
# Sleep

Having a good night sleep is the most important factor when trying to improve your productivity and focus during the day.
Some simple habits can help you fall asleep quicker and improve the overall quality of your sleep as well.

## Avoid caffeine

Although <LinkSubstance substance="caffeine">caffeine</LinkSubstance> is a very potent nootropic that can help you feel
more energetic throughout the day, it can also easily disrupt your sleep<Ref id="habit4"/>. Caffeine's half life can last up to 9.5 hours,
which may have your afternoon coffee keeping you away even 12 hours later. Try limiting your overall caffeine intake and
only consume caffeine within 4 hours of waking.

## View sunlight in the morning

Your circadian rhythm plays a crucial role in making you feel sleepy at night<Ref id="habit5"/>. The best thing you can do to keep your circadian clock
in cycle is to view sunlight as soon as you wake. Viewing sunlight through windows is far less effective, a morning stroll for 5 - 10 minutes
is all you need. Note that wearing sunglasses can mitigate the effect of the sunlight, therefore, we recommend not wearing
any sunglasses in the morning.

## Avoid blue light in the evening

Blue light, which is emitted from lamps and digital devices, can disrupt your circadian rhythm<Ref id="habit1"/>. Therefore, it is recommended
to avoid any blue light source for at least 90 minutes before going to bed.

## Temperature

Setting your bedroom's temperature to between 16 and 19 degrees Celsius (or 60-67 Fahrenheit) helps you fall asleep<Ref id="habit3"/>.
This temperature range may vary from person to person, but should serve as a good general indication.
Taking a warm bath or shower before bedtime will also help you fall asleep. <Ref id="habit6"/>

## Avoid alcohol

Although alcohol can help you fall asleep, it significantly reduces the quality of your sleep<Ref id="habit2"/>. Even just a few beers can already
negatively impact your sleep and can make you wake up feeling less fit. Try to avoid alcohol several hours before bedtime to
improve the quality of your sleep.

## Avoid spending daytime in bed

Only laying in bed when you are trying to sleep, rather than also working or watching movies in bed will help your brain to
associate your bed with sleep. Therefore, it is best to only lay in bed when you plan on sleeping and leaving your bed
as soon as you wake up.






Some simple habits can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improve the overall quality of your sleep.

Habits for improving sleep


Having a good night sleep is the most important factor when trying to improve your productivity and focus during the day.
A lack of sleep has a significant negative effect on human functioning by decreasing productivity, reducing both short-term and long-term memory
as well as worsening overall mood. <Ref id="sleep1" />

Some supplements have shown to reliably improve one's sleep.
In this article, we focus on natural substances that have little to no negative side-effects and can be safely consumed on a regular basis to improve sleep.
Although, there exist many more substances that may help one to fall asleep (such as alcohol), these substances do not contribute
to the overall sleep quality and can be harmful to one's health. Therefore, such substances will not be mentioned here.


## L-theanine
<LinkSubstance substance="l-theanine">L-theanine</LinkSubstance> is a popular substance that has been proven to reduce anxiety and calm you down.
Theanine is an organic compound primarily found in plant and fungal species that has a similar structure to the amino acids glutamate and glutamine.
 Its chemical name is L-γ-glutamylethylamide in which the L refers to the specific orientation of the molecule. When speaking about theanine it is
  generally referring to L-theanine, the form in which it is naturally most found.
Besides reducing anxiety, L-theanine also has a special interaction with <LinkSubstance substance="caffeine">caffeine</LinkSubstance> that may reduce
wakefulness induced by caffeine.

Taking 200-400mg of L-theanine roughly 45 minutes before bedtime should help you fall asleep better.

## Magnesium

Research has shown that magnesium may help you fall asleep quicker and keep you
 sleeping for longer periods of time<Ref id="sleep6"/>. However, supplementing with magnesium only helps if you're deficient in magnesium which may not be the case if you have a healthy diet.
  If you believe you might not get enough magnesium from your diet, we recommend supplementing with at least 200mg of magnesium Bisglycinate before bedtime to increase your sleep quality.

