- May 19, 2025
America is facing a sleep crisis. Over half of all Americans report suffering from insomnia, and nearly 9 million rely on prescription sleep medications. However, these sleeping pills come with numerous side effects and merely mask the underlying issues preventing restful sleep. Research indicates that the quality of sleep is more crucial than the quantity. High-quality, restorative sleep offers numerous benefits, including improved brain function, muscle recovery, longevity, hormone balance, heart protection, and fat reduction.
Science-backed sleep hacks include identifying your sleep chronotype, minimizing exposure to junk light, consuming the right fats, using wearable sleep devices, adjusting your sleep position, meditating, and taking specific supplements. Ready to elevate your sleep game? Try the Bulletproof 30-Day Sleep Challenge and experience increased happiness, strength, and alertness.
The Importance of Quality Sleep
To be stronger, happier, and more productive, focus on enhancing your sleep quality. High-quality sleep is a cornerstone of high performance. It offers numerous benefits, such as:
Contrary to popular belief, the number of hours you sleep isn’t as important as the quality of those hours. The largest sleep study ever conducted on 1.1 million people found that quality trumps quantity. Participants who slept six and a half hours a night lived longer than those who slept eight hours. This suggests that the healthiest individuals may need less sleep when it’s of high quality.
If you try just one sleep hack, make it this one. Junk light—blue light from screens and LED bulbs—disrupts your sleep by suppressing melatonin production. Here are ways to protect yourself:
If your mind races when you try to sleep, meditation can help. Science shows that meditation significantly reduces stress and anxiety. It makes you aware of automatic thoughts and impulses, providing more control and calming your nervous system. Start with five minutes daily and gradually increase to 20 minutes. Try the Bulletproof 30-Day Meditation Challenge for guided meditations.
Quality sleep is more important than quantity. High-tech sleep devices can deepen your sleep. Free smartphone apps like Headspace offer “sleepcasts” to help you drift off. Wearable sleep devices like headbands and rings measure sleep and increase slow brain waves for deeper sleep. Weighted blankets are another option, providing comfort and reducing anxiety.
Your circadian rhythm, or internal body clock, varies from person to person. Dr. Michael Breus identified four sleep chronotypes:
Your sleep position can significantly impact your performance. Learn the pros and cons of back, side, and stomach sleeping and how to optimize your position. Try raising the top of your bed frame by a few inches to enhance glymphatic drainage, helping your brain flush out debris.
What you eat affects your sleep. High-quality fats like grass-fed butter and wild-caught fish nourish your brain, keeping blood sugar steady and hunger at bay. Consider adding a tablespoon of high-quality MCT Oil like Brain Octane to herbal tea before bed.
Non-habit-forming supplements can help you relax and improve sleep quality. Here are the top ones:
Blue light suppresses melatonin production, disrupting your circadian rhythm and making it harder to fall asleep.
Take magnesium 1-2 hours before bedtime to help relax your muscles and mind.
Gradually adjust your bedtime, avoid caffeine and electronics before bed, and create a consistent sleep routine.
Weighted blankets can improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety by providing comfort and a sense of security.
Vitamin D plays a role in regulating sleep patterns, and deficiencies can lead to sleep disturbances.
nataly@bioupgraded.com
@bioupgraded
Dallas, TX, USA
