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.
🧠 Therapist Anne Brown https://www.annebrownpsychotherapy.com/
• 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
(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.
• 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
01:20 Thank You For Coming To The Meet Up
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