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## Apigenin

<LinkSubstance substance="apigenin">Apigenin</LinkSubstance> is a naturally occurring compound found in many plants, such as; celery, celeriac, chamomile and parsley.<Ref id="Apigenin01"/>
Apigenin has been shown to have a muscle-relaxing and sedative effect.<Ref ids={["sleep4", "sleep5"]}/>
This substance is often consumed through chamomile tea, but can also be purchased in capsules.
A good dosage for apigenin is 50mg before bedtime.

## Ashwagandha

<LinkSubstance substance="ashwagandha">Ashwagandha</LinkSubstance>, known scientifically as _withania somnifera_, is a plant in the nightshade family that grows in various parts of the world.<Ref id="Ashwagandha01"/>
It has been used traditionally in India as a medicine. The _somnifera_ part of the latin name for the plant means "sleep-inducing" and the name ashwagandha is a combination of the Sanskrit words ashva and gandha, horse and smell.
 Both reflect on the properties of the herb, which supposedly has calming properties and smells like a horse.<Ref id="Ashwagandha02"/>
Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce cortisol, and therefore stress, levels <Ref ids={['sleep2', 'sleep3']} />. Stress is
a common factor that prevents people from falling asleep. If you feel stressed at night, taking ashwagandha could calm you
down and help you fall asleep quicker.

## Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that your body produces in response to your circadian rhythm. Melatonin can be supplemented if your sleeping schedule
is irregular because of night shifts or a jetlag.

If you have a steady sleeping schedule then supplementing melatonin will not help you fall asleep, and we don't recommend taking melatonin.


## Glycine

Supplementing 2-3g of glycine before bedtime has been shown to improve the sleep quality and reduce fatigue<Ref id="sleep7" />.
This effect could possibly be explained by the fact that glycine decreases the core body temperature which plays an important role in sleep.
Furthermore, glycine increases serotonin levels which play an important role in sleep.



Several supplements can improve your sleep, reduce insomnia and make you feel more awake the next day.

Supplements for improving sleep





With several pillars of health to consider when seeking to optimize your overall wellness, many often forget about sleep and its importance. As a result, many fail to reach the deep stages of sleep and instead wake up unproductive, unenergized, and frankly unhappy a lot of the time.

Whether or not this is a result of the persistent “hustle culture” or “sleep when you’re dead” analogy that is constantly being pushed in today’s society, it’s undeniable the vital importance of quality sleep.

Additionally, it’s often debated how many hours of sleep we require on a nightly basis in order to achieve an optimal level of rest. While it’s typically agreed upon that 7-9 hours is ideal, sleep duration is not the only component of sleep quality to consider; it’s also important to consider and understand the entirety of the sleep cycle and the role it plays in sleep quality.

With that said, in what follows, we’ll be defining the four stages of the sleep cycle, their roles, and how you can optimize your sleep schedule so as to wake up feeling refreshed and recharged every time.

## The Four Stages of Sleep

Generally speaking, there are four stages of sleep that one enters throughout a period of rest. These four stages are as follows: awake, light sleep, deep sleep, and the ever-popularized REM sleep.

Notably, the first three stages are categorized as NREM, or non-REM sleep, with the fourth stage, of course, being REM sleep…

While each is important in their own respect, they all play individual roles in maintaining and achieving optimal sleep quality, thus improving and optimizing one’s mental and physical health in the process.

Additionally, as you progress through each stage of the sleep cycle, it becomes increasingly more difficult to be awoken, hence the deeper the sleep. With that said, the following will be a detail into what each stage of sleep is and what role it plays in the sleep cycle.

### Stage 1: Awake

Obviously stated, stage one of the sleep cycle is the phase in which you first place your head on the pillow with the aim of falling asleep. Evidently, the time it takes for you to reach stage two will largely depend on how tired you are and how isolated your environment is from distraction.

Because your body and brain have yet to fully relax, brain activity is still apparent in this stage. As such, you may experience brief moments of “dozing” with brief moments of awakening.

In short, this stage can be characterized by the time spent in bed to the moment at which you officially fall asleep. Stage 1 typically lasts 1-5 minutes.

### Stage 2: Light Sleep

Once you’ve dozed off into a state of subdued unconsciousness and your muscles have fully relaxed, your body will begin to slow its breathing, reduce its heart rate, and reduce its internal body temperature. This is what characterizes stage two of the sleep cycle.

