Ask Me Anything Part 20: Sleep Under the Influence

In their latest Ask Me Anything episode, Matt and Dr. Eti Ben Simon delve into the complex relationship between common substances and sleep. They first tackle cannabis, explaining that while THC may initially help with sleep onset, its chronic use is detrimental, leading to tolerance, withdrawal insomnia, and a powerful suppression of restorative REM sleep. The discussion then moves to two other major sleep disruptors: caffeine and alcohol. You'll learn how caffeine's long half-life can reduce deep sleep by up to 40% even when consumed in the afternoon, and how alcohol, despite its sedative properties, severely fragments sleep and decimates the quantity and quality of your nightly dream sleep.

The conversation then explores more novel compounds and strategies, starting with a practical bio-hack, the "nappuccino," a precisely timed combination of coffee and a short nap to maximize alertness. From there, the hosts dive into the fascinating world of psychedelics, revealing how drugs like LSD and psilocybin act as potent wake-promoting agents that disrupt sleep before causing a significant "REM sleep rebound" on subsequent nights. They contrast this with ketamine, a dissociative that uniquely increases deep slow-wave sleep, potentially explaining its antidepressant effects. The episode concludes by looking at the intricate and largely unexplored role sleep plays in the therapeutic journey of these powerful psychoactive compounds.

Please note that Matt is not a medical doctor, and none of the content in this podcast should be considered medical advice in any way, shape, or form, nor prescriptive in any way.

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As always, if you have thoughts or feedback you’d like to share, please reach out to Matt or Eti:

Matt: Instagram @drmattwalker, X @sleepdiplomat, 

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@sleepdiplomatmattwalker9299

Eti: X @etoosh, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/eti_bensimon/,  or email at [email protected]