Temperature triggers sleep and influences sleep depth | Matthew Walker

Duration and timing of light exposure are critical to our ability to sleep. But temperature plays a role, too – something easily observed in the sleep-inducing qualities of a cool bedroom. To fall asleep and stay asleep, the body's core temperature needs to drop by about 1 degree Celsius, roughly 2 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler indoor temperatures mimic the natural pattern of cool evenings and are essential to reducing the body's core temperature. Manipulating the core body temperature through hot baths, showers, or saunas – which can have a paradoxical effect on reducing core body temperature – can have dramatic effects on our ability to fall asleep. In this clip, Dr. Matthew Walker describes the role of temperature in augmenting sleep.

Original episode published on Feb 28, 2019
🙇‍♀️ #Sleep #Cancer # Alzheimers 🧠

About FoundMyFitness: Rhonda Patrick has a Ph.D. in biomedical science from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She also has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in biochemistry/chemistry from the University of California. She has done extensive research on aging, cancer, and nutrition.

It is Dr. Patrick’s goal to challenge the status quo and encourage the wider public to think about health and longevity using a proactive, preventative approach.

[FoundMyFitnessClips]

Watch the full episode:

FoundMyFitness episode page:

More clips from this guest:

[johnneumann]

1. Trying out the hot shower 20mins before bed (so, at 9:40PM*)
2. Cold bedroom (where I only sleep; don't eat nor use any phone/laptop while in bed)
3. Expose feet and hands from the bed covers

My only Q is this: what is the *Minimum Effective Dose for the duration of the hot shower?* I scanned the scientific paper and thy used 15-30min intervals of heating . . . but this was during the whole night in a skin suit. *I wonder if the effects of vasodilation that Dr. Walker mentioned (@ **02:38**) could be achieved with a 5 min hot shower* (in which I will be brusing my teeth so as to be maximally efficient as an end-of-day routine).

*according to my other readings on Slow Wave Sleep (SWS aka NREM 3), this peaks in the Circadian Rhythm for the 3hrs between 9PM to 12AM. Additionally, the REM peak is 6AM-8AM with a Circadian Nadir around 1PM-3PM. As perhaps one can guess, my sleep interest is in maximizing those three regions of sleep using a segmented sleep core at both the SWS and REM peak and a short nap (20mins) during the Circadian Nadir.
My experiment in this Dual Core sleep set-up will be to find if I can reduce Total Sleep Time (TST) via a 3hr20min SWS core 1, 1hr40min REM core 2 and a 20min nap at Circ. Nadir resulting in a Polyphasic Sleep schedule of 5hrs20mins TST.
Currently on Day 3 of my attempt so I hope my polyphasic(dot)net research and Dr. Walkers tips for SWS will help me succeed over my 4 weeks attempt at Adaptation to this Dual Core schedule!

[koko-ikuu]

i wake up in the middle of the night because i can't sleep because i have cold, i put on another blanket and i fell asleep again

[sasanseyf]

Question: I use the dry Sauna for 10-20 mins after each morning workout. Does this have a negative effect on night time sleep? Should I avoid the sauna in the morning, and opt for it in the evening? Thank you.

[mattward]

So what you are saying is after buying 1000 of dollars of stuff all I needed to get a good night sleep was a hot water bottle?

[Vuyccbvuj]

When you eat food you fall asleep digesting aft wards