YOUR GUIDE TO

HEALTHY SLEEP

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 1

Poliquin™ Group

Copyright © 2020, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Written by Laanna Carrasco, MS, Poliquin™ Group Editorial Staff

2 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

Your Guide To Healthy Sleep
Written by:
Laanna Carrasco, MS, Poliquin™ Group Editorial Staff

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 3

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 5

PART I: THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP

Chapter 1: Why We Sleep ............................................................................. 8

Chapter 2: The Stages of Healthy Sleep ................................................... 9

Chapter 3: What Makes Us Sleep ............................................................. 10

Chapter 4: The Circadian Rhythm & Sleep ............................................. 11

PART II: IMPACT OF SLEEP ON HEALTH, COGNITION & ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

Chapter 5: Sleep, Metabolic Health & Obesity ...................................... 14

Chapter 6: Sleep, Immunity & Cancer ...................................................... 15

Chapter 7: Sleep, Mental Health & Cognitive Function ....................... 16

Chapter 8: Sleep & Athletic Performance ............................................... 17

PART III: HOW TO OPTIMIZE SLEEP

Chapter 9: Habits That Help You Sleep ................................................... 20

Chapter 10: Nutrition For Better Sleep ..................................................... 21

Chapter 11: Lifestyle Factors That Impact Sleep .................................... 23

Chapter 12: Supplements For Better Sleep .............................................. 25

AFTERWORD 26

BIBLIOGRAPHY 27

ABOUT POLIQUIN™ GROUP 29

4 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

INTRODUCTION

“To achieve the impossible dream, try going to sleep” —Joan Klempner

The truth of this quote goes beyond the wondrous stories your dreams allow you to experience. Healthy
sleep lets you reach your true potential and discover what you are really made of.

Not only is sleep one of the most powerful performance-enhancing tools available but it has a profound ef-
fect on wellness and quality of life. Statistics show that too many people are missing out on these benefits.

Over the past 30 years, the lines between work and home have blurred and digital technology has become
a large part of our lifestyles, leading to a huge increase in poor sleep. Anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of the
population suffers from a clinical sleep disorder and insufficient sleep is reported to affect as much as 75
percent of the developed world (22).

Lack of sleep negatively influences every aspect of your life:

• It reduces your ability to make good decisions and increases your tendency to take risks.
• It lowers your ability to manage stress and causes the build-up of inflammation in the body.
• It raises blood pressure and increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• It alters hormone balance, negatively affecting blood sugar control, libido, and fertility.
• It compromises immunity and increases your risk of illness.
• It impairs memory, concentration, reasoning, and mood.
• It makes you more likely to be distracted by negative emotions and compromises problem solving.

The good news is that by putting in the effort to develop good sleep habits, you can transform your life.
For example, studies show that sleep has a greater effect on athletic performance than any legal perfor-
mance-enhancing tool, including caffeine and carbohydrates. When the Stanford University men’s basketball
team underwent a “sleep extension” in which they got 10 hours of rest a night, the players’ free throw shoot-
ing percentage increased by a staggering 11 percent (27).

The benefits of good sleep extend well beyond sports. Cognitive performance soars when people are well
rested. Overall health, ability to cope with stress, resistance to disease, and quality of life are all boosted by
good sleep.

Why does sleep have such a profound effect on our lives?

Sleep is a vital part of our homeostasis or circadian rhythm, which influences the ability of cells in your body
to produce hormones and neurotransmitters so that everything works smoothly. When you don’t sleep well,
the rhythm is altered, hormones get out of balance, inflammation builds up, your body can’t use the food you
eat as effectively, and it’s a downward spiral until you get the dreamtime you need.

The key to solving sleep issues starts with understanding how your body’s wake-sleep system works and
then devising strategies to support it. That’s where this book comes in.

In the following chapters, we tell you about the science of sleep and give you practical actions you can take
today to become a good sleeper. For many people, simply adopting good sleep hygiene will solve many issues
related to getting a good night’s rest. For others, incorporating targeted nutrition, lifestyle, and exercise strat-
egies to improve circadian function will make the difference. Finally, supplementation can help when life gets
overwhelming and you need a little natural help in making the transition to dreamland.

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 5

While this book can’t solve your sleep issues, it can guide you in developing an individual sleep optimization
protocol. By the end of this text, you should have a proactive plan for solving whatever it is that is keeping
you from getting all the rest you need.

6 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

 PART I:
THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP
“Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds.”

