Peter Attia – Sleep Supplements & Hacks

Whilst a young Peter Attia used to stay awake for heroically long shifts during medical residency, he has since wised up to the value of sleep.

He makes 8 hours of sleep per night a non-negotiable now.

In this post we’ll look at some of the supplements he uses to help augment the quality of his sleep.

Peter Attia’s Sleep Cocktail

In AMA 42, at 37m 30s, Peter discusses taking 3 supplements regularly for sleep:

• Glycine – 2 grams before bed
• Ashwagandha – 600 mg before bed
• Magnesium L-Threonate – 2 capsules before bed

Below we look at them in more detail:

Glycine

Peter describes Glycine as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain stem and spinal cord.

In taking Glycine, the hope is that it’s calming the central nervous system.

He cites a human study, which used 3 grams of Glycine, and found:

1. It shortened latency, so that people fall asleep quicker
2. It reduced the latency to slow wave sleep
3. It didn’t alter sleep architecture anywhere else

He notes that patients who are taking clozapine shouldn’t be taking glycine.

Examples of GABA brands include:

• Thorne – GABA – 100 mg capsules
• Double Wood – GABA – 500 mg capsules (see 15% off coupon code)

Ashwagandha

Peter takes 600 mg of Ashwagandha in the evening to help improve the quality of his sleep

Peter says that the data in humans is “not overwhelmingly robust”, but he has found objective and subjective benefits when he takes it.

He describes Ashwagandha as a milder version of Phosphatidylserine (which he takes occasionally and sparingly).

Ashwagandha reduces activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, which reduces cortisol.

Studies include:

• An RCT (n = 58), found that 300 mg of ashwagandha 2x per day for 10 weeks shortened sleep onset latency, improved sleep efficiency and sleep quality 
• An RCT (n = 58) that used either 250 or 600 mg daily ashwagandha for its anxiolytic effects found that both doses reduced serum cortisol and improved subjective sleep quality based on a 7-point sleep scale.

He notes a number of contraindications, including: during pregnancy and breast-feeding, pre-surgery, patients with stomach ulcers, autoimmune conditions and thyroid disorders.

As is usual, if you’re on medications, it’s important to consult with a doctor to avoid negative drug interactions.

Brand and dose: Whilst Peter didn’t mention the brand he takes, he did say he takes 600 mg prior to bed. Given the size of the dose, it might be KSM-66.

Below are some useful notes on choosing an Ashwagandha product:

Standardized Extracts - KSM-66 vs Sensoril vs Shoden

Examples of reputable brands include:

• Jarrow – Ashwagandha (KSM-66) – 300 mg per capsule
• Natural Factors – Ashwagandha (KSM-66) – 600 mg per capsule (out of stock)
• Life Extension – Ashwagandha (Sensoril) – 125 mg per capsule

Magnesium L-Threonate

As mentioned above, Peter chooses to take a form of Magnesium in the evening which can cross the blood brain barrier; L-Threonate.

He takes 2 capsules per evening.

Brands of L-Threonate include:

• Jarrow – Magnesium L-Threonate – 90 x 144 mg servings
• NOW – Magnesium L-Threonate – 90 x 144 mg servings

Peter’s Jet Lag Protocol

Above we’ve looked at 3 supplements Peter uses daily to improve his sleep.

Additionally, also in AMA 42, he discusses 2 supplements he uses use for jet lag, when he needs to sleep early, ahead of his schedule.

This may not be for everyone, but what Peter likes to do when he wants to put himself in the time zone of the destination he’s traveling to, is to act as if he’s already in the time zone on the flight there.

For example, if you take off at 2pm, but it’s 10pm already at your destination, then you’ll want to sleep on the flight.

However, it can be difficult to sleep at 2pm if your body isn’t expecting it.

He describes 3 variables that help drive sleep:

• Adenosine – more adenosine = easier to sleep
• Melatonin – more melatonin = easier to sleep
• Cortisol – less cortisol = easier to sleep

Below we’ll look at how Peter influences each one in order to allow him to fall asleep earlier than he would otherwise.

How to increase adenosine?

Peter does this without supplements.

He tries to do a lot of exercise early in the morning of the day in question. Then additionally, avoids coffee and other caffeine sources, which can block adenosine receptors.

How to increase Melatonin?

Melatonin

Generally Peter avoids taking melatonin for sleep, but when it comes to jet lag, where if he does nothing, his sleep will be disrupted anyway, he chooses to use it.

For his jet lag protocol, if he needs to help induce sleep early, he will “slam himself” with 2 to 5 mg.

Examples of melatonin supplements include:

• Life Extension – Melatonin 1 mg
• NOW – Melatonin 1 mg

How to decrease cortisol?

By default, early in the day our cortisol is elevated, and by the evening our cortisol level has decreased.

This can be difficult to regulate without some sort of exogenous compound.

In this instance, Peter chooses to decrease his cortisol levels through the use of a supplement called Phosphatidylserine.

Phosphatidylserine

Peter describes phosphatidylserine as an “incredibly potent” supplement, part of his jet lag protocol, that he doesn’t use regularly.

For his jet lag protcol, Peter will take 400 to 600 mg of phosphatidylserine – to shut down his adrenals, reduce cortisol, and encourage sleep.

Brands of phosphatidylserine include:

• Jarrow – Phosphatidylserine – 100 mg
• NOW – Phosphatidylserine – 100 mg

Phosphatidylserine's Mechanism of Action

So to wrap up on how Peter induces sleep early on flights:

• He increases adenosine through lots of early morning exercise and caffeine abstinence
• He increases melatonin by taking 2 to 5 mg of melatonin
• He decreases cortisol by taking 400 to 600 mg of phosphatidylserine

Other Sleep Tools Peter Uses

Blue Light Blocking Glasses

Melatonin is a crucial component of sleep – and increases close to bedtime; causing us feel sleepy. Absence of daylight is a primary trigger of melatonin release, so that as darkness sets in, our melatonin should increase.

Problems occur when that natural evening darkness gets interrupted by artificial light. Whether it’s from the light bulbs in your house, or the screens on the devices you’re using. These all emit blue light, which our bodies confuse for daylight, and suppress the release of melatonin.

Fortunately there are steps we can take to minimize blue light exposure in the evening.

Peter uses Gunnar glasses, which are designed to block blue light, whilst not looking too absurd whilst on.

Peter notes that when it comes to devices, there are blue blockers built into both iPhone (called Night Shift) & Android (called Night Light) operating systems. Whilst on computers you can use f.lux (Mac & Windows).

Whilst these should be more than adequate, Peter views the glasses as an insurance policy, and definitely notices a difference in his sleep quality.

Sleep in a cold room

Our bodies naturally drop their core temperature at night, and having a warm room makes this harder.

Peter likes to use a type of mattress cover that regulates the temperature – called an Eight Sleep.

Roundup

If you’ve enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy:

• Peter Atta’s Supplement List – What He Takes & Why

This seems like a good opportunity to mention Peter’s subscription service (no affiliation).

For a small monthly, or annual fee, it gives you access to a whole host of benefits that aren’t available otherwise. Including the new “Qualys” series, which are short (<10 minute) highlights from the back catalog of podcasts.

This is a great way to support Peter’s continued time spent on the podcast, as well as make sure you’re getting all the latest and greatest info.

References

• 1
  The effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response to moderate intensity exercise – Starks et al. (2008)
• 2
  Blunting by chronic phosphatidylserine administration of the stress-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy men – Monteleone et al. (1992)
• 3
  The Influence of Phosphatidylserine Supplementation on Mood and Heart Rate when Faced with an Acute Stressor – Benton et al. (2016)