Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman has dedicated extensive research to unraveling the secrets of a good night’s rest. Andrew Huberman’s dedication to high quality sleep is talked about frequently in his podcasts, particularly with repeat guest and sleep expert Dr. Matthew Walker. He is a big proponent of behavior based approaches, which includes:
- Viewing sunlight for 10-20min, within 60min of waking
- Regularity- waking up at the same time each day and going to bed within a 30min window each day
- Avoiding caffeine 8-14 hours before bedtime
- Avoiding bright light in the evenings and overnight
Huberman’s Sleep Stack
- Magnesium Threonate: This form of magnesium has a slight sedative property and can be taken about 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. It is also noted that magnesium threonate is the only form of magnesium that crosses the blood-brain barrier, which may be beneficial for increasing the total amount of deep sleep. The recommended dosage for most people is 145 milligrams.
- Apigenin: A dosage of 50 milligrams is suggested. This can be taken alone or in combination with other supplements.
- Theanine: A dosage range of 100 to 400 milligrams is recommended, depending on individual needs and tolerance. Some people may find that theanine causes vivid dreams that can disrupt sleep, so it may not be suitable for everyone.
- Myo-Inositol: For those who wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep, 900 milligrams of myo-inositol can help shorten the time it takes to fall back asleep.
- GABA: Huberman occasionally takes 100 to 200 milligrams of GABA to enhance sleep, but only every third or fourth night, no more than three or four nights a week.
- Glycine: 2g taken with GABA, but only every third or fourth night, no more than three or four nights a week.