–Jojo Jensen
CHAPTER 1: Why We Sleep
In a society where it’s a badge of honor to skimp on sleep, it’s surprising to realize that sleep is one of the
most important things you do on a daily basis. Sleep is vital for health and necessary for survival. Without it,
you will die.

As strange as sleep may seem, it has a marvelous capacity for rejuvenating your body and mind. Scientists
have put forth several theories for why we need sleep (22):

The information consolidation theory suggests that we sleep in order to process information and motor
skills acquired during the day, helping store information in long-term memory. Fragmented or insufficient
sleep can impair your ability to form emotional and concrete, fact-based memories.

The restorative theory suggests sleep provides an opportunity for the body to repair and rejuvenate itself.
During sleep, the brain clears away metabolic waste products, essentially “taking out the trash.” The result
is that your brain is restored during sleep and you wake up refreshed with a clearer mind ready to approach
new challenges.

This is supported by the fact that during sleep, the body undergoes restorative functions as well. Sleep is
prime time for tissue repair as protein synthesis is elevated and release of growth hormone is amplified. Fur-
ther, sleep affects endocrine processes, allowing for appropriate release of the stress hormone cortisol and
the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen.

Sleep is also necessary for metabolic health, impacting bioactivity of thyroid hormone, which regulates me-
tabolism, insulin sensitivity, and glucose tolerance (28). Sleep even impacts production of immune cells that
defend the body against invading pathogens and manage free radicals that cause inflammation when they
accumulate over time. Getting enough sleep will protect you from disease and set you up for a long, fruitful
life.

How Much Is Enough?

The amount of sleep people need varies widely, with most thriving on 7 to 9 hours a night, but research sug-
gests that athletic and cognitive performance is enhanced when we get even more—upwards of 10 or more
hours a night.

In fact, many professional athletes aim for the 10-hour magic number and studies show that extending your
sleep can radically improve physical and cognitive performance by 10 to 15 percent (22). Additionally, ade-
quate sleep reduces risk of obesity and several other chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart
disease.  

8 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

CHAPTER 2: The Stages of Healthy Sleep
There are two basic types of sleep: Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM or “slow wave” sleep.
Each is linked to specific brain waves that affect the brain and body in distinct ways. An easy way to think
about it is that non-REM sleep is when the body repairs itself, releasing tissue-building growth hormone
and boosting immune activity. REM sleep is when the brain repairs itself, clearing irrelevant information and
strengthening memories from the past 24 hours.

In a normal night, you cycle through several stages of non-REM and REM sleep, with increasingly longer,
deeper REM periods occurring toward morning.

Stage 1 non-REM sleep accounts for the changeover from wakefulness to sleep. During this phase your body
loses muscle tone and there is a loss of self-awareness. Breathing, heart rate, and eye movements slow. Your
brain waves begin to slow from their daytime wakefulness patterns.

Stage 2 non-REM sleep results in a decrease in body temperature and termination of eye movements. Brain
wave activity slows, but is marked by brief bursts of electrical activity. You spend more of your repeated sleep
cycles in stage 2 sleep than in other sleep stages.

Stage 3 non-REM sleep is the period of deep sleep that you need to feel refreshed in the morning. It occurs
in longer periods during the first half of the night. Your muscles are relaxed and it may be difficult to awaken
you. Brain waves become even slower and you experience continuous release of growth hormone.

REM sleep first occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep. Rapid eye movement sleep is when your eyes
dart back and forth and dreaming occurs. Dreaming is known to provide energy to the brain and helps cre-
ate long-term memories. Brain regions used in learning are also stimulated making this an essential part of
sleep. Breathing becomes faster and irregular, and your heart rate and blood pressure increase to near wak-
ing levels. Your arm and leg muscles become temporarily paralyzed, which prevents you from acting out your
dreams.

Without all stages of sleep, your body will die. If you skimp on sleep, you can’t recover physically, your im-
mune system weakens, and you enter a state of confusion and brain fog. Aging is associated with a reduction
in sleep quality and quantity, which may contribute to the cognitive and physical decline that occurs as the
years go by. Getting good sleep is one of your best defenses against aging quickly.

