1. A few quotes to get you pumpin’

• Sleep enough. Or die early

• If you can’t tell what you desperately need, it’s probably sleep

• Restful sleep. It is the quality and richness of sleep, not the quantity. Sleep is a habit. Sleep is like a drug. Sleep less, but more deeply. More than 9 hours of sleep is not good for you.

• Don’t read in bed.

• Collect the best memories of your day in mind eye. Count your blessings, stop counting your troubles. Empty your mind: write down all the things you worry about and the challenges you foresee on small papers and shred the papers.

• And Leonardo da Vinci: a day well spent brings happy sleep.

• Key point: if you sleep less than 8 hours or go to sleep at inconsistent times, you are fucking yourself, making yourself stupid, and helping yourself get Alzheimers.

2. What does the brain do during sleep?

Your brain is more active during the night than during daytime. During sleep, the brain is still active, but it is in a different state than when we are awake. While we sleep, the brain is able to process and consolidate memories, clear out waste and toxins, and regulate various bodily functions.

There are different stages of sleep that the brain goes through, including light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. During light sleep, the brain is in a state of reduced activity and is able to be awakened easily. Deep sleep is a more restorative stage of sleep, during which the brain is less responsive to external stimuli and the body is able to repair and regenerate itself. REM sleep is characterized by rapid eye movements, increased brain activity, and vivid dreaming. The brain cycles through these different stages of sleep throughout the night.

The term "MHz" (megahertz) is a unit of frequency used to measure brain waves and other types of electromagnetic waves. It refers to the number of oscillations per second, with 1 MHz equal to 1 million oscillations per second. Brain waves are typically measured in Hz (hertz), with 1 Hz equal to 1 oscillation per second.

Brain waves are patterns of electrical activity that can be measured in the brain. They are classified based on their frequency, or the number of oscillations per second. The different types of brain waves include:

1. Gamma waves (30-100 Hz): Gamma waves are associated with high levels of consciousness, attention, and alertness.

2. Beta waves (12-30 Hz): Beta waves are associated with normal waking consciousness and active, problem-solving thought.

3. Alpha waves (8-12 Hz): Alpha waves are associated with relaxation and a state of calm alertness, such as when you are daydreaming or meditating.

4. Theta waves (4-8 Hz): Theta waves are associated with deep relaxation, meditation, and light sleep.

5. Delta waves (0.5-4 Hz): Delta waves are associated with deep sleep and a state of unconsciousness.

During sleep, the brain waves slow down, with the exception of REM sleep, during which brain activity becomes more similar to that of waking consciousness.

It is important to note that brain waves are just one aspect of brain activity and do not provide a complete picture of the complex processes that occur in the brain during sleep and wakefulness. There are many other aspects of brain activity that are important to consider when studying the brain during sleep and wakefulness. Some of these include:

1. Neurotransmitter levels: Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals between neurons in the brain. Different neurotransmitters are involved in different brain functions, and their levels can be affected by sleep and wakefulness. For example, serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved in mood regulation and can be affected by sleep patterns.

2. Hormone levels: Hormones such as cortisol and melatonin play important roles in regulating sleep and wakefulness. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is highest in the morning and helps to wake us up. Melatonin is a hormone that is involved in the sleep-wake cycle and is highest at night.

3. Blood flow and brain metabolism: The brain uses a large amount of energy and requires a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to function properly. During sleep, blood flow to the brain is increased and brain metabolism is altered in ways that support restorative processes.

4. Brain structure and connectivity: The structure and connectivity of the brain can change in response to sleep and wakefulness. For example, during sleep, the brain's structure may become more plastic, allowing for the formation of new connections and the strengthening of existing ones.

5. Cognitive and emotional processing: Sleep and wakefulness can also affect how the brain processes information and emotions. For example, sleep has been found to be important for memory consolidation and emotional regulation.

