In his podcast, The Huberman Lab Podcast, neurobiologist Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses topics related to health and well-being.
He’s a stickler for getting a good night’s sleep and he returns to this topic time and time again in his podcasts. He emphasizes that a quality sleep, meaning sufficient deep sleep and REM sleep among other factors, is the underpinning of good health.
He often references his Toolkit for Sleep where he explicitly maps stress relief, trauma release, immune health, hormone enhancement and more, back to quality sleep.
Best nootropic: sleep
— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) September 16, 2021
Best stress relief: sleep
Best trauma release: sleep
Best immune booster: sleep
Best hormone augmentation: sleep
Best emotional stabilizer: sleep
Sleep Tools: Ep. 2 Huberman Lab Podcast, HLP interview w/Matt Walker https://t.co/TphgkozQyg
The conventional advice for sleep hygiene includes absence of devices or bright light an hour or more before sleep, absence from eating at least two hours before sleep, avoiding alcohol or reducing alcohol, and keeping your bedroom temperature cool.
If you are sticking to this sleep protocol and are still having issues either falling asleep or staying asleep, or if you slip up once in a while or more than once in a while and could use a helping hand, I’ve found something that’s helped me.
It’s an herbal supplement called Relora that I originally started using to manage my cortisol levels which was high in the morning, as it ought to be, but would unexpectedly and undesirably surge in the middle of the day.
Relora is a trademarked supplement containing two Chinese tree barks, Magnolia officinalis which supports healthy adrenal function and Phellodendron amurense which supports a calm state of mind.
People take Relora to achieve calmness, as a way to combat stress, to manage anxiety and sugar cravings and to lose weight.
I haven’t noticed any impact on cravings or weight loss but it has helped me to feel calmer in the evening in preparation for sleep, and I occasionally take it in the middle of the night upon waking and not being able to fall back asleep.
Aside from sleep, it has also been helpful in the face of stressful situations.
Sustained stress is an assault on your body. It can do so much damage to your hormone levels, heart health, muscle tension, not to mention state of mind. There are many effective ways to manage stress that involve no medical intervention or supplements–meditation, EFT, massage, exercise–but sometimes these things are either not realistic to do or just not achievable in the face of extreme duress.
My protocol for Relora for sleep:
- Take one 300 mg tablet 1-2 hours before going to bed
- Upon waking in the middle of the night with the feeling of high wakefulness, I take another one 300 mg tablet
I don’t do this every night but on certain nights when it’s time to go to sleep but I am still feeling high energy and can predict it is going to be one of those restless nights.