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 9

CHAPTER 3: What Makes Us Sleep?
Although you may put off going to sleep in order to squeeze more activities out of your day, eventually your
need for sleep becomes overwhelming. This need is due to biochemical factors:

1. The buildup of adenosine, and

2. The release of the hormone melatonin.

Adenosine is an important chemical involved in energy production because it is a component of ATP (ade-
nosine triphosphate), which is the energy currency in the body. It also acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter,
depressing the central nervous system to initiate sleep. Caffeine stimulates the brain and keeps you awake by
blocking adenosine receptors so that adenosine cannot bind and exert its sleep-inducing action.

During the day while you are awake, adenosine accumulates in your blood. Then, while you sleep, your body
breaks down the adenosine and performs other rejuvenating processes.

After several nights of poor sleep, you build up a sleep debt due to the accumulation of adenosine. This may
cause you to sleep longer than normal or at unplanned times during the day. Because of your body’s internal
processes, you can’t adapt to getting less sleep than your body needs. Eventually, a lack of sleep catches up
with you.

The other substance that helps make you sleep is the hormone melatonin. Released from the pineal gland
in response to darkness, melatonin makes you drowsy and “tells” your body it’s time for sleep. Internal
(hormones) and external (light exposure) cues signal your biological clock when to produce melatonin and
prepare your brain and body for sleep. Because of your biological clock, you naturally feel the most tired
between midnight and 7 am You also may feel mildly sleepy in the afternoon between 1 and 4 pm when you
experience another release of melatonin.

10 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

CHAPTER 4: The Circadian Rhythm & Sleep
Understanding your biological clock will allow you to adopt a schedule that syncs with your natural bio-
rhythm for healthier sleep. Also known as your circadian rhythm, your biological clock is influenced by three
main factors: Light, time, and hormones.

Light serves as the major regulator of your “master clock,” which resides in the brain and controls your cir-
cadian rhythm. Studies show that anchoring your clock with bright light exposure in the morning will allow
you to feel more energized for the day. Conversely, darkness is important to allow for release of the “sleep”
hormone melatonin at night. Exposure to bright lights at night, especially computer screens that emit “blue”
light, impairs the brain’s ability to release melatonin and alters the rhythm of your master clock.

Recent research has revealed there are “clock genes” that are located in every organ in the body. These genes
dictate activity of organs such as the liver and kidneys, as well as endocrine glands that release hormones.

For example, the pancreas, which releases insulin to regulate blood glucose levels, is affected by clock genes.
Constant eating impairs these genes, increasing your risk of diabetes. This is one reason that nutrition and
mealtimes have a significant impact on your ability to sleep. If your internal “clock” is “broken” due to eating
at the wrong times, you’re never going to achieve a consistent good night’s sleep.

What Does The Natural Circadian Rhythm Look Like?

Hormones have a primary impact on circadian function:

• In the morning when you wake up, your body temperature is low and you get a surge in cortisol that
increases blood pressure and gives you energy.
• Exposure to light shuts off melatonin production resetting the clock for the day.
• Sex hormone secretion occurs around 9 am and testosterone peaks.
• The body warms up through the middle of the day, and reaction time and physical performance
peak between 2:30 and 6 pm. Athletic performance, strength, and power output are highest and
risk of injury is lowest during this time.
• Protein synthesis peaks around 5 pm, which means that if you can train right before that, you’ll
experience greater muscle growth and faster recovery.
• As sunset approaches, body temperature peaks and the hormone leptin is elevated, which will sup
press hunger and signal the brain to release fat for energy when you sleep.
• Leptin also upregulates the thyroid and triggers changes in mitochondria to produce heat to keep
you warm during the night.
• Melatonin is secreted around 9 pm. It downregulates neural function, allowing the brain to heal.
• Once you go to sleep, prolactin and growth hormone are released to burn fat overnight and reduce
inflammation.

There are large individual differences in the actual timing of circadian rhythms, which is most influenced by
your unique chronotype. Chronotype refers to whether you are more of a “lark,” or morning person, or an
“owl”—an evening person. Most people experience shifts in their tendency across their lifetime, such that
they are larks as very young children, owls as teenagers, and larks again as they enter their golden years.

Beyond this pattern, people of any age can be larks or owls, however, it’s also possible to completely alter the
system via our daily habits such that we experience peak alertness at the wrong times or become chronically
tired. In these situations, research suggests that both hormone release and gene activity has been negatively

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 11

altered.

Aligning your sleep with your chronotype (such as morning people going to bed early and getting up early)
allows for more restful sleep and better hormone balance.

For instance, men who sleep according to their chronotype have higher testosterone than those who don’t
(32). Chronotype may also influence female reproduction. In one study, women who were classified as hav-
ing an “in-between” biorhythm had more trouble getting pregnant than those who were distinctly morning or
evening chronotypes (31).

