
The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep | Huberman Lab Essentials
Andrew Huberman
Jun 12, 2025
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Recognize alcohol as a sedative that disrupts natural sleep
Alcohol is a sedative that makes you lose consciousness quicker but does not induce natural sleep; it fragments sleep and potently blocks the REM stage.
Maintain routine after bad sleep for recovery
After a bad night of sleep, the best strategy is to do nothing differently: don't sleep in, don't nap, don't use extra caffeine, and don't go to bed early.
Reconsider melatonin supplements for effective sleep improvement
For healthy adults, melatonin supplements are not particularly effective, only increasing total sleep by an average of 3.9 minutes according to a recent meta-analysis.
Use optimal melatonin dose of 0.1 to 0.3 milligrams for effectiveness
The optimal dose of melatonin is between 0.1 and 0.3 milligrams, whereas typical supplements are 10 to 20 times higher than what is physiologically normal.
Limit evening caffeine to preserve deep sleep quality
Evening caffeine can reduce the depth of your deep sleep by up to 30%, an impact equivalent to aging you by 10 to 12 years.
Utilize a worry journal to enhance sleep quality
Writing down your concerns in a 'worry journal' an hour or two before bed can decrease the time it takes you to fall asleep by 50%.
Understand REM rebound after stopping alcohol or THC use
After stopping alcohol or THC use, the brain tries to recover lost REM sleep, causing a 'REM rebound' with intensely bizarre dreams.
Accept nighttime awakenings as a natural part of sleep cycles
It is perfectly natural and normal to wake up briefly at the end of each 90-minute sleep cycle, especially as we age.
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