We analyzed 150 videos from Andrew Huberman, Peter Attia, and Dr. Mark Hyman to extract their complete sleep optimization strategies. No fluff, just the protocols they actually recommend.
Sleep is the foundation everything else builds on. Huberman calls it the "Swiss Army knife of health." Attia considers it the number one lever for longevity. Hyman links poor sleep to virtually every chronic disease.
Yet most sleep advice is vague: "get 8 hours," "avoid screens." We wanted specifics. What exact protocols do these doctors follow? What time, what temperature, what supplements, and in what order?
The good news: The most powerful sleep intervention is completely free, and all three doctors agree on it.
The #1 protocol they all agree on
Get bright light in your eyes within 30-60 minutes of waking. This single habit does more for sleep quality than any supplement or gadget.
"The single most important thing you can do for your sleep, energy, and mood." — Andrew Huberman
Huberman is emphatic about this. Morning sunlight triggers a cortisol pulse that sets your circadian clock, telling your body when to feel alert and—crucially—when to feel sleepy 14-16 hours later. He discusses the impact of light on productivity, noting that bright light in the first 0-9 hours after waking increases alertness.
Hyman discusses the role of sunlight in biohacking, calling it "mimicking nature for health." He notes that optimizing your sleep environment includes managing light exposure throughout the day.
Attia emphasizes that sleep is vital for brain and metabolic health, and includes light management in his practical sleep hygiene recommendations.
Why this works
Morning light suppresses melatonin and triggers cortisol release, setting a timer that will trigger melatonin release 14-16 hours later. This is why consistent morning light leads to feeling naturally sleepy at the right time.
Your body needs to drop 1-3°F in core temperature to initiate and maintain sleep.
Huberman discusses thermal stress and its benefits extensively. Cold exposure increases mitochondria and activates thermogenesis. For sleep, a cool room (65-68°F) helps your body achieve the temperature drop needed for deep sleep.
Attia specifically recommends practical tips for improving sleep, including creating a dark and cool environment. He notes that temperature management is part of his longevity toolkit.
Hyman recommends creating a dark, cool, and quiet bedroom sanctuary as key to sleep optimization.
The science
Your core body temperature follows a circadian rhythm, dropping at night and rising in the morning. If your bedroom is too warm, your body can't achieve the temperature drop needed for deep, restorative sleep.
Huberman recommends dimming lights and avoiding short-wavelength (blue) light in the evening to lower cortisol and promote sleep. He notes that looking down rather than up can induce calm, which is why scrolling on a phone held low is still disruptive—but less so than a bright TV at eye level.
Hyman emphasizes limiting artificial light, especially blue light, as key to optimizing your sleep environment and habits.
The goal is to signal to your brain that the day is ending. Bright overhead lights at 10pm tell your circadian system it's midday.
"Even if you can fall asleep after caffeine, it's disrupting your sleep architecture." — Peter Attia
Huberman discusses caffeine's effects on dopamine and alertness. He recommends delaying your first coffee until 90-120 minutes after waking (to let adenosine clear naturally) and cutting off caffeine 8-10 hours before bed.
Hyman lists caffeine as one of the common sleep disruptors alongside alcohol and blood sugar issues.
The math
If you have 200mg of caffeine at 2pm, you still have 100mg in your system at 8pm, and 50mg at 2am. That's like drinking half a cup of coffee while you're trying to sleep.
Mentioned 10 times. Use after optimizing light, temperature, and caffeine—not instead of.
Huberman recommends magnesium L-threonate or glycinate (200-400mg) 30-60 minutes before bed. He also discusses apigenin (found in chamomile) and L-theanine as options. He's cautious about melatonin, noting it's a hormone that can affect natural production.
Attia covers practical sleep tips including managing fluid intake before bed to avoid nighttime urination, and discusses melatonin use in older adults with appropriate caveats.
Hyman touches on magnesium and ashwagandha for sleep, while cautioning against reliance on any single supplement.
Important note on melatonin
All three doctors express caution about melatonin. It's a hormone, not a vitamin. Most store-bought melatonin is dramatically overdosed (3-10mg when 0.3-0.5mg is physiological). Long-term high-dose use may affect your natural production.
Hyman describes the ideal bedroom as a "dark, cool, and quiet sanctuary." This summarizes the consensus across all three doctors.
Attia discusses napping in the context of sleep for older adults, noting that sleep patterns change with age. Short naps can be beneficial but shouldn't compensate for poor nighttime sleep.
Sleep tracking comes up frequently—mentioned 20 times across the videos. The doctors have nuanced views on its usefulness.
Attia has mentioned using tracking to identify patterns but cautions against letting the data create anxiety. The goal is information, not obsession.
Morning light exposure (10-30 min), keeping the room cool, dimming lights in the evening, and supplements like magnesium L-threonate. Consistent wake times matter more than bedtimes.
All three doctors recommend 65-68°F (18-20°C). Your body needs to drop its core temperature to initiate sleep, and a cool room facilitates this.
All three doctors express caution. Melatonin is a hormone, not a vitamin. If you use it, stick to low doses (0.3-0.5mg). Better to optimize light exposure, which regulates melatonin naturally.
Magnesium (L-threonate or glycinate) is the most consistently recommended. 200-400mg, 30-60 minutes before bed. It's involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions and most people are deficient.
At least 8-10 hours before bed. Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours, so even if you can fall asleep, it disrupts sleep architecture. A noon cutoff works for most people.
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