How can I improve my sleep?

Light is the first lever. On Ep. 25, Nikkiey asks you to stop artificial light, including phones, tablets, TV and bright cold home lights, at least one to two hours before bed. She switches her own lights to a warm, amber setting in the evening. On Ep. 346 she adds that even small amounts of light can disrupt melatonin, so blackout curtains and keeping the phone in another room tend to move the needle faster. For temperature, she points to a study around 65 to 67 degrees, though she personally sleeps closer to 68 to 70 and says it's individual.

Evening habits matter too. Nikkiey explains that large meals close to bed disrupt sleep, and that alcohol may help you fall asleep but fragments your sleep cycles and cuts deep sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of about five to six hours, so a 3 p.m. coffee is still in your system at 9 p.m. Dr. Stephen Cabral's 3-2-1 rule (Eps. 117, 196, 209) builds on this. If a full screen-free hour isn't realistic, he suggests at least 30 minutes of journaling, meditation, breathwork or reading. On exercise, Nikkiey says timing depends on the individual, but intense workouts right before bed may work against you.

If you're only getting five hours, Nikkiey's approach on Ep. 237 is gradual: go to bed 20 minutes earlier, pull out what isn't serving you like scrolling and TV, then add a wind-down routine, working toward seven to nine hours. Keep wake times consistent, weekends included.

Most important: don't do it all at once. Pick one change, start small, and give it more than a night. Nikkiey notes it takes weeks for the effect to compound. Dr. Cabral mentioned supplements in individual lab reviews; those were specific to each person, so talk to your doctor before adding anything.