Timing Protocol
What researchers say about when, how and with what to take sleep optimization, and how strong the evidence is.
The verdict on Sleep Optimization overall
Leaning for
Sleep is the most important pillar of health and longevity.
8 sources: 4 positive, 4 partly
Short answer
Take sleep supplements 30-60 minutes before bed. Delay caffeine 90-120 minutes after waking (Andrew Huberman). Finish the last meal 3+ hours before bed (Bryan Johnson). Stop drinking liquids around 4 PM for unbroken sleep (Bryan Johnson). Wind down for 30-60 minutes before bed with no screens.
One verdict, worked out from every counted mention. One dot is one source: a researcher or a study. Tap a dot to see its receipt.
positive partly neutral negative Each researcher and each study counts once per claim, however often they come up.
Finishing the last meal 3 or more hours before bed improves sleep.
8 sources: 3 positive, 5 partly.
Researchers say
3 positive, 5 partly
Dr Michael Breus, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 55:36
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 55:36 →“But for most people, again, let make sure you check with your doctor. You should probably stop all food three to four hours”
Mark Hyman, 2 mentions on this claim
Positive Video
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 03:41 · positive
“you don't want to eat late three hours before bed”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 09:43 · positive
“don't eat three hours before bed so give yourself three hours before your last meal in bed”
Bryan Johnson, 3 mentions on this claim
Positive Video
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 20:44 · positive
“my resting heart rate is 46 if it's 46 I'm going to have a perfect night sleep”
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 09:48 · positive
“finish digesting my food prior to the time I sleep at 8:30 p.m. This dramatically lowers my resting heart rate, which dramatically improves my sleep.”
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 03:41 · partly
“trying to avoid big heavy meals at the end of the day that could really be having a negative effect on your sleep”
Rangan Chatterjee, 2 mentions on this claim
Partly Video
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 23:19 · positive
“if you are able to stop eating two or ideally even 3 hours before before bed you may find that your sleep quality is improved”
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 26:13 · partly
“if you can try not to eat for those two to three hours before bed you may find you're sleeping better”
Roger Seheult, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 1:41:38
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:41:38 →“usually you want it maybe a good three to four hours um before you go to bed”
Stacy Sims, on The Diary Of A CEO, at 1:33:02
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:33:02 →“they don't sleep very well because if you are eating right before bed”
Peter Attia, on The Drive, at 04:41
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 04:41 →“how much the sort of low glucose empty stomach um impacted sleep and it was it was profound”
Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, on Huberman Lab, at 38:52
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 38:52 →“I personally like to eat my last meal at least three hours before going to bed.”
Studies show
No study counted yet.
Dr Michael Breus, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 55:36 Video · positive · Opinion
“But for most people, again, let make sure you check with your doctor. You should probably stop all food three to four hours”
Mark Hyman Video · positive · 2 mentions
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 03:41 · positive · Opinion
“you don't want to eat late three hours before bed”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 09:43 · positive · Opinion
“don't eat three hours before bed so give yourself three hours before your last meal in bed”
Bryan Johnson Video · positive · 3 mentions
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 20:44 · positive · Opinion
“my resting heart rate is 46 if it's 46 I'm going to have a perfect night sleep”
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 09:48 · positive · Opinion
“finish digesting my food prior to the time I sleep at 8:30 p.m. This dramatically lowers my resting heart rate, which dramatically improves my sleep.”
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 03:41 · partly · Opinion
“trying to avoid big heavy meals at the end of the day that could really be having a negative effect on your sleep”
Rangan Chatterjee Video · partly · 2 mentions
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 23:19 · positive · Opinion
“if you are able to stop eating two or ideally even 3 hours before before bed you may find that your sleep quality is improved”
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 26:13 · partly · Opinion
“if you can try not to eat for those two to three hours before bed you may find you're sleeping better”
Roger Seheult, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 1:41:38 Video · partly · Opinion
“usually you want it maybe a good three to four hours um before you go to bed”
Stacy Sims, on The Diary Of A CEO, at 1:33:02 Video · partly · Opinion
“they don't sleep very well because if you are eating right before bed”
Peter Attia, on The Drive, at 04:41 Video · partly · Opinion
“how much the sort of low glucose empty stomach um impacted sleep and it was it was profound”
Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, on Huberman Lab, at 38:52 Video · partly · Opinion
“I personally like to eat my last meal at least three hours before going to bed.”