These are just a few examples of the many factors that contribute to brain activity during sleep and wakefulness. It is a complex and multifaceted process that is not fully understood, and continues to be a focus of research in the fields of neuroscience and psychology.

2. Recommended hours per phase

The amount of deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep that an individual needs can vary based on a number of factors, including age, lifestyle, and overall health. Generally, it is recommended that adults aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to support physical and mental well-being.

During this time, the brain goes through multiple cycles of sleep, alternating between different stages of sleep. The amount of time spent in each stage of sleep tends to change as we age, with younger adults tending to spend more time in deep sleep and REM sleep, while older adults tend to spend more time in light sleep.

On average, adults tend to spend about 20-25% of their sleep time in REM sleep, while the remainder is split between deep sleep and light sleep. Deep sleep tends to occur in the first half of the night, while REM sleep becomes more prevalent later in the night.

It is important to note that these are general guidelines and that the specific sleep needs of an individual may vary. If you have concerns about your sleep patterns or are experiencing difficulties with sleep, it is a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional for further guidance.

3. Perfect your sleep

Sleep is essential for maintaining physical and mental health, and a lack of sufficient sleep can have negative impacts on mood, memory, and overall well-being. Here’s the how in video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2aWYjSA1Jc

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1WtITGcwwZYQZHVJGciMJp?si=CO8DFFATRx2BFeM6sVysEQ

4. Dream recording: DREAMS.

Your subconscious is trying to talk to you. Start listening. How? DREAMS (Jim Kwik). Diving into dreams and maxing out on their potential is vital for success. Many great inventions came via dreams. From sewing machines & the periodic table to Google and Frankenstein. Learn how to talk with your subconscious.

Your dreams are your subconscious mind (and perhaps even your spirit guides?) talking to you. It is vital to dive into your dreams. Here is how: D R E A M S. Decide, record, eyes, affirm, manage, and share.

Decide: the night before, make a conscious decision that you’re going to recall your dreams. If you set the intention, your chances improve dramatically. Hack: set reminders, visual or physical. E.g., put a note on your pillow, set the alarm, hide your

Record: Keep a pen and paper by your bedside, or even have a recording app readily available on your phone (best to keep the phone out of the room). Record any lingering remembrance of your dreams as soon as you wake up. Hack: buy 2$ pen with illuminating light to write in dark.

Eyes: Keep your eyes closed right after you awaken. Dreams can disappear within minutes, and if you keep your eyes closed, this will help you reflect. Hack: (voice) record your story ASAP. Your memory hormones drop when you wake up.

Affirm: Before you go to sleep, affirm that you are going to remember your dreams, because affirmation is a critical tool in accomplishment. Still not sure how/if this is any different than step 1. @jimkwik might have needed the A for his DREAM abbreviation.

Manage: for lots of reasons but specifically here for the sake of remembering your dreams, it’s important to manage your sleep and establish good sleep routines.

Share: talk about your dreams with others. When you do so, you bring them more and more to the surface, and you develop the routing of tapping into your dreams so you can discuss them later. This might take some courage. But, do or do not, there is no try.

More tips:

1. Keep your journal and a pen or pencil near your bed. It can be helpful to have your journal within easy reach so you can write down your dreams as soon as you wake up.

2. Write down your dreams as soon as you wake up. When you first wake up, try to write down as much detail as you can remember about your dream. It can be helpful to write down the main characters, plot, and any notable events or emotions that occurred in the dream.

3. Include the date and time. It can be helpful to include the date and time that you had the dream, as well as any notable events or circumstances that may have influenced the dream.

4. Use descriptive language. Use descriptive language to capture the atmosphere, emotions, and details of the dream. This can help you better remember the dream and make it easier to reflect on later.

5. Reflect on your dreams. As you read through your dream journal, try to reflect on the meaning or significance of your dreams. You may find it helpful to ask yourself questions such as: What emotions or feelings were present in the dream? Were there any symbols or themes that recurred in multiple dreams?

