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

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

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

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Introducing Dr. Matt Walker  

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

00:06:00 What Is Sleep?  

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

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

00:24:00 Compensating For Lost Sleep  

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

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

00:42:48 Viewing Morning Sunlight  

00:49:20 Caffeine  

01:07:54 Alcohol  

01:14:30 Growth Hormone & Testosterone  

01:16:14 Emotions, Mental Health & Longevity  

01:20:40 Books vs. Podcasts  

01:21:20 Lunchtime Alcohol  

01:25:00 Marijuana/CBD  

01:36:00 Melatonin  

01:54:14 Magnesium  

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

02:15:00 Tryptophan & Serotonin  

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

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

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

02:47:30 Unconventional Yet Powerful Sleep Tips  

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

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

Disclaimer & Disclosures