While many consider this to be “sleep”, your brain still shows small amounts of activity, thus defined as “light sleep”. While this stage typically lasts anywhere between 10-30 minutes during the first sleep cycle, it depends largely, however, on how isolated your environment is from distraction; many can still be awoken quite easily in stage two…

### Stage 3: Deep Sleep

Otherwise known as “deep sleep”, stage three is arguably the most important stage for restoration and recovery. Without reaching deep sleep, you’re likely to awake groggy and grumpy.

Characterized by a further reduction in breathing rate, heart rate, pulse, and brain activity, stage three is known to be a difficult stage to awake someone from their slumber. Further, it’s also the stage that promotes blood flow, muscular recovery, hormonal release, and cellular repair.

Notably, stage three is the longest of the first three stages, especially during the first half of the night. Upon exiting this stage, you’ll have officially entered what’s known as REM sleep…

### Stage 4: REM Sleep

REM sleep is the stage at which we experience rapid eye movement and it becomes increasingly longer as the night goes on. In other words, while the first phase of REM may only last a few minutes, the final phase may last upwards of an entire hour.

Unlike the first three stages which happen to experience a reduction in brain activity, breathing, and heart rate, stage four happens to result in the opposite. As such, this stage is scientifically presumed to be imperative for cognitive functions such as memory, deep learning, and creativity.

As you can imagine, REM sleep is likely where you’ll experience the most vivid of dreams… Because of this, REM sleep is also characterized by a level of paralysis, intended to inhibit body movement so as to not physically act out the dreams you’re experiencing.

## Optimizing Your Sleep

There are several ways to improve your overall sleep quality, whether it be lifestyle interventions or otherwise…

Firstly and arguably most importantly, it’s imperative that you follow a consistent sleep schedule. Failing to do so will only result in a disruption to your internal clock, thus an impairment to your overall sleep quality.

Unfortunately, this can’t always be avoided, as life can become quite busy… In such a case, it’s your personal responsibility to do all that you can to optimize your sleep environment so as to increase the likelihood of a quality night’s sleep.

Some of the best practices and lifestyle interventions to aid in such an endeavour include but are certainly not limited to the avoidance of blue light before bed, the reduction of caffeine consumption, the frequency of exercise, the optimization of your bedroom temperature, and if need be, the use of melatonin supplementation.

If sleep persists to be of concern and the lifestyle interventions discussed above are largely ineffective, it might be best to consult with a sleep expert or medical doctor to further examine your biology and physiology.

The good news is that there is an abundance of solutions no matter where you land on the spectrum of sleep quality! It’s up to you, however, to seek out said solutions.

Good luck!




We'll be defining the four stages of the sleep cycle, their roles, and how you can optimize your sleep schedule.

The Four Stages of the Sleep Cycle


Having a good night sleep is the most important factor when trying to improve your productivity and focus during the day.
A lack of sleep has a significant negative effect on human functioning by decreasing productivity, reducing both short-term and long-term memory
as well as worsening overall mood.





Sleeping well is the most deciding factor for your productivity. Improving your sleep can be done with simple habits and substances.

Sleep

Buy high-quality L-theanine capsules on iHerb

Buy L-theanine



## What is L-Theanine?

Theanine is an organic compound primarily found in plant and fungal species that has a similar structure to the amino acids glutamate and glutamine. Its chemical name is L-γ-glutamylethylamide in which the L refers to the specific orientation of the molecule. When speaking about theanine it is generally referring to L-theanine, the form in which it is naturally most found.  <Ref id="Theanine01"/> It has an umami taste just as glutamate.

## Where does L-Theanine come from?

It was first discovered in 1949 as a part of green tea. A year later, it was successfully isolated from a tea leaf. It can be found in all kinds of tea but predominantly in black, green and white tea where it constitutes between 1 and 2% of the dry weight.<Ref id="Theanine02"/> Supplements on the market may contain either theanine extracted from natural products like tea or synthetically made theanine. The latter of which might contain not only L-theanine but also D-theanine, its mirrored counterpart.<Ref id="Theanine03"/>

