If you’re still wired at night or waking at 3AM, you don’t need more hacks—you need alignment.

This episode reframes sleep as a signal cascade, not a behavior. We cover circadian and ultradian rhythms, the brain’s glymphatic “night crew,” evening mistakes that backfire (even “healthy” ones), morning anchors (sunlight, movement, breakfast, caffeine delay), wind-down rituals your nervous system learns to trust, and what to do when sleep still won’t come (NSDR/Yoga Nidra).

You’ll learn

Sleep as a byproduct of system safety and timing

• SCN, ultradian cycles, and glymphatic clearance
• Evening pitfalls (late HIIT, heavy protein, bright light, blood-sugar dips)
• Morning anchors: sunlight, movement, protein, hydrate, caffeine delay
• Wind-down window: breath, body scan, temp drop, ritual > rescue
• When sleep won’t come: NSDR to lower arousal without forcing sleep

🎯 Take the Drift Quiz: https://www.themetaboliccompass.com/quiz

➡️ Next: Episode 031 — Rewiring a Burned-Out Nervous System