Recommendations - Sleep
Here are things I recommend for sleep (falling asleep, staying asleep, and getting high quality sleep). Getting sufficient high quality sleep is one of the most important things you can do to improve your health and longevity, yet many people struggle to do so.
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In addition to these items, you can improve your sleep by: going to sleep and waking up at the same times every day, avoiding caffeine past 1 or 2 pm, avoiding work or other stressors within 2 hours of bedtime, limiting your exposure to blue light (from electronic screens and fluorescent lights) within 1-2 hours of bedtime, and keeping your room dark and cold.
Basic
Blue light blocking glasses
One of the primary reasons for why sleep problems are thought to be so widespread today is the abundance of artificial light we are exposed to, long after the sun as gone down. Research suggests that the blue spectrum of light is particularly harmful to sleep, because it communicates to the brain that it is morning, which can result in a shutting down of melatonin production and an increase in cortisol. Glasses with orange-tinted lenses effectively block the blue spectrum of light, and a large-scale field experiment showed that wearing these improves sleep and next day productivity.
Instructions:
Wear these glasses if you are using any screens - computer, phone, TV, etc. - for 1-2 hours prior to bed. Do this even if you have 'bedtime' mode, etc (which is also recommended). Also, if you have any sleep issues, trying wearing them for 30 minutes before bed regardless of screen use. I and many others experience an almost immediate calming effect from putting these on.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$31
Sleep mask
Blocking out light is critical to good sleep. This mask produces a complete blackout; I highly recommend it. It may take a couple of nights wearing it to get used to it, but it's well worth it!
Instructions:
Wear while you sleep.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$15
Immediate acting low-dose melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that is primarily responsible for our circadian rhythm (sleep and wake cycles). Our body's natural production of melatonin goes down as we age, and is also negatively affected by artificial light and other aspects of modern life. Supplementing with the correct forms and dosage of melatonin is the single most effective sleep hack. Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant and shows anti-cancer and neuroprotective effects. This is a form of melatonin that is released more rapidly, so it helps you fall asleep.
Instructions:
Take 1-3 capsules 30 minutes before bed (or if you forget, right as you go to bed). Even at 3 capsules, the dose is 0.9 mg, which is much lower than most products out there (which can leave people feeling drowsy the next day). Although studies have generally shown long-term safety and suggest the melatonin is NOT habit forming, I do suggest taking a couple nights off every couple of weeks.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$.05 per capsule
Extended release low-dose melatonin
This form of melatonin is released gradually, over the course of six hours, to help keep you asleep and increase the amounts of deep and REM sleep you get.
Instructions:
Take 1-3 tablets at bedtime. I recommend trying the immediate-acting form first, and then trying this if you have trouble staying asleep. The dose depends on the person. Even at 3 tablets, the dose is 0.9 mg, which is much lower than most products out there (which can leave people feeling drowsy the next day). Although studies have generally shown long-term safety and suggest the melatonin is NOT habit forming, I do suggest taking a couple nights off every couple of weeks.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$.09 per tablet
Sleep-inducing tea
This tea contains a variety of herbs - e.g., chamomile and skullcap - that help to relax and calm and prepare you for sleep. Can be found at Whole Foods and many health food stores. Pure chamomile tea can also be helpful.
Instructions:
Make a cup of tea using either 1 or 2 teabags (2 for a stronger dose) and drink shortly before going to bed.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$0.28 per bag
Orange nightlights
Orange/red light is the least disruptive to melatonin production, and thus sleep. (It is also thought to have a variety of benefits beyond this). Keeping lights dim for ~30 minutes prior to sleep is important, and I personally like to use only these red lights during the last few minutes before bed, or if I need to get up during the night.
Instructions:
Just plug into an outlet. They can be set to on, off, or to automatically turn on if there is no other light on.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$18 for two
Advanced
Doc Parsley's sleep remedy
More advanced and powerful formula that contains a nice combination of relaxing and sleep-promoting compounds: 5-HTP, tryptophan, GABA, theanine, phosphotidylserine, and a small amount of melatonin. Recommended for people with sleep issues that pure melatonin, chamomile tea and blue blocking doesn't solve, or for those looking to maximum the efficiency and quality of their sleep.
Instructions:
Take 20-30 minutes before bed. The best dose will depend on the person. You could try 1/2 packet or 2 capsules to start, and then try moving up to a full packet or 3 capsules. The packets contain 5 calories I recommend taking 1-2 nights off per week to avoid building any tolerance.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$1-$2 per day, depending on dose
Accupressure sleep mat
This is a mat with a bunch of sharp plastic spikes. When you lie on it, the initial discomfort turns into deep relaxation over the course of a few minutes as the pressure point stimulate the release of endorphins.
Instructions:
Lie on the mat for 5-10 minutes. I like to put my feet up on something, like the bed or couch, but you can also just bend your knees to keep your back flat on the mat. The one I have, which I bought several years ago, did not come with a 'pillow' so I can't speak to that. I often use this directly before going to bed and it appears to increase my deep sleep; it is especially helpful if I am energized or worked up or worried about something. Apparently you can also put it inside your bed and sleep on it; I have not tried that and I think it would only work if you are a back sleeper and don't shift positions much.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$20
Oura ring
This won't help you fall asleep directly, but as one of the best sleep tracking devices on the market, it will give you detailed information on how well you are sleeping, which in turn wil allow you to learn about, and explore, various factors which may be positively or negatively affecting your sleep quantity and quality. The ring also tracks activity during the day but I find that it really excels for sleep tracking, whereas devices like the FitBit offer better activity tracking (but worse sleep tracking).
Instructions:
You wear it on a finger while you sleep and it connect to an app via BlueTooth.
More information:
Cost (USA):
$300
Chilipad mattress cooling system
Sleeping a cold environment can be very beneficial for sleep quality, particularly the amount of deep sleep you get. I recommend that you try to keep your bedroom pretty cold, like in the low to mid 60s. Another, more advanced, thing that is gaining popularity is a mattess-cooling pad. I have personally found that using the Chilipad increased my deep sleep quantities for 20-30 minutes per night and reduced the number of times I woke up. It's particularly helpful in the summer months.
Instructions:
Read full instructions on the website, but basically, you place the pad on top of your mattress and put 16 oz water into the 'cube' that you can place on the floor or on your nightstand. Can also be helpful if you sleep with someone who likes to sleep at a different temperature than you do - for example, you could buy the 'half-queen'. If you can afford them, their new line of products - the "Oolers" sound great; having the ability to program any desired temperature changes over the night is a very nice feature. USE CODE TUCK25 for 25% discount!
More information:
Cost (USA):
$499+