Master Your Sleep & Be More Alert When Awake | Huberman Lab Podcast #2

Melatonin

Melatonin plays a crucial role in regulating sleep, but its supplementation is not without controversy. Andrew Huberman explains that melatonin is released by the pineal gland and helps us fall asleep, but it also suppresses puberty onset, which can be problematic if taken as a supplement 1. He advises caution, noting that commercially available melatonin can vary significantly in dosage, sometimes containing much more or less than indicated 2.

Melatonin will help you fall asleep but it won't help you stay asleep, and many people who take melatonin find that they wake up three to five hours later unable to fall back asleep.

--- Andrew Huberman

Huberman suggests consulting healthcare professionals before using melatonin and considering safer alternatives.

   

Cortisol

Cortisol, a hormone released from the adrenal glands, is essential for waking up and maintaining alertness throughout the day. Andrew Huberman describes how a morning pulse of cortisol helps increase heart rate and muscle tension, preparing the body for daily activities 3. Proper timing of this cortisol pulse is crucial, as a late-shifted pulse can contribute to anxiety and depression 4.

Bringing that cortisol pulse earlier in your wakeful period, earlier in your day, has positive benefits ranging from blood pressure to mental health.

--- Andrew Huberman

Huberman emphasizes the importance of exposure to natural light in the morning to set the body's internal clock and optimize cortisol and melatonin rhythms.