彻斯特为例，只要输入航班号，应用便能算出精准的光照窗口；而在需要避光的时间段，则会配合咖啡因保持警觉，或在睡觉时刻配合极微量的褪黑素来辅助入眠。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 时差算法演进与调控逻辑
accDescr: 展示从太空站照明方案到民用 Timeshifter 的演变及核心生物钟调控手段
subgraph Origin["技术源头与实战演进"]
A["NASA 空间站极频昼夜紊乱"] --> B["哈佛专家 Steven Lockley 制定分班照明"]
B --> C["梅赛德斯 F1 车队实测"]
C --> D["民用 Timeshifter 算法系统"]
end
subgraph Mechanism["时差调控三要素"]
D --> E["10,000 Lux 蓝光照射<br/>(平移生物钟达 8 小时)"]
D --> F["精准摄入咖啡因<br/>(保持警觉)"]
D --> G["微量褪黑素与进食窗口<br/>(锁定睡眠节律)"]
end
```
- **光照移动极限**：特定波长且亮度达到 10,000 lux 的蓝光，能在单次干预中将昼夜节律移动约 8 小时。
- **临床实践年限**：布劳斯博士本人使用 Timeshifter 解决飞行时差已有 15 年之久。
---
### [01:31:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5490s) 褪黑素的长期隐患：性发育干扰与“疲惫梦境”
很多人将褪黑素当作每晚必服的助眠剂，但布劳斯博士明确表示日常滥用是个糟糕的主意。除非患者确诊缺乏褪黑素或是需要日夜颠倒的轮班工人，否则他本人只在倒时差时短期服用。关于长期服用的争议，虽然目前的1年期临床研究显示停药后自身分泌功能可以恢复，不像长期补充外源性睾酮会彻底抑制自体分泌，但医学界完全缺乏5到10年以上的长期追踪数据。更严肃的问题在于未成年人滥用：大剂量的褪黑素在生物学上甚至具有避孕效应，会推迟或干扰青春期发育。布劳斯博士赞同神经科学家安德鲁·休伯曼（Andrew Huberman）的观点，除了自闭症谱系等特殊儿童之外，绝不建议给 18 岁以下未成年人使用褪黑素。
当过量摄入褪黑素时，最典型的副作用是极度逼真的怪梦乃至噩梦。这是因为外源性褪黑素会促使大脑更快、更深地切入快速眼动期（REM 睡眠），并延长 REM 睡眠的持续时间。这种高强度的梦境活动往往产生自相矛盾的后果——许多人早晨醒来时不仅毫无舒爽感，反而向医生抱怨：“我实在太累了，做了一整夜的梦，累得我必须再睡一觉。”
- **青春期抑制风险**：高剂量褪黑素可影响性激素分泌并起到避孕机制，从而直接扰乱或暂停少儿青春期发育进程。
- **未成年人限制**：除自闭症谱系（Autism spectrum）等特定神经发育治疗需求外，18 岁以下人群严禁随意服用褪黑素。
- **REM 睡眠过载**：过量服用会导致快速眼动期强度骤增，引发连续夜惊或噩梦，造成“睡眠疲劳”反噬。
---
### [01:34:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5667s) 睡眠补充剂该怎么挑：缬草根、单方原则与脑部刹车 GABA
针对睡眠补充剂的选择，布劳斯博士首先剖析了最受广泛研究的草本成分——缬草根（Valerian root）。他强调，缬草根本质上是一种抗焦虑成分，它不是直接催眠，而是通过平复焦虑情绪来间接帮助入睡。临床数据表明，将缬草根与啤酒花（Hops，与啤酒酿造中所用同源）结合制成的复合提取物，效果远优于单打独斗。更为关键的是，购买补充剂时应警惕市面上杂糅数十种成分的复合胶囊；许多厂商为了在标签上罗列卖点，添加的剂量微乎其微，根本达不到临床有效阈值。为了确保摄入足够的活性剂量，布劳斯博士强烈建议优先选用“单一成分补充剂”（single-ingredient supplementation）。
面对斯蒂芬提出“缬草根能否解决睡前大脑疯狂反刍（overthinking）”的疑问，布劳斯博士直言缬草根顶多只能稍微放慢思考速度，并不能阻断飞速运转的念头。如果夜间经常思绪奔涌，更对症的补充剂是脑内天然存在的递质——γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）。
> "这是一种你身体自身就会分泌的物质，它就像是大脑的刹车片。"
通过外源补充单一成分的 GABA，能够有效帮助神经系统“踩下刹车”，在夜晚卸下大脑的兴奋负荷，让紧绷的思绪平静下来。
- **缬草根增效组合**：缬草根与啤酒花搭配使用时抗焦虑和镇静效果最佳，且不会像外源激素那样干扰内分泌系统。
- **避免多合一“成分撒粉”**：许多混合配方为了包装好看加入极低剂量，达不到治疗效果；单一成分制剂能精确控制所需摄入量。
- **GABA 生理功能**：γ-氨基丁酸作为中枢神经系统的抑制性神经递质，充当脑部生化“刹车”，专门应对夜间思维过载与焦虑躁动。
### [01:36:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5788s) 补充剂哲学：先验血排查缺乏，再谈促眠成分
当主持人斯蒂芬·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）顺口聊起最近大热的草药南非醉茄（Ashwagandha，并在发音时舌头打了结）时，迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）笑着纠正了发音，并借此抛出了自己对睡眠补充剂的核心哲学：任何人在乱吃缬草（Valerian）、褪黑素等各种保健品之前，第一件必须做的事就是去**验血**。他强调必须先找出体内究竟缺乏什么微量元素并予以纠正。布劳斯博士透露，在登门求助他的睡眠障碍患者中，大约有 15% 的人仅仅通过验血查出缺乏并补齐了维生素 D、镁或铁这三样关键元素后，“他们的睡眠就神奇地自然好转了”（their sleep magically gets better）。
斯蒂芬询问是否有类似血糖异常或糖尿病这样令人意想不到的血液指标在暗中摧毁睡眠。布劳斯博士给出了极为肯定的回答：血糖失控对夜间睡眠的干扰极其显著。许多患有未受控糖尿病的人会在半夜突然惊醒，原因在于夜间血糖跌得过低诱发了剧烈饥饿感；他们被迫在凌晨爬起来翻冰箱找吃的，久而久之便恶化为棘手的“夜间睡眠进食症候群”（Sleep-Related Eating Disorder）。
- **三大优先补齐的睡眠关键营养素**：维生素 D、镁（Magnesium）、铁（Iron）。
- **门诊数据**：约 15% 的睡眠障碍求诊者仅需纠正微量营养素缺乏即可解决睡眠问题。
- **血糖与夜醒机制**：未受控的血糖波动会在夜间引发低血糖惊醒，导致半夜进食并形成恶性睡眠进食循环。
---
### [01:37:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5841s) 色氨酸神话：46磅火鸡与半加仑热牛奶的真相
斯蒂芬接着询问起常被包装成天然助眠神物的 L-色氨酸（L-Tryptophan）。布劳斯博士随即戳破了这个广为流传的民间常识：人们常说感恩节吃火鸡或睡前喝热牛奶能让人昏昏欲睡，是因为里面富含色氨酸。然而如果仔细推算临床有效剂量，一个人得硬生生吃下一只重达 **46磅（约合 41.7 斤）** 的大火鸡，摄入的色氨酸才足以诱发睡意。布劳斯博士打趣道：“哪怕是在我读大学胃口最好的巅峰期，哥们，我也绝对啃不下一只 46 磅的火鸡！”
同样的道理也适用于所谓的睡前热牛奶偏方。要想靠牛奶里的色氨酸达到助眠浓度，你必须一口气灌下近半加仑（约 1.9 升）的热牛奶，布劳斯博士直言“那场面光想想就够恶心的”。不过他也客观指出，色氨酸作为人体内一种天然存在的必需氨基酸，如果个体本身确实存在缺乏，适量补充确实能起到舒缓轻度焦虑、带来适度微醺睡意的作用，但这绝非食物中微量摄入所能立竿见影的。
- **火鸡助眠的现实差距**：需摄入整整 46 磅火鸡肉才能达到助眠所需的色氨酸有效阈值。
- **热牛奶助眠的荒谬剂量**：需饮用近半加仑（约 1.9 升）热牛奶。
- **色氨酸的真实价值**：在本身缺乏的人群中，它作为天然氨基酸能辅助减轻焦虑并诱导放松。
---
### [01:38:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5888s) 镁的多重形态、吸收辅助与临床对赌试验
谈到矿物质补充时，斯蒂芬提到了钙（Calcium）。布劳斯博士解释，钙与镁配合摄入时能显著提升镁的生物利用度与肠道吸收率。临床上发现很多人的失眠本质上源于缺镁，一旦纠正了镁缺乏，整体睡眠质量就会迎来质的飞跃。然而摆在消费者面前的巨大难题在于：市面上足足存在 **13 种不同形式的镁**，普通人根本分不清哪些真正经过了临床医学验证，哪些纯属概念营销。
布劳斯博士列举了少数具备扎实科研背书的品类与品牌。其中他格外认可的是发表过正规同行评议临床期刊论文的 **L-苏糖酸镁（Magnesium L-threonate，专利名为 Magtein）**（他特别声明自己与该品牌没有任何利益关联）。随后他分享了一则生动的轶事：健康补充剂公司 Upgraded Formulas 的创始人曾向他夸下海口，宣称自家的纳米镁是“全世界最顶级的，能让任何人秒睡”。布劳斯博士当场呛声：“敢不敢把你的钱押在你的大话上（put your money where your mouth is）？咱们直接做一项双盲临床试验！”对方毫不犹豫地当场开出一张 **7.5 万美元** 的试验支票。试验结果出炉后证实对方确实没有吹牛，该产品在受试者身上确实表现出了显著改善睡眠的卓越临床效果。
关于镁究竟如何在体内起作用，布劳斯博士坦言医学界尚未彻底厘清其全部作用靶点。镁深度参与了人体内近 **300 种生化酶促反应**，它的充足能让机体各系统更高效平稳地运转；而在主观体验与生理表征上，补充镁能明确引发骨骼肌的松弛反射，并让患者在心理层面上感到由内而外的平静。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 镁与睡眠调节机制
accDescr: 阐述镁补充剂从人体生理机制到临床睡眠改善的逻辑路径
subgraph BIO["生理作用机制"]
A["参与人体约 300 种生化反应"]
B["促使骨骼肌产生松弛反射"]
C["与钙协同摄入提升吸收率"]
end
subgraph CLINICAL["临床研究与应用"]
D["L-苏糖酸镁 (Magtein)<br/>同行评审期刊发表验证"]
E["Upgraded Formulas 纳米镁<br/>7.5万美元临床试验实证"]
end
subgraph EFFECT["睡眠最终改善"]
F["主观情绪沉静放松"]
G["纠正微量元素缺乏症"]
H["深睡潜伏期缩短与整夜安睡"]
end
BIO --> CLINICAL
CLINICAL --> EFFECT
```
- **镁的复杂性**：市面存在 13 种常见化学结构形态，未经研究的形态吸收率极低。
- **经过科研实证的形态/品牌**：Magtein（L-苏糖酸镁，穿透血脑屏障研究充分）、Upgraded Formulas 镁。
- **生化作用**：协同参与体内约 300 项代谢反应，诱发外周肌肉松弛与中枢神经情绪舒缓。
---
### [01:39:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5998s) 煮香蕉茶：从果皮中萃取天然镁的独家晚间仪式
斯蒂芬好奇地指向录影桌上博士特意带来的一根香蕉、一把小刀和一把茶壶。布劳斯博士兴奋地揭晓：“这是我个人最推崇的天然补镁秘方！”针对许多人厌恶每天早晨咽下一大把药丸或粉末的痛点，他强调营养素的第一来源永远应当是天然全食物。然而现实情况是，由于现代农业土壤被过度耕作（overtilled），土壤中流失了大量矿物质，导致哪怕你硬塞下一大筐羽衣甘蓝（kale），也根本摄入不到足够的镁。美国绝大多数人口在体检中都处于缺镁和缺乏维生素 D 的亚健康状态。
香蕉本身富含镁元素，但鲜为人知的是，**绝大部分的镁并不在果肉里，而是在香蕉皮上**。为了不让大家痛苦地去啃生香蕉皮，布劳斯博士独家研发了“香蕉茶”（Banana Tea）：
1. 取一根普通熟香蕉，切掉两头的果柄和果蒂；
2. 连皮带肉横向切成两半；
3. 将带皮香蕉直接扔进沸水锅中浸泡熬煮约 5 分钟，直到香蕉皮完全发黑变褐。
沸水会将香蕉皮中高浓度的镁以及天然植物甾醇（Phytosterols）彻底萃取到水中。这些植物甾醇能充当吸收载体，使其中的镁比单一药片补充剂更容易被人体肠道吸收利用。斯蒂芬现场端起茶杯闻了闻，惊喜地评价香气十分宜人。布劳斯博士建议在睡前 **25 到 30 分钟（至多 30 到 40 分钟）** 小口慢饮一杯热香蕉茶，将其作为睡前阅读、吃块小饼干的放松仪式；同时切忌喝太多，以免夜间频繁起夜上厕所。如果有人想丰富口感，还可以直接将香蕉水当作热茶汤，冲泡花果茶或草本茶饮用。
- **香蕉镁分布**：有效镁与植物甾醇高度富集于香蕉皮外层，而非果肉内部。
- **萃取机制**：沸水浸泡 5 分钟后，果皮变黑，活性镁溶入水中。
- **最佳饮用时间**：睡前 25–30 分钟饮用适量（避免过量饮水导致夜尿频多）。
---
### [01:42:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6155s) 维生素 D 调控生物钟与早晨“15-15-15”唤醒法则
谈及还有哪种对睡眠至关重要却常被忽略的补充剂，布劳斯博士郑重提出了**维生素 D**。在人体生理学中，维生素 D 扮演着核心“昼夜节律起搏器”（Circadian Pacemaker）的角色。当清晨的光线穿透视网膜进入眼球时，会通过下丘脑重置整个生物钟系统；而在晨光沐浴下停留约 15 分钟，人体皮肤便会主动合成内源性维生素 D。从睡眠医学维度来看，维生素 D 最关键的功能在于精细调控褪黑素（Melatonin）在入夜后的分泌时刻与脉冲节律。
为了让患者彻底告别起床后的昏沉状态并校准夜间睡眠，布劳斯博士为所有人设计了一套极其简单却效果卓著的**晨间唤醒“15-15-15”法则**：
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 晨间唤醒 15-15-15 法则
accDescr: 清晨起床后的三个连续15标准动作以激活呼吸、水分与生物钟
subgraph MORNING["清晨醒来第一件事 (户外/阳台)"]
direction TB
M1["15 次深呼吸<br/>唤醒并激活呼吸系统"]
M2["15 盎司常温水<br/>补充整夜流失的水分"]
M3["15 分钟户外阳光<br/>合成维生素 D 锁定褪黑素节律"]
M1 --> M2 --> M3
end
```
早晨醒来后坐在室外或阳光充足的窗前，连续完成这三件事：首先深吸慢呼 15 次唤醒呼吸代谢通路；接着喝下 15 盎司（约 450 毫升）水，迅速逆转睡眠造成的夜间脱水；最后享受 15 分钟的直射晨光。这套连环组合拳能瞬间为机体注入能量，并在无形中预设好当晚的安睡计时器。
*(节目在此处插播了赞助商 Intuit QuickBooks 的企业管理自动化与 AI 助手广告，斯蒂芬分享了该工具如何帮助其创业团队每月节省约 12 小时的繁琐行政审批事务。)*
### [01:44:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6259s) 赞助商与“1%日记”：分解宏大目标的思维工具
在正题展开之前，Steven Bartlett 简短提到了企业管理工具 Intuit QuickBooks，指出它不仅拥有自动化处理发票、支付和财务分析的 AI 功能，更有随时待命的人工客服支持，能有效帮助快速扩张的企业免受杂务羁绊。随后，Steven 介绍了团队专为听众研发的“1%日记”（1% Diary）。他观察到节目听众普遍极具进取心，但当人仰望极其宏大的目标时，那种感觉就如同“站在珠穆朗玛峰脚下向上望去”，往往会产生强烈的心理抗拒与无力感。
团队的成功秘诀在于把目标拆解为微小的行动步骤，即“1% 哲学”。去年首发售罄后，团队重新调整推出了全新配色的版本，并在黑色星期五提供专属优惠。
---
### [01:45:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6352s) 布劳斯博士的高效晨间例行习惯
话题转向许多人热衷讨论的“完美晨间例行公事（Morning Routine）”。Dr. Michael Breus 强调，晨间习惯完全取决于个人的自律程度和拥有的空闲时间。他大方分享了自己雷打不动、且被证明极其契合自身生物节律的早晨流程：
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: Dr. Breus's Morning Routine
accDescr: Dr. Michael Breus 的晨间时间线与活动流
subgraph Wake["06:10 - 06:40"]
A["自然醒<br/>(6:10-6:25)"] --> B["15分钟红光疗法<br/>+ 冥想 (与孩子一起)"]
end
subgraph Movement["06:40 - 10:00"]
C["15分钟无手机散步<br/>(安置宠物)"] --> D["健身房锻炼<br/>(8:00-9:30/10:00)"]
D --> E["每日例行桑拿"]
end
subgraph Work["10:30 以后"]
F["10:30 坐到办公桌前"] --> G["固定早餐：<br/>1/3磅火鸡肉碎 + 3个鸡蛋 + 西兰花"]
end
B --> C
E --> F
```
他每天早晨在 6:10 到 6:25 之间自然苏醒，绝不起床就看手机。首先会在办公室的红光治疗仪前坐 15 分钟，同时进行冥想；有时他坐在地板上，两个儿子还会爬到他的膝头上，大家一起安静冥想。紧接着是不带任何手机或耳机的 15 分钟户外散步。安顿好家里的狗狗后，他会在 8:00 到 9:30 或 10:00 左右泡在健身房，并在运动后蒸桑拿。直到上午 10:30，他才会正式坐到办公桌前享用每天完全相同的固定早餐：三分之一磅（约 150 克）的火鸡肉碎、三个鸡蛋配西兰花，全部放入平底锅一起炒熟。
---
### [01:47:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6429s) 睡眠追踪设备的真相：代理指标与心理焦虑
聊到是否使用睡眠追踪设备时，Dr. Breus 直言市面上如 Oura Ring 等穿戴设备虽然表现尚可，但在医学严谨度上仍有硬伤。核心原因在于：真正的睡眠深度必须依赖“脑电波（Brain Waves）”来判断，而手指或手腕的传感器根本测不到脑电波，它们仅仅是用心率、血氧或脉搏等“代理指标（Proxy）”去倒推猜测用户处于哪个睡眠阶段。
Dr. Breus 提醒大家千万不要陷入所谓的“数据焦虑”（正睡症倾向）。他经常遇到神色慌张的患者跑来诉苦，拿着手环显示“昨晚深度睡眠只有 14 分钟”来寻求救治。他问对方前一晚是多少，对方回答 16 分钟，第二天甚至只有 12 分钟。Dr. Breus 反而安慰他们“你完全正常”，因为设备只是“在稳定地给出一个不准确的数据”，人体不可能每晚只维持十几分钟的深度睡眠。相反，如果一个长期显示 14 分钟的人某天突然飙升到 407 分钟，那才是真正值得去复盘探究的异常节点。
作为 Whoop 投资人的 Steven Bartlett 也坦白，追踪器带给他的最大价值是建立因果关联认知。佩戴设备后他才震惊地发现，哪怕只喝一杯葡萄酒，手环就会发出严重警报，判定身体处于“重病、承受极端压力或摄入了酒精”的状态。
- **多导睡眠监测（Polysomnography / PSG）**：医院级的黄金诊断标准；网络测评对比显示，在主流消费级穿戴设备中，Whoop 4.0 的监测结果与医用 PSG 最为贴近。
- **避免过度追踪**：商业穿戴设备的绝对睡眠分期数据无法代替脑电波图，应将其视为长期生活习惯和趋势的参考工具，而非不可动摇的医学诊断。
---
### [01:49:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6567s) 睡眠环境的核心开关：体温调节与降温科技
讨论到改善睡眠质量最立竿见影、最容易人工干预的物理杠杆时，Dr. Michael Breus 斩钉截铁地指出：“最关键的变量就是温度。”许多人忽略了卧室环境乃至床铺微气候对深睡的深远影响。
人体的生物本能需要在核心体温下降时才能顺利滑入更深层次的睡眠阶段。如果整夜体温剧烈上下波动——例如处于更年期潮热困扰的女性——睡眠结构就会被彻底击碎。通过智能温控床垫（例如 Eight Sleep 等水循环温控罩）、透气的枕头、被褥以及调整室温，为人体的睡眠过程提供稳定且凉爽的温度刺激，不仅能消除燥热辗转，更是延长高质量深度睡眠最直接有效的外在手段。
---
### [01:50:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6617s) 梦的本质：并非算命解卦，而是大脑的“情绪代谢”
话题随后转向了人类既着迷又知之甚少的领域——梦境。Dr. Breus 澄清，自古以来无论在《圣经》还是各类古籍中，人类就一直在思索头脑里上演的这些离奇电影。但他特别声明：**“梦只对做梦者本人具有意义，对别人毫无意义。”**
Dr. Breus 曾专门花费一年半时间受训成为一名注册“梦境治疗师（Dream Therapist）”。他强调梦境治疗绝非大众想象中的神秘学解梦或符号学占卜（如梦见某种动物代表什么财运），而是将梦境作为正统心理治疗的临床工具，用来协助治疗抑郁症和广泛性焦虑症。
以退役军人的创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）为例：如果士兵曾在战场亲眼目睹战友遭遇横祸，那个惨烈的恐怖画面就会像死循环一样在大脑中反复闪回并惊醒。梦境从科学层面来看，正是人类心理机制的**“情绪代谢（Emotional Metabolism）”**。如果一个人无法在梦境中完成对创伤记忆的消化与重构，负面情绪就无法降解。目前关于人类为何做梦主要有两大主流学说：
1. **现实模拟演练场（Practice Ground）**：大脑在虚拟的梦境舞台上预演现实中即将尝试的挑战与行动，提前演习以防止在真实世界中出现重大差错。
2. **情绪代谢与心理疗愈（Processing & Emotional Therapy）**：在无意识状态下梳理、消化白天的复杂经验与负面心理包袱，让大脑恢复稳态，以便次日能轻装前行。
### [01:52:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6744s) 做梦是每晚的免费心理治疗与问题解决机制
Dr. Michael Breus 提出了一个深刻的观点：做梦本质上就是人类“每晚都在进行的心理治疗”（therapy every single night）。在梦境中，大脑正在经历并消化白天的各种复杂情绪。有人认为做梦纯粹是无稽之谈，只是一出大脑切换模式时产生的随机神经副产物，但主持人与 Dr. Breus 均对此表示反对——从进化论角度来看，如果一种行为没有生存收益，大自然绝不会让人类浪费如此巨大的能量去维持它。
做梦在进化上的核心价值包括两方面：处理困难情绪，以及充当心理层面的“早期预警系统”。俗语常说的“先睡一觉再做决定”（sleep on it）正是这一机制的体现。当人入睡后，原本零散割裂的信息会在大脑后台整合重组，从而催生出解决方案和创新灵感。主持人深有共鸣地分享，过去遇到商业难题时自己总会过度思虑甚至反刍焦虑，但后来发现，与其彻夜不眠强行解决，不如把睡眠本身当成化解难题的强力武器；睡满 8 小时醒来往往有如“拨云见日”（the clouds have parted）。Dr. Breus 指出这其实可以被主动利用——通过在睡前对大脑进行“启动”（priming），有意识地思考某个问题，就能引导大脑在睡眠期间自动运算。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 睡眠与做梦的双重功能机制
accDescr: 展示睡前启动、梦境处理与醒后情绪修复及难题解决的完整闭环。
subgraph Input ["睡前准备 (Priming)"]
A["白天未解难题 / 情绪压力"]
B["睡前有意识思考或记录"]
A --> B
end
subgraph SleepProcess ["睡眠与做梦阶段 (REM Sleep)"]
C["零散信息后台重组与整合"]
D["情绪宣泄与心理脱敏 (做梦即疗愈)"]
B --> C
B --> D
end
subgraph Output ["清醒产出 (Waking Results)"]
E["创意灵感与解决方案"]
F["消解焦虑 (拨云见日)"]
C --> E
D --> F
end
```
---
### [01:54:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6866s) 意象排练疗法：改写结局以重塑恶梦
为了解决反复发作的恶梦，心理学上有一种行之有效的方法——改写梦境结尾（类似意象排练疗法 Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, IRT）。人们之所以会从恶梦中惊醒，是因为恐惧程度过高强行中断了睡眠，导致大脑的情绪处理流程被迫停止。一旦在梦里把可怕的结局修改为积极或具备掌控感的结果，大脑便能继续完成整个信息加工，不再惊醒，进而真正走出困扰。
在具体实操中，来访者需要把前一晚的可怕梦境完整记录下来。例如梦见在鬼屋里逃跑，一打开后门就有人要袭击自己；在治疗中，咨询师会引导其改写结局——比如打开门后自己拿出了武器制服对方。患者在睡前连续多次朗读这个新版本的故事，坚持 7 到 10 天，梦境的走向就会彻底被改写。恶梦一旦被推进至顺利收场，原先不断循环的心理阴霾便会烟消云散。
- **恶梦打断机制**：极度恐惧触发觉醒，打断大脑对创伤与情绪的消化吸收。
- **改写结局策略**：将受害者被动受袭的场景替换为具备掌控力的积极结局。
- **执行周期**：睡前反复朗读新剧本，通常在 7 至 10 天内即可看到梦境结局的实质转变。
---
### [01:55:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6950s) 创伤梦境解析实例：热带雨林与雄狮“杰克”
Dr. Michael Breus 分享了一个震撼的临床案例：一位曾遭受继父强奸的严重创伤患者，长期被一个自己在丛林深处被拼命追赶的恶梦折磨。在诊疗过程中，Breus 通过简单的呼吸训练将她带入轻度催眠状态，并引导她探索梦中的细节：“丛林里通常有热带植物，你看到了什么？”患者在脑海中审视梦境，随后看到了美丽的鲜花并走过去闻花香。梦境由此被向前推进。
接着 Breus 询问丛林里是否有动物，患者看到了一头友善的雄狮。当 Breus 引导她走过去询问狮子的名字时，患者说它叫“杰克”（Jack）。被问及杰克是谁时，患者瞬间泪如雨下：“杰克是我的叔叔，当年正是他救了我，没让我被继父强奸。”这一刻，恶梦的核心象征彻底浮出水面——她并不是在盲目逃命，而是在竭力奔向当年拯救过自己的保护者。理解了梦境根源并在心理上找到安全支点后，仅仅经过三到四次治疗，该患者困扰已久的严重恶梦便彻底消失。
---
### [01:58:05](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7085s) 自助记录梦境与 ChatGPT 解梦的局限性
对于没有条件接受专业心理咨询的普通人，Dr. Breus 建议从建立“梦境日记”（dream journal）开始探索内心世界：
1. **记录情境与基调**：记录梦境的主题、光线明暗、情绪基调（恐怖还是愉悦）。
2. **描绘细节与人物**：尽可能详尽地写下环境特征以及梦中出现的所有人物。
3. **主动重塑结尾**：若是恶梦，直接在纸上将其修改成自己想要的走向，并在睡前反复温习。严重创伤引起的恶梦仍建议寻求专业人士协助。
针对当下许多人喜欢将梦境输入 ChatGPT 等 AI 工具寻找解释的现象，Dr. Breus 明确表示**不推荐**。他解释道，除非 AI 对你的生活经历、人际关系和情感内核有极为深入的个体化理解，否则它给出的只是宽泛的、百科全书式的符号学解释（如“梦见掉牙代表失去控制”），而现代科学中极少有证据证明这种通用象征解梦法有效。相比之下，向真正熟悉你、了解你人生故事的家人或挚友倾诉梦境，更有可能帮你挖掘出梦境背后的真实映射。
- **解梦工具对比**：AI 的通用象征符号库缺乏个体针对性；熟悉自己的亲友更易捕捉到梦境与现实经历的隐秘联结。
---
### [01:59:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7176s) 睡眠眼罩的实用价值
话题随后转向演播室桌上摆放的各类助眠工具。主持人拿起一款眼罩，直言虽然不是自己日常使用的同款，但睡眠眼罩在差旅和长途飞行中彻底改变了他的睡眠质量，称得上是真正的“游戏规则改变者”（game changer）。Dr. Breus 赞同表示自己也是高品质眼罩的忠实拥趸，尽管妻子常常打趣他戴上眼罩的样子像个“活在 1950 年代的老古董”。他特别指出桌上的这款眼罩设计十分巧妙，其眼罩眼眶处的凹槽杯垫（eye cups）是可以拆卸和调节的，能根据不同脸型完美贴合，避免压迫眼球。
### [01:59:58](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7198s) 眼罩的妙用与陌生地点的“首夜效应”
展示中的眼罩不仅能够根据面部轮廓自由调节尺寸，其眼罩眼窝垫还可以根据个人需求替换为具有加热或制冷功能的模块。史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）赞叹这款眼罩极佳的遮光效果，戴上后视野陷入彻底的漆黑，完全看不见周围的光线。巴特利特直言，在睡觉时彻底遮住双眼对自己而言堪称“颠覆性的生活改变”；在过去，每周总有几晚会因为窗帘没有拉严透进的缝隙光，或者同住者清晨起早走动而惊醒，眼罩彻底解决了这一困扰。
迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）对此深表认同，并指出这对于经常差旅、频繁往返于飞机和各色陌生环境的人来说尤为关键。布劳斯博士解释称，人类在适应新环境时普遍存在所谓的“首夜效应”（First Night Effect）：当人们在全新的地方度过第一晚时，睡眠质量往往非常糟糕，这是因为大脑在面对全新的声音、气味、环境景象时会本能地维持戒备状态。携带贴合的眼罩出行，就能彻底排除光线干扰这一重大变量，为大脑营建一个熟悉的闭目环境。
### [02:00:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7256s) 卧室空气质量：二氧化碳、通风与空气净化器
巴特利特随即探讨了空气成分对睡眠的影响，询问二氧化碳浓度、通风情况和室内含氧量是否会改变睡眠状态，尤其是在许多酒店房间窗户无法打开的情况下。布劳斯博士强调，睡眠不仅关乎“空气吸入量”（Air Quantity），更关乎“空气质量”（Air Quality）。如果想要改善睡眠，最简单立竿见影的措施之一就是在卧室放一台空气净化器。卧室是人生中停留时间最长的单一房间，确保吸入的气体经过滤网深度净化至关重要。
布劳斯博士建议普通家庭购买一台20到25美元左右的基础空气净化器，放在房间角落全天候循环过滤空气即可。此外，他建议每周至少开窗通风一次，引入新鲜空气。不过他也提醒，花粉过敏或对灰尘敏感的人群在开窗时需要留意室外过敏原的侵袭。总体而言，一旦睡眠环境中氧气不足，身体便会启动防御机制频繁醒来；例如整个人蒙在被子里睡觉时，受限的氧气摄入会导致极度憋闷，最终迫使身体在睡梦中挣脱被褥。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 卧室空气质量与睡眠改善逻辑
accDescr: 阐述卧室空气环境对睡眠周期的生理影响及改善手段
subgraph Problem["不良卧室环境"]
A["窗户封闭 / 蒙头大睡"] --> B["氧气不足 & CO2积聚"]
C["尘螨与过敏原堆积"] --> D["呼吸道受阻 & 微觉醒频繁"]
end
subgraph Solution["空气改善措施"]
E["购置20-25美元空气净化器"] --> F["全天候过滤室内粉尘"]
G["每周开窗通风换气"] --> H["引入新鲜空气（过敏季需谨慎）"]
end
subgraph Result["睡眠效益"]
B & D --> I["睡眠碎片化、晨起昏沉"]
F & H --> J["血氧平稳、减少夜间憋醒"]
end
```
### [02:02:11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7331s) 睡前争吵是睡眠杀手：如何在亲密关系中安排棘手对话
在准备前往隔壁房间实测床垫与枕头之前，巴特利特将话题转向了亲密关系——伴侣争执、性生活以及如何在维系感情的同时保护睡眠。他提到布劳斯博士在《时间的力量》（The Power of When）中明确警告过：睡前与伴侣争吵堪称毁掉睡眠“最糟糕的做法”。争吵会使交感神经兴奋、心率飙升，身体直接进入战斗或逃跑状态，根本无法顺利分泌褪黑素并进入深度睡眠。
布劳斯博士给出的临床建议是：如果有严肃或棘手的家庭议题需要探讨，请务必安排在晚饭后的一小段时间内（大约晚上7:00到8:00之间）。这样双方在就寝前拥有充裕的情绪缓冲时间去沟通和消化，尽量避免“带着愤怒入眠”。如果是涉及婚姻咨询或长期未决的深层矛盾，甚至更适合安排在上午11:00左右处理。夜间时段应当尽可能保持低压力与平和，除非是分享喜悦或欢笑，否则强烈的情绪波动必须在就寝前被隔绝。
巴特利特感叹很多情侣往往只有在临睡前躺在枕头上时，才算真正碰面并开始展开困难对话，这往往导致性生活荡然无存。布劳斯博士幽默地附和，除非争吵最终能演化为激烈的“和好性爱”（Makeup Sex），否则枕边谈判绝大多数时候都极为扫兴。巴特利特透露，他在自己的感情中已经明令禁止在深夜进行任何困难沟通。布劳斯博士对此高度赞许，指出深夜时人们身心俱疲、逻辑思维迟钝、情绪容易过激，此时很多事情根本无法被理性审视；如果睡个好觉在第二天早晨吃完早餐后再行讨论，大脑通常能以截然不同的清晰视角解决问题。
- **晚间沟通时间窗**：将严肃对话固定在晚上7:00至8:00，预留至少2至3小时的情绪冷却期。
- **晨间复盘原则**：经过整夜的快速眼动（REM）睡眠整合后，大脑对复杂情感问题的处理能力明显优于疲惫的深夜。
### [02:04:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7485s) 年龄增长与睡眠脆弱性：情绪深受睡眠掌控
巴特利特反思道，随着年龄增长，他越来越深刻地体会到自己的每日心境与情绪几乎完全被前一晚的睡眠质量所绑架，这种身体反应在年轻时远没有这么剧烈。在25岁左右的年纪，哪怕熬夜通宵、生活作息混乱，灌下一罐魔爪（Monster）能量饮料就能硬扛过去，白天依然能强行运转。
布劳斯博士指出这是不可逆的生理现实：
> “你才33岁，就已经切实体会到睡眠的变化给生活带来的巨大冲击；而我已经58岁了，我体会到的感受一模一样。”
绝大多数人之所以忽视睡眠，是因为大脑形成了一种错误的直觉：“既然睡眠是自主神经驱动的本能，那我只要走回后面的卧室、关掉电灯、倒头大睡，神奇的修复机制不就自然发生了吗？”然而随着机体衰老，睡眠稳态的容错率急剧下降，情绪韧性、抗压能力和认知表现都高度依赖有意识构建的睡眠卫生习惯。
### [02:05:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7539s) 依照睡眠时型坠入爱河：何时约会最容易产生火花
随后，巴特利特提到了布劳斯博士书中关于“坠入爱河最佳时间”的论述，好奇一位严肃的睡眠医学家为何会研究恋爱时机。布劳斯博士解释，人与人之间的化学反应高度受制于体内荷尔蒙节律与警觉度的高峰期。如果一个人在身心俱疲、大脑迟钝的劣势状态下去相亲或初次约会，不仅无法给对方留下良好印象，自己的判断力也会大打折扣；唯有双方的生理唤醒度、荷尔蒙分泌与情绪状态同时处于高位时，浪漫火花才最容易被点燃。
依据《时间的力量》中的生物时型划分，各类人群情绪状态最好、最容易坠入爱河的时段截然不同：
| 睡眠时型（Chronotype） | 情绪与活力峰值期 | 最佳心动 / 约会时间 | 生理特点解析 |
|:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |
| **海豚型（Dolphin）** | 下午至傍晚 | 晚上 8:00 | 白天神经质高唤醒，晚间焦虑缓解、情绪渐入佳境 |
| **狮子型（Lion）** | 清晨破晓 | 早上 7:00 | 典型的早起者，傍晚已精疲力竭，适宜晨间约会 |
| **熊型（Bear）** | 傍晚日落前 | 下午 4:00 | 紧随太阳节律，午后社交意愿与身心状态最放松 |
| **狼型（Wolf）** | 深夜时段 | 晚上 11:00 | 典型夜猫子，深夜前大脑才彻底激活并展现魅力 |
谈到这里，巴特利特表示自己作为典型的“狼型”，过去安排的浪漫约会确实全部偏向深夜。布劳斯博士调侃道，巴特利特在上午11点之前根本不排任何工作，这完全符合典型的狼型生物钟特征。得知巴特利特近期订婚的喜讯后，布劳斯博士也在现场送上了真挚的祝福。
### [02:07:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7638s) 转场卧室：实地测评最佳睡姿与枕头搭配
告别演播室的桌面对谈后，两人动身前往演播厅隔壁特意布置了床铺的房间。巴特利特带上了现场准备的一系列各色枕头，准备由布劳斯博士现场演示人体脊柱力学、呼吸道通畅度与不同睡眠姿势之间的对应关系，实地拆解如何挑选适合自身头颈生理曲度的专属枕头。
### [02:07:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7650s) 卧室实测：枕头与睡姿的科学原理
对话场景转移到了楼下的卧室。床头堆放着五六只形态各异的枕头，Dr. Michael Breus 准备为 Steven Bartlett 进行现场体态评估与枕头适配。Steven 坦白自己平时出差旅行从不挑剔，走到哪里就直接睡酒店床上的现成枕头。Dr. Breus 听到后立刻打断并直言这是一个“极其糟糕的想法”。
Dr. Breus 阐明了挑选枕头的核心生理学逻辑：很多人没有意识到，“枕头其实就是头部的床垫（pillow is a bed for your head）”。枕头最核心的使命，是确保睡眠中人的鼻子与胸骨（sternum，即胸口正中央的胸骨板）始终处于同一直线上，既不能过度上仰，也不能过度低垂，更不能向左右任何一侧偏斜。一旦枕头支撑不当导致颈部发生歪斜或过度扭曲，受牵拉的颈椎肌肉群就会持续向大脑发送疼痛警报信号。这种潜在的紧张状态会直接将人阻挡在深度睡眠阶段之外，导致第二天醒来脖子落枕、酸痛，长期睡眠质量全面滑坡。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 枕头挑选维度与结构对比
