Sleep impacts everything—from your physical health to mental clarity—but it’s often overlooked. In this episode, Ted and Patrick break down why sleep matters and how small changes can lead to big improvements. No guilt, no pressure—just practical tips to help you fall asleep easier, stay asleep longer, and feel better every day. Prioritising your sleep could be the key to a better, longer life. Show Notes 🧠 Therapist Anne Brown https://www.annebrownpsychotherapy.com/ Sleep Research Huberman: • View sunlight within 30–60 mins of waking & before sunset • Wake/sleep at consistent times—don’t push past sleepiness • No caffeine within 8–10 hours of bedtime • Use the Reveri app (iOS) for sleep-focused self-hypnosis (3x/week) • Avoid bright overhead lights between 10 pm–4 am • If awake at night, try NSDR or Yoga Nidra (on YouTube) • You might consider taking (30-60 min before bed): 145mg Magnesium Threonate or 200mg Magnesium Bisglycinate 50mg Apigenin 100-400mg Theanine (3-4 nights per week I also take 2g of Glycine and 100mg GABA.) *I would start with one supplement (or none!) and then add one at a time as needed. **Don’t take theanine if you have overly intense dreams, sleep-walk, or have night terrors. ***Also, some people (~5%), get an agitated stomach from magnesium supplementation, in which case, do not take it. Bryan Johnson Habits: • Build a nightly wind-down routine (30–60 mins) An online randomized clinical trial on 991 subjects concluded that reading a book in bed improved sleep quality in a majority of participants, as self-reported by the participants using SQS scoring. In a wide meta analysis, mindfulness meditation outperformed controls and proved equivalent to medications in treating sleep disturbances. In a study on 94 students, soothing classical music outperformed a negative control and an audiobook at improving sleep quality and reducing depression. In older adults too, a meta analysis of 9 studies with 489 participants showed significant improvements with sleep latency, duration, and efficiency with various music interventions in multiple settings and countries. • Cool room temperature between 60-67°F (15-19°C). • Eat your last meal 2–4+ hours before sleeping • Try to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and other stimulants at least 10 hours before sleep. Caffeine has a half life of 6 hours in the blood. That means that consuming a cup of coffee 6 hours before bedtime is equivalent to drinking half a cup immediately before going to bed! Alcohol reduces REM sleep, increases sleep fragmentation (frequent awakenings), and can exacerbate existing medical conditions Follow us on our Socials: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLzsGH4hM9TxHC4hHPvgMJw X: https://x.com/ManDownPodcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:lm4shifbvs6k63eb54k2gmho Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandown.podcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mandownpodcast Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:05 Episode Intro 01:20 Thank You For Coming To The Meet Up 01:48 Live Podcast? 02:35 Sleep Hygiene and Its Challenges 03:48 Why We Are Talking About Sleep 05:37 Sleep Training and Family Dynamics 07:13 How Patrick Optimises his Sleep 08:09 Quality vs Quantity 09:15 The Impact of Sleep on Cognitive Function 10:32 Your Morning Routine Cannot Outrun Terrible Sleep 10:51 What Made Ted Prioritise Sleep 12:46 Tired Ted vs. Sleep-Deprived Patrick 14:35 Research on Sleep in Sports 18:24 The Importance of Sleep for Athletes 19:18 Sleep Fuels Performance 21:23 Circadian Rhythms and Performance 22:35 Optimising Sleep for Daily Life 25:06 Therapist Recommendation 26:29 Sleep Research from Huberman and Johnson 29:13 Sleep Tips and Strategies 36:05 The Importance of Sleep Awareness 38:43 Recap of Tips and More Hygiene Strategies 42:29 Supplements and Sleep Hygiene 48:25 Better Sleep, Better You 50:09 The Role of Nutrition in Sleep Quality 51:19 Outro