How do I get deep sleep?

To achieve deep sleep, Andrew Huberman recommends creating a low light, low temperature environment, as the body needs to cool down slightly to enter and maintain deep sleep. Keeping your environment dark and cool is beneficial, and it's appropriate to have blankets if needed for personal comfort. Adjusting your meal timing before bed so that you don't go to sleep hungry, but also aren't too full, can also support better sleep 1.

Additionally, it can be helpful to practice non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) or yoga nidra, which are relaxation techniques that can teach your body how to relax more effectively. These can be done throughout the day or during the night if you find yourself waking up and struggling to return to sleep 2. Dr. Huberman also suggests avoiding caffeine late in the day and recommends considering the use of certain supplements such as magnesium threonate, or magnesium bisglycinate, theanine, and apigenin to support sleep, after addressing behavioral factors like light exposure and exercise. However, he emphasizes that supplements are not necessary for everyone and advises consulting a doctor before adding or removing any supplements to your routine 1.

Lastly, if you do wake up during the night, try to use minimal light, so that it doesn't inhibit melatonin and make it harder to fall back asleep. This is especially important because melatonin is crucial for signaling to your body that it's time to rest 3.