accDescr: 展示挑选枕头的软硬喜好、缝边结构与材质调节三大关键考量
subgraph Preference["1. 触感偏好"]
F["硬质记忆海绵<br/>(整块成型/不可捏塑)"]
S["柔软蓬松型<br/>(可抓捏变形/贴合度高)"]
end
subgraph Edge["2. 边缘工艺"]
K["刀锋边 (Knife's Edge)<br/>两片布直接车缝/颈部悬空断层"]
G["立衬嵌边 (Gusset)<br/>侧面立体加宽/全方位托覆颈椎"]
end
subgraph Features["3. 结构与材质"]
Cut["人体工学凹槽 (Cutout)<br/>避开肩部/锁住颈根"]
Zip["拉链调节腔 + 碎乳胶<br/>随时增减填充/自定高度"]
end
S --> G
G --> Cut
Cut --> Zip
```
---
### [02:08:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7732s) 挑选枕头的关键细节：软硬度、封边与材质
Dr. Breus 指出，挑选合适枕头的第一步是确定自己偏好“软塌蓬松（squishy）”还是“硬实支撑（firm）”。他随手拿起一只厚重的整块成型发泡海绵枕做对比，指出这种枕头宛如“一块奶酪硬块”，缺乏形变空间；而 Steven 则明确表示自己更青睐可以随意揉捏塑形的柔软枕头。
在确认偏好后，Dr. Breus 指出了一个绝大多数人都会忽略的制造工艺细节——刀锋边（knife's edge）与立体嵌边（gusset）：
- **刀锋边（Knife's edge）**：两片面料直接在边缘缝合。当头部压在枕头上时，边缘呈斜坡状削薄，导致后颈与枕头边缘之间产生严重悬空，缺乏实质性承托。
- **立体嵌边（Gusset）**：面料侧面加入了一条具有一定厚度的独立布条，使枕头四周立起。这种结构能形成饱满的垂直支撑面，在头部陷入时依然紧密托覆住颈椎根部。
在展示各款产品时，Dr. Breus 拿出了自己的私人珍藏——由品牌 Coop 制造的枕头。该枕头不仅具备兼顾柔软与立体支撑的立衬结构，更具备两大杀手级设计：
- **弧形月牙切口（Cutout）**：枕头下沿呈凹弧形，仰卧或侧卧时能精准贴合肩膀线条，直接将支撑延伸至颈椎最底端。
- **侧边拉链与碎乳胶填充（Shredded latex）**：内置拉链设计允许使用者随时掏出或塞入碎乳胶颗粒，从而微调至完全契合自身头颈高度的专属厚度。
作为反面教材，Dr. Breus 当场挑出了一只市面上最廉价普遍的纤维枕：通体扁平、采用毫无颈部承托的刀锋边缝合，内部填充的还是极易锁死体热的聚酯纤维（polyester），将其斥为“没有任何支撑、闷热且糟糕透顶的废品”。
---
### [02:11:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7912s) 睡姿大揭秘与现场试睡排雷
Dr. Breus 让 Steven 当场躺下展示平时的真实入睡姿态。Steven 坦白自己入睡时习惯先趴着睡，大约 10 分钟后再翻身换成右侧卧。Dr. Breus 随即列出了人群中的睡姿分布与健康危害数据：
- **侧卧人群**：约占 75%（向左或向右侧卧），是绝大多数人的天然选择。
- **仰卧人群**：约占 20%。
- **俯卧（趴睡）人群**：仅占约 5%。
Dr. Breus 明确警告：俯卧趴睡是“最糟糕的睡姿”。趴睡时，枕头和床垫会对腹部与胸腔施压，迫使腰椎处于过度反张或扭曲状态（形成所谓 spllay 压力），日积月累极易引发慢性腰背痛。
更关键的是侧卧方向的讲究。Dr. Breus 指出了一句助记口诀：“向右睡是错的（Right is wrong）”。从解剖学角度来看，人体向右侧卧时，腹腔内脏器官的重力会全部压向胃部，容易导致贲门松弛、胃酸反流进入食管，诱发或加重胃食管反流病（GERD）；因此，健康的侧卧应当优先选择**左侧卧**。
在现场测试环节中，Steven 先尝试了 Dr. Breus 推荐的带凹槽立体嵌边枕头，当他侧卧时，肩头自然嵌入下沿凹槽，鼻尖、面部中线与胸骨水平保持在一条平行线上，颈部肌肉呈现完全放松的自然状态。紧接着换上扁平软塌的劣质聚酯纤维枕后，Steven 的头部瞬间向床面大幅度塌陷下折，手臂局促得无处安放，颈椎明显过度弯折。
Dr. Breus 以自己曾经的长跑经历总结道：跑步时跑鞋、速干衣（dry fit wear）和音乐装备直接决定运动表现；睡眠同样是一场生理马拉松，床垫、床单和枕头就是你的核心专业装备，缺乏正确的支撑装备，深度睡眠根本无从谈起。
### [02:14:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8092s) 核心体温调节与 Orion 智能温控床垫
在确认了“左侧卧搭配合适枕头”的正确睡姿后，讨论转向了影响睡眠质量的另一个关键变量：温度。迈克尔·布劳斯博士（Dr. Michael Breus）让史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）亲自感受床铺两侧的明显温差——一侧温暖，另一侧清凉。人体在躺下时会自然释放热量，而人体的入睡机制高度依赖于核心体温的下降周期。如果核心体温在下降，而周围微环境却闷热不降温，大脑就很难顺利启动睡眠程序。现场展示的这款设备名为 Orion 睡眠系统（Orion sleep system），它是一层铺在床垫上方的控温垫（topper），内部穿插着人体几乎察觉不到的细微导管，支持双区独立温控。
布劳斯博士指出，普通消费者无法自行开具处方药，也无法随意购置呼吸机（CPAP），但对温度的自主调控是每个人触手可及的睡眠干预手段。该设备甚至能够依据昼夜节律动态调节温度，协助用户整夜维持深睡。对于 45 岁左右正处于更年期、常因夜间潮热（hot flashes）惊醒的女性而言，这种精准控温显得尤为关键。在谈及价格与利益关联时，布劳斯博士毫不避讳地披露，该系统售价略高于 2,000 美元（比市场上同类型竞品便宜近三分之一），并风趣地承认自己正是该公司的“首席睡眠官”（Chief Sleep Officer），引得史蒂文打趣称这个职位头衔相当新颖。
- **温控与昼夜节律**：入睡需要核心体温同步下降，微环境过热会导致入睡困难或半夜醒来。
- **产品特点与适用人群**：细管循环控温垫支持双区独立调节；对于更年期潮热女性及对温度敏感的人群具有显著改善作用。
- **透明度披露**：Orion 系统售价略超 2,000 美元，布劳斯博士兼任该品牌首席睡眠官。
---
### [02:16:42](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8202s) 卧室环境调优：基于“五感”的科学改造
对于整个卧室环境的搭建，布劳斯博士提出了一套基于人类“五感”（视觉、听觉、触觉、味觉、嗅觉）的系统化检查框架：
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 卧室五感睡眠环境调节体系
accDescr: 展现视觉、听觉、触觉与嗅觉在卧室环境优化中的具体实操策略。
subgraph SenseAudit["卧室感官环境调控"]
Sight["视觉 (Light)"] --> L1["睡前30分钟关闭顶灯<br/>切换床头低色温暗光"]
Sound["听觉 (Sound)"] --> S1["物理隔音降噪<br/>降低对噪音的消极情绪挂钩"]
Touch["触觉/温度 (Touch)"] --> T1["室内凉爽环境<br/>极简应急法: 袜子套冰冻水瓶"]
Smell["嗅觉 (Smell)"] --> M1["禁用明火蜡烛<br/>推荐香薰机/枕头喷雾<br/>(薰衣草/依兰依兰/香草)"]
end
```
在视觉方面，核心是光线的渐进式暗淡。睡前约 30 分钟应关闭明亮的头顶主灯，仅保留床头台灯或开启调光开关，帮助褪黑素分泌并设定就寝仪式感。关于听觉，安静的环境固然理想，但在临近干道等复杂环境下无法彻底消除噪音时，人对声音的“情绪附加”（emotionality）起着决定性作用——越是对杂音感到烦躁愤怒，大脑越兴奋；若能在心理上接纳声音，其干扰便会减轻，当然同时仍需尽力做好窗户隔音等物理缓冲。
谈及触觉与温度，若没有智能温控床垫或空调在酷暑天力不从心，布劳斯博士分享了一个实用应急妙招：将两瓶塑料瓶装水放入冰箱冷冻成冰块，套上袜子后分别放置在身体两侧的被窝里，这相当于在被窝中搭建了一座微型空调，也是他出差住酒店遇到温控不灵时的常备技巧。在嗅觉层面，他强调已有至少两项严格的科研试验证明芳香疗法对睡眠有实际助益，但坚决告诫“明火与睡眠不可共存”，切勿点燃蜡烛入睡；安全的选择是香薰机、香囊或枕头喷雾，科学证实最有效的助眠气味包括薰衣草（lavender）、依兰依兰（ylang-ylang）以及香草（vanilla）。
---
### [02:19:04](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8344s) 裸睡与穿袜入睡的体温调节玄机
针对大众高度好奇的“是否应当裸睡”以及“睡觉要不要穿袜子”的问题，布劳斯博士从人体热生理学角度给出了反直觉而透彻的解释：
1. **裸睡的利弊**：体表衣物越少，身体与外部环境的热交换屏障就越少，越有利于人体自主进行核心体温调节（thermoregulation）。从生理学角度而言，裸睡确实能带来更好的散热与睡眠质量。不过博士幽默地提醒道：“如果你床上养了宠物，你裸睡可得小心点——在它们眼里像个咬胶玩具的东西，对你来说可能至关重要。”
2. **穿袜入睡的散热机制**：脚底没有毛发，毛细血管极其丰富，是人体散热效率最高的热交换通道。人们在夜间感到燥热时把脚伸出被窝就能瞬间感到凉爽，正是这一机制在起作用。
3. **体温失调患者的穿袜策略**：对于手脚冰凉或体温调节存在障碍的失眠患者，布劳斯博士建议上床时可以“赤身穿袜”——先借助袜子让末梢血管扩张充血，帮助身体启动散热降温程序；等体温平稳、感到微热时，再把袜子脱掉，让足底高效散热。
---
### [02:20:09](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8409s) 播客传统终极发问：对医疗体系的改革与全球同睡之愿
两人回到访谈室后，史蒂文按照《CEO日记》的闭幕传统，代上一位未透露匿名的飞行嘉宾向布劳斯博士提问：“如果你拥有改变美国医疗体系中一件事的权力，你会选什么？为什么？”面对这一宏大命题，布劳斯博士给出了一个“务实方案”与一个“理想愿景”：
其一是切实可行的制度性变革：**推行全民阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停（sleep apnea）强制筛查**。正如前面的统计数据所示，睡眠呼吸暂停在美国是一场被严重低估和漏诊的隐形流行病，数以千万计的患者在毫不知情的情况下遭受折磨并诱发严重心血管疾病，医疗体系亟需将睡眠障碍筛查纳入常规防线。
其二则是一个极具人文浪漫色彩的终极宏愿——他希望全世界的每一个人，都能在同一天晚上享受到一场真正酣畅甜美的优质睡眠。布劳斯博士动情地发问：“你能想象第二天会发生什么吗？饱受战火蹂躏的国家会不会因为领导人和民众睡了个好觉而达成和平？全球最顶尖的头脑如果都精力充沛，会诞生怎样的科学创新与慈善壮举？只要睡眠充足，人做任何事情都会变得更出色。”史蒂文随即幽默补刀：“那九个月之后，全世界肯定会迎来一波巨大的婴儿潮！”
在对谈结尾，史蒂文向布劳斯博士致以由衷的敬意。他感慨道，现代人的生活方式与工作节奏让睡眠危机成为了众多上游根源问题——它深层影响着人际关系、工作表现、性生活乃至心智健康。布劳斯博士不仅具备深厚的临床心理学底蕴，更能将晦涩的医学机理转化为生动幽默、引人入胜的叙事，是驱散睡眠“黑盒”迷雾不可多得的卓越科普者。
### [02:22:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=8563s) 深入睡眠医学的实用资源与对谈结语
主持人 Steven Bartlett 对这次对谈进行了总结与收尾。他由衷地感叹，能够在科普中将严肃、专业的“临床睡眠医学”（clinical side of sleep）讲解得如此透彻的人非常罕见。对于那些一路完整听到这里的听众，如果想要继续深入探索睡眠的奥秘，Dr. Michael Breus 提供了非常丰富的学习渠道。Steven 特别向观众极力推荐 Dr. Michael Breus 的个人 YouTube 频道，并提到虽然今天的长谈涵盖了海量内容，但仍有一些细分话题未能逐一展开。比如关于“半夜惊醒”（waking up in the middle of the night）的专题视频，在 Michael 的频道上已经收获了六七百万次的播放量，内容极其专注且对症下药。因此，任何在本次访谈中意犹未尽的观众，都可以直接前往他的频道进一步学习。
对于更习惯通过纸质阅读来获取知识、并借此助眠的读者，Steven 展示了摆在面前的两本重磅著作：一本是深入探讨生理时钟与生活节奏的经典之作《时间的隐秘力量》（*The Power of When*），书中系统讲解了如何测定自己的“作息时型”（chronotype），并由此推算出一天中进食、午餐、要求加薪、性生活、写小说乃至服药的最佳生物时刻；另一本则是全新力作《睡、饮、吸》（*Sleep, Drink, Breathe*），该书从更广泛的健康维度出发，通过调整睡眠、补水和呼吸等简单的日常微习惯，为人体带来深远且长效的健康改善。
面对主持人的真诚致谢，Dr. Michael Breus 热情地表达了感激。他坦言自己来之前其实并不完全确定会有怎样的对谈预期，但这趟经历“实在是太有趣了”（so much fun），现场的每一位团队成员都非常棒，最后他微笑着向所有观众道出最真挚的祝愿：“祝大家做个好梦”（sweet dreams）。在节目的尾声，主持人幽默地提到了 YouTube 强大的 AI 推荐算法，根据观众独特的观看习惯精准匹配了下一期最适合的精彩内容，并鼓励大家顺着算法的指引继续探索。
- **精选推荐资源**：
- **Dr. Michael Breus 个人 YouTube 频道**：重点推荐单集包括针对夜间频繁醒来的专项解析（播放量达 600 万至 700 万次）。
- **核心著作《时间的隐秘力量》（The Power of When）**：指导读者根据四种作息时型规划全天活动（从工作谈判到日常起居）。
- **前沿著作《睡、饮、吸》（Sleep, Drink, Breathe）**：围绕日常基础生命节律（睡眠、补水、呼吸）打造的长期健康改善方案。
## Notable quotes
> [46:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2778s) Dude, in the history of time, nobody has been able to force their brain to sleep. — Dr. Michael Breus
> [48:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=2931s) You cannot count and worry at the same time — Dr. Michael Breus
> [55:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=3350s) You can't stop your first thought, but you can stop your second thought — Dr. Michael Breus
> [01:34:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5667s) 这是一种你身体自身就会分泌的物质，它就像是大脑的刹车片。 — Dr. Michael Breus
> [01:38:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=5888s) 敢不敢把你的钱押在你的大话上（put your money where your mouth is）？咱们直接做一项双盲临床试验！ — Dr. Michael Breus
> [01:50:17](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=6617s) 梦只对做梦者本人具有意义，对别人毫无意义。 — Dr. Michael Breus
> [02:04:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM&t=7485s) 你才33岁，就已经切实体会到睡眠的变化给生活带来的巨大冲击；而我已经58岁了，我体会到的感受一模一样。 — Dr. Michael Breus
## Mentioned
Dr. Michael Breus, Steven Bartlett, The Diary Of A CEO, American Board of Sleep Medicine, PER3, Adenosine, Melatonin, Cortisol, University of Minnesota, Seth Rogen, WHOOP, Whoop 4.0, Muse, Dr. Andrew Weil, NextSense, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Stanford Medicine, American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), Stan, LinkedIn, Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland, Ambien, Trazodone, Diphenhydramine, CBT-I, Sleep, Drink, Breathe, Andrew Huberman, Steven Lockley, Lewis Hamilton, Timeshifter, NASA, SpaceX, Columbia, Oura Ring, Eight Sleep, Orion sleep system, Coop, Intuit QuickBooks, Upgraded Formulas, Magtein, 1% Diary, The Power of When
## Video description
Are you always tired? Sleep Expert Dr. Michael Breus breaks down the 4 chronotypes to master your sleep, how to fix insomnia, the truth about sleep apnea, and why the 8-hour myth is wrong!
Dr. Michael Breus is a clinical psychologist and a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine. He has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, served as a WebMD sleep expert, and is also the bestselling author of books such as, ‘Sleep Drink Breathe’.
He explains:
▪️The 4 chronotypes that dictate your ideal daily schedule
▪️Why waking up at 3am is a biological temperature spike
▪️The "3-2-1 Rule" for the perfect evening wind-down
▪️The exact pillow checklist to fix neck pain and snoring
00:00 Intro
02:23 Why This Sleep Expert Spent 20 Years Fixing People’s Sleep
07:02 How to Choose the Right Bed and Pillow for Better Sleep
09:12 How a “Caffeine Nap” Gives You 4 Hours of Extra Energy
13:04 Why Knowing Your Sleep Chronotype Changes Everything
21:17 What It Means If You're Most Productive in the Late Morning
26:04 Are You Getting Grumpier With Age? Here’s Why
27:01 How Early School Start Times Hurt Kids’ Academic Success
31:17 The #1 Parenting Strategy to Prevent Childhood Sleep Issues
33:57 Can You Drink Alcohol and Still Sleep Well? Here's How
36:48 How Your Chronotype Dictates the Best Time to Drink Alcohol
38:02 Why Late-Night Snacking Is Ruining Your Sleep
39:34 The Best Relaxation Exercises to Help You Fall Asleep Fast
57:20 Why 2026 Could Be the Year of a Global Sleep Crisis
1:00:41 Ads
1:02:31 1 in 7 People Have Sleep Apnea—But 90% Don’t Know It
1:04:46 6 Warning Signs of Sleep Apnea You Shouldn’t Ignore
1:06:19 Should Couples Sleep Separately? The Surprising Answer
1:07:43 Why Sleep Apnea Looks Different in Men vs. Women
1:11:23 The Terrifying Health Risks of Not Sleeping Well
1:13:57 The Biggest Myths About Insomnia—Debunked
1:18:59 The Powerful Link Between Poor Sleep and Depression
1:20:54 The Truth Behind Melatonin: What They’re Not Telling You
1:26:11 Why Kids Are Overdosing on Melatonin—And How to Prevent It
1:27:50 The Smart Way to Beat Jet Lag Fast
1:31:50 Is It Safe to Take Melatonin Every Night?
1:34:27 The Most Researched Sleep Supplement You’ve Never Heard Of
1:36:28 Can Ashwagandha Help With Nighttime Overthinking?
1:37:21 The Science Behind Turkey, Milk, and Better Sleep
1:43:41 Ads
1:45:56 The Power of Sleep Routines and How to Build Yours
1:47:09 Should You Use a Sleep-Tracking Wearable? Pros and Cons
1:50:18 What Your Dreams Are Really Trying to Tell You
1:53:54 How to Reprogram Recurring Nightmares (And Why It Works)
2:00:21 The “First Night Effect” Explained—And Why It Matters
2:06:32 Is There a Best Time of Day to Fall in Love?
2:07:53 How to Pick the Perfect Pillow in 4 Simple Steps
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[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXlMKzcZlwM)
Source quotes
[46:18] Dr. Michael Breus: Dude, in the history of time, nobody has been able to force their brain to sleep.
[48:51] Dr. Michael Breus: You cannot count and worry at the same time
[55:50] Dr. Michael Breus: You can't stop your first thought, but you can stop your second thought
[94:27] Dr. Michael Breus: 这是一种你身体自身就会分泌的物质，它就像是大脑的刹车片。
[98:08] Dr. Michael Breus: 敢不敢把你的钱押在你的大话上（put your money where your mouth is）？咱们直接做一项双盲临床试验！
[110:17] Dr. Michael Breus: 梦只对做梦者本人具有意义，对别人毫无意义。
[124:45] Dr. Michael Breus: 你才33岁，就已经切实体会到睡眠的变化给生活带来的巨大冲击；而我已经58岁了，我体会到的感受一模一样。
Source quotes
[56:10] Dr. Michael Breus: You can't stop your first thought, but you can stop your second thought... Give yourself permission to just chill, just relax. And then you know what happens? The natural sleep process comes over.
[62:31] Dr. Michael Breus: I've saved more marriages as a sleep doctor than I ever would have as a marital therapist dealing with snoring in the middle of the night.
[73:57] Dr. Michael Breus: I don't actually care when you go to bed that much... I really only care about the wake-up time... The time that you wake up directly determines when your internal melatonin kicks into gear.
[102:35] Dr. Michael Breus: A lot of people want to know, 'How should I take my supplements? I'm tired of taking a fistful of pills every morning... What's the best way?' The best place to get it from is food.
[122:18] Dr. Michael Breus: Look, you're 33 years old and you're already seeing things changing in your sleep that have a big effect in your life. I'm 58 years old, okay? I see the same thing happening. Everybody... sleep is so fundamental to the human condition that it's one of those things that we've got to really pay attention to.
[140:18] Steven Bartlett: If you could have the power to change one thing in the US healthcare system, what would it be and why?
Original transcript
[0:00] What are the most popular questions
[0:02] people come to you with as a sleep
[0:03] doctor?
[0:04] >> There's three [music] biggies. Number
[0:05] one is, "What do I do if I fall asleep,
[0:07] okay, and I wake up in the middle of the
[0:09] night and I can't fall back asleep?"
[0:10] >> And you can help people with that.
[0:11] >> Absolutely. The second question is,
[0:13] "What pillow should I buy?" And I'm
[0:15] going to walk you through which pillows
[0:16] make sense for which people. And then
[0:18] another one that people ask me all the
[0:20] time is, "What's the best time to have
[0:22] sex?"
[0:22] >> That's a strange thing for somebody of
[0:24] your profession to be
[0:26] >> about. Well, let me explain why. So,
[0:27] I've been an actively practicing sleep
[0:29] specialist for 26 years. I take care of
[0:31] people's sleep problems like apnea,
[0:32] insomnia, and I'm really interested in
[0:34] the things that you might be doing right
[0:36] now that are messing up your sleep that
[0:37] are easy to fix. So, for example, most
[0:39] people don't know that they have a
[0:41] genetic sleep code inside them called
[0:42] their chronoype, [music]
[0:43] which decides when your brain releases
[0:45] things like melatonin, cortisol,
[0:47] adrenaline, and dopamine. [music] And so
[0:49] I can show you based on your chronotype
[0:51] when it's bedtime, but also the perfect
[0:53] time of day to do almost any activity,
[0:55] including the perfect [music] time to
[0:56] have coffee and alcohol. Crazy. There's
[0:59] even data to show that your ability to
[1:02] understand complicated concepts [music]
[1:04] improves when you're more in line with
[1:06] your chronoype. Now, there are three
[1:07] known chronotypes, but what I'm famous
[1:09] for [music] is discovering a fourth one,
[1:11] which I think might be you. So, we're
[1:13] going to talk a lot about that. We're
[1:15] also going to talk about dreams because
[1:17] dreams [music] can tell you things about
[1:18] yourself that you may not want to know.
[1:20] And then there's how to fix jet lag,
[1:22] whether you should sleep with a TV
[1:23] [music] on, the truth about melatonin
[1:24] supplementation, and my favorite way to
[1:26] get magnesium.
[1:27] >> Before we get into all of that, shall we
[1:29] go and look at the best possible sleep
[1:30] position?
[1:31] >> Yeah, let's check it out.
[1:35] >> Guys, I've got a quick favor to ask you.
[1:37] We're approaching a significant
[1:38] subscriber milestone on this show and
[1:40] roughly 69% of you that listen and love
[1:43] this show haven't yet subscribed for
[1:44] whatever reason. If there was ever a
[1:46] time for you to do us a favor, if we've
[1:48] ever done anything for you, given you
[1:50] value in any way, it is simply hitting
[1:52] that subscribe button. And it means so
[1:54] much to myself, but also to my team cuz
[1:55] when we hit these milestones, we go away
[1:56] as a team and celebrate. And it's the
[1:58] thing, the simple, free, easy thing you
[2:00] can do to help make this show a little
[2:01] bit better every single week. So that's
[2:04] a favor I would ask you. And um if you
[2:06] do hit the subscribe button, I won't let
[2:08] you down. And we'll continue to find
[2:10] small ways to make this whole production
[2:11] better. Thank you so much for being part
[2:14] of this journey. Means the world. And uh
[2:15] yeah, let's do this.
[2:18] [music]
[2:19] [singing]
[2:20] >> Dr. Bruce, yes. What is it you do? Why
[2:24] does it matter so much now? And what
[2:28] perspective do you take on what you do
[2:30] that is atypical versus other people I
[2:33] might have spoken to about this subject?
[2:35] >> I'm a sleep doctor. Um I take care of
[2:37] people's sleep problems like apnea,
[2:39] narcolepsy, insomnia, things like that.
[2:42] I've dedicated a good portion of my
[2:44] career not just to understanding how to
[2:46] treat those disorders which are sleep
[2:48] disorders, but what I also I call
[2:50] disordered sleep. I'm really interested
[2:52] in behavioral habits. What's going on?
