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  • What protocols are recommended for improving sleep?

  • Sources:

    To improve sleep quality, the recommends several evidence-based protocols, including both conventional and unconventional methods. Here are some key strategies:

    Sleep Hygiene Basics

    emphasizes the importance of regularity, darkness, and light exposure:

    1. Regular Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
    2. Dark Environment: Reduce light exposure before bed to increase melatonin production. Dimming the lights in your home by 50% an hour before sleep can be effective.
    3. Cool Temperature: Maintain a cool ambient temperature in your bedroom.

    Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI)

    A specialized approach involves:

    1. Bedtime Rescheduling: Limit time in bed to increase sleep efficiency. This can be done by initially restricting sleep time to force more efficient and deeper sleep, gradually increasing it as sleep quality improves.
    2. Sleep Restriction Therapy: Also known as bedtime rescheduling, involves adjusting your sleep window to consolidate sleep 1.

    Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) and Hypnosis

    recommends NSDR protocols, like Yoga Nidra and hypnosis, to manage sleep anxiety and improve sleep quality:

    1. Yoga Nidra: A guided meditation that helps rejuvenate the mind and induce sleep.
    2. Reverie Hypnosis App: This tool provides sleep-focused hypnosis sessions, beneficial for falling asleep and staying asleep 2 3.

    Supplements and Behavioral Tools

    1. Magnesium: Types like Threonate or Bisglycinate can aid in sleep onset and sleep depth.
    2. Apigenin, Theanine, GABA: These supplements help reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality 3.
    3. Behavioral Adjustments: Using apps like Reverie for sleep hypnosis, or adhering to relaxation techniques to calm the mind.

    Practical Tips

    1. Only Use the Bed for Sleep and Sex: Avoid using your bed for other activities to strengthen the association between bed and sleep.
    2. Elevate Bed for Acid Reflux: Elevating the head of your bed can help reduce sleep disturbances caused by acid reflux.
    3. Address Snoring: Using mouth tape or myofunctional therapy can improve snoring issues, leading to better quality sleep 3.

    By incorporating these strategies, you can enhance your sleep quality and overall well-being.

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