Of course, we are not all so lucky to be able to sleep according to our tendency, with work schedules and
children often getting in the way. Even if you have to adjust your natural tendency, there are habits you can
adopt and things you must avoid to enhance your circadian rhythm for better sleep, which are covered in Part
III.

12 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

 PART II:
IMPACT OF SLEEP ON HEALTH,
COGNITION & ATHLETIC
PERFORMANCE
“If you told an athlete you had a treatment that would reduce the chemicals
associated with stress, that would naturally increase human growth hormone, that
enhances recovery rate, that improves performance, they would all do it. Sleep
does all of those things.”

– Casey Smith, Head Athletic Trainer, Dallas Mavericks

CHAPTER 5: Sleep, Metabolic Health & Obesity
Skimping on sleep has a remarkably negative affect on health, impacting all systems of the body. The im-
mediate effect of lack of sleep is reduced insulin sensitivity, increased appetite, and lower metabolic rate—a
combination that contribute over the long run to obesity, diabetes, and other health problems including
cardiovascular disease.

Lack of sleep makes people feel hungrier and more likely to make poor food choices. In one study, nor-
mal-weight volunteers had their sleep reduced from 9 hours to 4 hours a night (36). As a group, the subjects
increased calorie intake by 300 calories a day, with women experiencing the greatest increase in food intake,
clocking a 15.2 percent increase in calories compared to a 9.2 percent increase in men. If sustained, this be-
havior could result in gaining more than two pounds of fat a month.

Participants also favored high-carb, fatty foods when they were sleep deprived, increasing their saturated fat
consumption by 61 percent. Metabolic rate dropped in response to lack of sleep. Participants burned signifi-
cantly fewer calories following short sleep, likely due to a decrease in body temperature.

This data is gathered from individuals who suffered a limited number of short sleep nights; they are not
chronically sleep deprived, as many people are.

This is an important distinction because when you burn the candle at both ends over the long-term, stress
hormones and glycemic control are negatively affected. People typically have an increase in cortisol, which
further triggers food intake and suppresses physical activity. Basically, it makes us lazy and hungry for high
calorie foods.

The uptick in cortisol leads to lower insulin sensitivity so that glucose metabolism is impaired, meaning the
body isn’t able to use the sugar in the blood effectively and it is more likely to get stored as body fat. Over
time, this develops into full blown type 2 diabetes in which the body is no longer able to safely regulate glu-
cose levels and cells don’t readily bind to insulin.

The takeaway is that whether you’re battling Type II diabetes or simply want to lose body fat, healthy sleep
is an essential part of your routine. If you are struggling with obesity or trying to lean up, making an effort to
adopt good sleep hygiene and support your circadian function is critical to support metabolism and set your-
self up to manage hunger and food cravings.

14 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

CHAPTER 6: Sleep, Immunity & Cancer
You are probably grateful for your immune system because it helps fight off an acute illness like the flu. What
you might be unaware of is that your immune system also plays a primary role in preventing the growth of
cancer tumors.

During dreamtime is when your body produces the “master antioxidant” glutathione, which is the linchpin of
your body’s ability to counter inflammation that leads to cancer. When the immune system senses inflamma-
tion, it responds with a robust response, sending specialized cells to fight off pathogens and repair damaged
tissue.

However, in certain situations, such as in response to chronic stress, poor diet and excess calories, or lack of
physical activity, inflammatory markers build up and increase risk of chronic diseases. Cardiovascular disease
and cancer are two examples that are linked with increased circulation of inflammatory biomarkers.

Studies show that in people who average less than 6 hours of sleep a night, risk of cardiovascular disease and
all-cause mortality are higher, likely due to inflammation that disrupts function of the heart and blood ves-
sels (17). Further, individuals who experience chronic lack of sleep, especially those who do night shift work
and must sleep during the day, have increased risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and
colon cancer (17).

Sleep is an essential component of the body’s rest and repair system, allowing your body to release growth
hormone and other chemicals that allow your innate immune system to function and fight of pathogens. For
example, one study found that individuals who slept less than hours a night were three times more likely to
get sick than those who got more than 7 hours of sleep (7).

The takeaway is that a reliable sleep routine that leaves you rested and refreshed is one of the best things
you can do for longevity and a good quality of life. Not only will you have a more robust immune system to
fight off acute diseases like the flu or COVID-19, but good sleep is protective against cancer and other inflam-
mation-related disorders.

