SleepShred
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Short, practical guides distilled from the episode and the literature. Every claim links to the study behind it.
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Beware of health anxietyOver-fixation on sleep scores can hurt more than it helps.Resilience beats optimisationThe endgame is performing well after a bad night — not a perfect sleep score.How you feel is the primary metric"You felt worse" is the only directional signal you need.Run one-variable self-experimentsTrackers tell you how you slept, not why. Finding the why is your quest.
Sleep pathologies
Sleep apnea: the hidden epidemic70–80% undiagnosed. 90–95% among women. ~1 billion people.Insomnia, RLS and circadian disordersApnea is only one variant. Free validated questionnaires exist for the rest.
Diagnosis ladder
Wearables
What to trust on your wearableTotal sleep time: yes. Deep/REM and 'sleep scores': no.Resting heart rate: the canary in the coal mineIn 1,200 nights of one client's data, every 1 bpm drop in RHR = ~6 more minutes of sleep.
Environment
Light: the world is physically brighterSkyglow, screens and 24-hour business — but morning light offsets evening light.Sound: aim for ~35 dB, and hate inconsistencyUrban bedrooms sit at 60–70 dB. It's the *change* in sound that wakes you.Temperature and air64–68 °F (18–20 °C). Don't crank the AC into a noisy on/off cycle.Other beings: the sleep divorcePeople sleep worse sharing a bed. Separate sheets are the realistic fix.New places: the first-night effectRecreate home — sound, light, feel, temperature, smell.
Stimulants & screens
Caffeine: timing is the leverRested + caffeinated > deprived + caffeinated. A coffee needs ~8–9 h before bed.Alcohol: sedative first, saboteur secondFalls you asleep faster, then fragments the second half of the night and suppresses REM.Screens: it's the arousal, not the blue lightThe search for novelty is what disrupts sleep. Boring content is fine.
Food, supplements & fat loss
Sleep and fat lossSame diet, 5.5 h vs 8.5 h sleep: 55% less fat lost. Sleep is a fat-loss tool.Cook or baker? Measure first, then use conceptsTwo weeks of weighing everything, then 1–3 airtight rules.Meal timing and sleepBig late meals hurt sleep efficiency; finish ≥ 3 h before bed.Evidence tiers for sleep aidsLevel 1: magnesium, chamomile/apigenin, melatonin. Level 2–3: kiwis, tart cherry, omega-3.Melatonin done right0.3–0.5 mg, ~1 h before bed, only to reset circadian rhythm. Never at 2 am.
Movement & energy
Energy: the #1 complaintHidden vs visible stressors. Exercise gives energy; under-fuelling and stimulant loops take it.The 5-4-3-2-1 fat-loss rule5 days active · 4 structured sessions · 3 sweaty · 2 strength · 1 very-high heart rate.Exercise timing and sleepEvening training is fine — unless it's vigorous and ends within an hour of bed.Naps and the afternoon dipThe dip is normal. Short early naps help; long late naps steal from the night.Regularity beats durationIn 60,000 people, sleep regularity predicted mortality better than sleep length.How much sleep, really?≥7 h for adults per the AASM/SRS consensus; 7–9 h is the range. Less with age is normal.
Life stages
Children and postpartum sleepOne of the largest causes of sleep disorders in women — and it can persist for years.Aging and sleepYou'll sleep a little less as you age — resist the rest.
Track it, don't guess it
SleepShred turns this research into a 20-second daily habit: log your night, see which of your own behaviours move your sleep, and screen for the disorders nobody diagnoses.
Get SleepShred for iPhoneEducational summary of published research, not medical advice. Screening scores are not diagnoses. If a score is elevated or you feel unwell, talk to a clinician.