[2:55] what are the things that you might be
[2:56] doing right now that are kind of messing
[2:58] up your sleep that are easy to fix um
[3:00] and be able to maybe change how things
[3:02] are going forward? You know, I I didn't
[3:04] start out thinking I was going to become
[3:05] a sleep doctor if I'm going to be honest
[3:07] with you. Like that that was not on the
[3:08] on the path. Um I was actually going in
[3:11] a completely different direction. And
[3:13] one of the things I really discovered
[3:15] was when you change someone's sleep,
[3:17] dude, you change their life. Like it is
[3:19] fundamental to who they are. And it's
[3:22] important for me to be a sleep educator
[3:24] in a way, shape, and form that's
[3:25] practical so that people can actually
[3:27] get something from what I'm talking
[3:28] about and apply it right then and there.
[3:30] >> And there's probably a couple of million
[3:32] people that have clicked onto this
[3:33] conversation to listen.
[3:34] >> Yeah.
[3:35] >> Who is this conversation for?
[3:37] >> I think it's for anybody out there who's
[3:39] either curious about sleep or wants to
[3:41] try to improve their sleep or maybe
[3:43] suspicious that they could have a
[3:44] problem with their sleep. I think any
[3:46] one of those three types of people would
[3:48] find tremendous value here. And what are
[3:50] we going to be able to do for those
[3:51] people today specifically?
[3:53] >> So, I'm going to give people um several
[3:54] different like plans, if you will, uh
[3:57] maybe even a five-step plan of things
[3:58] that they can absolutely learn how to
[4:00] do. They're also going to learn about a
[4:01] genetic sleep code that they have inside
[4:03] them called their chronoype. A lot of
[4:05] people don't even know that they have a
[4:07] chronoype or maybe they've heard of the
[4:08] of the idea, but they haven't ever heard
[4:10] of the term. We're going to learn a lot
[4:12] about that. We're also going to talk
[4:13] about dreams a little bit. Um I'm
[4:15] excited to have the opportunity to do
[4:17] that. I've spent the last year and a
[4:18] half learning more about how to use
[4:20] dreams in my clinical work as a
[4:22] psychologist, which is very interesting
[4:24] stuff. So, I'm excited to share some of
[4:26] that. So, I think people are going to
[4:27] learn a whole bunch.
[4:28] >> And dreams matter.
[4:29] >> Oh, yeah. They absolutely matter. I'm I
[4:31] call dreams emotional metabolism, right?
[4:34] And so, when you're dreaming, what is
[4:36] you what is the function? What is the
[4:38] purpose? What are you doing? You're
[4:40] actually working through your emotional
[4:42] states that you had during the daytime.
[4:44] Um this is why we have nightmares,
[4:46] right? And so in a nightmare, it's a
[4:47] scary scene and all a sudden it gets so
[4:49] emotional, you wake up. That is
[4:51] officially called a nightmare. That
[4:53] awakening, but you stop processing. And
[4:56] when you go back to sleep, you go back
[4:57] to the dream and you get to that scary
[4:58] point, you wake up again and you get
[5:00] caught in this loop, right? And so
[5:02] dreams matter because they can be
[5:04] incredibly disruptive. Also, they can
[5:06] tell you things about yourself that you
[5:09] may not want to know or may not have in
[5:12] the front of your mind at all times.
[5:14] Right? Sometimes people have very
[5:15] interesting dreams like dreams of being
[5:17] chased or dreams of their teeth falling
[5:19] out or all these different things and
[5:20] they can mean a whole host of different
[5:22] things. But I want to be super clear.
[5:24] There's no guide book that says, "Hey,
[5:26] you know, if you're if you're dreaming
[5:27] of that you're in water, you hate your
[5:29] mother." Like, it doesn't really work
[5:30] that way. Dreams mean something to the
[5:32] dreamer. And so the goal is to
[5:34] understand the context within that. So
[5:36] who is the dreamer? What is the dream?
[5:39] And then how do those two work together?
[5:41] And what is the experience that you're
[5:43] drawing from academically but also
[5:46] professionally? Give me a view of how
[5:47] many people you've worked with and
[5:50] the range of things people come to you
[5:52] with.
[5:52] >> Yeah. So I've been an actively
[5:53] practicing sleep specialist for 26
[5:55] years. So I work in offices with medical
[5:58] doctors cuz I'm not a medical doctor. I
[6:00] have a PhD and I work with them on their
[6:02] patients. lot of insomnia patients but
[6:04] also the apneas, the restless legs, the
[6:06] narcolepsies of the world because I have
[6:08] kind of a unique distinction in that I'm
[6:10] one of 168 people in the world who took
[6:12] the medical boards without going to
[6:14] medical school and passed. So I can work
[6:16] within that framework and really
[6:18] understand a lot of what's going on. I
[6:20] don't prescribe medication, but if I'm
[6:21] honest with you, most people don't need
[6:23] sleep medication as far as I'm
[6:25] concerned. I can get them to sleep
[6:26] usually without any medication at all.
[6:28] >> And you're a psychologist as well?
[6:29] >> I am. I'm a clinical psychologist. And
[6:31] how does those two worlds make 1 plus 1
[6:34] equal three?
[6:34] >> Sure. So when you talk about sleep,
[6:36] psychology is all over the place. I
[6:38] would argue 75% of the reason people
[6:41] don't sleep is anxiety or fear. That
[6:43] really falls well within the range of
[6:45] psychology for sure. Um, and it's
[6:47] different kinds of fears. It's fears
[6:49] that you know about that are right in
[6:50] your face, like something that's going
[6:52] on in your daytime, but it could be
[6:53] other fears. It could be fears of your
[6:55] relationship. It could be financial
[6:56] fears. It could be a whole host of
[6:58] different things. So, I think there's a
[6:59] lot of psychology that gets to be played
[7:01] in all of this kind of thing.
[7:02] >> I got two more questions before we
[7:03] really get into the details and
[7:05] specifics and start really helping the
[7:06] audience with whatever they're dealing
[7:07] with.
[7:08] >> The first is we have lots of props here.
[7:11] >> Yes.
[7:12] >> Give me a a topline view of the types of
[7:14] things you're going to show me and why
[7:16] you've brought all of these wonderful
[7:17] props.
[7:17] >> Absolutely. So, I get asked a lot of
[7:19] questions as you might imagine and um
[7:21] one of the big questions that I get
[7:23] asked is what bed and pillow should I
[7:25] buy? So, sitting next to you is a large
[7:27] stack of pillows, all different types,
[7:29] actually. And I want to be able to show
[7:30] some of your viewers how you look at
[7:32] pillows and which pillows make sense for
[7:34] which people. Believe it or not, there's
[7:36] like a fitting process. We're going to
[7:37] go through that. This device right here
[7:39] is a sleep test, believe it or not. So,
[7:42] it used to be we'd have to send you to
[7:43] the hospital. Yeah, you can unwind it.
[7:45] Uh, you have to send you to the
[7:46] hospital. We'd put 27 electrodes all
[7:49] over your body, respiratory belts across
[7:51] your chest. We'd have cameras zoomed in
[7:52] on you. And then, by the way, you're
[7:54] supposed to be able to go to sleep,
[7:55] right? And we're supposed to be able to
[7:56] monitor you. Now, historically, we were
[7:58] able to do that pretty well. But once
[8:00] COVID hit, nobody wanted to sleep in the
[8:02] same bed that somebody else had been
[8:04] sleeping in the day before. So, now we
[8:05] have what are called HSTS or home sleep
[8:08] tests.
[8:09] >> Wow.
[8:10] >> Yeah. We'll talk about how to use it and
[8:11] and what it can tell you.
[8:12] >> My last question before we get into the
[8:14] details is what are the most popular
[8:16] questions that people come to you with
[8:18] as a sleep doctor?
[8:20] >> Yeah. So, I'd say there's probably three
[8:22] biggies, right? Number one is, "Hey, Dr.
[8:24] Bruce, I fall asleep just fine, but I
[8:27] wake up somewhere between 1 and 3:00 in
[8:29] the morning, and it either takes me 20
[8:31] minutes or 3 hours to fall back asleep.
[8:33] What the heck is going on there?"
[8:35] >> And you can help people with that.
[8:36] >> Absolutely. I'm going to give everybody
[8:38] a exactly what I do in clinic. Like, I'm
[8:40] going to explain to everybody exactly
[8:42] what I say to my patients and how to go
[8:44] about getting through that particular
[8:45] problem because it's it's so flagrant.
[8:48] Everybody needs to know how to how to
[8:49] work with that. The second question
[8:51] would be um what bed should I buy or
[8:53] what pillow should I buy? I think we're
[8:54] going to address that over here. Um and
[8:57] then another one that people ask me all
[8:59] the time is, you know,
[9:02] is there some kind of timing? Is there
[9:04] some like I feel like my body is off.
[9:06] They say this all the time. They're
[9:07] like, if I just lived in a different
[9:09] time zone, I feel like everything would
[9:11] work out well. So the very basics of
[9:14] sleep.
[9:14] >> Uhhuh.
[9:15] >> What do I need to know about what sleep
[9:16] is, the role it solves for us to even
[9:19] understand the context of the things
[9:20] we're going to talk about today?
[9:21] >> Yep. There's only a few things that are
[9:23] truly important to understand about
[9:24] sleep. One is how does sleep work in the
[9:26] brain. It turns out that there's two
[9:28] separate systems in the brain. One is
[9:30] called your sleep drive. The other is
[9:32] called your sleep rhythm. And they both
[9:34] work uh in an interesting way. They're
[9:35] both a little bit like hunger, right? So
[9:37] sleep drive is like hunger because right
[9:39] I'm hungry. I'm hungry. I'm hungry. I
[9:40] eat something. that hunger begins to
[9:41] dissipate. Same holds true with sleep.
[9:43] The longer you stay awake, the more the
[9:45] more sleepy that you get. When you look
[9:47] at it from a biology standpoint, it's
[9:49] kind of interesting. So, when a cell
[9:50] eats a piece of glucose, something comes
[9:52] out the back end. One of those things is
[9:53] called a denisonin. It works its way
[9:55] through your system and goes to a very
[9:57] specific receptor area, as a denisonin
[9:59] accumulates, you get sleepier and
[10:00] sleepier and sleepier. Now, why am I
[10:02] going into so much detail? Turns out
[10:04] when you look at a denisonin and you
[10:06] look at caffeine, they're off by one
[10:08] molecule. So, here's a little tip or
[10:12] trick early in the pod for everyone. I
[10:14] call it the nappa latte. So, what you do
[10:17] is you take a cup of drip black coffee,
[10:20] just throw in a couple of ice cubes,
[10:21] right? Merely to cool it down, drink it
[10:23] as fast as you can, and immediately take
[10:25] a 25minute nap. The adenosin that's
[10:28] built up in your brain will burn through
[10:30] while you're napping. Caffeine, since
[10:31] it's so close in molecular structure,
[10:34] can fit into that receptor site. It
[10:36] blocks any new adenosin. You're good for
[10:38] four hours, guaranteed. I use it with
[10:41] every CEO that I work with. So, let's
[10:43] say you only got three hours of sleep
[10:44] the other night and you've got a big
[10:46] presentation to do or an awards ceremony
[10:48] or something like that. You can do a
[10:49] nappa latte for about 25 minutes or so
[10:52] and you will feel much better. That's
[10:55] sleep drive.
[10:56] >> Let me just
[10:57] >> Sure.
[10:57] >> I want to make sure I really understand
[10:58] this. Can you explain this to me again
[11:00] as if I'm a 16-year-old? by having a
[11:03] coffee and then taking a nap would make
[11:06] me feel energetic because one would
[11:08] think that having a coffee and taking a
[11:10] nap are like
[11:11] >> would be almost impossible, right? So,
[11:13] number one, the caffeine doesn't kick in
[11:15] before the end of the nap. So, a lot of
[11:17] people think when I drink coffee, boom,
[11:19] it just kind of spins up and all a
[11:21] sudden I'm able to, you know, I get a
[11:23] lot of energy from it. That's really not
[11:24] actually how caffeine works. It has to
[11:26] go down, has to get absorbed, has to be
[11:27] digested. And so while all that's going
[11:29] on, which takes approximately 25 to 30
[11:32] minutes, you're actually taking a nap to
[11:34] lower the amount of adenosin that has
[11:36] built up in your brain. Let's say it's 2
[11:38] o'clock in the afternoon and you only
[11:40] slept for 4 hours and you are dragging,
[11:42] right? All that adenosine that's built
[11:44] up when you take that 25minute nap,
[11:45] you'll burn through a lot of it and then
[11:47] caffeine fits in and blocks any
[11:50] additional adenosin from coming in. So
[11:52] that way you're actually adding caffeine
[11:55] to the situation and boom, your energy
[11:57] goes straight. Okay. So adenosine is
[12:00] makes me tired when it's docked in my
[12:02] brain.
[12:02] >> Exactly.
[12:03] >> So I have 4 hours sleep which means
[12:05] there's lots of adenosine and sleep get
[12:08] clears the adenosine.
[12:09] >> Correct. And then caffeine comes in
[12:10] because it fits so perfectly into that
[12:12] receptor site
[12:13] >> and off you go. That's sleep drive.
[12:16] Sleep rhythm has to do with your
[12:17] circadian rhythm. [clears throat] Right.
[12:19] And so lots of lots of information about
[12:21] that. But basically your circadian
[12:23] rhythm is also a lot like hunger. Right?
[12:24] You ever notice you're hungry around
[12:26] breakfast time, around lunchtime, around
[12:27] dinner time, right? That's your
[12:29] circadian rhythm for hunger. For sleep,
[12:31] most people, at least here in North
[12:32] America, have a tendency to fall asleep
[12:34] somewhere between 10:30 and 11:00, 11:30
[12:37] at night. So, that's kind of the
[12:39] circadian rhythm there. So, when your
[12:40] circadian rhythm is high and your drive
[12:42] is high, you sleep. But if either one of
[12:44] them is off, that's when you have a
[12:46] sleep disorder or disordered sleep.
[12:48] >> My circadian rhythm is high.
[12:50] >> When your circadian rhythm is on point,
[12:52] high is probably not the right word. On
[12:54] point. So meaning you are abiding by
[12:56] your circadian rhythm. Now another
[12:58] question you might say to me is well how
[12:59] do I know what my circadian rhythm is?
[13:01] And we're going to talk a lot about
[13:02] chronotypes cuz that's what your
[13:03] circadian rhythm is.
[13:04] >> Okay. So let's do chronotypes then.
[13:05] You've got some cards in front of you.
[13:07] >> I do. I kind of like these cards. So
[13:09] when we talk about chronotypes, a lot of
[13:11] people may have heard of the idea but
[13:15] not actually heard the term chronoype
[13:17] before. So if anybody out there has ever
[13:19] been called an early bird or a night
[13:21] owl, those are chronoypes. So, we've got
[13:23] early birds. These are people who, by
[13:25] the way, this is genetic. You don't you
[13:27] don't actually get to choose this.
[13:29] There's a special area on your genome
[13:31] called the PER3 area. And when you have
[13:34] something called a single nucleotide
[13:35] polymorphism or a snip. If it's flipped
[13:38] one way, you're an early bird. If it's
[13:40] flipped another way, you're a night owl.
[13:42] If it's not flipped, you're in the
[13:43] middle. Okay? So, so far, I haven't told
[13:46] anybody anything new. Like, this is this
[13:47] is all stuff that we've already learned.
[13:49] The new part is this irregularity that
[13:52] seems to happen for people during for
[13:54] their sleep schedule. Specifically, an
[13:56] irregularity in their melatonin and
[13:58] cortisol production. So, all of this is
[14:01] predicated on when does your body make
[14:03] melatonin. So, if you're an early bird,
[14:05] your body makes melatonin earlier in the
[14:08] night starting at around 8:00 in the
[14:09] evening. Makes you want to go to bed
[14:11] around 9:30. You have a question.
[14:12] >> So, melatonin is a hormone
[14:14] >> it is
[14:14] >> that
[14:15] >> you produce inside of your body that
[14:17] actually helps you sleep. It guides, it
[14:19] tells your body when it's bedtime, which
[14:22] is a little bit different than the
[14:23] adenosine, which makes you feel sleepy.
[14:26] >> I guess people listening now would be
[14:27] asking themselves, why does it matter to
[14:28] know my chronotype? Like, as it relates
[14:30] to my productivity, the way I live my
[14:32] life, my relationships, whatever matters
[14:33] to me, why does it matter?
[14:35] >> Because I can show you based on your
[14:36] chronoype the perfect time of day to do
[14:38] almost any activity. So if you f if you
[14:41] know when your body is doing certain
[14:43] things, when it has melatonin or when it
[14:45] has cortisol or adrenaline or all these
[14:47] other things, if you know the schedule,
[14:49] you can actually just change your
[14:50] activity to when your body is naturally
[14:52] producing the hormone and then you do
[14:54] the hormone better.
[14:55] >> Okay,
[14:56] >> so let's talk about the easy one, which
[14:58] is sex, right? So a lot of people want
[15:00] to know, "Hey, Michael, what's the best
[15:01] time to have sex?" By the way, I think
[15:03] that might be the third question that I
[15:04] get asked most um often other than uh
[15:07] the insomnia one and the mattress one I
[15:09] think is what's the best time for sex
[15:10] might be the the other question that I
[15:12] get asked more than anything.
[15:12] >> Must be tricky if you the time you want
[15:14] to have sex and the time your partner
[15:15] wants to have sex are off.
[15:17] >> Well, think about it like this. What if
[15:18] your partner's an early bird and you're
[15:20] a night owl?
[15:21] >> Yeah, I think that's me.
[15:23] >> Don't worry, we're we're going to be
[15:24] able to fix you. So, first of all,
[15:26] there's a couple of different answers to
[15:27] this question. So, number one is you
[15:30] want to have a time. So, first of all,
[15:31] most people are intimate between 10:30
[15:33] and 11:30 at night. That's just a survey
[15:35] that we did. So, it makes kind of a lot
[15:37] of sense. But here's what's interesting
[15:38] is your hormone profile doesn't look too
[15:41] good at 11:30 at night for having sex.
[15:43] In order to have successful sex, you
[15:44] want to have estrogen, testosterone,
[15:46] progesterone, adrenaline, and cortisol
[15:48] all to be high and melatonin to be low.
[15:51] What do you think your hormone profile
[15:52] looks like at 10:30 at night?
[15:54] >> It's literally the opposite, right?
[15:55] Melatonin is high and all those other
[15:57] things are low. That's hint number one
[16:00] as to when would probably be the best
[16:01] time to have sex. Hint number two, if
[16:03] you happen to be having sex with
[16:04] somebody who was born biologically male,
[16:07] what do most men wake up with in the
[16:08] morning? An erection. If that's not
[16:10] mother nature telling you when to use
[16:12] that thing, I don't know what is. Right?
[16:15] So, when you start to look at it, and we
[16:16] actually did the surveys, we discovered
[16:18] that people actually have greater
[16:20] connection and greater performance in
[16:23] their sex when they have sex in the
[16:25] morning time. Now, do you have to brush
[16:27] your teeth and throw in a little
[16:28] mouthwash first? Yes, of course you do.
[16:30] Like, let's be fair to your partner
[16:31] here. But you end up learning quite a
[16:34] bit. Again, your body is telling you
[16:36] this is actually the perfect time to do
[16:38] something like this. Did you know
[16:39] there's like a perfect time to have
[16:41] coffee?
[16:42] >> I didn't.
[16:42] >> Yeah, there's absolutely a perfect time
[16:44] based on your chronoype, too. One of the
[16:46] first things that I ask people all the
[16:47] time, I'll ask you, um, is the first
[16:50] liquid that crosses over your lips in
[16:51] the morning caffeinated?
[16:53] >> Yes. So, let's talk about why that's
[16:55] probably not the best idea. So, most
[16:57] people don't know, sorry, most people
[16:59] don't know, but uh sleep in and of
[17:00] itself is a dehydrative event. You lose
[17:03] almost a full liter of water just from
[17:06] the humidity in your breath by by
[17:08] breathing all night long. Caffeine is a
[17:11] diuretic, which mean it makes you have
[17:12] to go pee. So, when you're already lost
[17:15] a liter, now you add a couple of cups of
[17:17] caffeine, which makes you have to pee,
[17:19] you're going to turn into a raisin
[17:21] before this whole thing is through.
[17:22] Okay? So, we need to get some water
[17:24] inside of you. And so, one of the big
[17:25] recommendations that I give all of my
[17:27] patients is don't have caffeine for the
[17:29] first 90 minutes you're awake. Now,
[17:33] you're going to sit here and say, "9
[17:35] minutes? That's a Michael? That's a long
[17:37] time not to have any caffeine." Like,
[17:39] how am I going to do that? Like, I've
[17:40] got my morning routine. I can smell the
[17:42] coffee in the morning. It smells so
[17:43] good. Everything's going. How's how's
[17:45] this going to work? Let me explain the
[17:46] biology. In order to exit a state of
[17:48] unconsciousness, you need two hormones,
[17:50] and you need a lot of them. You need
[17:51] adrenaline and cortisol and they both
[17:53] wake you up. When you have a brain
[17:55] that's full of adrenaline and cortisol
[17:56] and you add caffeine to it, it's like
[17:59] it's like adding weak tea to somebody
[18:01] who's taking cocaine. Okay? It's not a
[18:04] very powerful stimulant compared to the
[18:06] hormones that are in your brain that are
[18:08] a powerful stimulant. But if you just
[18:10] wait 90 minutes, cortisol and adrenaline
[18:13] naturally drop. If you have your
[18:14] caffeine, then it actually boosts the
[18:17] cortisol and gives you a bigger bang for
[18:19] your buck. M
[18:20] >> so you hydrate before you caffeinate and
[18:23] about the amount somewhere between 15
[18:25] and 20 ounces of water if you can get
[18:27] that down in the first hour and a half
[18:29] that you're awake.
[18:30] >> What's that in English terms?
[18:32] >> Oh, I don't know what that we'll have to
[18:33] look it up.
[18:33] >> Is it one cup? Is it two cups?
[18:35] >> Oh, I would say it's probably 3 to four
[18:37] cups of water.
[18:38] >> Okay. Well, that's a lot.
[18:39] >> Well, don't forget you've lost a lot of
[18:41] water while you're sleeping and you
[18:43] might have lost it the previous day
[18:44] because let's say you worked out or
[18:46] things like that.
[18:47] >> So, let's get into these chronotypes
[18:48] then.
[18:48] >> Yeah. So, let's start off with the lion.
[18:51] So, lions are my early birds. Um, you
[18:54] know you've got a lion in your midst
[18:56] when you get an email at 6:00 a.m.,
[18:58] right? That's somebody who's been up for
[19:00] a while and who's got their brain kind
[19:01] of cooking. Um, lions like to make a
[19:03] list and go from step one to step two to
[19:05] step three every single day. They get a
[19:07] lot of confidence and they get a lot of
[19:09] pleasure following uh this list. But, if
[19:12] I'm honest with you, being a lion isn't
[19:13] all it's cracked up to be because dinner
[19:15] and a movie is out for a line. They've
[19:17] been up since like 4:30, 5 o'clock in
[19:19] the morning, right? They don't want to
[19:20] go see a concert late at night. They
[19:22] want to go to bed at like 8:30, nine
[19:24] o'clock. So, when you're looking at
[19:26] lions or what I early birds, what I call
[19:28] lions, they've got some very interesting
[19:30] characteristics. They make up between 10
[19:32] and 15% of the population from a
[19:34] biological characteristic standpoint,
[19:36] their melatonin stops early and their
[19:38] cortisol starts early. So, their
[19:41] melatonin stops at about 4:30, 5:00 in
[19:43] the morning, and that's when cortisol
[19:44] starts. And that's the reason why they
[19:46] wake up so early.
[19:47] >> What sort of window do the lions wake up
[19:49] in?
[19:49] >> So, it's interesting because I've got
[19:51] some lions who are kind of extreme, like
[19:52] they're getting up at 4:30 in the
[19:54] morning, which is not really probably
[19:56] the best idea. But generally speaking,
[19:58] my lions get up right around 5 5:15 up
[20:01] until about 6:00 6:30, but they are
[20:03] definitely my early risers. They have a
[20:06] small breakfast. They don't like to eat
[20:07] a lot of food early in the in the
[20:08] morning time because a lot of these
[20:10] people like to go work out fairly
[20:11] quickly after they've uh after they've
[20:13] woken up. um which is very different
[20:15] than some of my other chronotypes. My
[20:16] night owls don't like to work out in the
[20:18] morning. They don't like to do anything
[20:20] in the morning. So, my lions like to
[20:21] work out early in the morning. A light
[20:23] breakfast. And also, their best work
[20:25] window is usually somewhere between like
[20:27] 9:30 and 11:30. Like, that's when all
[20:29] the good stuff gets done. Like when they
[20:31] have if they have to get details or if
[20:33] they have to do brainstorming or things
[20:35] like that, that's really kind of where a
[20:37] lot of the magic happens for them. By
[20:39] about two o'clock in the afternoon,
[20:40] there's not a lot of stuff left inside
[20:42] the lion to be able to do do a lot of
[20:44] good things. That's when I have lions do
[20:46] more physical activities that don't
[20:48] require a lot of cognition. So maybe you
[20:50] go for an afternoon walk or maybe you
[20:52] have uh you know you're you're meeting
[20:53] with your folks that may not be really
[20:55] detail oriented but more processoriented
[20:58] in the afternoon
[20:58] >> admin and stuff.
[20:59] >> Yeah, absolutely. I actually had one uh
[21:02] fellow chronotype his entire company and
[21:05] then move meetings based on who was
[21:07] going to be in the meeting. Like it like
[21:09] he had all the early birds and he had
[21:11] meeting at 8:00 in the morning and then
[21:12] all the night owls he had a meeting at
[21:14] 4:00 in the afternoon. He said it was
[21:16] amazing. He said it worked out really
[21:17] really well.
[21:18] >> Wow. What's the next one?
[21:19] >> So the next one is the bear. So bears
[21:22] are representative of people that are in
[21:24] between early birds and night owls,
[21:26] right? So bears are the best. Honestly,
[21:29] dude, I wish I was a bear because the
[21:31] whole schedule of life works on a bear
[21:33] schedule. 9 to5 is perfect for a bear.
[21:35] And they make up between 50 and 55% of
[21:38] the population. So, literally one out of
[21:40] two people is a bear.
[21:41] >> And when's their peak work time?
[21:44] >> So, their peak work time has a tendency
[21:45] to be sort of in the noon to 2:00 range.
[21:48] Um, they're a little bit later than what
[21:50] you would see the line. Some of them, I
[21:51] think, can actually be better at 11.
[21:54] It's kind of interesting. And we've had
[21:55] almost 3 million people take the quiz
[21:57] and we've discovered that inside of
[21:58] bears, there appear to be early bears
[22:00] and later bears. So there are people who
[22:02] fall into that category but like to get
[22:04] up a little bit early. So for them their
[22:06] productivity window is probably 10:30,
[22:08] 11. But for the later bears, it's more
[22:10] like 11:30, 12, and then it's about a
[22:12] 2hour window after that.
[22:13] >> For the people listening, um on screen
[22:16] at the moment is a grid showing you the
[22:18] different chronotypes, the weight times,
[22:20] the peak work window, and the sort of
[22:21] afternoon slump time. What's the next
[22:24] chronotype?
[22:25] >> So, the next chronotype is me, the wolf.
[22:27] >> I think I'm a wolf. [laughter]
[22:29] >> You might be a wolf.
[22:30] >> I love lions. I get it. I get a wolf.
[22:32] >> Well, you might be. Hey, look, join me.
[22:34] It'd be great. So, wolves represent the
[22:36] night owls, right? And so, wolves are my
[22:40] artists, my actors, my creatives. If you
[22:42] know a creative, when do they get their
[22:44] biggest idea? It's not 2 o'clock in the
[22:46] afternoon, it's 2 o'clock in the
[22:47] morning. Wolves are my highest
[22:49] risktakers. I know that that probably
[22:51] you fall into that category as well.
[22:53] Wolves are the folks that show up at the
[22:55] party at 11 o'clock at night, but they
[22:56] stay till 2 o'clock in the morning and
[22:58] they help you clean up and they hate
[23:00] mornings more than anything.
[23:03] >> So, should [clears throat] we talk about
[23:03] dolphins?
[23:04] >> What's the next one? Yeah,
[23:05] >> dolphins. This is the category that you
[23:07] fell into. So, let's talk about who are
[23:09] the dolphins and and what does this
[23:11] actually represent? So, dolphins are
[23:13] usually highly intelligent. They're
[23:15] usually people who are fast-talking,
[23:17] well- read. These are people who are a
[23:19] lot like a lion in terms of they like to
[23:21] get up. They crave longer bouts of
[23:23] sleep, but unfortunately their body just
[23:25] doesn't have a long sleep drive and so
[23:27] they get really frustrated a lot of
[23:29] times. Um, also I think they have just a
[23:31] teeny bit of anxiety behind them. So a
[23:34] lot of them, for example, the details
[23:36] really matter to a dolphin, right?
[23:38] Versus other people where details might
[23:40] not matter nearly as much. I think a lot
[23:42] of my dolphins have got just a little
[23:43] bit of obsessivecompulsive disorder. So
[23:46] they're kind of focused in on the on the
[23:48] different things. Like if I ask a
[23:50] dolphin to do a project, generally
[23:51] speaking, they're never finished with it
[23:53] until I say, "Can you just give me the
[23:55] project back now because they're always
[23:57] working on a little detail here or
[23:58] working on a detail there." Um, but
[24:00] dolphins are my favorite. They're the
[24:01] people that I actually wrote the book
[24:02] for. Um, they're the ones that I I enjoy
[24:04] working with the most. Um, because
[24:06] they're actually the easiest to work
[24:08] with because we can once I explain to
[24:10] them how their hormones can be up and
[24:11] down and sideways, it can it starts to
[24:13] make a lot more sense for them. And for
[24:15] anyone trying to figure out which one of
[24:17] these they are, where do they go to do
[24:19] the test and how long does it take?
[24:20] >> Yeah, you can go to my website. It's
[24:22] called chronoquiz.com.
[24:24] Uh, and uh, it takes about 3 4 minutes.
[24:26] It's not very long at all. It's going to
[24:28] ask you a bunch of questions about your
[24:29] sleep, about timing, things like that.
[24:31] >> Okay, I'll put that in the description.
[24:33] So, after you finish listening, you can
[24:34] all go take it and let me know your
[24:35] thoughts in the comments section as
[24:36] well. So, once you figure out what your
[24:38] chronosype is, come back to the episode
[24:39] and and let me know below,
[24:40] >> please.
[24:41] >> And does my sleep change with age,
[24:43] Michael? It does. Absolutely.
[24:45] >> So, do my do my chronotypes change with
[24:47] age?
[24:47] >> They do, actually. So, believe it or
[24:49] not, you've gone through all the
[24:50] chronotypes already. When you're an itty
[24:53] bitty baby, you're a lion. You go to bed
[24:55] really early. You wake up really early,
[24:56] right? Then you're a toddler, right? And
[24:58] in in like grammar school, you're a
[25:00] bear. You're going to bed around 7:30.
[25:02] You're waking up around 7:30. Then
[25:03] adolescence hits, right? What do you
[25:05] want to do? Stay up until midnight and
[25:08] sleep until 2, right? You become a wolf.
[25:10] Then at about 23 24 your chronotype has
[25:13] a tendency to set into one of those
[25:15] three or four things and then you stay
[25:17] there for an extended period of time
[25:19] like 25 30 years until you hit my age.
[25:22] So I'm going to be 58 soon and right
[25:24] when you hit in the mid-50s what we see
[25:26] is melatonin production can either slow
[25:29] down or get earlier. So as an example if
[25:32] your parents are still alive and you
[25:33] said hey mom dad I want to go for
[25:35] dinner. What time would they want to go
[25:36] for dinner?
[25:37] >> Early.
