<p><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/ama42/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=221205-pod-ama42&utm_content=221205-pod-ama42-podfeed"> View the Show Notes Page for This Episode</a></p> <p><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=221205-pod-ama42&utm_content=221205-pod-ama42-podfeed"> Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content</a></p> <p><a href="https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=221205-pod-ama42&utm_content=221205-pod-ama42-podfeed"> Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter</a></p> <p>In this "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) episode, Peter answers a number of questions on optimizing sleep. He describes his pre-bedtime routine, how he utilizes a sauna, and his current regimen of medicines and supplements for improving sleep time and quality. He goes in depth on each of the molecules that have shown promise in boosting sleep, including their mechanisms of action as well as any noteworthy contraindications. Peter also discusses sleep wearables, including both the positives and potential negatives of using such trackers, and much more.</p> <p>If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/members/private-podcast-feed/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=221205-pod-ama42&utm_content=221205-pod-ama42-podfeed">private RSS feed </a>or on our website at the <a href="http://peterattiamd.com/ama42/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=221205-pod-ama42&utm_content=221205-pod-ama42-podfeed">AMA #42 show notes page</a>. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits <a href="https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=221205-pod-ama42&utm_content=221205-pod-ama42-podfeed">here</a>.</p> <p><strong>We discuss:</strong></p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Peter's current pre-bedtime routine [3:30];</li> <li>Sauna: Peter's routine, sleep benefits, and tradeoffs [10:45];</li> <li>Importance of keeping an open mind as new information arrives [16:15];</li> <li>Importance of reducing stimulation leading up to bedtime [19:30];</li> <li>Medications that can enhance sleep: mechanisms of action, contraindications, risks, and Peter's regimen [20:30];</li> <li>Why medications can enhance sleep, but should not replace good sleep habits [34:45];</li> <li>Sleep supplements: mechanisms of action, contraindications, and Peter's regimen [37:30];</li> <li>Temperature during sleep, cooling devices, mattresses, and more [53:00];</li> <li>A tip to help avoid straining your back in the morning [59:15];</li> <li>Contrasting polysomnography with wearable sleep trackers [1:00:45];</li> <li>Sleep tracking wearables: interpreting metrics, and the pros and cons of trackers [1:04:30];</li> <li>Final takeaways on sleep [1:16:30]; and</li> <li>More.</li> </ul> <p>Connect With Peter on <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterAttiaMD">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peterattiamd/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peterattiamd/">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8kGsMa0LygSX9nkBcBH1Sg">YouTube</a></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Avoid Alcohol Before Bed
To optimize sleep quality, avoid consuming alcohol in the evening, as even a few drinks several hours before bedtime can reduce deep and REM sleep and increase wake-ups.
2. Eat Dinner Early & Light
Aim to finish dinner approximately three hours before going to bed, and consider going to sleep feeling slightly hungry, as a low glucose empty stomach has been observed to positively impact sleep quality.
3. Reduce Pre-Bedtime Stimulation
Minimize stimulation before bed by completing tasks like flossing and brushing teeth before any relaxing routines (like sauna), then proceed directly to bed in the dark without engaging with screens or bright lights.
4. Utilize Sauna for Sleep
Incorporate sauna use (e.g., 15 minutes, cold plunge, then 20-25 minutes at 198°F) at least 4-6 nights a week before bed, as it has empirically shown significant positive impacts on sleep quality. If a sauna isn’t available, a warm bath or hot shower before bed can also offer similar sleep benefits.
5. Be Flexible with Routines
Treat sleep optimization guidelines as general principles rather than rigid rules, allowing for flexibility and occasional deviation to avoid psychological stress that can cause more harm than good.
6. Experiment with Sleep Protocols
Actively test different sleep-related activities and protocols multiple times to determine what specifically works best for your individual physiology and preferences, as outcomes can vary from person to person.
7. Consider Sauna Risk & Cost
Before incorporating sauna, assess potential health risks by consulting a doctor, especially if you have underlying conditions, and weigh the opportunity cost (e.g., time, financial investment) against its benefits.
8. Prioritize Exercise Over Sauna
When evaluating health levers, consider an hour of exercise to be more valuable for overall health benefits than an hour of sauna, if you must choose between the two.
9. Anchor to Truth, Not Being Right
Adopt a mindset anchored to seeking truth rather than always being right, which makes it easier to accept and adapt to changes in scientific understanding and new information.
10. Dry Sauna Preferred for Literature
While both infrared and dry saunas offer benefits, dry saunas are preferred if space allows, as the majority of the existing scientific literature on sauna benefits is based on dry sauna use.