
Many of us struggle with getting a good night’s sleep, whether that’s getting enough hours in, tossing and turning at night, or waking up frequently to go to the bathroom. And even if you’re laying in bed for 8 hours, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting quality sleep! Which is why I’m excited to talk with Matt Gallant today.
Matt is the CEO and co-founder of the company BiOptimizers which specializes in high-quality, impressively researched supplements. He also has a degree in kinesiology and has over 15 years of experience formulating supplements. Not to mention his experience helping train multiple pro athletes and as a self-defense instructor.
And today’s episode is all about sleep. How to get enough, how to do it better, and why we so desperately need good sleep. Just one night of bad sleep triggers DNA damage that’s involved in inflammation, heart disease, and cancer. It also increases cravings, decreases lean muscle mass, ages us, and more.
The good news? There are plenty of steps we can take to improve sleep quality. Matt goes into the most research-backed supplements for better sleep and what we can do to improve our sleep environments. Of course, there are the biohacking tips, but there are also simple, foundational steps we can take that cost little to nothing. Tips that I’ve personally seen great results with, like morning sunlight, and switching the lights in the evening.
I learned some new things in my talk with Matt today, and I’m sure you will too!
Episode Highlights With Matt
- How he was shot in a robbery
- He spent $45k on sleep and these are his main lessons
- Inexpensive things related to sleep that anyone can do: light, sleep environment, temperature, food timing
- How temperature drastically affects sleep
- Ways to improve deep sleep
- Why one hour of sleep is worth two hours (with some nuance)
- The reason when you work your body you tend to get more deep sleep and when you work your brain you tend to get more REM (and this is a good thing)
- During daylight savings, when we lose an hour of sleep, heart attacks go up by 24% and when we gain an hour, it goes down by 21%
- Why night shift work is classified as a carcinogen
- How not getting enough sleep leads to weight gain or loss of muscle mass
- Lack of sleep directly impacts hunger, willpower and more
- How blood sugar response changes from just one night of impaired sleep
- His top supplements for sleep: L-Theanine (in evening), magnesium, glycine, potassium, GABA
- A reason to consider taking potassium at night and how it can help minimize bathroom trips at night
- What to know about wearables and trackables for sleep
- HRV- what to know and understand and ways to improve it with float tanks, breathwork, and movement
- Why he sets an alarm for his sleep supplements and his bedtime
- A simple rule: 8 hours plus an hour for every hour of exercise
- Why sleep quality trumps sleep quantity
Resources We Mention
- BiOptimizers
- Bon Charge red bulbs
- Essentia Mattress – Use code wellnessmama15 for discount
- Sleep.me – ChiliPad
- Eight Sleep – Use code Mama150 for a discount
- Oura Ring
- Levels
- NanoVi
- Power Sleep : The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance by James Maas
- The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
- Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior by Dr. David R. Hawkins
More From Wellness Mama
- 643: The Sleep Lady on Sleep Coaching Your Baby Without Leaving Them to Cry It Out
- 551: Mollie McGlocklin on Sleep Is a Skill + Chronobiology and Circadian Rhythm
- 712: How Your Sleeping Position Affects Your Health With Dr. Peter Martone
- 499: Dr. Meghna Dassani on Sleep Apnea and Why Healthy Sleep Is Such a Big Deal
- 270: Tara Youngblood on Better Sleep With ChiliPad
- 224: Dan Clark on Using Sound & Music to Optimize Focus and Sleep
- 190: Harpreet Rai on Tracking HRV, Sleep, & Movement with Oura Ring
- 512: Tim Masters on Everything You Need to Know About Mattresses and Health
- How to Choose an Organic Mattress (+ My Top Mattress Reviews)
- My Review of ChiliSleep (For Amazing Sleep!)
- How to Build a Nighttime Routine for the Entire Family
- Can a Weighted Blanket Transform Your Kids’ Sleep?
- Natural Ways to Help Kids Sleep
- 6 Natural Sleep Remedies (You May Not Have Tried)
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