## What are the effects of L-Theanine?

Theanine has a similar structure to the neurotransmitter glutamate and as such can bind to the same receptors albeit with a lower affinity. Glutamate is involved in a lot of different systems with a lot of different functions including a group of receptors involved in learning, memory, anxiety and pain perception.<Ref id="Theanine04"/><Ref id="Theanine05"/>
Theanine has shown to increase, amongst others, serotonin, dopamine and glycine levels in parts of the brain.<Ref id="Theanine06"/> <Ref id="Theanine07"/> Due to the wide range of potential interaction with the central nerve system, theanine has been the subject of lots of different studies on different potential effects. One of those being used to combat Parkinson and Alzheimer disease.<Ref id="Theanine09"/><Ref id="Theanine10"/>

<DoubleColumnGrid>
<Column>
### Cognitive

- Increased relaxation
- Reduced anxiety
- Increased attention
- Reduced blood pressure
- Reduced stress
</Column>
<Column>
### Physical

- Increased relaxation
- Reduced cholesterol<Ref id="Theanine08"/>
</Column>
</DoubleColumnGrid>

## How to use L-Theanine?

Theanine can be supplemented in many different ways. The pure supplements are available as powders, capsules and pills. It could also be supplemented as part of matcha powder which is a green tea powder which contains relatively high concentrations of theanine.
As a supplement, powders are great to fine-tune the preferred dosage compared to capsules or pills which can be considered easier to use. Adding matcha or other green tea as a healthy habit may be the best way to use theanine if not looking for immediate high-dose effects.

## How much L-Theanine to use?

<DosageWarning/>

Theanine is considered as generally safe to use in doses of up to 1200 mg daily. Studies evaluating different potential effects have used varying doses ranging from 50 mg once a day to 210 twice a day. A low dose multiple times a day may be beneficial if looking for general health benefits. A single higher dose 100-250 mg may be the right choice when looking for immediate benefits like improved sleep or increased attention.

## What are the side effects of L-Theanine?

Theanine can cause a headache in some people when taken in high doses. This effect may be comparable to the discomfort some people experience when consuming foods high in monosodium glutamate (MSG). Other side effects might include dizziness or stomach ache.

## Interactions of L-Theanine

<InteractionWarning/>

Theanine has the ability to reduce the blood pressure so people taking blood pressure medication should contact their physician about supplementing L-theanine.

Theanine is known for its synergistic combination with caffeine. This combination is naturally found in teas but maybe not in the desired doses or ratio.
Black teas are usually higher in caffeine whereas matcha green teas are relatively higher in theanine.
Theanine has shown the potential to diminish the negative aspects of caffeine while simultaneously sharing some of the positive aspects like increased attention.<Ref id="Theanine11"/> <Ref id="Theanine12"/>


Theanine is an organic compound primarily found in plant and fungal species that has a similar structure to the amino acids glutamate and glutamine.

L-theanine

Buy high-quality Ashwagandha capsules on iHerb

Buy Ashwagandha


## What is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha, known scientifically as _withania somnifera_, is a plant in the nightshade family that grows in various parts of the world.<Ref id="Ashwagandha01"/> It has been used traditionally in India as a medicine. The _somnifera_ part of the latin name for the plant means "sleep-inducing" and the name ashwagandha is a combination of the Sanskrit words _ashva_ and _gandha_, horse and smell. Both reflect on the properties of the herb, which supposedly has calming properties and smells like a horse.<Ref id="Ashwagandha02"/>

## Where does Ashwagandha come from?

Withania somnifera grows from parts of eastern Africa through the Middle East to India. In India it has been cultivated for a long time for its roots. The roots are ground into powder and used in tonics in ayurvedic medicine. It has traditionally been used as an adaptogen, diuretic and sedative. In the western world it has become popular as a supplement which can readily be bought online.

## What are the effects of Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha has _a lot_ of different alleged benefits including anti-anxiety; better physical performance and increased fertility. Some of which have a stronger scientific basis for them than others. This is probably because it has been for centuries—and it still being—used in ayurvedic medicine to counter a wide variety of ailments.
Ashwagandha works through a combination of different molecules called _withanolids_. More than 40 different of these molecules have already been isolated from this plant.<Ref id="Ashwagandha02"/><Ref id="Ashwagandha03"/> It is hard to identify which of these individual molecules might be responsible for what effect. What can be said is that the supposed benefits come from the whole breadth of different molecules in the root of the withania somnifera plant.