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 15

CHAPTER 7: Sleep, Mental Health & Cognitive Function
Research shows the wisdom behind the advice “to sleep on it” when making an important decision.
High-quality sleep allows for better learning, memory, and decision making. It also improves mood, produc-
tivity, and mental outlook.

Conversely, poor sleep makes us irritated, cranky, and has a markedly negative effect on cognition. Studies
show lack of sleep makes people feel more depressed and increases the likelihood you will react negatively to
problems. Anger, frustration, and irritation are also amplified in response to sleep deprivation, which scien-
tists attribute to activation of the amygdala in the brain that regulates emotion.

Reasoning and cognitive performance also plummet. In a group of obese, chronically sleep-deprived subjects
who regularly got less than 6.5 hours a night, brain function was significantly impaired, with participants
demonstrating deficits of 33 percent in memory, 36 percent in attention, and 51 percent in executive function
(26). When the subjects underwent a sleep improvement protocol in which they were instructed to sleep at
least 7.5 hours a night, all markers of cognition improved by about 10 percent and sleep quality improved by
24 percent. Changes coincided with improvements in brain chemicals, including cortisol and dopamine that
regulate cognition and mood.

Of course, 7.5 hours of sleep is still considered insufficient for many people. Extending sleep has greater
benefits on cognition and mental performance. Another study tested the effect of getting extra sleep on brain
function in healthy men. In this study, volunteers who normally got 8.2 hours of sleep were asked to extend
their sleep time to 9.8 hours for 6 days and then took cognitive performance tests (5). Results showed im-
proved motor function and ability to pay attention. Subjects were more alert, had fewer lapses in attention,
and demonstrated faster speed in responding to cognitive challenges.

This study also found that it was possible to “bank” sleep by getting extra rest prior to a night of sleep depri-
vation. Getting extra sleep in the days preceding an “all-nighter” allowed for greater alertness and cognitive
function on brain tests.

The opposite is also true. A second study found that sleep debt is cumulative. Over the course of two weeks,
subjects who got only 6 hours of sleep had a progressive decrease in mental function and found themselves
falling asleep or mentally checking out during the day. Notably, participants didn’t notice their performance
declines (16). When participants graded themselves, they believed that their performance declined for a few
days and then tapered off. In reality, they were continuing to get worse with each day.

Perhaps most important is the role of sleep in depression and mental health. Studies show that depression
is strongly linked with sleep disorders and poor sleep is associated with increased risk of suicide and mental
health problems (6). An area of emerging research shows that sleep therapy is effective for reducing depres-
sion (9).

One randomized trial of college students with insomnia found that a sleep therapy program improved sleep
and decreased paranoia, depression, anxiety, and nightmares (18). The authors recommend sleep therapy as
a first intervention to counter mental health problems, noting it can be used in multiple populations including
children and the elderly.

The takeaway is that sleep plays a vital role in brain health and function. Being well rested improves your
ability to learn and remember while also lifting your mental outlook. Sleep is so powerful that it can help treat
depression and other mental health problems that often plague people for years.  

16 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

CHAPTER 8: Sleep & Athletic Performance
Sleep gives a greater boost to athletic performance than any legal performance-enhancing tool, including
caffeine and carbohydrates. One of the first studies to test the effect of extra sleep on sports came out of
Stanford University and had the men’s basketball team get as much nighttime sleep as possible with 10
hours being their goal. Results showed that after 7 weeks, they increased 3-point shooting percentage by
13.7 percent and free throw shooting by 11.4 percent (27). Sprint time improved by 0.7 seconds or 4 percent.
These improvements may seem small but even tiny changes can be champion-makers. Players also reported
improvement in mood, vigor, and self-confidence.

Other studies conducted on swimmers, track athletes, and military cadets support the findings in the Stan-
ford study. In a trial of collegians in the military, increasing daily sleep for four nights by about 90 minutes
improved reaction time, power, motivation to perform, and cognitive function (33).

Clearly, sleep should be a primary component of any athlete’s training. As beneficial as extra sleep is, lack
of sleep is common in athletes due to travel, time-consuming workouts, intense training, and anxiety about
performance. This puts athletes at increased risk of injury and compromised performance.

A meta-analysis of 7 studies found a significant increase in injury rates in athletes who got the least sleep
(19). A second study showed a 65 percent increase in injury in high school athletes getting less than 8 hours
a night. Injury rates surged in truly sleep-deprived students who got less than 6 hours of sleep nightly and
they experienced four times more injuries than those who got an average of 9 hours a night (28).