[25:38] >> Right? four o'clock in the afternoon,
[25:39] 4:30 in the afternoon, you're like,
[25:40] "What is wrong with you, mom? What's
[25:42] going on?" That's her chronoype is going
[25:44] backwards and your sleep changes over
[25:46] the course of time. To be clear, at once
[25:48] you hit like age probably 50, 45 or 50,
[25:52] we start to see a slowdown in production
[25:53] of melatonin. We also see an increase in
[25:56] what are called EEG arousals. So things
[25:58] that break up your sleep and make it so
[26:00] it's not so continuous. That can be
[26:02] problematic as well. So there's a lot of
[26:03] things that can happen as you age.
[26:04] >> So do I start sleeping less as I get
[26:06] older? You start sleeping poorer
[26:08] quality. I'm not convinced that it's
[26:09] always less.
[26:10] >> And is that going to make me grumpy?
[26:12] >> Yes, it is.
[26:13] >> Really?
[26:13] >> Absolutely. Poor quality sleep is, I
[26:15] would argue, is much worse than poor
[26:17] quantity sleep. I I would rather I've
[26:19] got somebody who got 5 hours of really
[26:21] great sleep versus seven hours of really
[26:24] light crappy sleep every time.
[26:26] >> Does that mean that as I get older, I'm
[26:27] going to be more grumpy?
[26:30] >> It depends on the quality of your sleep.
[26:31] So, what I can teach you is how to not
[26:34] get poor quality sleep as you age.
[26:36] Perfect example, a lot of folks who are
[26:38] a little bit on the older side are used
[26:39] to drinking coffee late in the day.
[26:41] Well, if you change that habit, then you
[26:42] [clears throat] don't have as many sleep
[26:43] problems.
[26:44] >> And I shouldn't I shouldn't be having
[26:45] coffee late in the day at all.
[26:46] >> Probably you want to stop by about 2
[26:48] p.m., right? So, if you stop around 2
[26:50] p.m., the halfife of caffeine is between
[26:52] 6 and 8 hours. So, 8 hours later is
[26:55] roughly 10, which is roughly when people
[26:56] are kind of wanting to go to sleep. So,
[26:58] I would say that that would probably be
[27:00] the the time to do it. I think about my
[27:01] siblings and us all being woken up for
[27:03] school and I think about my performance
[27:05] in school
[27:06] >> and of all my siblings, there's four of
[27:08] us.
[27:09] >> I was the one that always struggled with
[27:11] being woken up in the morning in part
[27:12] because I'd gone to bed later.
[27:14] >> But then I was also the one that
[27:15] struggled with school the most.
[27:17] >> Yeah. That characteristic of a wolf
[27:19] characteristic of this night person. If
[27:22] I'm honest with you, dude, like most
[27:24] kids should not be waking up at the time
[27:25] they're waking up to go to school,
[27:27] right? I mean so many kids are waking up
[27:29] at real like you know 5:30 6:00 in the
[27:31] morning they have an hourong bus ride
[27:33] then they get there and if you're an
[27:35] adolescent I don't think anything could
[27:37] be worse
[27:38] >> right
[27:39] >> so we have to really start to try to be
[27:41] a little bit more thoughtful and look at
[27:42] like what are some of the activities
[27:44] that kids are doing how can we get them
[27:45] to maybe take naps during the day if
[27:47] they need them um athletic performance
[27:49] can depend on sleep academic performance
[27:51] can depend on sleep it's it's
[27:52] unbelievable all the different things
[27:54] yes
[27:54] >> has there ever been any research done
[27:56] >> there has on different chronotypes
[27:58] academic performance.
[27:59] >> There has been actually they haven't
[28:00] they labeled it directly as chronotypes
[28:03] but they've looked at it based on age
[28:04] range and we know that for example here
[28:06] in the United States there's a big push
[28:08] for to change school start times so that
[28:11] way high schoolers aren't starting at
[28:13] 7:00 in the morning because high schools
[28:15] shouldn't be starting at 7 o'clock in
[28:16] the morning. Preschoolers should be
[28:18] starting at 7 o'clock in the morning
[28:19] because their body naturally wakes up at
[28:20] that time. So, we've actually seen there
[28:22] was a great study um that was done at
[28:24] the University of Minnesota that
[28:26] discovered that um when they just had
[28:28] people come in 1 hour later from their
[28:31] first period, they improved by one full
[28:33] letter grade, meaning they went from
[28:35] being C students to being B students or
[28:37] from B students to A students merely by
[28:40] changing the timing of their first
[28:42] class. So that should give you pretty
[28:45] good insight as to sort of these big
[28:47] area like and and all children are
[28:50] vulnerable to this. Like this is not
[28:51] like I'm not telling you anything that's
[28:53] new. This is these are studies that have
[28:54] been going on for quite a while. And
[28:56] there's actually a whole movement trying
[28:57] to get school start times to to slow
[29:00] down now.
[29:01] >> Looking at some of the research here, it
[29:02] says research consistently shows that
[29:04] morning types, which is the
[29:06] >> lion,
[29:07] >> the lion, earn higher grades not due to
[29:09] higher IQ, but because exams are
[29:11] scheduled during their peak alertness
[29:12] windows. You got it.
[29:13] >> That's crazy.
[29:14] >> Sometimes wolves turn out to be much
[29:16] smarter, but because they're they can't
[29:18] perform at those early times, nobody
[29:20] knows. Remember, wolves are my
[29:21] creatives. Like, where do you think some
[29:23] of these create great creative
[29:24] innovations and ideas come from in the
[29:26] tech world, right? Like, these are the
[29:28] wolves that are out there that are up
[29:30] late at night coding and trying to
[29:32] figure out what's going on.
[29:34] >> It's pretty cool when you think about
[29:35] it. And I just there's this thing called
[29:37] the synchronous synchrony effect from a
[29:40] study in 2020 where nearly 800 students
[29:42] found a clear synchrony effect. Students
[29:45] performed significantly better when
[29:47] their class schedule matched their
[29:49] chronotype.
[29:49] >> Exactly.
[29:50] >> Those morning people dominated in
[29:51] morning classes and and the owls um or
[29:54] the wolves often caught up and
[29:56] outperformed the morning people when
[29:58] tested in the afternoon or evening.
[30:00] >> Exactly.
[30:01] >> It's pretty fascinating. Now think about
[30:03] it like this. Could you imagine a school
[30:04] system where if we identified children's
[30:07] chronotypes during their particular age
[30:08] range and then we changed the testing so
[30:10] that they got tested when they're at
[30:11] their peak hours?
[30:12] >> Yeah.
[30:13] >> They'd actually do better.
[30:14] >> People don't know this, but I never do p
[30:16] podcasts in the morning.
[30:17] >> I don't blame you ever.
[30:19] >> You shouldn't. Yeah.
[30:20] >> It's it's not your time. Yeah.
[30:22] >> Right. Like you have a very specific
[30:24] subscribed time that I think works well
[30:25] for you. So I think you should abide by
[30:27] that.
[30:28] >> Duration of sleep. There's lots of
[30:30] conversation around how long you're
[30:31] supposed to sleep for. What what's the
[30:32] truth? Yeah.
[30:33] >> 8 hours is a myth. Let's be fair. Like
[30:36] we came up with that from like the 30s.
[30:38] There was a great study at Stanford that
[30:40] came up with 8 hours and 13 minutes plus
[30:42] or minus. And that's kind of where we
[30:43] came up with that as an idea. The truth
[30:45] of the matter is somewhere between 7 and
[30:47] 9 hours really is kind of the amount
[30:49] that people should be looking for. But
[30:52] some people don't have that luxury. Some
[30:53] people don't have that much time that
[30:55] they can put towards sleep and so they
[30:57] get a little bit less sleep. But for the
[31:00] lower level limit, I don't like anybody
[31:02] getting less than 6 hours. When somebody
[31:04] gets less than 6 hours sleep, their
[31:06] driving is off. And so you can't operate
[31:08] machinery. So if you're driving to work
[31:09] or god forbid, carpooling your kids to
[31:11] school and you're only you only got, you
[31:13] know, less than 6 hours of sleep on on
[31:15] board, it's probably not going to go
[31:17] well.
[31:17] >> We we do have to stop here and talk
[31:19] about parents because listen, you're
[31:20] either a parent now, you might be
[31:22] someday. Absolutely.
[31:23] >> Maybe you won't be. But for those I've
[31:25] just got a huge amount of respect for
[31:26] parents because you know I've gone I'm
[31:28] not a parent yet. I hope I will become
[31:30] one. But when I see what my brother who
[31:33] has three kids under the age of what
[31:35] seven now um
[31:37] >> how much sleep [clears throat] has he
[31:37] lost? [laughter]
[31:39] >> A lot and and and his wife as well. But
[31:42] um you must get parents coming to you
[31:44] all the time being like what the hell do
[31:45] I do? Like I've got the I've got to wake
[31:46] up when the kids wake up and but I'm
[31:48] it's destroying my my relationship, my
[31:50] marriage, my sex, whatever it might be.
[31:52] >> Yeah. So parenting children and sleep
[31:55] are difficult to coexist, but they're
[31:57] not impossible. It really has to do with
[31:59] discipline and kind of thinking through
[32:01] some ideas for yourself. When my So I
[32:04] have a 23-year-old son and a 22-year-old
[32:06] daughter, so I'm a little bit out of the
[32:08] the realm of having to deal with them
[32:09] every day. Um, but I was, like I said
[32:12] before, I was in charge of mornings uh
[32:14] at our house waking them up. And it's a
[32:16] lot, right? And so the very first thing
[32:17] that I try to explain to parents,
[32:19] especially if they have a child who has
[32:21] an irregular sleep pattern and is really
[32:23] causing chaos for the rest, like one
[32:25] child who won't go to sleep and it's
[32:27] keeping every the whole house up. First
[32:29] thing you want to do, educate the kid,
[32:31] right? A lot of kids don't know what
[32:32] they're doing is causing a lot of
[32:33] problems. They they're just kids.
[32:35] They're just hanging out having fun. You
[32:36] know, they're they've got energy. They
[32:37] want to be awake. So that you want to
[32:39] educate them and say, "Hey, now is a
[32:41] particular time to wind down. This is
[32:43] where your body recovers. this is how
[32:44] you get to do sports the next day or
[32:46] theater the next day or ac whatever your
[32:48] computers whatever your thing is you can
[32:50] tie it to sleep and performance pretty
[32:54] easily and so getting them to understand
[32:56] that becomes very very critical number
[32:58] two is have some guidelines right have
[33:00] bedtimes have wake up times and follow
[33:02] them as quick as closely as you can for
[33:05] parents oftentimes what I try to tell
[33:07] them to do is like look after your child
[33:10] goes to bed if you've got a child that
[33:11] has problems for sleeping
[33:14] take turns. Do what I call the on call
[33:16] method. So, as a doctor, sometimes, you
[33:18] know, you get a call in the middle of
[33:19] the night because you you're covering
[33:20] patients at the hospital for your buddy
[33:22] or something like that. You're on call.
[33:24] So, when you've got two people who are
[33:26] managing one child, one person handles
[33:28] Monday night, Wednesday night, Friday
[33:29] night, the other one handles Tuesday,
[33:31] Thursday, Saturday. You flip a coin for
[33:33] Sunday. So, if the kid wakes up at 2
[33:34] o'clock in the morning, both parents
[33:36] aren't awake. One parent has that
[33:38] responsibility. the other one can keep
[33:40] their eyes closed and go to sleep.
[33:43] Interesting study was done looking at
[33:44] men and women in bed when a child cries.
[33:47] So women take care of the child whereas
[33:50] men lie there and fake sleeping in order
[33:53] to be able to stay asleep, right? That's
[33:56] problematic. Um in a lot of
[33:58] >> they know in the study that they were
[33:59] fake sleeping
[33:59] >> because they asked the men afterwards
[34:00] what were you doing and they all said
[34:02] they woke up and they were faking it.
[34:04] It's pretty crazy when you think about
[34:05] it. But this is a big this is a big deal
[34:07] for parents, right? A lot of parents
[34:08] turn to me and they're like, "This is
[34:10] killing our marriage." Like, "We haven't
[34:12] had sex in, you know, three years
[34:13] because we've got a child who maybe the
[34:15] child has special needs or maybe the
[34:17] child doesn't have special needs, but
[34:18] has other things going on or maybe it's
[34:20] just normal development and and you
[34:22] know, they're worried about it." And so,
[34:23] what I like to sit down with parents and
[34:25] do is number one, let's figure out when
[34:27] your kid needs to sleep and let's set
[34:28] some guidelines and rules. But number
[34:30] two, let's do the same for you.
[34:32] >> Right? A lot of parents when they're
[34:33] super stressed out, one of the first
[34:34] things they do, grab a glass of wine,
[34:37] right? Wine's about the worst thing you
[34:38] could possibly do for sleep to be fair.
[34:41] Now, I'm going to teach people how you
[34:42] can still have a glass or two of alcohol
[34:44] and not completely destroy your sleep.
[34:46] But I want to be very clear about
[34:47] something. If you're using alcohol as a
[34:49] stress relief tool at night before bed,
[34:52] it's messing up your sleep probably
[34:53] pretty bad.
[34:54] >> You might be asleep, but the quality of
[34:56] your sleep is
[34:57] >> is [ __ ] It's awful, right? And
[35:00] interestingly enough, during the one
[35:01] stage of sleep that alcohol knocks out,
[35:03] which is stage three and four sleep,
[35:05] what's the most interesting is that dur
[35:06] during that particular stage of sleep,
[35:08] there's something called the
[35:09] glimpmphatic system that comes in and
[35:10] scoops out these proteins that have a
[35:12] tendency to accumulate in your brain.
[35:14] And when proteins accumulate in your
[35:16] brain, they wrap around the nerves and
[35:17] that's called Alzheimer's disease.
[35:19] [clears throat]
[35:19] >> So stage four sleep is imperative to
[35:22] avoid Alzheimer's disease. And when you
[35:24] drink alcohol, you destroy stage four
[35:26] sleep. H.
[35:28] >> So, it would be great if nobody drank
[35:30] alcohol, but I'm not so stupid as to
[35:32] think that. Plus, I like bourbon. I like
[35:34] whiskey. I enjoy a glass of champagne
[35:36] every once in a while. So, how can you
[35:38] successfully still drink alcohol and
[35:40] still get a decent night's sleep? I'm
[35:42] going to give you a quick one, right?
[35:43] Let's say you're having dinner at 6:30,
[35:45] have your first glass of wine, then have
[35:47] a glass of water, right? Then your
[35:49] second glass of wine starts at, let's
[35:51] say, almost 7:00, right? Then you have
[35:53] your second glass of water. Then you
[35:54] stop everything by 7:30. You wait 3
[35:57] hours, which would be 10:30, and then
[35:59] you can go to bed.
[36:00] >> Why the water? Why the weight?
[36:02] >> So, the water helps wash it through the
[36:04] system. Also fills your stomach up so
[36:06] you don't have too much. So, you you've
[36:07] got more fluid in there so that way you
[36:09] don't drink extra wine. Um, and it makes
[36:11] you have to pee, which flushes the
[36:12] system out as well. The 3 hours.
[36:14] >> And it hydrates you.
[36:15] >> It does. Okay.
[36:16] >> Absolutely. Because remember, wine pulls
[36:18] uh both magnesium and uh most water out
[36:21] of your system because it makes you have
[36:22] to go pee.
[36:23] >> Helps with the hangover. So, there's a
[36:25] couple of different things that I would
[36:27] say. Number one, this definitely helps
[36:28] with the hangover because you've got
[36:29] water going in. For a lot of my
[36:32] patients, what I tell them is the very
[36:33] last thing that you could do is have a
[36:35] little bit of coconut water. So, coconut
[36:37] water is loaded with zinc, magnesium,
[36:39] and vitamin B. And those are some of the
[36:40] things that get pulled out of your
[36:42] system uh when you're drinking. By the
[36:44] way, did you know that there are happy
[36:46] hours specific to your chronoype?
[36:48] >> Didn't know that. No.
[36:49] >> Yeah. So, it's kind of interesting. So
[36:50] here's what's cool about it is your body
[36:52] produces something called alcohol
[36:53] dehydrogenase which is how you
[36:55] metabolize alcohol but it does it at a
[36:57] particular time and the time is
[36:58] different for each chronotype.
[37:01] >> So your body is most efficient at
[37:03] drinking between basically the hours of
[37:06] 4 and 8 happy hour as a lot of people
[37:09] know it.
[37:09] >> And how do you think about what time you
[37:11] eat at night time?
[37:12] >> Such a great question. So 3 hours before
[37:15] bed, you want to stop fluids including
[37:18] alcohol um and food. You want to just
[37:20] stop it all 3 hours before bed. So it
[37:23] takes your body about that level of time
[37:25] to number one digest, clear all the
[37:28] food, and then have all the mechanisms
[37:30] that are working towards digestion now
[37:32] be able to be refocused onto the
[37:34] recovery process of sleep. However, I I
[37:37] will tell you that there's this uh I've
[37:39] seen a couple people and there are
[37:40] people out there that are claiming that
[37:42] if they stop eating at 11:00 in the
[37:44] morning that it helps their sleep
[37:46] dramatically at night. And it turns out
[37:48] it has to do with your heart rate. So,
[37:50] one of the big metrics that is very
[37:52] important that all of our viewers and
[37:54] listeners want to know is you need a
[37:55] heart rate of 60 or below in order to
[37:58] enter into a state of unconsciousness.
[37:59] And when you've got food in your
[38:00] stomach,
[38:01] >> your heart rate is up.
[38:02] >> That's right.
[38:03] >> So, right. So if the longer you can
[38:05] wait, the lower your heart rate is, the
[38:08] easier it gets into sleep. And so when
[38:10] we're talking about So a great example,
[38:12] let's get back to parents for a second,
[38:14] right? You feed your kids at an earlier
[38:16] time and then what do you do? Oh, then
[38:18] you go back and have dinner with your
[38:19] spouse, right? Maybe that's not the best
[38:21] idea because you're having dinner so
[38:23] late. Maybe you should have dinner with
[38:24] your kids, right? And and enjoy that
[38:26] time with them and eat earlier because
[38:28] that gives you more space later on to be
[38:30] able to relax and go to bed. I said that
[38:32] tracks because I remember I've told this
[38:34] story once or twice before. I remember
[38:35] when I was doing some podcasts over here
[38:37] in LA, we had Seth Rogan on.
[38:39] >> Sure.
[38:39] >> And the day before in the hotel before I
[38:42] lived here, I had a cookie from the mini
[38:44] bar. I'm going to admit it. I had the
[38:46] cookie and
[38:47] >> they're so good.
[38:47] >> It was And then I [laughter] went to bed
[38:49] pretty quickly.
[38:50] >> Oh god,
[38:50] >> we were just terrible. And I was looking
[38:52] at my whoop the next day ad
[38:55] >> and it my heart rate
[38:57] >> was like 75 or 80 for the first 2 to 3
[39:02] hours after I got into bed.
[39:03] >> Isn't that crazy?
[39:04] >> And I woke up feeling like hell.
[39:06] >> Yep.
[39:07] >> Terrible day the next day. I was
[39:09] terrible during the conversation
[39:11] >> and I looked at my go, "Oh my god, it
[39:12] was that cookie. It put my heart rate
[39:14] high."
[39:14] >> So also on top of that is sugar.
[39:17] >> Yeah. I mean, [ __ ] me. Yeah.
[39:18] >> Right. So sugar turn so sugar actually
[39:20] slows production of melatonin. Remember
[39:22] melatonin is kind of the key that starts
[39:24] the Yeah. The key that starts the engine
[39:25] for sleep.
[39:26] >> So is there anything else that I can do
[39:27] to make sure my heart rate is low as I
[39:30] get into bed?
[39:31] >> Absolutely. Meditate.
[39:33] >> Okay.
[39:33] >> Breath work. All kinds of brings my
[39:35] heart rate down.
[39:36] >> Yeah. Absolutely. So what a lot of
[39:38] people don't realize is just because
[39:40] we're breathing doesn't mean we're
[39:41] actually breathing in a way, shape, and
[39:43] form that can be helpful for us for
[39:44] sleep. So, in my most recent book,
[39:46] Sleep, Drink, Breathe, I talk a lot
[39:48] about breath work and what is it and how
[39:50] does it work for you. But I'd love to
[39:52] teach you my favorite form of breath
[39:54] work and meditation. Um, that I think
[39:57] you'll you'll get a lot out of. So,
[39:58] >> and I do this before bed.
[40:00] >> Exactly.
[40:00] >> Okay.
[40:01] >> And you can, by the way, you can do it
[40:02] in the middle of the night if you wake
[40:04] up as well. Right. So, let's talk about
[40:06] how to get how to fall asleep and do
[40:08] some relaxation exercises for that. And
[40:10] then I'm gonna give you some different
[40:11] ones for in the middle of the night. So,
[40:13] let's talk beginning of the night. So,
[40:15] number one, you need runway to land the
[40:17] plane. Okay? So many people think
[40:20] they're just waiting for their head to
[40:21] be bobbing in front of the TV and then
[40:22] they go brush their teeth and they get
[40:23] in bed and then all of a sudden they're
[40:24] wide awake and they don't know what's
[40:26] going on, right? So, you need time for
[40:28] your system to shut down. It's not an
[40:30] onoff switch. It's more like slowly
[40:32] pulling your foot off the gas and slowly
[40:34] putting your foot on the brake. There's
[40:36] a process. It should take you about 12
[40:37] to 15 minutes to actually fall asleep.
[40:40] Okay? So number one, what I ask people
[40:42] to do is take the last hour before bed
[40:43] and chop it up into three 20 minute
[40:45] segments, right? So let's say you're
[40:47] going to bed at 11, starting at 10:00.
[40:49] And by the way, set an alarm on your
[40:50] phone to to tell you that it's 10:00
[40:52] because it's really easy to slide by
[40:55] your bedtime and then all of a sudden
[40:56] it's like all bets are off. So set the
[40:58] alarm 20 minutes for [ __ ] you just got
[41:00] to do. So, in our house, it used to be
[41:02] getting backpacks together for school
[41:04] for our kids, finding sports equipment,
[41:06] maybe laying out my stuff for work the
[41:08] next day or getting last emails sent,
[41:10] something like that. 20 minutes for
[41:12] hygiene, right? Brush your teeth, wash
[41:14] your face, maybe take a shower,
[41:16] something along those lines. And then 20
[41:18] minutes for some form of meditation,
[41:20] relaxation, prayer. I don't care what
[41:23] you do, but it has to be something
[41:25] that's calming to get you there. Okay?
[41:28] So, my one of my favorite techniques to
[41:30] do is meditation. Now, I'm going to be
[41:32] honest with you. I'm a terrible
[41:34] meditator. I have never been able to do
[41:36] it. I've actually gotten kicked out of
[41:38] meditation retreats because I'm the guy
[41:39] that's like, "What's going on?" Like, am
[41:41] I doing it right? You know, I'm kind of
[41:42] that that person. And so, I was I was
[41:45] told about this tool called a Muse
[41:46] headband. We have one right here. So,
[41:49] this is my personal Muse. I actually
[41:50] brought it from home. And um you'll
[41:52] notice on the inside there are sensors
[41:54] here. And there are sensors along the
[41:56] earpiece here. And so what happens is is
[41:58] you wear it on your head, right? And
[42:01] it's measuring your brain waves. And so
[42:03] when we're Yeah. Check it out. And so
[42:04] when we're when we're doing it and we're
[42:06] measuring brain waves. Yep. Exactly. And
[42:08] that goes on the back part. Yeah. There
[42:10] you go. So what's cool about this is
[42:11] it's attached to an app. And then while
[42:13] it's measuring your brain waves, you're
[42:15] listening to a particular music. It
[42:17] could be a guided meditation. It could
[42:19] be any of those things. And while you're
[42:21] doing this, the volume gets lower. And
[42:24] then you know you're getting closer to a
[42:26] meditative state.
[42:27] >> The volume comes down when
[42:28] >> on the app when your brain wave starts
[42:30] to relax.
[42:31] >> Oh, okay.
[42:32] >> So, you're immediately getting feedback.
[42:33] We can try it if you want. Um, but it's
[42:36] pretty interesting. And then when you
[42:37] get to the alpha state, little birds
[42:39] start chirping.
[42:40] >> The alpha state.
[42:41] >> Yeah. The alpha state is when your eyes
[42:42] are closed and you're at the most
[42:44] relaxed state of your brain waves. It's
[42:46] called the alpha state. And that's
[42:47] really what people are trying to get to
[42:48] for meditation.
[42:49] >> And are you affiliated with this company
[42:50] in any way?
[42:51] >> I am not.
[42:51] >> And how much does it cost? I think it's
[42:53] around $275
[42:56] I think is the headband.
[42:57] >> Okay. Interesting.
[42:58] >> It's pretty fascinating. Um I I've been
[43:00] pretty impressed with them.
[43:01] >> So that's meditation.
[43:03] >> You talked about breath work as well
[43:04] before.
[43:04] >> Yeah. Let's talk about it. So one of the
[43:06] other things that I do is I do something
[43:08] Well, this isn't breath work. This is
[43:09] called progressive muscle relaxation. So
[43:12] this is where you tense and relax
[43:14] muscles starting from your feet and
[43:16] going all the way up your body. And as
[43:18] you tense and relax the muscles, you
[43:20] feel that relaxation from releasing that
[43:22] tension and it helps you fall asleep.
[43:24] Um, actually, you know what I can do is
[43:25] I can send you a an audio file that has
[43:28] me walking through progressive muscle
[43:30] relaxation that we can make available
[43:31] for everybody if you want. We for free.
[43:33] It's no big deal.
[43:34] >> Amazing. I'll put that in the
[43:35] description below as well.
[43:36] >> Yeah. Yeah. People will really dig it. I
[43:37] think they'll really enjoy it. So,
[43:39] that's another thing that we do. But
[43:41] now, let's talk about the middle of the
[43:42] night, right? So, by the way, do you
[43:44] have this as an issue? Have this has
[43:46] this happened to you before? It it
[43:47] happens sometimes and it's typically
[43:49] when like my sleep is somewhat
[43:50] disordered or disruptive or when there's
[43:52] really something on my mind.
[43:54] >> Yes. So that that precipitatory anxiety
[43:57] like before a flight like if I have an
[43:59] 8:00 in the morning flight like I sleep
[44:00] like [ __ ] the night before because I'm
[44:02] constantly worried about that. Right.
[44:04] But a lot of times what people do
[44:05] normally is they just wake up in the
[44:07] middle of the night and they can't
[44:07] return to sleep and they're really not
[44:09] sure why. So number one there's biology
[44:11] involved. So your core body temperature
[44:13] rises rises rises and when it hits a
[44:15] peak it drops. That drop is then a
[44:17] signal to your brain to release
[44:19] melatonin. Right? Again, the key that
[44:21] starts the engine for sleep. However,
[44:22] your core body temperature continues to
[44:24] drop, drop, drop. By the way, this is
[44:25] the reason why we tell people you want
[44:27] to sleep in the cool, not the warm
[44:29] environment. Because again, your core
[44:31] body temperature is dropping. If it's
[44:32] too hot, your core body temperature
[44:33] can't go down and you can't get to
[44:35] sleep,
[44:35] >> which tracks with evolution.
[44:36] >> Exactly. So, here's where it gets
[44:38] interesting is it keeps going, going,
[44:40] going, and then at some point in time,
[44:42] your body has to heat up. And if it
[44:43] doesn't heat up, you go hypothermic.
[44:45] Guess what time that is? Between 1 and 3
[44:48] o'clock in the morning.
[44:49] >> Oh, your body starts heating up at 1 1
[44:50] and 3.
[44:51] >> Every single person's body on Earth does
[44:54] this. Everybody on Earth wakes up
[44:56] between 1 and 3:00 in the morning.
[44:58] However, most people burp, roll over,
[45:01] get comfortable, and fall back asleep in
[45:02] 30 seconds. However, there's a select
[45:05] group of people who end up being my
[45:06] patients who don't have that. And there
[45:09] here in lies the problem. So, here are
[45:10] the steps you want to take in the middle
[45:12] of the night to be able to solve this
[45:14] issue. So number one, don't go pee. I
[45:17] know, I know, I know people like, "What?
[45:20] What are you talking about, Michael?" So
[45:21] here's what ends up happening is when
[45:23] people wake up in the middle of the
[45:24] night, they say to themselves, "Well,
[45:25] I'm up. I might as well go pee." Right?
[45:28] Here's the problem. Remember I told you
[45:29] the big metric was in order to enter
[45:31] into a state of unconsciousness, you
[45:33] need a heart rate of 60 or below. Right?
[45:35] What do you think happens to your heart
[45:36] rate when you go from a lying position
[45:37] to a seated position to a standing
[45:38] position? You walk across the room, your
[45:40] heart rate goes straight up. So what we
[45:42] want to do is keep your heart rate down.
[45:44] So, if you don't really have to go to
[45:45] the bathroom, don't go to the bathroom.
[45:47] 75% of people sleep on their sides and
[45:49] they kind of squunch up, which means
[45:50] they're putting pressure on their
[45:52] bladder. So, my guess is is that most of
[45:54] those people, if all you did was when
[45:56] you woke up is lie and get on your back
[45:58] for about 25 seconds and see if you
[46:00] still need to pee. If you don't need to
[46:02] pee, stay in bed and keep your heart
[46:05] rate down. If you need to pee, please go
[46:07] pee. Right? If you're going to go to the
[46:09] bathroom, have a strategically placed
[46:11] nightlight along the way so you don't
[46:12] have to flip on the light in the water
[46:13] closet because if you do that, you just
[46:15] told your brain it's morning and it
[46:16] stops producing melatonin. But let's say
[46:18] you don't have to pee. The second thing,
[46:20] don't look at your phone. Now, this
[46:23] turns out to be very difficult for 99%
[46:26] of the people out there because the
[46:27] first thing they do is they grab their
[46:28] phone and they head to the bathroom,
[46:30] right? and they're either checking
[46:31] emails, looking at Facebook or Twitter
[46:33] or whatever social media they're on,
[46:35] >> or we're just trying to figure out what
[46:36] time it is
[46:36] >> or and that's where the problem is is as
[46:39] soon as you see the time, you instantly
[46:42] do the mental math and now you're pissed
[46:44] off, right? It's 3:30 in the morning. I
[46:46] got to get up at 6:00. Sleep, sleep,
[46:48] sleep. And you try to force your brain
[46:50] to sleep. Dude, in the history of time,
[46:53] nobody has been able to force their
[46:54] brain to sleep, okay? Because your heart
[46:56] rate's going in the wrong way, right? It
[46:58] needs to be coming down. So, if you can,
[47:00] don't look at the clock. All right, so
[47:01] you haven't peed, you haven't looked at
[47:03] the clock, but you're still awake and
[47:04] nothing's going on. Here's where the
[47:06] breathing technique comes in. It's
[47:07] called 478
[47:10] breathing. I did not develop this
[47:11] technique. It was developed by Dr.
[47:13] Andrew Wild, Harvard trained natural
[47:14] doctor, super smart dude. Um, and uh, he
[47:17] did it for the military to teach them
[47:19] how to lower their heart rate during
[47:21] stressful situations. We use it because
[47:23] it helps lower our heart rate past 60.
[47:25] And it's super simple. I'm going to get
[47:26] you to try it. So, go ahead and sit up
[47:28] straight. Okay. And so all you're going
[47:30] to do is breathe in for a count of four.
[47:32] You're going to hold for a count of
[47:33] seven. And you're going to breathe out
[47:35] for a count of eight. And I'm going to
[47:36] walk you through it. I want you to have
[47:38] your eyes closed. And what I also want
[47:39] you to do, you're going to go in through
[47:41] the nose, out through the mouth. And
[47:42] then what I also want you to do is
[47:44] picture the number in your head. So when
[47:46] I say breathe in two, three, four, you
[47:49] should picture the two, the three, the
[47:51] four in your mind's eye. Okay?
[47:53] >> With my eyes closed.
[47:54] >> With your eyes closed. You ready?
[47:56] >> Yep. Breathe in. 2 3 4. Hold. 2 3 4 5 6
[48:04] 7. Push. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Good. You want
[48:12] to get through about 20 cycles of that.
