Getting sunlight in your eyes within the first hour of waking increases cortisol by 50% and sets your circadian rhythm. Your afternoon coffee at 2 PM? Still has 25% of its stimulating power at 10 PM thanks to caffeine's 6-8 hour half-life. In this episode, Nina Valdez breaks down the sleep research that most people get completely wrong, plus the science-backed protocols that actually move the needle on sleep quality.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Why your core body temperature needs to drop 1-3 degrees for deep sleep (and how to make it happen)

• The exact light exposure timing that resets your internal clock naturally

• Which sleep supplements have real research behind them and which are marketing hype

• How blue light after 8 PM kills 85% of your melatonin production

👤 Perfect for: anyone tired of tossing and turning who wants evidence-based solutions that actually work.

📍 Chapters:

[00:00] Nina Valdez introduces the sleep myths keeping you awake

[02:15] Morning light exposure: the 50% cortisol boost that sets your day

[04:30] Temperature control: why cooling down helps you fall asleep faster

[06:45] Caffeine timing: when that afternoon coffee becomes a sleep killer

[08:30] Blue light and melatonin: the 85% suppression rate you need to know

[10:15] Sleep supplements that work vs. the ones that don't

[11:45] Your 3-step sleep optimization protocol

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🔍 Topics: sleep science, circadian rhythm, melatonin production, caffeine half-life, sleep supplements