Dr. Peter Attia

And the discussion with Ashley was really a great way to kind of go through all of the behavioral changes to mitigate insomnia, which fall under the themes that are, I think, bucketed as sleep hygiene, stimulus control, time in bed restriction, cognitive techniques, and relaxation techniques. So let's just talk about each of these.

And the discussion with Ashley was really a great way to kind of go through all of the behavioral changes to mitigate insomnia, which fall under the themes that are, I think, bucketed as sleep hygiene, stimulus control, time in bed restriction, cognitive techniques, and relaxation techniques. So let's just talk about each of these.

Sleep hygiene is something that listeners of this podcast are very familiar with. These include things like keeping the room temperature cold in the mid-60s, even if you need to wear socks, keeping the room as dark as possible, and using an eye mask if that's necessary. It means not drinking too much fluid after dinner to reduce the probability that you need to get up and pee at night.

Sleep hygiene is something that listeners of this podcast are very familiar with. These include things like keeping the room temperature cold in the mid-60s, even if you need to wear socks, keeping the room as dark as possible, and using an eye mask if that's necessary. It means not drinking too much fluid after dinner to reduce the probability that you need to get up and pee at night.

This means addressing prostate issues if you're a male, things of that nature. It means getting rid of down comforters and heavy blankets, which disrupt the circadian temperature rhythm. Remember, when we're in bed, we're supposed to get into bed and rapidly begin a process of cooling to get into our deepest sleep before we begin to warm a couple of hours before we wake up.

This means addressing prostate issues if you're a male, things of that nature. It means getting rid of down comforters and heavy blankets, which disrupt the circadian temperature rhythm. Remember, when we're in bed, we're supposed to get into bed and rapidly begin a process of cooling to get into our deepest sleep before we begin to warm a couple of hours before we wake up.

She said anything with duvet in it should be banned. So basically anything that's going to keep too much heat in is a bad idea. Okay, what's stimulus control? Stimulus control means limiting the bed to only two things, sleep and sex. Everything else happens somewhere else. That means no phone. That means no reading.

She said anything with duvet in it should be banned. So basically anything that's going to keep too much heat in is a bad idea. Okay, what's stimulus control? Stimulus control means limiting the bed to only two things, sleep and sex. Everything else happens somewhere else. That means no phone. That means no reading.

And while those are obvious, the other thing she made a really clear point about was no worrying. Now you might say, well, who sets out to worry in bed? But what she really means by that, and I think this is very important, is that you don't want to spend time laying in bed awake.

And while those are obvious, the other thing she made a really clear point about was no worrying. Now you might say, well, who sets out to worry in bed? But what she really means by that, and I think this is very important, is that you don't want to spend time laying in bed awake.

So if you're laying in bed and you're awake, especially if you're worrying, you need to get out of bed and do something else. So she talks about people who suffer from insomnia. One of the important things you have to do is get them out of bed for 20 to 30 minutes to do something really low key.

So if you're laying in bed and you're awake, especially if you're worrying, you need to get out of bed and do something else. So she talks about people who suffer from insomnia. One of the important things you have to do is get them out of bed for 20 to 30 minutes to do something really low key.

She had a funny description of get out of bed and do something that you would be embarrassed if your colleagues at work saw you doing it. In other words, don't get out of bed at three in the morning to go and work for 30 minutes.

She had a funny description of get out of bed and do something that you would be embarrassed if your colleagues at work saw you doing it. In other words, don't get out of bed at three in the morning to go and work for 30 minutes.

Get out of bed for 30 minutes to read a trashy magazine or watch some silly sitcom, but something that's not really activating and allow yourself to get a little bit sleepy and then come back to bed.

Get out of bed for 30 minutes to read a trashy magazine or watch some silly sitcom, but something that's not really activating and allow yourself to get a little bit sleepy and then come back to bed.

By the way, not long after the podcast with Ashley, and I rarely experience insomnia, but I went through a couple of days when I was being jolted up at two or three in the morning and could not get back to sleep. And my inclination was sort of to sit there and just fight it and fight it and fight it. And finally, on the third night, I was like, why am I not just doing what Ashley said?

By the way, not long after the podcast with Ashley, and I rarely experience insomnia, but I went through a couple of days when I was being jolted up at two or three in the morning and could not get back to sleep. And my inclination was sort of to sit there and just fight it and fight it and fight it. And finally, on the third night, I was like, why am I not just doing what Ashley said?

So as soon as it happened, I got up, went out to the couch in the family room, threw down an episode of Silicon Valley, which as you know, you and I talk about this all the time, like one of the greatest shows of all time, and then just went back in and went to bed. So that's an example of something that's super low key that allowed me to get back into it.

So as soon as it happened, I got up, went out to the couch in the family room, threw down an episode of Silicon Valley, which as you know, you and I talk about this all the time, like one of the greatest shows of all time, and then just went back in and went to bed. So that's an example of something that's super low key that allowed me to get back into it.