[48:14] It's incredibly relaxing. I actually did
[48:17] it before I came out here to do the pod
[48:19] because it helps lower my heart rate and
[48:21] gets me centered.
[48:24] H. It's pretty remarkable. Now, there's
[48:27] some problems with the technique. Number
[48:28] one, sometimes it's hard to hold for
[48:30] seven, and sometimes it's really hard to
[48:31] push for eight. So, I tell people you
[48:33] can do this four, five, six, 4, 6, 7, or
[48:37] 478. So, just work your way up to it,
[48:40] right? If if it's too hard to hold your
[48:41] breath for 7 seconds or it's too too
[48:43] hard to push your breath for eight, you
[48:45] can do a little bit less just while
[48:46] you're getting used to it. And then the
[48:48] other big thing is it's hard to figure
[48:50] out where the 20 cycles is because you
[48:51] need to get to 20 cycles of this. So,
[48:53] what I have people do is take their
[48:54] hands and make light fists while they're
[48:56] doing this. And when they do one cycle,
[48:58] they put out a finger. Another cycle,
[49:00] put out a finger. And before you know
[49:01] it, you got 10. And when you bring it
[49:02] back, you've done 20 cycles.
[49:04] >> It's funny. I just did two and I start
[49:05] yawning.
[49:06] >> I know. I just saw that. [laughter] I'm
[49:07] telling you, dude, this thing works,
[49:09] right? And so, I have people do this
[49:10] technique. Here's the best part is it
[49:13] avoids monkey mind, right? So, what is
[49:16] monkey mind? Monkey mind is I'm thinking
[49:19] about stuff that I have no business
[49:20] thinking about in the middle of the
[49:22] night for absolutely no reason. Like
[49:24] what's on the grocery list or what did I
[49:26] say to my spouse or did that podcast go
[49:28] okay or any of the things that might be
[49:30] floating through your head? You cannot
[49:32] count and worry at the same time.
[49:36] >> And why does it work? What's going on in
[49:39] my physiology? Uh-huh. You're
[49:40] distracting the brain from the thing
[49:42] that's stressing you out and it's
[49:44] lowering your heart rate and then the
[49:45] natural sleep process comes in after it.
[49:48] So, all these are are distraction
[49:49] techniques to be clear. Now, there's
[49:52] there's several of them out there. One
[49:53] of the other ones I use for some of my
[49:54] patients is I tell them, "Hey, count
[49:56] backwards from 300 by threes. It's
[49:59] mathematically so complicated you can't
[50:01] think of anything else and it's so damn
[50:02] boring. You're out like a light." On
[50:05] that point of distractions, a lot of
[50:07] people go to bed listening to podcasts
[50:09] or movies. Jack was just saying that,
[50:11] you know, he he needs to listen to
[50:12] something to fall asleep. I'm the same.
[50:13] I listen to like serial killer stuff,
[50:15] >> which is, you know,
[50:16] >> that's interesting.
[50:17] >> Don't [laughter]
[50:18] don't judge me.
[50:18] >> Wait till we get to the dreams part of
[50:20] the podcast. I can't wait to hear what
[50:21] you dream about. I
[50:22] >> I don't I think I always try and figure
[50:24] out why it is. And I My sister's the
[50:25] same, my sister Amanda, and she
[50:28] >> she listens to serial killer stuff to
[50:30] fall asleep. I think it's because this
[50:32] is just hypothesis. My mom would always
[50:35] ask me to put on forensic files, which
[50:37] was this like serial murder documentary
[50:39] thing when we were younger cuz she
[50:41] couldn't use the remote. So my mom would
[50:43] say she'd pass me the remote, say, "Put
[50:44] on forensic files." And I'd like put on
[50:46] the number for her, right?
[50:47] >> And so that was always playing in our
[50:49] house at night time. And we all had TVs
[50:51] in our bedroom that just mirrored what
[50:52] was ever what was playing downstairs,
[50:54] course.
[50:54] >> So when I got into bed,
[50:56] >> I'd [laughter] watch
[50:57] fall asleep.
[50:58] >> This explains a lot about you.
[50:59] >> I know, right? You say that to people,
[51:01] they think you're yours. Yeah.
[51:03] >> So, let me tell you what it's like in my
[51:04] house. And actually, you and I have a
[51:06] commonality. So, in my house, we have a
[51:09] big screen TV. It's on all night long.
[51:12] >> Where? In which room?
[51:12] >> In my bedroom.
[51:13] >> Okay.
[51:14] >> Okay. When I met my wife, she said to
[51:16] me, "Michael, if you ever happen to
[51:17] spend the night, I want to let you know
[51:19] that I sleep with the television on." I
[51:20] said, "Don't worry about that, Lauren.
[51:22] I'm gonna be a sleep doctor. I'm gonna
[51:23] fix that." We we met when I was uh 30,
[51:26] so uh known her for quite a while. And
[51:29] uh you ever tried to change something in
[51:31] your bed partner? Yeah, good luck.
[51:32] >> Yeah, good [snorts] luck. So I took the
[51:34] TV out. She said, "If you ever want to
[51:35] come back in here again, I suggest you
[51:37] put the I put the TV back in." And then
[51:39] I studied her to learn what was going
[51:41] on. And it turns out that she's
[51:43] listening to it out of what I call the
[51:44] corner of her ear. Her eyes aren't even
[51:46] open. And half the time it's a episode
[51:48] of Seinfeld or something like that. My
[51:50] wife actually likes murder mysteries and
[51:52] so it's usually forensic files or
[51:54] something along those lines that's going
[51:56] on. But for her, it's a perfect
[51:58] distraction technique. Now, there's a
[52:00] second thing that's important uh in our
[52:02] bedroom that happens uh is we have two
[52:04] dogs. They sleep in the bed with us. I'm
[52:06] the freaking sleep doctor, dude. Like,
[52:08] it's insane. But the point here is sleep
[52:11] is flexible. Okay? Just because it works
[52:14] for you doesn't mean it works for your
[52:16] bed partner. And and vice versa is also
[52:18] true, right? Like just because some
[52:20] people can't sleep with the TV on
[52:21] doesn't mean that it's going to mess up
[52:23] your sleep forever to have the
[52:24] television on cuz it's not. And by the
[52:27] way, 99% of TVs have timers built into
[52:29] them. Like if you don't know what it is,
[52:31] ask your kid. I had to ask my son. He
[52:32] showed me how to use it. We turned it
[52:33] off. It wasn't a problem, right? So
[52:36] creating a sleep environment that is
[52:38] conducive to sleep for you and your bed
[52:41] partner can have a lot of variation to
[52:43] it. And I don't think people there's no
[52:45] hard and fast rule that says, "Hey,
[52:47] nobody should ever sleep with the TV
[52:49] on." I mean, there are people out there
[52:50] who say that, but quite frankly,
[52:52] everybody sleeps with the TV on.
[52:54] >> Well, a lot of people do. I I I wouldn't
[52:55] put the TV on in our bedroom. I mean,
[52:58] we've done it once or twice or whatever,
[53:00] cuz we're watching something and we slip
[53:01] off to sleep and I wake up and I realize
[53:03] it's on and I turn it off.
[53:05] >> But I I also really think it's an
[53:06] important point to say that people will
[53:09] listen to podcasts like this. They'll
[53:10] listen to the like biohackers of the
[53:11] world and then they'll get so militant
[53:14] about how they fall asleep that it will
[53:15] cause friction because one partner is
[53:16] different.
[53:17] >> Don't do that. And I had this problem in
[53:19] my relationship [laughter] which was
[53:20] >> my girlfriend sleeps in silence and is
[53:22] has like just such a glorious routine to
[53:24] everything she does.
[53:26] >> And I am
[53:26] >> completely the opposite
[53:28] >> and the opposite like [laughter] I need
[53:29] to like I want to listen to a murder. I
[53:30] could be on my phone. It's like when I
[53:32] look at my Whoop scores
[53:34] >> works for me.
[53:35] >> Yeah.
[53:35] >> It's like I am getting I have I get
[53:37] great sleep even if I'm listening to a
[53:39] serial killer documentary.
[53:41] >> So
[53:41] >> but not if you eat a cookie before bed.
[53:42] >> Not if I eat a [laughter] cookie. That's
[53:43] that's gone. But I so what I do is I put
[53:45] one AirPod in in my right ear. So
[53:48] whichever ear is not going to be on the
[53:50] pillow
[53:50] >> and it means I can listen to her if she
[53:52] says something.
[53:53] >> But when it's silence, all I hear is the
[53:55] thing that I'm listening to.
[53:56] >> So I've got a trick for you.
[53:58] >> And I wake up in the morning and dig the
[53:59] AirPod out of the bed where it ended up.
[54:00] >> Right. So now I'm going to help you with
[54:01] the digging of the AirPod. So first of
[54:03] all, they now make these things called
[54:04] pillow speakers.
[54:06] >> Oh, interesting.
[54:07] >> Right. So it's a it's a it's a Bluetooth
[54:09] speaker that will attach to your phone
[54:10] that you can just slide and it's just
[54:11] under your pillow so only you can hear
[54:13] it. So, that's number one. You might
[54:15] want to consider that. And they're
[54:16] pretty inexpensive. Number two, they now
[54:18] make specifically earbuds designed to be
[54:22] slept in.
[54:23] >> Oh, nice.
[54:24] >> So, there's a a new company out called
[54:25] Next Sense. Um, and they have developed
[54:28] an earbud that actually measures your
[54:30] brain waves while you are sleeping. And
[54:33] when you move into a lighter stage of
[54:35] sleep, it sends in a frequency signal to
[54:38] help you go back to sleep or to stay in
[54:40] that depth of sleep. Brand new company.
[54:43] Next sense. I have nothing to do with
[54:44] them. I mean, it's a friend of mine who
[54:45] owns the company, but I'm not on their
[54:46] own.
[54:46] >> I would like something to do with them
[54:48] >> if we'll figure that out.
[54:50] >> So, does it allow you to play your music
[54:52] as well or your or your podcast or
[54:54] whatever?
[54:55] >> I can listen to Diary of a CEO every
[54:57] single night while I fall asleep and it
[55:00] will make sure that I don't wake up from
[55:01] any dreams.
[55:02] >> And you can still like and subscribe and
[55:03] stuff.
[55:04] >> Even through the earbuds, of course. I
[55:06] think everybody should like and
[55:07] subscribe.
[55:07] >> That's a good feature [laughter] like an
[55:09] AI agent that helps you subscribe. Okay,
[55:11] so that's that's you woke up in the
[55:12] middle of the night. You don't pee. You
[55:14] don't check your phone. You're doing
[55:16] these breathing exercises. You don't
[55:17] give yourself a hard time.
[55:19] >> And then what happens? It doesn't work.
[55:20] What do you do? Yeah. Right. So, there's
[55:22] the new research on something called
[55:24] non-sleep deep rest. We call it yoga
[55:27] nidra. Okay? It's been around for
[55:28] thousands of years. When you lie relaxed
[55:30] in like a corpse pose like this, you're
[55:32] actually doing something that's valuable
[55:33] for your sleep. Now, I want to be clear.
[55:35] It's not the same as sleep, but if you
[55:36] lie there for an hour, it's like 20
[55:38] minutes worth of sleep. So everybody
[55:41] should know that even lying relaxed and
[55:44] calm is very very helpful right but if
[55:47] you start to get anxious and your heart
[55:49] rate starts to tick up you need to get
[55:51] yourself out of bed because that's when
[55:53] because all you're doing then is
[55:54] thinking hey this bed is this place
[55:56] where I get anxious and pissed off. This
[55:57] is not a place to sleep. So as long as
[56:00] you stay nice and quiet the non-sleep
[56:01] deep rest absolutely the thing to do.
[56:03] The other big thing that I do and by the
[56:05] way this happens to me on occasion too
[56:07] like I'm not immune to it just because
[56:08] I'm a sleep doctor. You have to stay
[56:10] positive. And what I what do I mean by
[56:12] that is everybody when they wake up in
[56:14] the middle of the night, your brain is
[56:16] set to negativity. There's no reason you
[56:18] should be up at 3:00 in the morning that
[56:20] something good is going on, right?
[56:21] Nobody's coming in wishing you happy
[56:23] birthday at 3:00 in the morning.
[56:24] Something terrible has happened. And
[56:26] your brain has gotten accustomed to
[56:27] that. So when it wakes up, it
[56:29] immediately goes to the negative and you
[56:31] start thinking about bad things. You
[56:33] can't stop your first thought, but you
[56:35] can stop your second thought, right?
[56:37] Right? And so when you wake up and you
[56:38] think negative, what I want you to
[56:40] replace that with is, "Okay, Michael,
[56:43] for some reason, your body has decided
[56:45] to wake up at 3:00 in the morning, it's
[56:47] not the game that I wanted to be playing
[56:49] tonight. However, I think I'm going to
[56:51] be okay. I'm just going to lie here and
[56:53] relax and let the natural sleep process
[56:55] take over. If I feel my heart rate
[56:56] increasing, I'm going to go to another
[56:58] room in the house where I've already got
[56:59] a book and a light set up so I can do a
[57:02] little bit of light reading and then
[57:03] come back to sleep." And I just tell
[57:05] myself that I give myself permission to
[57:09] just chill, just relax. And then you
[57:12] know what happens? The natural sleep
[57:13] process comes over. As soon as your
[57:15] heart rate starts to go down, your body
[57:16] wants to get back to sleep. And so it
[57:18] really has a lot to do with heart rate.
[57:20] >> I love having these conversations on the
[57:22] diio because I have a huge amount of
[57:25] sympathy and concern for people that
[57:28] don't get sufficient sleep. And I know
[57:31] there's a lot of people that don't. And
[57:32] I actually think it's to some degree
[57:33] it's somewhat increasing because of the
[57:34] way we live our lives. I was looking at
[57:36] some of the stats around the increase
[57:38] and there's a study done in 2025 and
[57:42] early 2026 that revealed we're in a
[57:44] global sleep crisis.
[57:45] >> Oh yes, we are. [laughter]
[57:47] >> Both the CDC and Stanford Medicine
[57:49] report said that one in three adults and
[57:51] nearly 80% of teenagers are now
[57:54] chronically sleepdeprived.
[57:55] >> Correct. A 2026 survey by the American
[57:57] Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 93%
[58:00] of Gen Z admit to regularly losing sleep
[58:03] due to social media usage. And 71% of
[58:05] employed respondents globally have said
[58:08] >> that they sometimes call in sick at
[58:10] least once or twice due to poor sleep.
[58:13] >> Just to sleep. Yeah. When I was down in
[58:15] Australia doing some work down there, a
[58:17] lot of Australians they take holiday and
[58:19] they just sleep.
[58:20] >> Yeah.
[58:21] >> Just to catch up. Like it's it's pretty
[58:23] remarkable. We're in a very sleep-d
[58:25] deprived society and I think there's a
[58:27] couple of different reasons why that is.
[58:28] Number one,
[58:30] >> have you seen what's going on outside in
[58:31] the world today? It's pretty crazy out
[58:33] there. Well, I can understand why people
[58:35] are getting a little anxious.
[58:36] >> I think one could argue it's been
[58:38] crazier through history, but we never
[58:39] knew about it,
[58:40] >> right? Well, I mean, the media getting
[58:41] it to getting us this information so
[58:43] quickly, I think, is definitely what I
[58:45] would agree with you. It was much
[58:46] crazier during like World War II, you
[58:48] know, and stuff like that. Now we're
[58:50] getting information so quickly and
[58:52] people are getting so ratcheted up about
[58:54] it. I think that has something to do
[58:55] with it. But if I I think the bigger
[58:56] culprit is people being overweight. You
[58:58] know, when you look here in the United
[59:00] States and you look at the obesity
[59:01] epidemic and you look at people being
[59:03] overweight, it's something close to like
[59:04] 70s something percent of people in
[59:06] America are overweight. When you're
[59:08] overweight, that puts you in line for
[59:10] potentially having something called
[59:11] sleep apnea. Now, I want to be clear,
[59:13] not everybody with sleep apnea is
[59:14] overweight, but a a large percentage of
[59:16] the people with sleep apnnea are bigger
[59:18] people. And so, when you look at a
[59:20] society that's getting bigger and all
[59:22] the unhealthy food that we've got going
[59:24] on, like all this highly processed food,
[59:26] things of that nature, that isn't
[59:28] helping anybody, it's adding the pounds.
[59:30] And specifically, like for men, we gain
[59:32] weight through our necks. Like I I don't
[59:34] know if you've ever noticed it, but like
[59:36] if you ever were heavy and you lose
[59:37] weight, the first thing somebody says
[59:38] is, "Oh, it looks like you lost weight
[59:39] cuz I can tell from your face, right?"
[59:41] and they're like, "Oh, your neck looks,
[59:42] you know, different now." And so, we see
[59:44] a lot of what's going on in the world
[59:46] from a weight perspective and a food
[59:48] perspective could be driving some of the
[59:50] sleep problems. Then there's the anxiety
[59:52] perspective that I spoke of earlier that
[59:53] I think comes in. And again, I I agree
[59:56] with you. I don't think we have more
[59:57] crazy stuff going on. I think we know
[59:59] about more crazy stuff that's going on,
[60:00] >> but also work is now largely digital.
[60:03] And I imagine for my great-grandfather,
[60:05] he would go to, I don't know, the
[60:06] factory or wherever he works. His work
[60:08] would finish at 6.
[60:09] >> Yes. Your work doesn't finish at 6 now.
[60:12] It finishes when you're awake.
[60:13] >> Yeah. Absolutely. It finishes when you
[60:15] go to sleep.
[60:16] >> Yeah. Exactly.
[60:16] >> Yeah. And and that becomes problematic,
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[60:32] where I can chill out and finally get
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[62:31] >> Which sleep disorder should we start
[62:32] with?
[62:33] >> Sleep apnea and insomnia. Sleep apnea,
[62:35] for folks out there who may not know
[62:37] what it is, is when you are snoring at
[62:39] night. Almost everybody who has sleep
[62:41] apnea snores. Not everybody, but almost
[62:42] everybody. And when you're sucking air
[62:44] in, you pull your tongue to the back of
[62:47] your throat and you cut off your air.
[62:49] And you literally stop breathing, right,
[62:51] for a few seconds. And then all a sudden
[62:52] you and you make all this kind of
[62:54] grunting, groaning noises. and then you
[62:56] wake up. This can happen hundreds of
[62:59] times a night and it can be very
[63:01] problematic because of course it wakes
[63:03] you up every single time that you have
[63:06] one of these events, right? And so as an
[63:08] example, we measure the events per hour.
[63:10] So as an example, somebody with sleep
[63:12] apnnea could have between five and 15
[63:15] times per hour that they stop breathing
[63:18] and that's mild.
[63:19] >> So how are they going to get into the
[63:20] deep sleep that clears out their brain?
[63:23] >> That's the problem, right? And so apnea
[63:25] prevents them from getting into a lot of
[63:27] that deep sleep. And so their brain
[63:28] doesn't clear out and then they got
[63:29] they're they're kind of screwed. So at
[63:32] the end of the day, the the goal here is
[63:34] to get as many people to number one
[63:36] identify if they have a sleep disorder
[63:38] and then be able to try to figure out
[63:40] what to do about it. And the percentage
[63:42] of people in the US that have
[63:43] undiagnosed sleep apnea is pretty big.
[63:45] It's like somewhere between I think like
[63:47] 18 to 20%.
[63:48] >> This is crazy. I was just looking at the
[63:50] stats. It says according to 2026 data
[63:52] approximately
[63:53] 936
[63:55] million people to 1 billion adults
[63:57] worldwide have obstructive sleep apnnea
[63:59] which is what one in seven
[64:01] >> yeah that's about right
[64:02] >> making it as common as diabetes. One in
[64:05] seven people listening have sleep
[64:06] apnnea.
[64:06] >> Yes.
[64:07] >> Wow.
[64:07] >> As popular as diabetes. Let that sink in
[64:10] for like half a second. Everybody knows
[64:12] what diabetes is. Almost nobody knows
[64:14] what sleep disorders are. Specifically
[64:16] sleep apnnea. And it says 80 to 90% of
[64:18] those people remain undiagnosed. That is
[64:21] correct.
[64:22] >> So there's people listening right
[64:23] there's actually a huge percentage of
[64:24] people listening right now
[64:26] >> that have sleep apnea and have no idea
[64:27] that they have it.
[64:28] >> Exactly. Right.
[64:29] >> How would they know?
[64:30] >> Do the sleep test.
[64:31] >> This thing here.
[64:32] >> Yeah.
[64:32] >> And what would this show?
[64:33] >> So this would this actually collects
[64:35] what is your oxygen levels throughout
[64:37] the night? What is your heart rate
[64:38] throughout the night? How many times do
[64:40] you actually stop breathing? And also
[64:42] the depth of your sleep, which stages of
[64:43] sleep you get when you fall asleep,
[64:45] things like that. And what would this
[64:46] So, you know, because people are going
[64:47] to be like, "How do I know if I need to
[64:49] do the test?"
[64:50] >> So, great question. So, you want to
[64:52] think about the symptoms that you might
[64:53] have. So, do you snore? Do you wake up
[64:56] gasping for air? Has anybody told you
[64:58] that your snoring stops for brief
[65:00] periods of time or that they've heard
[65:02] you gasping for air? Do you wake up with
[65:04] a headache in the morning? Do you find
[65:05] your moods are up and down? All of those
[65:08] are signs and symptoms of sleep apnnea.
[65:11] >> And this test, are you affiliated with
[65:12] this company at all? I am not. But um we
[65:14] do have that test on my website. We sell
[65:16] it to people so that way we can test
[65:18] them.
[65:18] >> And how much does it cost?
[65:20] >> $189.
[65:21] >> Okay. So it's not
[65:22] >> it's not exorbitantly expensive. And it
[65:25] also is covered by insurance.
[65:27] >> And it connects to an app.
[65:28] >> Uh-huh. Absolutely. So you'd put it
[65:30] through your sleeve.
[65:31] >> So I' I'd put that there and like
[65:33] [clears throat] this.
[65:33] >> Yeah. Exactly. And that's it. You go to
[65:35] bed, wake up, then the information ports
[65:38] over to your phone and then tells us
[65:41] exactly what's going on. Now, here's
[65:42] where it gets even better. I know,
[65:44] right?
[65:44] >> Can you imagine me getting in bed with
[65:45] my fiance and being like, "Come on,
[65:46] babe. Let's
[65:47] >> We're recording all kinds of good stuff.
[65:49] Who knows what she might like?
[65:50] >> Is this going to help my sex life?"
[65:52] >> It's absolutely it will because getting
[65:54] into bed and knowing how well you sleep
[65:57] and knowing if you have sleep apnea or
[65:58] not will definitely affect your sex
[65:59] life. Also, by the way, I've saved more
[66:01] marriages as a sleep doctor than I ever
[66:03] would have as a marital therapist
[66:04] dealing with snoring in the middle of
[66:06] the night and things like that. So,
[66:08] you'd be you'd be surprised. But what's
[66:10] nice about this is it's one night. You
[66:11] don't have to do it multiple nights.
[66:13] It's super easy. Um, and again, believe
[66:15] it or not, that's disposable. You can
[66:16] actually throw that whole thing away
[66:18] after it's all said and done.
[66:19] >> And on that point, before we just go a
[66:20] little bit further into sleep apnnea,
[66:21] should should we be sleeping in bed with
[66:23] our partners? And I know that's an
[66:24] interesting thing.
[66:25] >> Great question. Great question. The
[66:26] strength of your relationship has
[66:29] nothing to do with where you sleep.
[66:32] Okay? So, lots of people are like, "I
[66:33] got to sleep with my partner otherwise
[66:35] my relationship's going to go to [ __ ]
[66:36] and everything's going to go terrible
[66:38] and we're never going to have sex and
[66:39] we're not true." Okay. So, a lot of
[66:42] times for people that I have, so for
[66:43] example, I've got people who um have
[66:46] sleep apnnea and they use a a machine to
[66:48] help them sleep called a CPAP machine,
[66:50] right? And um that noise for some people
[66:53] can be disruptive and so they sleep,
[66:54] let's say, in a different room, right?
[66:56] So, is that is that detrimental to your
[66:59] marriage? No, it's not. Because here's
[67:01] what you do is you vacation on the
[67:03] weekends in your bedroom, right? I can't
[67:06] count the number of people who sleep
[67:07] separately during the week and then
[67:09] together on the weekends. And it turns
[67:11] out that they get much better sleep
[67:13] during the week. And then guess what?
[67:16] Intimacy shows up much faster on the
[67:18] weekends because they're not so tired.
[67:20] Used to be, you know, not tonight I have
[67:22] a headache. It was really not tonight
[67:24] I'm exhausted. When you allow your
[67:26] partner to get good sleep during the
[67:27] week, there's a reasonably good shot
[67:29] that you're going to be able to be
[67:31] intimate over the weekend if they got
[67:32] good sleep. So, wearing that to bed
[67:34] might not be the sexiest thing in the
[67:36] universe, but it's better than having
[67:39] sleep apnnea and eventually ending up
[67:41] dead.
[67:43] >> Are the symptoms of sleep apnnea
[67:44] different for men and women?
[67:46] >> They are. Great question. So, it turns
[67:48] out that men and women are quite
[67:49] different, but we've historically been
[67:51] scoring them the same. So women don't
[67:54] have a tendency to have as much snoring
[67:56] as men do. Um women have a tendency to
[67:58] have more arousals where they wake up
[68:00] constantly. Women have a tendency to
[68:02] report headaches in the morning more so
[68:04] than men do. So it's actually different
[68:06] types of symptoms for women versus men
[68:09] when it comes to sleep apnea to the
[68:11] point where we're now considering using
[68:13] different testing devices. So this
[68:15] testing device um would not necessarily
[68:17] measure EEG and in women EEG might be
[68:20] important. That's what we're learning.
[68:22] So, as an example, our company is
[68:24] finding a device specifically to send to
[68:26] women so that way we can more accurately
[68:28] measure sleep apnea in women. Now,
[68:30] there's a lot of questions about
[68:32] treatment for sleep apnea. And the
[68:34] biggest reason why nobody gets sleep
[68:35] tested is because they're afraid that
[68:37] they're going to end up sleeping with a
[68:38] CPAP machine on their face at night. And
[68:41] so, let me describe to your audience
[68:42] what that is. Also, full disclosure, I
[68:45] have sleep apnea. I don't look like
[68:48] somebody who has sleep apnea. I stop
[68:49] breathing in my sleep. I think it's 26
[68:51] times an hour. I know, right? Kind of
[68:54] crazy. And I wear a CPAT machine and it
[68:57] helps me sleep every single night. Let
[68:59] me explain what it is. So, when your
[69:01] throat closes here, CPAT machine is a
[69:03] little air compressor with a tube and a
[69:05] mask that sits on your nose, pushes a
[69:07] just thin stream of just air, and when
[69:08] it hits that blockage, it ever so
[69:10] slightly opens it up, shoots air
[69:12] straight down to your lungs. Now, you
[69:13] might be saying to yourself, "That
[69:15] sounds barbaric. That is insane. That's
[69:18] a haird dryer blowing up my nose all
[69:20] night long. Here's what I can tell you
[69:23] is when you have a severe case of sleep
[69:25] apnea, this can be a lifesaver. This can
[69:29] be one of the biggest, most important
[69:31] things that you possibly do. Now, a lot
[69:33] of people say, "Oh, I don't think I
[69:34] could sleep with a mask on my face."
[69:36] Well, that's not the only treatment.
[69:38] There are other treatments called oral
[69:39] appliances. This is like a a mouthguard
[69:41] like you see the footballers wear, but
[69:42] it's an upper and a lower. and the lower
[69:44] slowly brings your jaw forward which
[69:46] opens up your posterior airway space.
[69:48] The same way that air pushes things
[69:50] aside, the oral appliance structurally
[69:53] moves your jaw slightly forward thereby
[69:55] opening up your airway. So that works
[69:57] well and there's no mask on your face.
[69:59] There's a third device that you can wear
[70:01] on your tongue that vibrates that
[70:04] shrinks your tongue by a couple of
[70:05] millimeters which opens up this
[70:07] posterior airway space and allows you to
[70:09] breathe better.
[70:10] >> Have you tried all of them?
[70:11] >> I have as a matter of fact. And why did
[70:13] you choose the apnea machine?
[70:14] >> So for me, the apnea machine worked the
[70:16] best and made the most sense for me
[70:18] right now. But I'll be honest with you,
[70:20] I will probably get the uh mouthguard
[70:22] for when I travel. There's a lot that
[70:24] can be done out there. And by the way,
[70:26] there's also surgeries and surgeries are
[70:28] a little bit more permanent fix. Um, but
[70:30] in many cases, those surgeries can be
[70:32] quite effective. Also, by the way,
[70:34] they're working on a pill
[70:36] >> for sleep apnnea now. And that's just
[70:38] apnea. We haven't even talked about
[70:39] insomnia yet.
[70:39] >> I was just reading about the FDA
[70:41] approving a drug. Yeah, it's it's quite
[70:43] remarkable. And there's actually two I
[70:44] think there's actually three different
[70:45] companies that are working on different
[70:47] drugs right now for sleep apnea. And I
[70:50] mean to be clear, when that happens, I
[70:52] think it's pretty much game over for
[70:54] sleep apnea, right? I mean once we can
[70:56] get it in a pill form, which means
[70:57] compliance increases dramatically, we
[70:59] can help a lot of people with sleep
[71:01] apnea, which I think would be pretty
[71:03] amazing.
[71:03] >> And women are heavily undiagnosed,
[71:05] right? Because we heavily
[71:06] >> we think of it as I mean I've heard it
[71:08] being referred to as a sort of an old
[71:10] man's disease.
[71:11] >> Yeah. And oh, absolutely. And here's the
[71:13] thing. Many women have a tendency to
[71:14] report insomnia types of symptoms over
[71:17] sleep apnea types of symptoms when in
[71:19] fact they actually have under
[71:21] undiagnosed sleep apnnea, which we can
[71:23] catch.
[71:23] >> We talked a little bit earlier, but um
[71:25] from many of the conversations I've had
[71:26] on the show about Alzheimer's,
[71:28] >> yes,
[71:28] >> your chance of um getting Alzheimer's, I
[71:31] imagine, is going to increase, right?
[71:32] Because absolutely you have sleep
[71:34] apnnea.
[71:34] >> Yeah. Well, because when you have sleep
[71:36] apnnea, it keeps you out of the deeper
[71:37] stages of sleep. the deeper stages of
[71:39] sleep is where that lymphatic system
[71:40] comes in and scoops out those proteins
[71:42] and that's really probably one of those
[71:44] big causes for it. So that's one of the
[71:45] things that we always want people to
[71:46] understand. But there's also something
[71:48] else that I think is important to maybe
[71:50] talk about which is on the other side
[71:52] not sleep apnnea side but on the
[71:54] insomnia side which is there's a lot of
[71:56] people who go and they go to the
[71:57] drugstore and they buy an
[71:58] over-the-counter sleep aid. Right now
[72:01] I'm not talking about supplementation
[72:03] yet. We can get into supplements in a
[72:04] minute if you want to, but I'm talking
[72:05] about things like the PM medications,
[72:08] right? You know, they so here in
[72:10] America, we have them where there's like
[72:11] there's like an analesic plus a PM. So
[72:13] there's Tylenol PM, Advil PM, and what
[72:16] it is is it's a pain reliever, but they
[72:19] add something called dyenhydramine and
[72:22] it makes you feel sleepy and it makes
[72:23] you fall asleep. Dyenhydramine is
[72:25] actually an antihistamine, right? So
[72:27] it's used for congestion and things like
[72:29] that. But there's now data to suggest
[72:31] that daily use of the PM part of this,
[72:34] not the pain relieving part, but the PM
[72:36] part can lead almost directly to
[72:38] Alzheimer's.
[72:39] >> Oh, wow.