Built from every credited researcher and cited study on each claim.
Finishing the last meal 3 or more hours before bed improves sleep.
Dr Michael Breus, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 55:36
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 55:36 →“But for most people, again, let make sure you check with your doctor. You should probably stop all food three to four hours”
Mark Hyman, 2 mentions on this claim
Positive Video
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 03:41 · positive
“you don't want to eat late three hours before bed”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 09:43 · positive
“don't eat three hours before bed so give yourself three hours before your last meal in bed”
Bryan Johnson, 3 mentions on this claim
Positive Video
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 20:44 · positive
“my resting heart rate is 46 if it's 46 I'm going to have a perfect night sleep”
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 09:48 · positive
“finish digesting my food prior to the time I sleep at 8:30 p.m. This dramatically lowers my resting heart rate, which dramatically improves my sleep.”
on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 03:41 · partly
“trying to avoid big heavy meals at the end of the day that could really be having a negative effect on your sleep”
Rangan Chatterjee, 2 mentions on this claim
Partly Video
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 23:19 · positive
“if you are able to stop eating two or ideally even 3 hours before before bed you may find that your sleep quality is improved”
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 26:13 · partly
“if you can try not to eat for those two to three hours before bed you may find you're sleeping better”
Roger Seheult, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 1:41:38
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:41:38 →“usually you want it maybe a good three to four hours um before you go to bed”
Stacy Sims, on The Diary Of A CEO, at 1:33:02
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:33:02 →“they don't sleep very well because if you are eating right before bed”
Peter Attia, on The Drive, at 04:41
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 04:41 →“how much the sort of low glucose empty stomach um impacted sleep and it was it was profound”
Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, on Huberman Lab, at 38:52
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 38:52 →“I personally like to eat my last meal at least three hours before going to bed.”
Sleep is the most important pillar of health and longevity.
Kristen Holmes, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 00:00
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 00:00 →“I think it is the most important Behavior if we're talking about wanting to really optimize our Health and Longevity”
Bryan Johnson, on Bryan Johnson's channel, at 01:39
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 01:39 →“sleep is my number one priority in life it's more important than anything else”
Gary Brecka, on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 57:56
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 57:56 →“sleep is again the ultimate biohacking tool”
Andrew Huberman, on Huberman Lab, at 23:57
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 23:57 →“perhaps the most fundamental and important of which is to get sufficient amounts of quality sleep each night.”
Mark Hyman, 3 mentions on this claim
Partly Video
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 00:24 · positive
“one of the most essential yet often overlooked aspects of our health maybe the absolute Foundation of our health sleep”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 17:11 · partly
“it is really critical to Health and Longevity”
on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 01:08 · partly
“simply put sleep is a major cornerstone for an energetic joyful and healthy life”
Matthew Walker, 5 mentions on this claim
Partly Video
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 07:34 · partly
“sleep which I would argue is probably like the Swiss Army knife of health”
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 37:35 · partly
“sleep is perhaps one of the most democratic freely available efficacious forms of health insurance”
on The Diary Of A CEO, at 03:10 · partly
“sleep I would argue is the single most effective thing that you can do to reset your brain and body health”
on The Drive, at 39:06 · partly
“if you understood what I knew about sleep and all cause mortality as well as most disease processes”
on FoundMyFitness, at 2:34:42 · partly
“Sleep is a life support system, and it is mother nature's best effort yet at immortality.”
Guy Leschziner, on The Diary Of A CEO, at 09:22
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 09:22 →“I I think it is of fundamental importance”
Matt Walker, on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 09:13
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 09:13 →“sleep is perhaps one of the most democratic freely available efficacious forms of um of health insurance”
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You know when to take Sleep Optimization. A free account opens the interaction warnings for your whole stack. Pro adds chat about your own situation, drawn from 3,700+ hours of recorded interviews with 380 researchers and doctors, plus 48,500+ research studies.
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