6. Remember to be patient with yourself as you begin to keep a dream journal. It may take some time to get into the habit of writing down your dreams regularly, and it's normal for the quality and detail of your dream descriptions to improve over time.

5. Lucid dreaming

Lucid dreaming is a type of dream in which the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming and is able to have some control over the dream. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may be able to influence the dream environment, characters, and plot in ways that are not possible in regular dreams. Lucid dreaming can occur during any stage of sleep, but it is most common during REM sleep, when the brain is more active and there is more vivid dreaming.

To achieve a lucid dream, some people may use techniques such as reality testing (frequently checking whether they are dreaming or awake), setting the intention to dream lucidly before falling asleep or keeping a dream journal to help increase awareness of their dreams. There is some evidence that lucid dreaming may be beneficial for enhancing problem-solving skills, increasing creativity, and reducing nightmares. However, it is important to note that not everyone is able to experience lucid dreams and that lucid dreaming may not be suitable for everyone. It is also important to be mindful of the potential risks of attempting to control dreams, as it can be disorienting and may lead to sleep disruption.

https://101.xyz/course/cl3x6mhzb081809kyu040ymed

6. The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time

Recommended readings:

Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams

If anyone wants all the science, look into this book — it references hundreds of studies many of which the author (the director of the UC Berkeley Sleep Lab and one of the world’s leading sleep neuroscientists) performed himself. The article below highlights all the key points.

https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Sleep-Unlocking-Dreams-ebook/dp/B06ZZ1YGJ5/?ref=hackernoon.com

7. How to biohack your intelligence

https://hackernoon.com/biohack-your-intelligence-now-or-become-obsolete-97cdd15e395f?ref=hackernoon.com

Even minor sleep deprivation (sleeping 6–7 hours); circadian shift (changing sleep time by 1–2 hours a day from one night to the next); or reduction in Deep NREM or REM sleep reduce our intelligence in the following ways:

• Applied Intelligence: Severely lowered emotional control, stress resilience, willpower and focus. Significant increase in procrastination.

• Hormonal misregulation. With consequences like worsened mood and lower energy. And smaller testicle size (yes, really). See chart above — the more you sleep the better your hormones get.

• Significantly reduced immunity => more sickness => less productivity. They tested this by giving people rhinoviruses and depriving some of them of sleep. For science!

• Dynamic Intelligence: Significantly worsened ability to remember what you learned the prior day AND worsened ability to learn the next day.

• Classical Intelligence: Significantly worsened cognition and ability to see creative non-trivial solutions.

• Social Intelligence: there are actual experiments showing sleep deprived people are less able to read facial expressions, are rated less attractive and persuasive etc.

• Worsened clearance of waste from brain (occurs in deep NREM) => accumulation of Alzheimers-causing proteins => permanent damage to sleep enabling centers => further sleep degradation => we are fucked. I have a grandma with Alzheimers. And I would personally cryofreeze myself the second there were any indication I had it. If cryofreezing were not an option, I would prefer to die.

• Plus on top of the Things That Make Us Stupid above, we have: worsened insulin resistance, cancer, cardiovascular disease, car crash risk, athletic performance etc.

In other words, sleep is a major opportunity for intelligence enhancement. It impacts many other things. And for most of us, sleep quality is poor.

First a bit of important theory:

• Sleep is driven by two independent functions: accumulating sleep pressure (adenosine) and circadian rhythm (internal clock + melatonin). How long you sleep and when you sleep. If these are not in sync with each other, sleep quality declines.

• Sleep has many different stages (REM, light NREM, deep NREM is a simple classification).

• The stages (1) have very different functions (2) happen in a different order, at different times of night, and depending on sleep pressure/circadian rhythm (3) are all essential.

• Sleep is not actually a state where you are “turned off”; it is a stage of very active work throughout the brain and the body.