[72:40] >> Right. So, if people can just go to bed
[72:44] and follow a couple simple rules and go
[72:46] to bed naturally, you'd be shocked at
[72:47] how much better your world is going to
[72:49] be. The Queensland Brain Institute um at
[72:52] the University of Queensland found that
[72:54] people with untreated apnea have a 45%
[72:57] higher risk of developing Alzheimer's
[72:59] disease.
[73:00] >> Like I said,
[73:01] >> which is crazy.
[73:03] >> Soant here's the thing is we've got all
[73:05] these people who are watching your show
[73:07] right now. They need to start thinking
[73:09] in their head like maybe I have sleep
[73:12] apnea, maybe I don't, but maybe I should
[73:14] take a look at what are some of the
[73:15] symptoms and see if that's something
[73:16] that could be going on for me. Because
[73:18] again, testing is available. And to be
[73:21] clear, it's not like I'm the only guy
[73:22] out there testing people. I mean, there
[73:24] are sleep doctors all over the world
[73:26] that are testing people. My
[73:27] encouragement to people is, hey, figure
[73:30] it out. If if you can't figure it out,
[73:31] you know, shoot us an email. We'll find
[73:33] a sleep center for you to go to. But if
[73:35] you think there's something going on,
[73:37] it's definitely worth checking out
[73:39] because, by the way, you can stay with
[73:41] undiagnosed sleep apnnea for your entire
[73:43] life. And it all it does is basically
[73:45] break down everything that's going on
[73:46] inside. And that's not what you want.
[73:48] Like remember sleep is recovery, right?
[73:51] This is how your body still functions.
[73:52] Like if you want to lead a nice
[73:54] prosperous life, you want to sleep.
[73:57] >> Insomnia has become a bit of a word that
[73:59] people throw around
[74:00] >> for sure,
[74:00] >> right? They they kind of self diagnose
[74:02] themselves. We kind of think of it as
[74:03] this one specific thing. I think people
[74:05] say, "I have insomnia when they just
[74:06] don't sleep well."
[74:07] >> Right.
[74:07] >> What is insomnia and what's the big myth
[74:09] around it?
[74:10] >> Yeah. So, number one, there's a couple
[74:12] of different flavors of insomnia.
[74:14] There's the I can't fall asleep. There's
[74:15] the I can't stay asleep, which we talked
[74:17] about quite a bit. There's the I wake up
[74:19] too early, and then there's just the I
[74:21] wake up from unrefreshing sleep. So, we
[74:23] really think that there are four sort of
[74:25] types of insomnia, right? And um when
[74:28] people I would say some of the biggest
[74:30] myths that a lot of people have
[74:31] surrounding insomnia is or like the
[74:34] biggest problem that they do is when
[74:35] somebody has a really crappy night then
[74:37] what they try to do is the next evening
[74:39] go to bed early and try to catch up on
[74:43] some of that sleep that they missed. So
[74:45] to be clear this is a terrible idea
[74:48] because your circadian rhythm isn't
[74:50] ready to go to bed early. So you lie in
[74:52] bed and you're exhausted but you can't
[74:55] fall asleep. you're what I call wired
[74:57] and tired, right? And so what we want
[74:59] people to do is if you do have a bout of
[75:02] insomnia where you have difficulty
[75:03] falling asleep or difficulty staying
[75:04] asleep, number one, don't overcaffeinate
[75:07] during the daytime. So many people are
[75:09] like, "Oh, I'm dragging. I got to get a
[75:11] coffee," you know, and and they and they
[75:13] caffeinate, caffeinate, caffeinate, and
[75:14] then they caffeinate so late into the
[75:16] day that they have shitty sleep that
[75:17] night, and now we're in the washing
[75:18] machine cycle going over and over and
[75:20] over. It sounds like you might be
[75:21] relating to this uh a little bit maybe
[75:23] yourself. And then so we want to avoid
[75:26] that. The other thing we want to avoid
[75:28] is over stimulation at night, right? So
[75:31] a lot of pimps people get that nervous
[75:32] energy and so they're just doing doing.
[75:34] Again, you need runway to land the
[75:36] plane. So give yourself some kind of
[75:38] that space. Um and then just make sure
[75:40] that you've got some level of
[75:41] regularity. I would argue for my
[75:44] insomnia patients, but quite honestly
[75:46] for anybody who's watching this, the
[75:48] number one sleep tip that I can give
[75:51] people is to wake up at the same time
[75:53] seven days a week. Not go to bed. I
[75:56] don't actually care when you go to bed
[75:57] that much. I know there's a lot of sleep
[75:58] specialists out there who are like, you
[76:00] got to go to bed at the same time and
[76:01] wake up at the same time. I'm not of
[76:03] that ilk. I don't really care that much
[76:04] about the going to bed time. I really
[76:06] only care about the wake up time. Let me
[76:08] explain why. When you wake up in the
[76:10] morning, sunlight hits your eye and you
[76:11] have a special cell in your eye called
[76:12] the melanopsin cell which sends a signal
[76:14] to your brain to turn off the melatonin
[76:16] faucet in your head. But it sets a timer
[76:19] for exactly 14 hours later. It's called
[76:21] the melatonin phase response curve. So
[76:23] if you're waking up at 6, melatonin
[76:25] turns off until about 8:00 p.m. Then it
[76:27] takes about a couple hours for it to get
[76:29] up and in. So then you start to get
[76:30] sleep around 9:30 and you go to bed. But
[76:32] if you did that and now it's Saturday
[76:35] and you sleep in until 8, melatonin
[76:37] doesn't kick off until 10:00 Saturday
[76:40] night. So what I'm saying is the time
[76:42] that you wake up directly determines
[76:45] when your internal melatonin kicks into
[76:48] gear. So if everybody woke up at the
[76:50] exact same time every single day, seven
[76:53] days a week, automatically you would get
[76:56] tired at the right time and you would
[76:57] start going to sleep.
[76:58] >> And is there two different types of
[77:00] insomnia? Sometimes I hear primary,
[77:02] secondary insomnia. I think you have
[77:03] that on your YouTube channel.
[77:04] >> So when you look at primary insomnia
[77:06] versus secondary insomnia, the way we
[77:07] categorize that, secondary insomnia is
[77:10] usually due to something else that's
[77:12] going on in your life. So
[77:13] >> psychology,
[77:14] >> so maybe caffeine abuse.
[77:16] >> Okay?
[77:16] >> Right? Um maybe something along those
[77:18] lines. Whereas primary insomnia is
[77:20] there's nothing else. You the only thing
[77:22] you've got going on is sleep disorder.
[77:24] Another example of of something where
[77:26] insomnia might be secondary would be
[77:27] pain.
[77:28] >> Right? [snorts] So if you have a pain
[77:29] syndrome, if you have fibromyalgia or
[77:30] low back pain, that could prevent you
[77:32] from sleeping. That would be secondary
[77:34] insomnia, secondary to pain.
[77:36] >> And I hear that the most common
[77:37] treatment for insomnia is CBT therapy.
[77:40] >> So yes and no.
[77:42] >> Okay.
[77:42] >> So I would say that the most common
[77:44] therapy for insomnia is alcohol.
[77:47] >> More people drink themselves to sleep
[77:50] >> than any other single thing out there.
[77:52] Um and then you start to get into the
[77:53] pharmacy of it all. And there's a lot of
[77:55] pharmaceutical drugs out there that
[77:57] people utilize for for sleep. And I want
[77:59] to make a point if I can is there's
[78:02] nothing wrong with needing a pill to
[78:05] sleep. Okay? I want to be very clear
[78:07] about this. There are people out there
[78:09] who need pills, right? All kinds of
[78:12] different ones. Thank you. There's a
[78:13] whole host of reasons why you and your
[78:15] doctor may have come to the conclusion
[78:17] that a sleeping tablet is good for you.
[78:20] The problem comes when those sleeping
[78:22] tablets are overprescribed. So insomnia
[78:26] is in the in the sleep world, we call it
[78:28] a door handle diagnosis because when the
[78:30] doctor has their hand on the door and
[78:31] they're just about to leave, that's when
[78:33] the patient says, "Oh, and by the way,
[78:34] I'm not sleeping."
[78:36] >> And then the [clears throat] doctor
[78:37] usually pulls out the prescription pad
[78:38] and says, you know, ambient or trazadone
[78:40] or something like that, writes it up,
[78:41] says, "Here, come back in 30 days."
[78:43] Well, you haven't really done anything
[78:44] for this person. You've handed them a
[78:46] pill. And by the way, now they're
[78:48] probably either psychologically or
[78:50] physiologically addicted to said pill
[78:52] right now. Once again, if you've got a
[78:54] major mental health issue, I don't think
[78:56] I care. I think it's okay for you to
[78:58] have your AMVN and be fine. And
[78:59] >> and a lot of people that do have
[79:00] insomnia have depression.
[79:02] >> Oh, I think it's one of the biggest
[79:04] things that we see. But I would argue
[79:05] anxiety might be a little bit more than
[79:07] depression. But yes, anxiety and
[79:08] depression, I would argue, make up 75%
[79:11] of insomnia at any given time. Right? I
[79:14] work with people and I do something
[79:15] called cognitive behavioral therapy for
[79:16] insomnia which you correctly identified
[79:18] as CBTI, right? And so I work with
[79:21] patients all the time. Um, and that's
[79:23] exactly what we do is we reschedule
[79:25] them. So that's the behavioral part. And
[79:27] then the cognitive part is we talk to
[79:29] them about how do you think about sleep?
[79:31] Because a lot of people think about
[79:32] sleep in disastrous ways. They're like,
[79:33] if I don't get eight hours, my old day
[79:35] is screwed and everything's going to
[79:36] happen. It rarely happens that way. Like
[79:39] it's called catastrophizing. You just
[79:40] make it worse and worse and worse. And
[79:42] so we look at those cognitive
[79:43] distortions and we help fix them in
[79:45] therapy by really kind of what I call
[79:47] doing the math. And so I say, "Well,
[79:49] have you ever had four hours of sleep?"
[79:51] "Yes." "Did you do something terrible
[79:53] the next day?" "No." "So where's your
[79:55] evidence?" Right? And you start to get
[79:57] people to challenge themselves and all
[79:59] of a sudden they kind of they can kind
[80:00] of get there. There's also another area
[80:02] of that a lot of people go to somewhere
[80:04] in between the pills and therapy, and
[80:07] that's supplementation. So there's a lot
[80:10] of people out there who like to use
[80:11] supplements and try to understand how to
[80:14] fix quote their insomnia with
[80:16] supplementation. So if we can let's talk
[80:18] a little bit about supplements and sort
[80:20] of what's good and what's bad.
[80:21] >> What is the difference between a
[80:23] supplement and a pill or is it you
[80:25] talking about the same thing here? So
[80:27] under the context of this conversation,
[80:29] a supplement is a non FDA regulated
[80:33] thing that you can purchase at any
[80:35] drugstore and a pill is a by
[80:38] prescription only from a doctor.
[80:40] >> Okay,
[80:41] >> that's how we're going to make the
[80:42] distinction for this particular
[80:43] conversation.
[80:44] >> Okay, so those pills that are in front
[80:45] of you there,
[80:46] >> so right in front of me, these are most
[80:48] these are actually all supplements. So
[80:50] these are different. So these are not
[80:52] pharmaceuticals. These are different
[80:53] things. So, we've got
[80:54] >> I mean, in different countries, it's
[80:55] different, right?
[80:56] >> Great point. So, let's talk about
[80:57] melatonin since that's kind of the
[80:59] biggie that a lot of people like to know
[81:00] about. So, number one, melatonin is by
[81:03] prescription only almost everywhere
[81:05] other than the United States,
[81:06] >> right? So, in England, in Australia, in
[81:09] Europe, you can't just walk into the
[81:11] drugstore and buy melatonin. And there's
[81:13] a reason. A lot of people don't realize
[81:15] it, but melatonin is a hormone. There's
[81:17] a reason you can't go to the CVS and get
[81:19] testosterone and estrogen, right?
[81:21] Because hormones affect the entire
[81:23] system. They affect all three almost 300
[81:25] different things in your body. So what
[81:27] you don't want to do is have somebody
[81:28] just willy-nilly grabbing a hormone and
[81:30] starting to pop it without somebody
[81:32] understanding what's going on with them.
[81:34] More importantly, melatonin in
[81:36] particular, and the point I wanted to
[81:38] make earlier about depression, melatonin
[81:41] interacts with all SSRI medication. An
[81:46] SSRI is a serotonin specific reuptake
[81:49] inhibitor, an anti-depressant. So things
[81:52] like Prozac, Zoloft, um, Selelexa, all
[81:56] of those are medications that will be
[81:59] affected by melatonin ingestion and
[82:01] nobody knows that it is. In addition,
[82:04] melatonin affects birth control. Yes,
[82:07] you heard it here, birth control. It
[82:09] affects blood pressure medication and it
[82:11] affects diabetes medication. So, one of
[82:14] the problems is that people go into the
[82:16] local drugstore and they're like, "Oh,
[82:17] I'm going to grab some melatonin and I'm
[82:19] going to make my sleep better because
[82:20] I'm sleeping poorly." So, first of all,
[82:22] that's not what melatonin does.
[82:24] Melatonin is a sleep regulator, not a
[82:26] sleep initiator. Melatonin doesn't
[82:29] affect sleep drive. Melatonin affects
[82:31] sleep rhythm. So, remember in the
[82:32] beginning of our conversation, we're
[82:33] talking about the two systems. Melatonin
[82:35] only affects your brain telling it when
[82:38] it's time to go to bed. It does not make
[82:40] you sleepy. That's a denisonin. We
[82:42] already talked about adenosin and
[82:43] caffeine and how similar their molecular
[82:45] structures are. So when you look at
[82:47] something like melatonin, you need to
[82:48] really be thoughtful about using it.
[82:51] Number two, melatonin is not to be used
[82:54] in children. Okay? So a lot of people
[82:56] are like, "Michael, I've got
[82:58] pediatricians all over the country
[83:00] telling my telling me to give my
[83:01] children melatonin." I'm going to say it
[83:03] right here in front of everybody. That
[83:05] is the dumbest idea I have heard in a
[83:07] long time because you just taught your
[83:10] child that they need a pill to sleep.
[83:13] Normally, no child needs pills to sleep.
[83:16] And by the way, most children make
[83:18] almost four times the amount of
[83:19] melatonin that their brain even needs.
[83:21] So, giving them extra melatonin doesn't
[83:24] do you any good. There is, however, one
[83:26] group of children where melatonin does
[83:27] work well, and that's in kids on the
[83:29] autism spectrum. um we don't know
[83:31] exactly why but um or at least I don't
[83:34] but there is data to suggest that at
[83:36] five six seven milligrams that that can
[83:39] be very helpful for them. Dosage also is
[83:41] a problem like if you go to the
[83:43] drugstore you can you almost can't find
[83:45] it in the appropriate dose. The
[83:46] appropriate dose is anywhere from about
[83:48] half a milligram to one and a half
[83:50] milligrams. Maybe top out at three but
[83:52] that's about as high as you want to go.
[83:54] But when you go to CVS you find a
[83:56] gummies in 10 and 20 milligrams. And
[83:58] people tell me all the time, "Oh, I
[83:59] can't take melatonin. It gives me crazy
[84:01] dreams." Number one side effect of
[84:03] overdosing on melatonin is crazy dreams.
[84:05] >> On this point of going to a supermarket
[84:07] and picking some melatonin off the
[84:09] shelf,
[84:11] >> FDA approval and the lack of FDA
[84:14] approval in melatonin means that there's
[84:16] less clarity on what's actually in
[84:18] there. Right.
[84:19] >> That's exactly right. I was reading
[84:20] about a study in 2024
[84:23] um where they looked at different
[84:24] melatonins that were found on the shelf
[84:26] >> and they found very different things
[84:28] inside the bottle.
[84:29] >> Very very different things. They looked
[84:31] at an analysis of melatonin gummies
[84:33] marketed for children and found that the
[84:35] actual amount of melatonin ranged from
[84:37] 0%
[84:38] >> right
[84:38] >> to 667%
[84:41] of what was listed on the label.
[84:42] >> Yep. See it all the time. And in the
[84:44] same study, melatonin gummies, some
[84:46] melatonin gummies contained absolutely
[84:48] no melatonin, while others contained
[84:50] hazardous contaminants like CBD that
[84:53] were not disclosed on the label.
[84:54] >> Yep.
[84:55] >> Because melatonin is sold as a
[84:56] supplement in the US and not a drug, the
[84:58] FDA does not test it for safety or
[85:00] accuracy before it hits the shelf.
[85:01] >> You are 100% correct. And that's a huge
[85:04] problem. Just think about that for a
[85:05] second. I mean, the market for melatonin
[85:07] is tremendous. It's huge in the
[85:10] supplement world. Yet, there's no
[85:12] regulation. whatsoever. Nobody knows
[85:14] about these interaction effects which
[85:16] are big, big, big. And by the way, most
[85:19] people are using it wrong. There's
[85:20] really only three maybe four different
[85:22] instances when melatonin would be
[85:25] useful. I would use melatonin for jet
[85:27] lag, and we should talk about jet lag.
[85:29] >> Um I I would use uh melatonin for shift
[85:31] workers, right? So for people who work,
[85:34] you know, night shift who have to sleep
[85:35] during the daytime, they would be
[85:37] excellent people to use melatonin.
[85:39] people with a melatonin deficiency. A
[85:41] lot of people don't think about that,
[85:42] but right around age 50 is when if
[85:44] you're going to have a melatonin
[85:45] deficiency, we start to see that
[85:47] happening for people is it their the
[85:48] ability to produce melatonin begins to
[85:50] decline. So, I think those three
[85:52] situations absolutely would be on board
[85:54] for melatonin. Believe it or not,
[85:56] there's some data to show that in ADD
[85:57] and ADHD there's uh some use for
[86:00] melatonin and then also for a very
[86:02] specific sleeping disorder called REM
[86:03] behavior disorder.
[86:04] >> We're going melatonin crazy as a
[86:06] society, aren't we?
[86:07] >> Absolutely. We don't need it. It's
[86:09] completely unnecessary.
[86:11] >> I was looking at the data. In 1999, 0.4%
[86:15] of Americans said they used melatonin.
[86:17] Today, it's almost 30%. So, 70 million
[86:20] Americans up, dude. That is problematic.
[86:24] And again, they have no idea what it's
[86:26] doing to them, right? And they're giving
[86:28] it to their kids. Like, I can't think of
[86:30] anything worse for a young female
[86:31] developing body than to add a
[86:32] contraceptive when it's not necessary.
[86:35] Like, it just doesn't make sense to me.
[86:36] The rise in children overdosing on sleep
[86:38] gummies is the fastest growing trend in
[86:40] poison control data.
[86:42] >> Yeah, I think it's like almost 600%
[86:45] increase or something crazy like that
[86:47] for kids who have uh gotten uh who've
[86:50] overdosed on melatonin like within there
[86:51] was a study that came out maybe a year
[86:53] ago, year and a half ago showed like
[86:55] almost 600% of uh increase in uh
[86:58] overdoses for kids. Like that's pretty
[87:00] messed up when you start to think about
[87:02] it. And here's the thing, kids know how
[87:03] to sleep,
[87:04] >> right? You just got to stop. You just
[87:06] got to let them sleep, right? You got to
[87:08] give them some parameters. Here's when
[87:09] you go to bed. Here's when you wake up.
[87:11] Don't get out of bed. You know, don't
[87:12] come in and ask for 12 glasses of water.
[87:14] You know, all the all the stuff that
[87:15] goes on there. I mean, it this isn't
[87:18] hard.
[87:18] >> So, when and how So, I used melatonin
[87:21] once in my life.
[87:21] >> Okay.
[87:22] >> And I got to be honest, it [ __ ]
[87:23] worked.
[87:24] >> Yeah. Oh, if you use it right,
[87:25] [laughter] it works, bro.
[87:27] >> And it was it was actually about a week
[87:29] ago because I'd been struggling with
[87:31] lots of jet lag. I'd flown from the UK
[87:33] to the [clears throat] LA to UK to LA to
[87:35] Cape Town to Middle East to wherever and
[87:38] I was getting to bed every night at like
[87:39] 4:00 or 5 a.m. and still waking up at,
[87:41] you know, having to wake up at about
[87:42] 10:00.
[87:43] >> So, I thought, I need to correct this.
[87:45] It's been going for two weeks and I need
[87:46] to correct this. [laughter]
[87:47] >> Absolutely.
[87:48] >> So, I thought, [ __ ] it, I'm going to
[87:49] cave. I g I took the melatonin and
[87:52] corrected it.
[87:53] >> Yes, it does. So, let's talk about jet
[87:54] lag. So, it's a bit of a story, but I
[87:58] got involved with a company that um has
[88:01] got an app, which is very interesting.
[88:03] Okay. Um I don't have any like I'm not
[88:05] invested in the company, just to be
[88:06] clear, but it's one of my close friends
[88:08] who developed this. So, I'm kind of a
[88:10] space nerd.
[88:11] >> It's not Time Shifter.
[88:12] >> It is Time Shifter.
[88:13] >> Oh, really? [laughter]
[88:15] >> It is.
[88:15] >> I also like an affiliation with Time
[88:17] Shifter
[88:17] >> because I used to [laughter] Yeah, I
[88:19] will get you that. So, here's what's
[88:21] fascinating is the way the whole time
[88:23] shifter started was um so aren't you
[88:26] kind of a space guy? Like, aren't you
[88:27] >> I'm an investor in SpaceX and
[88:29] >> Okay. So, I'm a space nerd myself,
[88:31] right? So, you know, the the ISS is
[88:34] moving around at 17,500 miles an hour
[88:36] around the Earth. It's cooking.
[88:37] >> ISS meaning the International Space
[88:39] Station. It's whipping around, right?
[88:41] >> Can you imagine how many sunrises and
[88:44] sunsets they get in a given day?
[88:45] >> Oh, no. How many?
[88:46] >> Every two hours. So, they basically get
[88:49] 12.
[88:49] >> Wow. Think about how messed up their
[88:51] circadian rhythms would be from seeing
[88:53] the sunrise and seeing it go and see it
[88:54] gets really messed up, right? And by the
[88:56] way, you don't want to make big mistakes
[88:58] in the space station. Like you don't
[88:59] leave the air lock open, you know, or
[89:01] [ __ ] like that. Like that's when things
[89:02] get really really bad. So they called
[89:04] down to NASA and they were like, "Hey,
[89:05] we got a problem up here. Everybody
[89:07] wants to use the lab at the same time
[89:09] like people seeing the sun. Like what's
[89:10] going on?" So they called a buddy of
[89:12] mine named Steven Lachley over at
[89:13] Harvard. Stephen is arguably the one of
[89:16] the best circadian researchers in the
[89:17] world. um super smart dude and he was
[89:19] like, "Well, let's send up a lighting
[89:21] kit and let's create ships on the space
[89:24] station."
[89:25] >> Mhm.
[89:25] >> Right. [clears throat] So that's exactly
[89:26] what they did. So they sent up a
[89:28] lighting kit. I think it was on the
[89:29] Colombia um shuttle before it got
[89:31] decommissioned. And they set up lighting
[89:33] and then they set up timing for
[89:34] lighting. And so there was a morning
[89:35] shift, a midshift, and a night shift for
[89:38] the astronauts. Once they got the
[89:40] algorithm working, they brought it down
[89:41] terrestrially and they put it into the
[89:43] Mercedes-Benz uh Formula 1 race car
[89:45] team. So they gave it to Lewis Hamilton.
[89:46] >> Mhm.
[89:47] >> Right. Because when you think about it,
[89:48] think about what he has to do, right?
[89:50] He's on or off the podium on hundreds of
[89:52] a second, right? And he's in a different
[89:54] country every 3 weeks,
[89:55] >> right? So this guy's got jet lag like
[89:57] you wouldn't believe. And so once we
[89:58] were able to get it going there, then we
[90:00] created the time shifter app. And so
[90:02] it's an app you can get it on your
[90:03] phone. And what you do is you put in
[90:04] your flight number and it automatically
[90:06] pulls up the flight and knows where you
[90:08] are. This is why I think that jet lag is
[90:11] a math problem. Let me explain. We
[90:13] learned about 20 years ago that when you
[90:15] take a certain frequency and intensity
[90:16] of light and you shine it in somebody's
[90:18] eyes, you can move their circadian
[90:20] rhythm by about eight hours if you want
[90:22] to.
[90:22] >> That circadian rhythm again being
[90:24] >> being that internal biological clock,
[90:26] the time when your body wants to go to
[90:27] bed and wants to wake up. We can
[90:29] actually move that by about 8 hours with
[90:32] about 10,000 lux, which is the
[90:34] brightness level of blue light,
[90:36] particular frequency of light. Okay? So
[90:38] when you hit that, if you start in LA
[90:41] and you're going to Manchester, right,
[90:44] and there's a big time difference and
[90:46] you know what time it is in LA and you
[90:48] know what time it is in Manchester, it's
[90:50] a math problem of when do you get the
[90:53] light.
[90:54] >> So that's what time shifter is, is it
[90:56] determines when do you need that light
[90:58] and then on the times when you don't
[91:00] need light, it has you use caffeine,
[91:02] right? Or to keep you awake or if it's
[91:04] time to sleep, then you use a little bit
[91:06] of melatonin. That's when melatonin
[91:08] becomes so valuable.
[91:09] >> It also tells you when to eat.
[91:11] >> It does. It tells you all of these
[91:12] different things. And it's kind of nice
[91:13] because it kind of shows up on your
[91:14] phone. It's like, "Hey, do this then. Do
[91:16] this then." And it works really, really
[91:17] well. But yeah, Time Shifter is one of
[91:20] my favorites. Uh I've been uh using it
[91:22] literally for 15 years.
[91:24] >> Wow.
[91:26] >> And it solves jet lag, bro. Like we're
[91:28] going to fix that for you. No, no
[91:30] question.
[91:30] >> How often should someone be having
[91:32] melatonin? Is there like too often?
[91:34] Because some people literally have it
[91:36] every day. Yeah, I would argue it's a
[91:37] bad idea. So, if you have a melatonin
[91:40] deficiency, sure, have it every day.
[91:42] But, um, or if you're a shift worker,
[91:44] probably. But I I use it only for jet
[91:46] lag myself. Otherwise, I'm not using it
[91:49] on the regular.
[91:50] >> And what's the risk there of having it
[91:51] every day? Is it?
[91:52] >> Uh, it's a good question. So, when you
[91:54] start to look at melatonin overdose and
[91:56] you start to look at melatonin on board
[91:58] for long periods of time, there's been
[92:00] some conflict in the in the research.
[92:02] Um, there's a group of people that say
[92:04] if you stay on melatonin for extended
[92:05] periods of time, your body stops
[92:07] producing it. There's another group of
[92:09] people that have looked at research and
[92:10] have said actually that's not the case.
[92:13] So, right now we have we have studies
[92:15] that lead out to about a year or so on
[92:18] melatonin. And when you stop their
[92:20] melatonin production after they've been
[92:21] taking it for a year, their body seems
[92:23] to start back up no problem. It's
[92:25] different than testosterone, right? So
[92:27] with testosterone, we know that when men
[92:28] start taking testosterone, their body
[92:30] actually stops producing it. With
[92:32] melatonin, that does not appear to be
[92:33] the case, but we don't have studies that
[92:36] go out past, you know, that yearong. And
[92:38] so if somebody's been taking melatonin
[92:40] every day for 5 10 years, you know, you
[92:43] you kind of start to wonder uh what's
[92:45] going to happen. Also, don't forget that
[92:46] that melatonin is different than the
[92:48] melatonin that's actually produced in
[92:49] your head. I think it was Andrew
[92:51] Huberman who I was speaking to a couple
[92:53] of weeks ago that was was saying about
[92:55] not giving kids an overdose of
[92:57] melatonin. And I think afterwards I I
[92:59] was doing some research on it and I read
[93:00] something that said it has an impact on
[93:03] puberty potentially.
[93:05] >> So in high dosages melatonin is a
[93:08] contraceptive.
[93:09] >> So that would pause puberty.
[93:10] >> Exactly. Or change it
[93:13] >> and ways we may or may not know. So, I
[93:16] agree with Andrew on that point that
[93:18] again, melatonin is not something that
[93:20] kids need unless you've got kids on the
[93:22] spectrum, which is again where I find it
[93:24] to be helpful and I've treated kids with
[93:25] that before, but generally speaking, I
[93:28] don't put melatonin on anybody under the
[93:29] age of 18.
[93:30] >> Am I more likely to have nightmares if
[93:32] I'm having lots of melatonin?
[93:34] >> If you're overdosing, you are. So, the
[93:36] number one side effect of a high dose of
[93:39] melatonin is super vivid dreams and then
[93:41] eventually nightmares.
[93:42] >> Why? I'm not really sure. If I was
[93:45] garnering a guess, then what I would say
[93:47] is that part of the reason why that you
[93:50] have crazy vivid dreams from melatonin
[93:53] is because it probably does put you into
[93:55] REM sleep a little bit quicker than you
[93:57] normally would and might keep you there
[93:58] a little bit longer. I don't have any
[94:00] data to support that. So, I want to be
[94:02] clear. Um, this is more of a hypothesis
[94:03] on my end, but that might make intuitive
[94:06] sense to me.
[94:07] >> Just on a quick search, um, Sure. You're
[94:09] right. It says it keep keeps you in REM
[94:11] sleep a little bit longer and more
[94:12] intensely.
[94:13] >> There you go.
[94:14] >> This leads to vivid highly vivid dreams
[94:15] or night terrors which paradoxically
[94:17] makes you wake up feeling more
[94:18] exhausted.
[94:19] >> Right. I can't count the number of
[94:21] people who tell me
[94:22] >> I need to go back to sleep because I'm
[94:23] so exhausted from my dreams.
[94:25] >> Oh wow.
[94:26] >> Right.
[94:27] >> So let's finish off on these supplements
[94:28] then.
[94:28] >> Yeah. Absolutely. So we talked a little
[94:30] bit about melatonin which like I said
[94:32] select usage. Um a couple of other ones
[94:34] that we've got here um one of them is
[94:36] Valyan. Right. So when we talk Valyan is
[94:39] probably the most studied it's a root um
[94:42] it's called the Valyrian root but to be
[94:44] clear it's an anti-anxiety medication
[94:46] right so what it is is it's it helps
[94:49] lower your level of anxiety um and that
[94:52] is the reason why it has a tendency to
[94:53] work interestingly when you look at the
[94:55] data it works better when combined with
[94:57] hops like what you'd find in beer so a
[94:59] lot of times when you're looking for a
[95:01] preparation you should look for Valyan
[95:03] plus hops as the preparation also we
[95:06] should talk for a talking about
[95:08] supplements. A lot of people don't
[95:09] understand this, but a lot of people
[95:11] will put a whole bunch of different
[95:13] supplements together and put it into a
[95:14] capsule. I don't think that's the best
[95:16] idea. I think you should have single
[95:18] ingredient supplementation.
[95:20] >> Why?
[95:20] >> Well, number one, you get the correct
[95:22] dose so you know it's actually working
[95:23] for you. There's a lot of companies out
[95:25] there that are uh that make a powder or
[95:28] something and they put a bunch of stuff
[95:30] in it and they put just enough in there
[95:31] to be able to say it on the ingredient
[95:33] profile, but not enough for it to
[95:34] actually do any good for the patient.
[95:36] So, [clears throat] I like using single
[95:37] ingredient pro uh supplement profiles
[95:40] because I know exactly how much of each
[95:42] thing that I'm going to get in there and
[95:43] I can make sure that it's the correct
[95:44] dosage for the what the person needs.
[95:46] So, I prefer single ingredient
[95:48] supplementation.
[95:49] >> Okay. So, val Valyan.
[95:52] >> Yep. Valyan root.
[95:54] >> Not going to mess up my hormones?
[95:55] >> Nope. It's not going to mess up your
[95:56] hormones.
[95:57] >> Going to help me with overthinking?
[96:00] >> Probably not. What it'll probably do is
[96:01] slow your thinking down a little bit
[96:03] depending upon how much of it you take.