<DoubleColumnGrid>
<Column>

### Cognitive

- Reduced anxiety
- Reduced cortisol levels
- Reduced depression
- Reduced fatigue
- Reduced OCD symptoms<Ref id="Ashwagandha05"/>

</Column>
<Column>

### Physical

- Reduced inflammation<Ref id="Ashwagandha04"/>
- Increased power output
- Increased testosterone
- Anticancer effects of different origins have been reported<Ref ids={["Ashwagandha07", "Ashwagandha08", "Ashwagandha09", "Ashwagandha10", "Ashwagandha11", "Ashwagandha12", "Ashwagandha13", "Ashwagandha14", "Ashwagandha15", "Ashwagandha16", "Ashwagandha17"]} />

</Column>
</DoubleColumnGrid>

## How to use Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha can be supplemented through either pills or powders. Ashwagandha pills are easy to use and widely available but might offer less possibilities in the way of really fine-tuning your preferred dosage. Ashwagandha powders are equally widely available and because of its low risk of an accidental overdose might be the preferred supplement since it allows for more fine tuning of the dosage. Powders are frequently added to shakes or smoothies.

## How much Ashwagandha to use?

<DosageWarning/>

The studies on the benefits of this root have used varying amounts. A study on reducing arthritis used 450 mg root powder administered 4 times per day.<Ref id="Ashwagandha06"/> In a sleep study 2 g was administered twice a day for up to 3 months. Most available pills tend to contain between 100 and 500 mg of ashwagandha.

## What are the side effects of Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha generally appears to be safe but prolonged or high dose use may have unwanted effects. Animal studies feeding high amounts of ashwagandha to rats or mice for prolonged periods of time found unfavorable effects but no direct lethality.<Ref id="Ashwagandha02"/> Pregnant women should avoid using Ashwagandha because of its risk to cause abortion<Ref id="Ashwagandha17"/>

## Interactions of Ashwagandha

<InteractionWarning/>

There are no known significant interactions of ashwagandha.



Ashwagandha is a plant compound that has several effects including reduced anxiety and increased testosterone.

Ashwagandha

Buy high-quality Apigenin capsules on iHerb

Buy Apigenin



## What is Apigenin?

Apigenin is a naturally occurring compound found in many plants. The compound is known as a flavonoid. It is a yellow solid which has been used as a dye.

## Where does Apigenin come from?

Apigenin is found in a variety of plants, common ones among them; celery, celeriac, chamomile and parsley.<Ref id="Apigenin01"/>

## What are the effects of Apigenin?

Apigenin is found in plants which are noteworthy for their supposed health benefits, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects among them.<Ref ids={["Apigenin02", "Apigenin03"]}/>

<DoubleColumnGrid>
<Column>
### Cognitive

- Increased relaxation
- Reduced cognitive decline
- Reduced depression<Ref id="Apigenin04"/>
</Column>
<Column>
### Physical

- Reduced inflammation
- Increased relaxation
</Column>
</DoubleColumnGrid>
## How to use Apigenin?

Apigenin is available as a supplement in capsules or a powdered plant extract. The powdered plant extract may have broader health benefits. It is also found in high concentrations in parsley and chamomile tea. It may be preferable to adjust your diet to contain more fruits or vegetables high in apigenin.

## How much Apigenin to use?

<DosageWarning/>

Most capsules contain between 50 and 100 mg of apigenin. Fresh parsley can contain 214 mg of apigenin per 100 grams. Dried parsley can contain 45 mg per gram.<Ref id="Apigenin01"/> Doses between 2.4 and 8.1 mg / kg of body weight may reduce anxiety. Sedative effects of apigenin may start at higher doses 10 mg+ / kg of body weight.

## What are the side effects of Apigenin?

There are no known side effects of apigenin.

## Interactions of Apigenin

<InteractionWarning/>

There are no known interactions of apigenin.







Apigenin is a natural compound found in many plants. The flavonoid compound may improve sleep.

Sleep

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Related articles

Habits for improving sleep
Some simple habits can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improve the overall quality of your sleep.

Supplements for improving sleep
Several supplements can improve your sleep, reduce insomnia and make you feel more awake the next day.

The Four Stages of the Sleep Cycle
We'll be defining the four stages of the sleep cycle, their roles, and how you can optimize your sleep schedule.