What this means is that if we spend 7 hours in bed we sleep ~6 hours and cut out the last stages of sleep, degrading their unique functions by >80%. If we change our bedtime by 2 hours from one day to the next, we destroy the early stages of sleep and degrade their unique functions by >80%.

KEY POINT: you think sleeping 6 hours or going to sleep 2 hours later degrade sleep marginally, but actually they do so very severely.

So sleeping better means spending more time asleep, in the right sleep phases, at the right and consistent time of the day

Here are the key things we want:

• The first thing to do is measurement. Go Oura ring.

• 8 hours of actual sleep per day. This means we spend 8.5–9 hours in bed. I spend ~8:30 in bed on average, of which ~7:45 is sleep. Aiming to get to around 8:10 of sleep every day, so 9 hours in bed.

• Same sleep time every day. When every day our sleep time shifts by hours, we are effectively living in a permanent state of jetlag. This de-synchronizes our sleep pressure from our circadian rhythm and destroys certain parts of sleep, especially deep NREM sleep.

• 1–2 hours of deep NREM sleep per day. According to data I’ve seen from Oura this will be the biggest challenge for most of us. On a median day I get ~1:20; am aiming to get to 1:30 and make it consistently good (I sometimes have unexplained drops down to 20–30 minutes).

• 2+ hours of REM sleep per day. I get 2:45 on average and up to 5:30 when I do a lot of mental work. This is very high already.

Resting heart rate trends through the night

• Low, stable resting heart rate. We can see the rough reference ranges everyone quotes for different ages above. I’m around 47 on great days, 56 on bad days, 52 on average, which is excellent. We want this to be low + stable during the night like in the graph above. This indicates highly restful sleep.

• All this life-long

To sleep better:

• Pick a sleep time where we spend 8.5–9 hours in bed and do not shift it by more than 20 minutes a day. This is incredibly hard in modern society and is the #1 thing that makes our sleep better.

• Use blue-light-blocking glasses for 3–4 hours before going to sleep. Gunnars are good. Plus lately I’ve been using these because they block even more blue light. They do look weird, but we have to decide whether our ego matters more than our health/intelligence.

• Do not drink alcohol. Even a small amount degrades REM sleep which is the key part of sleep focused on intelligence. Interesting tidbit: the main difference between human and monkey sleep is that humans have more REM. So those of us who drink basically shift our sleep quality to monkey sleep and we can speculate as to long-term impacts of that. By the way — those studies about the benefits of red wine are bullshit, sorry.

• Do not drink coffee or tea for 9 hours before sleep time (if a fast metabolizer) or at all (if a slow metabolizer). Caffeine half-life is surprisingly long. The graph above is average, but 50% of us (like me) metabolize much faster and 50% metabolize much slower and should not drink caffeine at all (for them it is associated with major health risks). The distinction is purely genetic and based on gene rs762551.

• Sleep in cool temperatures (18 degrees Celsius; 65 Fahrenheit) and try out hot or cold showers before sleep. Low body temperature helps get into deep NREM sleep. I find that ice showers make me fall asleep very fast (counterintuitive).

• Make sure our bedroom is totally dark and quiet. Use earplugs and sleep masks. Even sounds that do not wake us up actually make our sleep worse.

• Exercise improves sleep, but do it >3 hours before bedtime. Consider not eating heavily for at least 3–4 hours before bedtime.

• Sugar and carbohydrates reduce quality of deep NREM sleep. Yet another reason not to eat that shit.

• Do not use sleeping pills. They make us lose consciousness but they actually don’t make us sleep. These are different things.

• Consider meditating or otherwise turning off before bed.

Here’s the thing: like most suggestions in this article the stuff above has compounding benefits. Each night of bad sleep permanently damages us and we can never fully recover that damage. Part of the damage is to the apparatus of sleep itself, which over time makes us stupid and ages and kills us.

Many of us do not want to make the changes to our social lives, dating etc. for the sake of sleep.

Conclusion

Quiz

How to apply this in your life?

Food for thought

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