[96:05] Um, I think if you were looking for a if
[96:07] you're looking for something that's
[96:08] going to slow down your thinking, then I
[96:10] would say we don't have the the thing
[96:12] here, but it's called GABA, GABA. Um,
[96:15] gamma amunobbuteric acid. So, this is a
[96:18] substance that your body makes. It's
[96:19] kind of the breaks of the brain, and you
[96:21] can buy it um as a supplement. I've had
[96:24] several people use that, and that seems
[96:26] to help calm people down in the evening
[96:28] times.
[96:28] >> What about ashwanaganda or whatever it's
[96:29] called?
[96:30] >> Ashwagandha.
[96:30] >> Ashwagandha.
[96:31] >> Exactly. I just kind of like saying it.
[96:33] So, here's my theory on supplementation
[96:35] is the first thing I tell people to do
[96:37] is go do blood work. Okay? What
[96:39] deficiencies do you have? Fix your
[96:42] deficiencies first before we start going
[96:45] to the valyians and the melatonins of it
[96:47] all. If you're deficient in vitamin D,
[96:50] magnesium, iron, fix those three things
[96:54] first. Dude, I can't tell you. I pro 15%
[96:56] of the people that show up at my
[96:58] doorstep we do blood work on and all I
[97:00] do is fix their deficiencies and their
[97:02] sleep magically gets better.
[97:03] >> What are some of the surprising things
[97:04] though that you discover like blood
[97:05] sugar like diabetes that impacts sleep?
[97:07] No,
[97:07] >> it absolutely does. I also think that a
[97:10] lot of people who have uncontrolled
[97:11] diabetes, it wakes them up in the middle
[97:13] of the night um because their blood
[97:14] sugar gets so low and then they're
[97:16] hungry in the middle of the night. Then
[97:17] they up eating in the middle of the
[97:18] night then they have a sleep eating
[97:19] syndrome which is kind of a pain.
[97:21] >> There's this one here that I've never
[97:22] heard of before. What's this uh it's
[97:24] called tryptophan. So uh elptophan in in
[97:27] particular. So tryptophan is the
[97:29] substance that we find in turkey that
[97:32] has a tendency to make people sleepy.
[97:34] However, when you really look at the
[97:36] data, you'd have to eat a 46 pound
[97:38] turkey in order to get enough tryptophan
[97:41] to make you sleepy. Even in my best days
[97:43] in college, dude, I couldn't eat a 46
[97:45] pound turkey. Okay? Same holds true with
[97:47] milk. Um, tryptophan is the thing in
[97:49] warm milk that supposedly makes people
[97:51] uh, sleepy, but once again, you'd have
[97:52] to drink almost a half a gallon of warm
[97:55] milk, which is kind of disgusting um, in
[97:57] order to do it. Tryptophan can be
[97:58] helpful for people if you have a
[98:00] tryptophan deficiency, but it's
[98:01] definitely something that lowers a
[98:03] little bit of anxiety and can make you
[98:04] feel a little bit sleepy, but it is a
[98:06] naturally occurring amino acid in your
[98:08] system.
[98:08] >> Calcium.
[98:09] >> So, calcium turns out is interesting
[98:12] because when you mix calcium with
[98:13] magnesium, it's easier to absorb. So for
[98:16] some people mag we what we've discovered
[98:18] is if you have a magnesium deficiency
[98:20] and you fix the magnesium deficiency in
[98:23] many cases it can actually help with
[98:25] overall sleep and calcium is one of the
[98:27] things that can be added to it that
[98:29] helps with absorption. Now unfortunately
[98:32] the big problem is that there are 13
[98:35] different kinds of magnesium out there
[98:37] and so people don't know what's been
[98:39] studied and what hasn't. So, I'm here to
[98:41] let you know there's only a couple of
[98:43] brands out there that have actually been
[98:45] studied for magnesium. The ones I like
[98:48] is there's one called magnesium 308,
[98:51] which is made by a company called Magen.
[98:54] Um, they actually have a published
[98:55] research study in the journals. That's
[98:57] why I mentioned their brand name. I have
[98:58] no association with them. There's also
[99:00] another company called Upgraded
[99:02] Formulas. They make a magnesium. And
[99:05] kind of funny story is the guy who runs
[99:07] mag uh upgraded formulas told me he says
[99:09] my magnesium is the best in the world. I
[99:11] can make anybody fall asleep. And I
[99:13] said, "Hey, you want to put your money
[99:14] where your mouth is? Let's do a clinical
[99:15] trial." He handed me a check for 75
[99:17] grand. I went and did a clinical trial
[99:19] and he was right. His magnesium really
[99:22] made people sleep better.
[99:23] >> What is magnesium doing?
[99:25] >> So, we're not 100% sure. In the
[99:27] deficient people, it's it's obviously
[99:29] clearing up the deficiency of magnesium.
[99:32] And then magnesium is used in about I
[99:34] think almost 300 different functions in
[99:36] the body. So it probably lets the body
[99:38] work more efficiently and probably that
[99:41] helps to overall sleep. But I'm not
[99:43] convinced that we have the whole
[99:45] mechanism of action worked out. I will
[99:47] tell you that when people take magnesium
[99:48] they tell me that they introspectively
[99:51] feel calmer and we definitely know that
[99:53] it can definitely help uh cause a
[99:54] relaxation response in the musculature.
[99:56] So I think that might have something to
[99:57] do with that.
[99:58] >> Why did you bring a banana and a knife
[99:59] and a teapot? Ah, this is my favorite
[100:01] way to get magnesium.
[100:03] >> A lot of people want to know, "How
[100:05] should I take my supplements? I'm tired
[100:07] of taking a fistful of pills every
[100:08] morning, Michael. There's these powders.
[100:10] Like, what what's the best way?" The
[100:12] best way So, number one, supplementation
[100:15] is when you're not getting all of the
[100:16] things, the vitamins and minerals that
[100:18] you need from your food. So, the best
[100:20] place to get it from is food. Generally
[100:22] speaking, turns out magnesium is one of
[100:24] the best ones, but it's problematic
[100:26] because we have to eat our magnesium.
[100:28] Our body doesn't actually produce it.
[100:30] themselves. And by the way, you could
[100:31] eat a bushel of kale and still not get
[100:33] enough magnesium because here in the
[100:35] United States, the soil has been
[100:37] overtilled, which means the magnesium
[100:39] isn't in the soil. So, it's not coming
[100:40] up through the root stocks and allowing
[100:42] people to have it. So, a lot of people
[100:44] require magnesium supplementation.
[100:46] Believe it or not, between magnesium and
[100:48] vitamin D, I'd say we've probably
[100:49] covered most of America in terms of
[100:51] having a deficiency. Bananas are loaded
[100:54] with magnesium, but it turns out it's
[100:56] not the fruit, it's the peel.
[100:58] >> Oh. itself. So, no, I'm not going to
[101:00] make you eat the peel. Don't worry. So,
[101:03] I developed a recipe that I call banana
[101:05] tea. All this is is a regular old
[101:07] banana. So, what I what you do is you
[101:09] cut off the stem, right? And cut it in
[101:11] half and then you drop it in to some
[101:13] boiling water. Okay? So, we've already
[101:15] done this, right? And you can see the
[101:17] banana has turned brown, right? It's
[101:20] been soaking in the boiling water. So,
[101:22] it's not really tea. It's just basically
[101:23] hot banana water. But with the banana
[101:27] from the skin, you also get these things
[101:28] called phytostereroids that actually
[101:30] help you absorb the magnesium better
[101:33] than if you just had it from a
[101:34] supplement. So you have to really like
[101:35] bananas. My daughter says it's very
[101:37] banana e. Dad, the flavor, I mean.
[101:44] >> Oh, it does smell like bananas.
[101:45] >> I'm telling you, if you like bananas,
[101:47] >> it's nice.
[101:48] >> I know it's nice. And you can use this
[101:50] as a like an evening ritual and you can
[101:53] make banana tea and have it in the
[101:55] evening with, you know, a biscuit or
[101:57] what have you and have a nice and read a
[101:58] book and just be chill.
[101:59] >> How do I know the magnesium is actually
[102:01] in there?
[102:01] >> Cuz it came through from the from the um
[102:03] steeping in the water.
[102:05] >> Okay.
[102:05] >> Well, you could test it if we want, but
[102:06] I can assure you it's in there. You need
[102:07] to leave it in there for about 5 minutes
[102:09] and we've been talking for a while, so
[102:10] I'm pretty sure it's there.
[102:11] >> And and how long before sleep to get
[102:12] those effects?
[102:13] >> I would say about 2530 minutes. You
[102:15] don't want to have too much, by the way,
[102:16] because then you're gonna have to wake
[102:17] up and pee. So try if you can
[102:20] >> to be able to have it about 30 40
[102:21] minutes before bed.
[102:22] >> So you can put it in anything. A lot of
[102:23] people have different types of teas. So
[102:25] you could just use that as the water
[102:26] instead.
[102:26] >> Yeah. Oh, without question. Actually,
[102:28] that would be a really good idea. And
[102:29] you could, if you did it, if you mix it
[102:31] with like a fruit tea, like an herbal
[102:33] fruit tea, that would be really
[102:34] delicious.
[102:35] >> Are there any other supplements that
[102:36] you, you know, you do encourage people
[102:38] to take if they're struggling with sleep
[102:39] that we haven't talked about yet?
[102:40] >> We haven't talked about vitamin D, and
[102:42] that's a big one. So it turns out that
[102:44] vitamin D is a circadian pacemaker. So
[102:46] when light comes into your eyeballs, it
[102:49] helps change your whole uh circadian
[102:52] system. And if you're if light is coming
[102:54] in for a certain amount of time, about
[102:55] 15 minutes, your body will start to
[102:57] produce vitamin D. Vitamin D does a
[102:59] whole host of important things to your
[103:01] body. But most importantly from a sleep
[103:03] perspective, is it helps regulate
[103:05] melatonin and when your body produces
[103:07] it. So by taking vitamin D every day or
[103:10] getting 15 minutes of sunshine, either
[103:12] way, you're going to be in better shape.
[103:13] So, like as an example, my morning
[103:15] routine that I have all my patients do
[103:17] is I have them when they wake up in the
[103:18] morning, I have them uh go outside if
[103:21] it's if it's, you know, nice out, sit in
[103:23] a chair and have 15 deep breaths merely
[103:26] to wake up the respiratory system, then
[103:28] 15 ounces of water cuz once again,
[103:30] remember, you're dehydrated, and then 15
[103:32] minutes of sunshine. So, they can do all
[103:34] of this together at the same time. And
[103:36] it's a nice way to wake up in the
[103:37] morning.
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[105:52] >> So, let's talk about waking up in the
[105:53] morning.
[105:54] >> Sure.
[105:54] >> Morning routines.
[105:55] >> Yep.
[105:55] >> A lot of people talk about what's the
[105:57] perfect morning routine? Do you need to
[105:58] have a morning routine? What's your take
[105:59] on that? So, it depends upon how
[106:02] disciplined you want to be and it
[106:03] depends upon how much time you have. I
[106:05] can tell you what my morning routine is
[106:06] because it's very specific and I I've
[106:08] discovered that it works really really
[106:09] well for me. So, I wake up naturally
[106:12] somewhere between 6:10 and about 6:25 or
[106:15] so. My body just seems to naturally wake
[106:17] up. I do 15 minutes of red light
[106:19] therapy. So, I have a red light uh in my
[106:21] office that I sit in front of and I do
[106:23] my meditation at the same time in the
[106:25] morning time. So, I have about 15
[106:26] minutes of meditation. Sometimes what
[106:28] I'll do is um I'll sit on the floor and
[106:31] the boys will come and sit on my lap and
[106:34] then we'll all meditate together. I know
[106:35] that sounds a little weird. Then um we
[106:37] use a we do a 15-minute walk. I try not
[106:39] to have any music or any telephone or
[106:42] anything like that uh up at all up until
[106:44] this point. I put the dogs away and then
[106:46] I hit the gym. I'm at the gym from about
[106:48] 8 till about 9:30, 10:00. I do a sauna
[106:52] every day afterwards and then I'm in
[106:54] front of my desk by about 10:30 and
[106:56] that's is when I have my breakfast. And
[106:58] so I make the same breakfast almost
[107:00] every morning. I do uh ground turkey
[107:02] with uh a third of a pound of ground
[107:04] turkey, three eggs and broccoli and I I
[107:07] put it all into a skillet and I make it
[107:08] every morning.
[107:09] >> Do you use any sleep trackers?
[107:10] >> In the past I've used uh a few of them.
[107:13] I I try them out because a lot of my
[107:15] patients try them out. Um, I think if I
[107:17] was going to be looking at them, I think
[107:18] the aura ring probably does the best
[107:21] job. I really don't think they've gotten
[107:23] there quite yet because remember depth
[107:25] of sleep is based on brain waves and
[107:27] it's hard to get brain waves from your
[107:28] finger, right? And so what they're doing
[107:30] is they're creating a proxy. So they're
[107:31] looking at heart rate or oxygen or pulse
[107:35] or something along those lines and then
[107:36] saying, "Okay, when Stephven's at this
[107:38] pulse, we think he's in REM sleep, so
[107:40] we're going to label every time that REM
[107:42] sleep." when in fact they don't really
[107:44] know because they're not measuring your
[107:45] brain waves. So I think until we get to
[107:47] the point where we can measure brain
[107:49] waves from distally, I think we'll have
[107:51] a little bit better shot at it. However,
[107:54] >> there's some interesting things that are
[107:55] going on kind of in the sleep tracker
[107:57] world. And some people get a little too
[107:58] into the whole tracking of it all, if
[108:00] you know what I mean. Like I can't count
[108:02] the number of people that are like, "Oh
[108:03] my god, Dr. Bruce, you know, this says I
[108:05] only slept 14 minutes last night. Like
[108:07] what do I do?" And I'm like, "Well,
[108:09] number one, how much did you sleep the
[108:10] night before?" And they say, "Oh, 16
[108:12] minutes." I'm like, "Okay, well, let's
[108:13] check you tomorrow." They come back
[108:14] tomorrow, it's even worse, 12 minutes.
[108:17] I'm like, "Oh, you're fine." They're
[108:18] like, "What?" I'm like, "Look, it's
[108:20] being consistently inaccurate. There's
[108:22] no way you only got 14 minutes of deep
[108:24] sleep, right? That's just not how the
[108:25] body works, right? But if you got 14
[108:28] minutes, 14 minutes, and then one night
[108:29] you look at your score and it's 407
[108:31] minutes.
[108:32] >> I [clears throat] want to know what
[108:32] happened on that night."
[108:33] >> My friend was a big fan of Whoop. So, he
[108:36] told me to try a Whoop. I tried a Whoop.
[108:38] the the most I think critical thing it's
[108:39] done for me is it allowed me to create
[108:45] some understanding of like causation and
[108:47] like associations with my sleep. So one
[108:49] of the ones that completely changed my
[108:51] life when I first wore my Whoop, which
[108:53] by the way I'm an investor in the
[108:54] company so I have to disclaimer that
[108:56] >> um was I didn't realize how impactful
[108:58] sleep alcohol was on my sleep.
[109:00] >> It's massive.
[109:01] >> Like it blew my mind cuz I [laughter]
[109:02] had had one glass of wine.
[109:04] >> Yep. And then the bloody whoop thing
[109:06] said you're either really sick um really
[109:10] stressed or you drank alcohol. And then
[109:12] I watched a video online where they
[109:13] compared all of the devices to the
[109:16] hospital grade stuff.
[109:17] >> Yep. Poly synography
[109:18] >> and the Whoop 4 was the closest to the
[109:21] hospital grade. And then I contacted the
[109:23] company and said can I invest etc etc.
[109:24] I've also tried I've also tried like a
[109:26] sleep and
[109:27] >> I would argue that temperature like if
[109:28] we're talking about what is the easiest
[109:30] thing to manipulate to change your sleep
[109:32] either good or bad temperature is it um
[109:35] and people don't realize it but you can
[109:37] change the temperature in your bedroom
[109:39] even in your bed and you can change the
[109:41] quality of your sleep. You mentioned
[109:43] eight that's a company that has a a
[109:45] topper type of thing that can change the
[109:47] uh the temperature underneath the
[109:49] covers. There's also taking a look at
[109:51] the the accutramal that's on. So
[109:53] pillows, sheets, comforters, all of
[109:55] those things. But if you can get your
[109:57] body to cool down, your body will go
[109:59] down and get into deeper stages of
[110:01] sleep. If you can stay cool versus
[110:04] bumping up and down all night long,
[110:06] let's say you're a woman in menopause,
[110:08] right? That becomes highly disruptive.
[110:09] And so by being a by being able to keep
[110:12] a consistent temperature stimulus to the
[110:15] body, it ends up sleeping a whole lot
[110:16] better.
[110:17] >> Dreams. Let's talk about dreams. People
[110:19] are so fascinated by dreams,
[110:20] >> aren't they? I love it.
[110:22] >> But but so little is known about dreams.
[110:24] >> Yeah. Well, yes and no. I mean, here's
[110:27] the thing. Dreams have been studied
[110:30] honestly since the dawn of time. If you
[110:32] look in the Bible, you will see that
[110:34] people are talking about dreams. If you
[110:36] look at ancient texts, people are
[110:38] wondering about these crazy movies that
[110:40] are going on in my head. Right? When you
[110:42] start to look at dreams, here's the
[110:44] thing that I will tell you is dreams
[110:47] mean something to the dreamer. They
[110:49] don't necessarily mean something to
[110:50] somebody who is not the dreamer. And so
[110:52] when I do dream work and so I so to be
[110:55] clear, just take a step back, I took a
[110:57] year and a half and I became a dream
[110:58] therapist. So what does that mean? What
[111:01] is that even is that even a thing? So
[111:04] dream therapy, by the way, is not dream
[111:06] interpretation. That is not here's a
[111:08] symbol, here's what that means. Dream
[111:10] therapy is where you use dreams in the
[111:13] therapeutic context to help people with
[111:16] things like depression and anxiety.
[111:19] >> Let me give you an example. A nightmare,
[111:21] right? So when somebody has, let's say
[111:22] somebody was in an active theater of war
[111:24] and they watched one of their friends,
[111:26] god forbid, something terrible happened
[111:28] to them and that image is now in their
[111:30] head and now they constantly have this
[111:32] image over and over and over. But what
[111:34] happens is they're going, going, going
[111:35] going and they wake up. They're going,
[111:36] going, going going going, they wake up.
[111:37] We talked a little bit about it earlier
[111:39] that dreams are emotional metabolism,
[111:42] right? So dreams are where you work out
[111:45] all of these different things that are
[111:46] going on in your head and kind of become
[111:48] okay with them so that way next day you
[111:50] can kind of move forward and keep keep
[111:52] doing your thing.
[111:53] >> Do we need to explain why we dream
[111:55] because I think that's the big sort of
[111:57] >> Sure. So there's a couple of theories.
[111:59] One theory is is that this is a great
[112:01] stage for for practice, right? So we
[112:04] dream about things that we're eventually
[112:06] going to try in the real world and so we
[112:08] get a chance to practice them in our
[112:09] head beforehand to to make sure it
[112:12] doesn't we don't kind of screw the whole
[112:13] thing up. So there's that whole idea of
[112:15] being able to kind of work stuff out in
[112:17] my head. Then there's the processing
[112:19] idea that we talked about before where
[112:20] this is emotional metabolism. So
[112:22] therapy,
[112:23] >> right? Exactly. It's like you go to
[112:24] therapy every single night. I actually
[112:26] that's a really good way to think about
[112:27] it. I hadn't thought about it like that,
[112:28] but I think I'm going to use that. I'm
[112:29] going to take that from you. Um, I like
[112:31] that dreams are therapy every single
[112:33] night because they really are. You're
[112:34] really moving through a lot of that
[112:36] emotionality. Some people think dreams
[112:38] are complete nonsense. Some people think
[112:40] that's just some crazy movie in your
[112:41] head and it's just this after effect of
[112:43] your brain moving into a different mode
[112:45] and who knows what it could mean. I find
[112:47] that one hard to believe myself
[112:49] >> because humans don't do anything.
[112:51] >> I don't think so.
[112:52] >> That isn't for some type of survival
[112:54] benefit
[112:54] >> for sure.
[112:55] >> It's a waste of energy or you know
[112:58] >> Yeah, I agree. And so if we looked at it
[113:00] from an evolutionary perspective, like
[113:02] what is the evolutionary purpose of
[113:04] dreams, I would argue that it probably
[113:06] has something to do with emotions and
[113:08] being able to uh move through some
[113:11] emotionally difficult times and or it's
[113:13] an early warning system. A lot of people
[113:15] dream things and uh it helps them
[113:17] understand something else that's going
[113:18] on in their life. You ever heard the um
[113:20] thing uh people say, I before I make a
[113:22] big decision, I want to sleep on it.
[113:24] >> Yeah.
[113:24] >> Right. this is what they're doing is
[113:26] when they sleep on it all these
[113:27] desperate pieces of information come
[113:29] together and work themselves so that you
[113:31] can come to a solution. So I think the
[113:33] other thing that reason that we dream is
[113:35] to come to solutions and to create
[113:37] innovation
[113:38] >> that tracks in my life. I I can be going
[113:41] to bed really thinking about something
[113:43] quite like you know remunerating about
[113:46] something to the point that it's like
[113:47] overthinking and it's a problem. It's
[113:49] stressing me out.
[113:50] >> I can get eight hours sleep and wake up
[113:53] and it's like the clouds have parted,
[113:55] >> right? It's like magic.
[113:56] >> It's like magic.
[113:57] >> It's great. And I only real realized
[113:59] this in the last couple of years when
[114:00] you know business my businesses got
[114:01] bigger and there was more problems to to
[114:04] work through that like actually I could
[114:06] use sleep as a weapon against the
[114:08] problem. Absolutely.
[114:09] >> Versus trying to stay up all night and
[114:10] solve the problem. I could focus on the
[114:12] sleep to solve the problem.
[114:13] >> Yeah. I do it all the time. And and what
[114:15] you can actually do it's called priming
[114:17] is you can think about the problem in a
[114:20] in a way before you go to sleep and then
[114:22] it triggers your brain to think about
[114:24] the problem while you're sleeping. what
[114:26] you write it down or do you
[114:27] >> There's a lot of different ways you can
[114:28] go about doing it. So, for example, what
[114:30] I have some people do is write down
[114:31] everything they can remember in their
[114:33] dream beforehand before they come to
[114:35] therapy. But what you can do is
[114:37] something different. If you want to
[114:38] change your dream, you write it all
[114:40] down, but that you change the ending.
[114:42] Okay? And you read it several times
[114:44] before bed and it will actually change
[114:46] your dream.
[114:47] >> So, what am I writing down before bed
[114:48] then?
[114:49] >> So, let's say you had a scary dream.
[114:50] Okay? You're walking through a haunted
[114:52] house and something terrible is going to
[114:53] happen when you walk out the back door
[114:54] >> the night before.
[114:55] >> Yeah. The night before. Then I have you
[114:57] write all of that down and then when you
[114:59] come into session with me, I say, "Okay,
[115:01] we're going to change the ending because
[115:02] at the at the very end, you walked out
[115:03] onto the porch and somebody got you
[115:06] right." So instead of that happening,
[115:07] you're going to walk out to the porch
[115:08] and you're going to pull out a gun and
[115:09] you're going to shoot the guy. Okay? And
[115:11] so we change that in the dream in the
[115:13] right in what you wrote down and then we
[115:15] talk about it in therapy. And then right
[115:17] before bed, you read this to yourself
[115:19] multiple times and it over 7 to 10 days,
[115:23] you change the ending of the dream.
[115:26] >> And how does that help?
[115:28] >> So it makes it more positive. And when
[115:30] you change the ending, the reason you're
[115:31] waking up is something is scaring you so
[115:33] much that you're waking up and you stop
[115:34] processing. And so when you change the
[115:36] ending and you don't wake up, you
[115:37] continue to process and then you move
[115:39] past the dream. Just like you said when
[115:41] you wake up and the clouds have cleared.
[115:43] >> A lot of people wake up and the clouds
[115:44] don't clear because they have nightmares
[115:46] and they keep repeating it over and over
[115:47] and over again.
[115:49] >> H
[115:50] >> it's quite remarkable. The process is
[115:52] very interesting. So what I do is I
[115:54] bring them into session put them into a
[115:55] mild hypnotic state uh only by doing
[115:58] some simple breath work. Right? So let
[116:00] me give you an example of somebody that
[116:01] I worked with and tell you exactly how
[116:03] it went. So I was working with somebody
[116:05] who had had uh pretty significant
[116:06] trauma. They had been raped. Right? And
[116:08] so they were having nightmares about
[116:10] this. So serious situation, right? So
[116:11] she had a she had a nightmare of being
[116:14] in a jungle. And so I had her come in
[116:16] session, wrote it all down. And when we
[116:18] got to the end, we were walking through
[116:20] the jungle. She was actually being
[116:21] chased through the jungle. So I turn to
[116:23] her and I say, "Okay, well, we're in the
[116:24] jungle. Tell me more about this jungle."
[116:27] And she says, "What do you mean?" I
[116:28] said, "Well, in jungles there's lots of
[116:30] tropical plants. There a lot of colorful
[116:31] flowers." and she'll stop and you can
[116:34] see she's looking around inside her head
[116:37] at the dreamscape and then she says,
[116:39] "Oh, there are there's some beautiful
[116:41] flowers over there. I've now advanced
[116:43] the dream, right?" Because she didn't
[116:44] know there were flowers before. Now
[116:46] she's imagined that they're flowers. I'm
[116:48] moving the dream forward. So, we go over
[116:50] and we smell the flower. And I said,
[116:50] "Well, you know, usually in jungles
[116:52] there's there's animals. Are there any
[116:53] animals?"
[116:56] "Yeah, there's a lion." "Oh gosh, is the
[116:58] lion friendly?" "Yeah, the lion is
[117:00] friendly. Can we go over and talk to the
[117:02] lion? Yeah, Michael, we can. So, again,
[117:05] in her head, we walk over. So, I say to
[117:07] her, "Uh, does the lion have a name?"
[117:10] And she said, "I don't know. Let me
[117:11] ask." So, she asked the lion his name.
[117:13] And she said, "Yeah, his name is Jack."
[117:15] And I said, "What does Jack mean to
[117:16] you?" And instantly she says, "Jack was
[117:19] my uncle and he saved me from getting
[117:21] raped by my stepfather."
[117:23] Now, we're getting somewhere. Now, we
[117:26] understand what's chasing her. Now, we
[117:28] understand where she's headed to. She's
[117:30] trying to head to the person that saved
[117:32] her. Now she starts to understand where
[117:34] this dream is coming from. And guess
[117:36] what? In three or four more sessions,
[117:38] she doesn't have the dream anymore
[117:40] >> because you did what?
[117:42] >> Because she now understands where it is.
[117:44] She's no longer scared in the middle of
[117:45] her dream. She's able to understand it,
[117:47] wake up, and move forward.
[117:49] >> It's remarkable.
[117:52] It's kind of the coolest thing ever. If
[117:53] you want to know the truth of the
[117:54] matter, [laughter]
[117:55] working with people's dreams is just ma
[117:56] amazing stuff. And for people at home
[117:58] that might not have access to you,
[118:00] >> um is is a is there a simple thing that
[118:02] they can do to start to sort of get a
[118:04] hold of these dreams?
[118:05] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Number one is you
[118:06] could actually start a dream journal.
[118:08] >> So it's just a journal. Um and there's a
[118:10] couple things that you would write down
[118:11] in a given dream journal. So you might
[118:13] write down um what was the theme, right?
[118:16] So was it was like describe it like was
[118:18] it dark out? Was it light out? Uh was it
[118:20] scary? Was it happy? You might describe
[118:22] the surroundings of it and you might
[118:24] describe the people that are in it as
[118:26] well. um and start listing these things
[118:28] and getting as detailed as you possibly
[118:31] can. Once you've kind of gotten through
[118:33] the point of getting the details down of
[118:35] your dream, then if you want to change
[118:37] them, you can change the ending. It's
[118:39] not hard. You just change it the way you
[118:41] want it to be. Then you start to read it
[118:43] over for yourself. Now, I want to be
[118:45] clear, in terrible nightmare situations,
[118:48] this can be a little bit difficult. And
[118:50] so, you're probably going to want to
[118:50] talk with your therapist about it and
[118:52] maybe work with the therapist while
[118:54] doing something like this. But it is
[118:55] absolutely possible to collect
[118:56] information from in a dream journal u
[118:58] and be able to do some interesting stuff
[119:00] with it. I would not recommend taking
[119:03] your dream and stuffing it into chat GPT
[119:05] and asking chat GPT what it means. Um
[119:08] lots and lots of people are doing that
[119:10] these days. And here's why that's
[119:11] probably not the best idea. So number
[119:14] one, unless chat GPT really knows and
[119:17] understands you there, it's going to
[119:19] give some very broadbased sort of
[119:21] encyclopedia. you know, here's a symbol
[119:23] that means this type of thing, which
[119:25] once again, we have very little evidence
[119:26] that that actually works. So, I would
[119:29] argue that you're better off talking
[119:30] about your dreams with people who know
[119:32] you. Um, because they can actually help
[119:34] you understand a little bit more about
[119:35] what's going on.
[119:36] >> There's a few other items on the table
[119:38] here. Um, I mean, this is I don't use
[119:40] this exact one, but maybe I should, but
[119:42] this has been an absolute game changer
[119:44] for me when I travel, when I'm on
[119:46] planes.
[119:47] >> I love a good sleep mask. My wife says
[119:49] it looks like I'm living in the 50s.
[119:51] >> [laughter]
[119:52] >> you know, when I'm wearing it. But I
[119:54] love a good sleep mask. That one in
[119:55] particular is pretty cool because you
[119:56] can remove the eye cups and you can
[119:58] change the sizing of where you want it.
[120:01] And then these can actually you can
[120:02] replace these with things that heat or
[120:04] cool.
[120:04] >> Um, but I love that that particular eye
[120:07] mask. It works. Yeah, it's really works
[120:09] quite well. It's very dark in there. You
[120:12] definitely can't see up there.
[120:13] >> Crazy,
[120:13] >> right?
[120:15] >> And then I've got one more thing that I
[120:16] think people will find interesting. I
[120:18] can't explain how how much of a game
[120:20] changer it has been to cover my eyes
[120:22] when I go to sleep because gosh the
[120:24] amount of nights per week where I don't
[120:25] know there's like a crack in the in the
[120:28] curtains or I don't know someone gets up
[120:30] early and
[120:31] >> well also for you you're traveling all
[120:33] the time you're in different you're in
[120:34] planes you're in different environments
[120:36] also by the way every time you're in a
[120:38] different environment you have something
[120:39] called the first night effect so we see
[120:41] this with every human on earth when you
[120:43] sleep in a new place for the first night
[120:45] you never sleep well because it's new
[120:47] sounds new sights you know, new smells,
[120:49] all that stuff is new. So, what's nice
[120:51] about having this is when I put one of
[120:52] these on, I don't have to worry about
[120:54] light. I don't have to worry about
[120:55] anything.
[120:56] >> Does CO2 play a role?
[120:57] >> In what way?
[120:58] >> In changing sleep. I was thinking if
[121:00] ventilation, the amount of oxygen in the
[121:02] room matters at all because sometimes I
[121:03] go to hotels and they don't have windows
[121:05] you can open.
[121:06] >> Right. So, air quality is also a
[121:09] important thing, not just air quantity,
[121:12] right? And so number number one thing if
[121:14] I was to tell people, hey, here's an
[121:15] easy thing to do to to make your sleep
[121:17] better, just go out and buy an air
[121:19] purifier for your bedroom. Think about
[121:20] it. It's the room you spend more time in
[121:22] than any other room in the house. You
[121:24] want that air to be fresh and filtered,
[121:27] right? And not a big, it's not
[121:28] expensive. 20 25 bucks. One sits in the
[121:30] corner, just runs the air, cycles all
[121:32] day long. That way you know you have
[121:34] good clean fresh air. Um, also I tell
[121:37] people open the windows once a week. Um,
[121:39] it's good to get fresh air in. Now, the
[121:41] only problem comes is if you have
[121:42] allergies and the allergens fly in and
[121:45] there's pollen or dust or things like
[121:47] that, that can be somewhat problematic.
[121:50] But generally speaking, if you don't
[121:52] have enough oxygen going on, you're
[121:54] definitely not going to sleep well and
[121:55] your body's going to wake up. So, if you
[121:56] were in, let's say, a oxygen restrictive
[121:59] environment, so let's say that you were
[122:01] underneath the covers,
[122:02] >> right? And you've got the thing all all
[122:04] the way over your head, you're not going
[122:05] to sleep particularly well and
[122:06] eventually you're going to get so feel
[122:08] so restricted that you're going to open
[122:09] up the covers. I want to understand the
[122:12] best possible sleep position. I do have
[122:14] a bed um in the room next door that we
[122:15] can go to and talk about these pillows.
[122:17] But before we do that,
[122:18] >> sure.
[122:18] >> I would like to talk about
[122:21] >> relationships, arguing with your
[122:24] partner, sex, all those kinds of things.
[122:26] What do I need to know
[122:28] >> to protect my sleep, but also to protect
[122:29] my relationship? If we start with
[122:30] talking about I know you wrote about it
[122:32] in your book, um the power of when you
[122:34] talked about I think it's on page 10
[122:36] >> 101. You talk about arguing with your
[122:38] partner before bed.
[122:39] >> Yes.
[122:41] Possibly the worst thing you can
[122:43] possibly do is argue with your partner
[122:45] before bed. Um because it's increasing
[122:48] heart rate, right? What I tell all my
[122:51] patients to do is if you if you need to
[122:53] have an important discussion with your
[122:55] spouse or your partner, do it right
[122:58] after dinner, right? So like in that
[123:00] 7:00 range, 7 to 8:00 range. So that way
[123:03] you have enough space and time to be
[123:04] able to discuss something and not
[123:06] hopefully go to bed angry if you can
[123:08] avoid it at all possible. It happens.
[123:10] Look, I can't say that I've never gone
[123:12] to bed angry. I'm sure you can't say
[123:13] that either. Sometimes things are a
[123:15] bigger deal. But if you can find better
[123:17] times to schedule those things, they
[123:19] work out a lot better. For me, the other
[123:21] thing that I oftentimes ask a lot of my
[123:23] patients to do is, for example, if
[123:25] there's known issues that are going on,
[123:27] like let's say somebody's going through
[123:28] marital therapy or there's there's an
[123:30] issue that they're trying to work on,
[123:32] then maybe that's better off done at
[123:34] 11:00 in the daytime versus starting to
[123:37] kind of address some of those issues in
[123:39] the evening time. I like evening times
[123:41] to be as stressfree as humanly possible.
[123:44] Now, if you got something you got to
[123:45] talk about, you got to talk about it.
[123:47] But generally speaking, I would say the
[123:48] le the less emotionality that you have
[123:52] in towards the evening, the better.
[123:54] Unless it's joy or happiness.
[123:55] >> So many couples, they have these
[123:57] difficult conversations on the pillow.
[123:58] >> Yeah.
[123:58] >> Including me sometimes.
[123:59] >> Yeah. Well, and it makes sense like when
[124:01] else do you see that person, right? You
[124:03] haven't seen them all day. You're you're
[124:04] literally face to face like, "Hey, I got
[124:06] something I got to talk to you about.
[124:07] This is kind of the best time to do it."
[124:08] >> It ruins your sex life as well, doesn't
[124:09] it? absolutely ruins your sex life
[124:11] unless you have makeup sex afterwards
[124:13] and then it's great but at the end of
[124:15] the day it's not a lot of fun to have
[124:17] those conversations at night. That's
[124:18] again why I choose to if I'm going to
[124:20] have that conversation the best time
[124:22] honestly to do it is right after
[124:23] breakfast.
[124:24] >> In my relationship we've banned uh
[124:26] difficult conversations at night time.
[124:27] >> Good. That's probably a smart move.
[124:29] Dude,
[124:30] >> you're tired and it's going to destroy
[124:31] your sleep,
[124:32] >> right?
[124:33] >> You you can't think straight. You're
[124:34] probably more emotional
[124:35] >> and you haven't put all the pieces
[124:37] together yet of the issues that are
[124:38] really going on. I can assure you if you
[124:40] sleep and then have your discussion in
[124:41] the morning, you'll actually think about
[124:43] the issue better.
[124:45] >> It's so crazy. As I've gotten older,
[124:47] I've realized how much of my mood is
[124:49] determined by my sleep. Like, it's so
[124:52] And I think it's got worse with age.
[124:54] >> Oh, absolutely it does.
[124:55] >> Because at 25 you could blow [ __ ] off.
[124:58] Oh, yeah. Or you could drink a monster
[124:59] or a
[125:01] mood. Yeah. Sleep matters. And I think
[125:03] that's what you're that's that's the
[125:04] button that you're pushing here. And I
[125:06] think it's important for your audience
[125:07] to hear that, right? is look, you're 33
[125:09] years old and you're already seeing
[125:11] things changing in your sleep that have
[125:13] a big effect in your life. I'm 58 years
[125:15] old, okay? I see the same thing
[125:17] happening. Everybody, sleep is so
[125:20] fundamental to the human condition that
[125:22] it's one of those things that we've got
[125:24] to really pay attention to. And the
[125:26] thing is, most people don't pay
[125:27] attention to it because they're like,
[125:28] "Well, my body does it automatically,
[125:29] Michael. Like, how tough could this be?"
[125:31] I walk into that room in the back of the
[125:32] house, I turn off the lights, h go to
[125:34] bed, then I wake up, something magical
[125:35] happens, and I should be great, right?
[125:37] doesn't always work that way.
[125:39] >> I was reading in your work about the
[125:41] best time to fall in love.
[125:43] >> Yes.
[125:43] >> That's a strange thing for a
[125:46] >> somebody of your profession to be
[125:47] thinking much about was in this book,
[125:49] was it?
[125:49] >> Yeah, it was.
[125:50] >> Yeah.
[125:51] >> When you think about it, everything is
[125:54] based on timing, right? So, the timing
[125:57] when your hormones at a certain point
[125:58] and you meet that person and their
[126:00] hormones at a certain point and then all
[126:02] of the sudden there's a connection,
[126:04] >> right? That's hard to do when you're
[126:06] exhausted, right? Try going on a first
[126:09] date when you're completely like when
[126:12] it's the worst, right? You know, you're
[126:13] not giving a good impression of
[126:14] yourself. You know that you're not
[126:16] getting a good impression of that person
[126:18] because your mind is not going where it
[126:20] needs to be. So, there's timing involved
[126:22] and understanding your chronoype and
[126:25] that person's chronoype really leads you
[126:27] in that positive direction. And I would
[126:30] argue that it's pretty easy to fall in
[126:32] love at that time.
[126:33] >> Okay. So, in your book,
[126:34] >> um, Power of When,
[126:35] >> yes.
[126:36] >> On page 9, uh,4, you say, "Dolphin's
[126:39] best mood is in the afternoon to
[126:41] evening." So, the best time for them to
[126:43] fall in love is 8:00 p.m. Lions
[126:45] >> 700 a.m.,
[126:46] >> right? Cuz remember, they're early
[126:47] morning people. They're exhausted at the
[126:49] end.
[126:49] >> Damn. So, they should be going on
[126:51] morning dates.
[126:52] >> Yes.
[126:52] >> Bears,
[126:53] >> 400 p.m. And the wolf, like me, 11:00
[126:56] p.m. That tracks.
[126:57] >> Yeah, I get it. So, should I be doing
[127:00] my, you know, okay, I'm in a
[127:02] relationship. I'm about to be married.
[127:04] But, um, I should
[127:05] >> you got engaged. Congratulations.
[127:06] >> Thank you so much.
[127:07] >> Yeah,
[127:07] >> but I should be doing my dates later. It
[127:09] kind of tracks. That's kind of when I
[127:10] did them.
[127:11] >> Well, look at your whole schedule, dude.
[127:12] You don't do a thing before 11.
[127:14] >> That's true.
[127:14] >> Right. I think you're exactly like I am.
[127:17] >> Shall we go and look at the best
[127:19] possible sleep position?
[127:20] >> Yeah, let's check it out. And we talk
[127:21] about pillows, too.
[127:22] >> Okay. So, I'll bring all the pillows
[127:23] with me.
[127:23] >> Okay, great.
[127:24] >> Okay. Okay. So, we're going to go into
[127:25] the next room where there's a bed and
[127:26] you're going to tell me what can you
[127:28] tell me when we look at the bed. How can
[127:29] you help?
[127:29] >> So, there's a couple of different
[127:30] things. So, number one, I'm going to
[127:31] look at your starting sleep position and
[127:33] I'm going to give you some feedback
[127:34] about that. Then, we're going to fit you
[127:36] for the right kind of pillow for you.
[127:38] And then there's some cool technology in
[127:39] there that I want to show you as well
[127:41] that can help keep you cool all night
[127:42] long.
[127:43] >> And do we need to take this with us?
[127:44] >> Yes, take that one. And then, how many
[127:46] pillows are there?
[127:47] >> I think there's five.
[127:48] >> There's five different pillows. Okay,
[127:50] great. Let's
[127:50] >> They all do different things.
[127:51] >> Okay.
[127:53] >> Okay. Okay, so we're now downstairs in a
[127:55] bedroom we have in the house. I have
[127:57] lots of pillows here, quite a few.
[127:59] >> And there's a bunch of questions I have
[128:00] for you. The first is
[128:01] >> pillows. Do they matter? Is there a
[128:03] perfect one? Is it different for every
[128:04] individual
[128:06] >> sleeping position? Is there a perfect
[128:08] sleeping position? There is.
[128:09] >> And the third one is about temperature.
[128:12] >> You got it. Let's go.
[128:13] >> So I just grab whatever pillow is in the
[128:15] bed wherever I travel.
[128:16] >> Terrible idea.
[128:17] >> Really
[128:18] >> terrible idea. So, first of all, a lot
[128:19] of people need to understand that a
[128:21] pillow is a bed for your head, right?
[128:23] And so, the goal here is to keep your
[128:25] nose in line with your sternum, which is
[128:27] sort of the center part of your chest,
[128:29] right? And but you don't want it facing
[128:31] down and you don't want it facing up.
[128:32] You want it to be completely in the
[128:33] center like that. And so, if you have a
[128:35] pillow that tilts your head to the one
[128:37] way or tilts your head to the other, it
[128:39] causes a pain signal from the strain of
[128:41] the musculature that goes to your brain.
[128:43] You don't get into deep sleep. So, you
[128:45] really want to make sure that you've got
[128:47] a good pillow. Otherwise, you end up
[128:48] with a crick in your neck. You don't get
[128:49] good deep sleep. It becomes problematic.
[128:52] >> Okay. All
[128:52] >> right. So, the big question is how do
[128:54] you pick a pillow? Right. So, first
[128:56] question you want to ask yourself is
[128:57] squishy or firm? Right. So, let's take a
[129:00] look at our tower of pillows here.
[129:03] >> So, for you, let's let's take a look.
[129:06] So, this is a pretty firm one. This is a
[129:08] basically a foam based hunk of foam
[129:09] pillow, right? Versus this one, which is
[129:12] sort of the normal kind of pillow, much
[129:14] more squishy. So, which are you? A
[129:16] squishy or a firm?
[129:17] >> That one.
[129:18] >> Okay, perfect. So, you're more on the
[129:20] squishy, which means you like to
[129:21] manipulate the pillow. You don't want it
[129:22] to have a huge form factor where your
[129:24] like head is on a block of cheese,
[129:25] right? Got it. So, perfect. So, let's
[129:27] move this foam pillow out of the way.
[129:30] >> The second thing you want to look at
[129:31] from the pillow is when the fabric comes
[129:34] together here, it forms what's called a
[129:36] knife's edge. So, it's where the two
[129:39] pieces of fabric meet. Now, why is that
[129:41] important? Because when you have your
[129:43] head on a pillow like this and the
[129:45] knife's edge is down here, you're not
[129:47] getting as much support underneath your
[129:48] neck here, right? So, in order to fix
[129:51] that, we have something called a gusset.
[129:54] So, a gusset is this piece of fabric
[129:56] that comes along here. So, you notice
[129:58] these two pieces of fabric don't meet.
[129:59] There's a thickness here. So, when you
[130:01] were to sleep on it, it actually catches
[130:04] you all the way down. So, let's say you
[130:05] would be like this, you it gives you
[130:07] support all the way down. Now, you don't
[130:09] like the foam of it all, but you do like
[130:11] the the gusset, right?
[130:14] >> Here's one that's got the gusset without
[130:16] the foam. So, it's squishy and has the
[130:18] gusset. So, if you were going to use
[130:20] this,
[130:20] >> that's good.
[130:21] >> So, now we've been able to fit you for
[130:23] the pillow. Now, the next question we
[130:24] have, uh, well, the last one is there
[130:27] are some special types of pillows.
[130:28] Actually, this one has got a cutout. So,
[130:31] you notice how that's got like a moon
[130:33] here. It fits perfectly here. here. And
[130:35] notice, right, this is this is my
[130:37] personal pillow.
[130:38] >> Oh, okay. [laughter] I can So,
[130:39] >> you have to shift. [snorts]
[130:40] >> I know. Sorry. Um, and so you can see it
[130:42] really comes all the way down to your
[130:44] neck and it gives you support all the
[130:45] way from the base of your neck all the
[130:47] way up through. And that's one of the
[130:48] reasons that I like it cuz I can cut it
[130:49] out and put it right there on me.
[130:51] >> For the average person, if if they had
[130:53] to pick one pillow without you knowing
[130:55] anything about them, which pillow would
[130:57] you pick of these six?
[130:58] >> So, of all of these six, well, if I had
[131:00] my choice, I'd pick this one because
[131:01] this is my favorite. By the way, there's
[131:03] also another feature of this that I
[131:04] think is important to that people should
[131:06] notice is it's got a zipper, which means
[131:09] I can change the stuffing and I can pull
[131:12] it out or put it in. So, I can change
[131:15] the height of my pillow.
[131:16] >> And what stuffing is that?
[131:18] >> This is actually a shredded latex.
[131:19] >> Okay.
[131:20] >> Which I really like to sleep on.
[131:21] >> So, what's this pillow called?
[131:23] >> So, this is by a company called Coupe.
[131:25] Um, and um I like it because of the
[131:27] change in the in the shape as well as
[131:30] the stuffing and the zipper on the side.
[131:32] It really makes it kind of what I would
[131:34] argue to be probably the best pillow
[131:35] out.
[131:35] >> And what's the worst pillow?
[131:36] >> The worst pillow that we've got here,
[131:38] this one. So, almost no support, right?
[131:41] It's super squishy,
[131:43] >> right? We don't we don't we have the
[131:44] knife's edge here. There's not much to
[131:46] it. Also, by the way, it feels like this
[131:48] is made with polyester, which is a heat
[131:49] trapper. Now, let's lie you down on the
[131:52] bed, get you in your starting sleep
[131:53] position, and I'm going to show you
[131:54] exactly where the pillow should go and
[131:56] what pillow should be for you. So, if
[131:58] you can lie down for me. Now, what is
[132:00] your starting sleep position? Are you a
[132:01] back sleeper? You a side sleeper? You a
[132:03] stomach sleeper?
[132:04] >> I start on my stomach and I roll to my
[132:08] right.
[132:09] >> Got it. Okay, perfect. Go ahead and get
[132:11] on your stomach for
[132:11] >> By the way, how weird is that?
[132:13] >> Roughly 75% of sleepers are side
[132:15] sleepers, either right or left. So,
[132:18] you're definitely not don't fall into
[132:19] that category. Another 20 or so percent
[132:22] are back sleepers. You're in the like 5%
[132:24] category of stomach sleepers. The reason
[132:26] it's the worst position is when you're
[132:28] lying on your stomach, right, and the
[132:30] pillow is here. You're pushing on your
[132:32] back here and it causes what's called a
[132:34] spllay, which is extra pressure on your
[132:36] lower back. And that can give you low
[132:37] back pain over time.
[132:39] >> I only do it for the first like 10
[132:41] minutes
[132:41] >> and then you rotate.
[132:42] >> And then I rotate onto my side.
[132:43] >> Which side? Right or left?
[132:44] >> My right. This side.
[132:45] >> Perfect. So in all actuality, you
[132:48] actually want to be on your left side
[132:49] because when you lie on your right side,
[132:51] you're actually all of your organs push
[132:53] down onto your stomach and it can leak
[132:54] some of those gastric juices and you end
[132:56] up with something called
[132:57] gastroosophageal reflux disease. So the
[132:59] way I teach people is right is wrong. So
[133:03] you don't sleep on your right side, you
[133:04] sleep on your left side if you can. If
[133:06] you can, but let's fit you anyway. Let's
[133:08] go ahead and get you down on your what
[133:10] would be your right side and let's see
[133:11] how you do. Lie down.
[133:12] >> How I normally lie down.
[133:14] >> Yeah.
[133:14] >> Okay. Okay. This is how I lie down when
[133:15] I first get in bed for the first time. I
[133:16] can't wait to see.
[133:16] >> I'm like this. I move the pillow out the
[133:19] way
[133:19] >> and I just learn lay like this for a
[133:21] while.
[133:21] >> Okay. And you have no pillow.
[133:22] >> No pillow.
[133:23] >> Perfect. And then when you rotate to get
[133:26] to your side.
[133:27] >> Yeah.
[133:27] >> Show me that.
[133:28] >> I sleep like this on my on my right
[133:31] side.
[133:32] >> Like roughly like this.
[133:33] >> So, what you'll notice is your shoulder
[133:34] is now up into this part here. So, it's
[133:37] still being supported. Your head is
[133:38] fine. And what you'll notice is his head
[133:40] is in line with his sternum, right? His
[133:42] nose is in line there. It's not falling
[133:45] too far. It's not overextended.
[133:47] >> That's my sternum.
[133:47] >> Your sternum is the direct center of
[133:49] your chest. It's the m like your breast
[133:50] plate is what you would call it, right?
[133:52] Right. Sort of in the center of So, you
[133:54] want your nose to be in line with that,
[133:55] which it basically is. And when I look
[133:57] at your head, your head is not tilted to
[133:59] one side or another. So, I know there's
[134:01] no more neck strain. So, that would be
[134:03] the perfect pillow for you. But that
[134:04] happens to be my pillow. So, I'm not
[134:06] going to give it to you, but I might get
[134:08] you one if you're nice to me. [laughter]
[134:10] >> Thank you. What about these other
[134:11] pillow? So, the bad one was which one?
[134:13] The bad one was this one. So now go
[134:15] ahead and put yourself on that one.
[134:18] >> Yeah, [clears throat] I'm going too far
[134:19] down.
[134:20] >> Right. And you're not even trying. Like
[134:22] you don't even have to push your head
[134:23] that far. And and you can see and your
[134:25] and look where do you put your arm? Your
[134:26] arm's not supported. Like it's becomes
[134:28] like people don't realize it but pillows
[134:31] matter. What I try to tell people is I
[134:33] used to be a runner and when you're a
[134:35] runner like equipment matters like your
[134:37] shoes matter, your music matters, your
[134:39] your dry fit wear matters. The same
[134:41] holds true with sleep. If you don't have
[134:43] good pillow, good mattress, good sheets,
[134:46] you don't have the right equipment,
[134:47] you're not going to get good sleep.
[134:48] >> That is a terrible pillow.
[134:49] >> I'm telling you,
[134:50] >> really, really bad pillow. Okay, so
[134:52] sleeping on my left side is the correct
[134:54] side
[134:55] >> with a good pillow.
[134:56] >> With a good pillow.
[134:56] >> But now, let's talk about temperature.
[134:58] >> Y.
[134:58] >> So, while you're lying here, you may
[135:01] have noticed that there's different
[135:02] temperature on either side of the bed.
[135:05] >> So, if you feel here
[135:07] >> Oh, it's warm.
[135:08] >> It is.
[135:10] That's correct. So when you're lying
[135:12] there, your body will naturally become
[135:14] more warm. So remember how we were
[135:16] talking that sleep follows the core body
[135:18] temperature cycle, right? And so as your
[135:20] core body temperature drops, you want
[135:23] your environment to drop with it because
[135:25] if it doesn't and the environment is too
[135:27] hot, you can't fall asleep. So this is a
[135:30] product. It's called an Orion sleep
[135:32] system, and it's a topper that's you're
[135:34] lying on top of. Has a thin tube that
[135:37] goes through it. You can't feel the
[135:38] tube. should feel cool over there and
[135:40] warm over here.
[135:41] >> It's cold here, it's warm here.
[135:43] >> Exactly. And we and you can rotate it
[135:44] however you want. But what's so
[135:46] fascinating about this is you can
[135:48] actually set it so that it follows your
[135:50] circadian rhythm and it actually can
[135:52] help you stay asleep. The only thing
[135:54] that you as a consumer can manipulate in
[135:56] your sleep. Like you can't write a
[135:58] pharmaceutical right prescription. You
[136:00] can't get a CPAT machine. But what you
[136:01] can do is control the temperature. So
[136:03] you might say to yourself, when would I
[136:05] want to control the temperature for my
[136:06] sleep? Well, if you were female and you
[136:08] were 45 years old and you were going
[136:10] through menopause, you really want to
[136:12] control the temperature because hot
[136:13] flashes might wake you up in the middle
[136:15] of the night. Those types of things
[136:16] become very, very important.
[136:18] >> And how much does this cost?
[136:19] >> So, this runs about a little over 2,000
[136:22] US. Um, the nearest competitor is
[136:25] significantly more expensive, almost a
[136:26] third more expensive.
[136:27] >> And are you affiliated with them in any
[136:28] way?
[136:29] >> I am affiliated with these guys. I am
[136:30] their chief sleep officer.
[136:32] >> Oh, nice. Didn't know that was the job
[136:33] title.
[136:34] >> I know. I didn't know. I made up the job
[136:35] title myself. Thank you very much.
[136:37] >> Okay. Is there anything else I should
[136:38] know about the broader room that is
[136:41] pertinent?
[136:42] >> So when I talk about broader room
[136:43] aspects, I think of the five senses. So
[136:45] sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell,
[136:48] right? So sight is light, right? So
[136:51] clearly you want the lights down as
[136:52] we're starting to get towards bed. Maybe
[136:54] having a dimmer switch or something like
[136:56] that is a great thing to slowly start to
[136:58] do that or kept the overhead lights and
[137:00] just have the bedside table lamps about
[137:02] 30 minutes before bed. Again, setting
[137:04] the tone. The next one would be sound.
[137:07] So, it's always better to be quiet, but
[137:09] at the end of the day, sometimes you can
[137:11] have that and sometimes you can't. It's
[137:13] really about the emotionality that you
[137:15] attach to the sound itself. If you get
[137:17] annoyed by something, it's just going to
[137:19] get worse and worse. But if you can
[137:21] think in your head, hey, this isn't so
[137:23] annoying anymore, it becomes less
[137:25] problematic. But to be clear, certain
[137:27] volume sounds and certain decibel levels
[137:29] are going to wake you up. And so, you
[137:30] really, it's hard to sleep next to a big
[137:32] highway, right? So, you want to have as
[137:34] much sound buffering as you possibly
[137:37] can. So, we did sight, we did sound.
[137:39] Let's do touch. Touch is temperature,
[137:41] right? We talked about that. You want
[137:42] the bedroom to be cool. If you can get
[137:45] the get the um air conditioning on, but
[137:47] let's say you've got the air
[137:49] conditioning on, but it's super hot
[137:50] summer and you're not fortunate enough
[137:52] to have an Orion sitting underneath your
[137:54] sheets. What do you do? Go out and buy a
[137:56] plastic bottle of water, two of them.
[137:58] Stick them in the freezer. Then put them
[138:00] into socks and then put them on your
[138:03] sides. Okay, so frozen water bottle
[138:05] inside a pair of inside a sock that sits
[138:07] on your side. It's like a mini air
[138:09] conditioner underneath the covers. It
[138:11] works like a charm. I use this when I
[138:13] travel because a lot of times, you know,
[138:15] the room you can't necessarily change
[138:17] the thermostat or things like that and
[138:19] it's a great way to be able to do that
[138:21] kind of stuff. Then the final one is
[138:22] smell. So, people always ask me, "Does
[138:24] aroma therapy really work?" Believe it
[138:26] or not, there are at least two
[138:28] scientifically rigorous studies that
[138:30] show that aroma therapy can actually be
[138:31] helpful for you. But I want to be clear,
[138:34] candles are not the way to do aroma
[138:36] therapy. Fire and sleep do not mix.
[138:39] Okay?
[138:40] >> But a diffuser I'm fine with. Or a
[138:42] little sache or a pillow mist. All of
[138:45] those can be quite helpful. And you just
[138:47] put them, you spray it on your pillow,
[138:48] or you have it right next to your
[138:49] pillow. And as you breathe in the aroma,
[138:51] two aromomas have been shown to be
[138:53] helpful for sleep. One is lavender.
[138:55] Surprise, surprise. The other is called
[138:56] elang elang. Um, that's one that's
[138:59] actually got some data on it. And I
[139:00] actually think I saw a study on vanilla.
[139:02] >> And should I be sleeping naked?
[139:04] >> Such a good question. So, here's what
[139:05] I'll tell you is you thermorreulate
[139:08] better with less clothing on. So, less
[139:11] barriers allow your body to do exactly
[139:12] what it should do. So, I would argue you
[139:14] definitely could sleep naked. And I I
[139:16] think there's an argument for sleeping
[139:18] naked will allow you to sleep better and
[139:20] thermorreulate better. However, be
[139:22] careful because if you have animals in
[139:25] the bed and you're sleeping naked, what
[139:27] looks like a chew toy to them might be
[139:29] important for you.
[139:30] >> You're speaking from experience.
[139:31] >> I'm just letting you know there's
[139:33] problems out there. I'm not saying that
[139:34] I had one of those problems myself.
[139:36] [laughter]
[139:37] >> Okay. I I think we've covered it, right?
[139:40] >> Last one. Yeah.
[139:41] >> Socks.
[139:42] >> Oh, socks. Everybody wants to know,
[139:44] should I wear socks to bed? So, here's
[139:47] what's interesting is you dissipate heat
[139:49] faster wearing uh with uh unsocked foot
[139:52] because there's no hair on the bottom of
[139:54] your feet. You ever notice when you're
[139:55] hot at night and you stick your foot out
[139:56] from under the covers, you instantly
[139:58] cool down and everything's okay. So,
[140:00] what I do for some of my patients who
[140:02] have thermmorreulation issues, I have
[140:03] them start with socks but no clothes and
[140:05] then they can remove their socks
[140:07] afterwards as they start to get too
[140:08] warm.
[140:09] >> Okay, let's go back upstairs and finish
[140:10] this conversation.
[140:11] important question to ask you.
[140:13] >> So, I want to go back upstairs. Thank
[140:14] you so much for that. Super, super
[140:15] useful.
[140:16] >> Sure.
[140:18] >> Dr. Michael Bruce, we have a closing
[140:20] tradition on this podcast where the last
[140:22] guest leaves a question for the next
[140:23] guest, not knowing who they're leaving
[140:24] it for.
[140:25] >> Oh, I didn't know this. This is awesome.
[140:27] >> And the question that's been left for
[140:28] you is, if you could have the power to
[140:31] change one thing in the US healthare
[140:33] system, what would it be and why?
[140:37] >> What I would like to see happen, well,
[140:39] there's two things. One is a wish and
[140:41] one is I think a possible reality. So
[140:44] the possible reality is I'd like to see
[140:46] everybody in the United States get
[140:48] tested for sleep apnnea. It's so
[140:51] underdiagnosed. There's so many people
[140:52] that are suffering from it. You saw the
[140:54] statistics. I mean it's it's an
[140:56] epidemic. So if I could have one thing
[140:58] that happens in the US health care
[141:00] system, it would be that somehow or
[141:02] another somebody the powers that be say,
[141:04] "Hey, you know what? We need to test
[141:05] everybody for sleep disorders,
[141:07] specifically sleep apnea." I think that
[141:09] would be a great big wish that I would
[141:11] have. The second wish, which I don't
[141:12] know would would ever happen, but I'm
[141:14] going to take my second wish anyway,
[141:15] even though you didn't offer it, is I
[141:17] want everybody to get a great night's
[141:20] sleep, but I wanted to all be on the
[141:22] same night.
[141:24] I want everybody in the world to get a
[141:26] really good night's sleep on the Can you
[141:28] imagine what would happen the next day?
[141:30] What if what if what if people actually
[141:32] found peace in the waring nations
[141:35] because they actually got a good night's
[141:37] sleep? What do you think innovations
[141:40] would happen with if we get some of the
[141:42] smartest people in the world to just get
[141:44] a good night's sleep? Like what about
[141:46] charities? What about philanthropy? Like
[141:48] every single thing that you do, you do
[141:51] better with a good night's sleep.
[141:53] Wouldn't it be cool if everybody got one
[141:55] just for one night and see what happens?
[141:57] >> Nine months later, there'd be a lot of
[141:58] kids. There would be a lot of kids born
[142:00] for sure. [laughter]
[142:02] >> That's so beautiful. Michael, thank you
[142:03] so much for the work that you do. It's
[142:04] so incredibly important because as the
[142:06] numbers and the stats have shown, people
[142:07] are struggling increasingly in the world
[142:09] that we live. But through lifestyle
[142:10] factors and the way that we work and all
[142:12] these other factors we talked about with
[142:14] this more than anything and for so many
[142:15] people, it's the cause of so much
[142:17] frustration. It is the thing furthest
[142:19] upstream from a lot of the problems that
[142:21] they struggle with in relationships, in
[142:23] their work, in their sex life, and
[142:24] everything in between. So having great
[142:26] educators out in the world that help to
[142:29] demystify this black box is so critical
[142:31] and you're one of the very very best
[142:33] I've ever met and in part because you're
[142:34] so unbelievably engaging. You're a great
[142:35] storyteller. You've you've been in the
[142:38] field doing this with patients of wide
[142:40] varieties but also you bring that
[142:41] psychology element which is of quite
[142:43] rare to people that talk about
[142:45] >> the clinical side of sleep. You have
[142:47] several great resources if people want
[142:49] to continue to um learn more. I would
[142:51] highly recommend um people if you've
[142:54] gotten to this point in the
[142:54] conversation, I would highly recommend
[142:56] going over to your YouTube channel now
[142:58] and watching some of your top videos
[143:00] because I found them to be fascinating
[143:02] and I learned so much more. We we
[143:03] weren't able to go through everything
[143:04] today, but [laughter] if there's
[143:05] specific things like waking up in the
[143:07] middle of the night, um your videos
[143:09] about that have six or seven million
[143:10] views over on your channel and they're
[143:12] very very focused on that subject. So,
[143:14] if there's specific things that you felt
[143:15] weren't covered in this conversation,
[143:17] right now go over to Michael's channel.
[143:19] Um, it'll be linked below and um, watch
[143:22] more there. But also, if you're a reader
[143:24] and you love to read and that's your
[143:26] thing, which I know is great for sleep,
[143:28] [laughter] two great books here in front
[143:29] of me. The power of when, discover your
[143:30] chronotype, and the best time to eat,
[143:32] lunch, ask for a raise, have sex, write
[143:34] a novel, take your meds, and more. And
[143:37] also this book here, Sleep, Drink,
[143:39] Breathe, which talks broadly about the
[143:41] simple daily habits for profound
[143:43] long-term health. Michael, thank you.
[143:46] >> Thank you. This has been so much fun. I
[143:48] wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but
[143:50] it was lovely. I really enjoyed it.
[143:52] Everybody here is fantastic, and uh I
[143:54] just want to wish everybody sweet
[143:56] dreams. YouTube have this new crazy
[143:58] algorithm where they know exactly what
[144:00] video you would like to watch next based
[144:02] on AI and all of your viewing behavior.
[144:04] And the algorithm says that this video
[144:07] is the perfect video for you. It's
[144:09] different for everybody looking right
[144:10] now. Check this video out and I bet you
[144:12] you might love it.