The reason injuries are more common in tired athletes has to do with how lack of sleep impairs the central
nervous system and hormone release (8):
• It reduces tissue repair and recovery from muscle damage.
• It inhibits neural recuperation and delays strength recovery.
• It lowers your ability to manage stress and causes the build-up of inflammation in the body.
• It slows reaction time to a similar degree as being legally drunk.

Lack of sleep is even associated with a shorter professional playing career. A 3-season study of 80 Major
League Baseball players found a consistent association between those who got less sleep and those who
were demoted to a lower league, went unsigned, or retired early (4).

The takeaway is that sleep should be a primary component of programming for anyone who is training regu-
larly, whether for competitive sports or on a recreational basis. Achieving adequate sleep is the first step to
shore up your defenses against injury, illness, and chronic poor performance. A sleep extension program may
set you ahead of your peers and should be a long-term practice because it will magnify benefits.

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 17

How Sleep Deprivation Impacts Health & Performance

Metabolic
• Decrease in insulin sensitivity
• Increase in appetite (300 extra calories a day)
• Cravings for high-carb, high-fat foods
• Decrease in body temperature and resting energy expenditure
• Difficulty losing body fat
• Increased risk of diabetes and difficulty managing diabetes

Immune
• Decrease in the master antioxidant, glutathione
• Increase in oxidative stress and cancer-causing inflammation
• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure
• Lower immune resistance
• Increased risk of communicable illness such as flu or COVID-19

Cognition
• Decrease in learning
• Decrease in memory
• Poorer work and academic performance

Psychological
• Increased risk of depression
• Increased risk of mental health problems including anxiety
• Poorer mood and lower mental outlook

Athletic
• Reduced precision
• Slower speed and lower power output
• Slower reaction time
• Lower motivation to perform
• Higher injury rates
• Slower recovery
• Shorter competitive lifespan

18 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

 PART III:
HOW TO OPTIMIZE SLEEP
“It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the
morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.”

–John Steinbeck

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 19

CHAPTER 9: Habits That Help You Sleep
When it comes to overcoming insomnia and sleep deprivation, you want to start with basic actions that can
help improve your sleep quality while reducing the length of time you spend tossing and turning before enter-
ing dreamland.

Sleep experts call these behaviors “sleep hygiene” because they help minimize distractions that stimulate the
brain and keep you awake:

1. Avoid Caffeine After 1 pm.

Consider avoiding it altogether if your lack of sleep is due to a racing mind. Caffeine, even used in the morn-
ing, can increase the stress hormone cortisol in people who are anxious, reducing the ability to go to sleep
many hours later.

2. Pick A Regular Bedtime

Having a regular bedtime between 9:30 and 11:00 pm uses both the power of habit and takes advantage of
your natural circadian rhythm.

3. Use Cool Temperatures To Help You Sleep

Warm temperatures at night and cold temperatures during the day inhibit circadian rhythms. Whenever pos-
sible opt for cool at night and warm during the day to mimic the ambient temperature outside.

4. Try Relaxation Techniques

Deep breathing, meditation, and other calming methods such as taking a bath or doing progressive muscle
relaxation have all been shown to improve sleep.

5. Sleep In Darkness
Light exposure serves as a key regulator of sleep. Get blackout curtains and cover up electronics that emit
light to improve your quality of sleep.

6. Get Bright Light Exposure First Thing In The Morning

To “anchor” your master clock, you want to get bright light exposure for at least 30 minutes a day, preferably
in the morning after waking up.

7. Get A Blue Light Blocker For Your Screens

The next best option to avoiding screens entirely is to get a blue light blocker because the bright light from
screens stimulates the brain. For computers, you can install f.lux. For Android phones, try Twilight. For all
other blue light-blocking needs, try amber colored glasses.

8. Do A Gratitude Journal Or Next Day To-Do List

Writing down all the things you need to think about can help clear your mind of worries that inhibit sleep. A
gratitude journal has a calming effect that can focus your attention on the positive aspects of your life and
away from the worries that keep your mind racing all night long.

9. Get Regular Physical Activity, Avoiding Intense Workouts At Night

Exercise can improve quality and quantity of sleep. Most people find best results when they avoid training
at night. Exercise is stimulating and inhibits melatonin release while also elevating cortisol. If you have the
option, get your workout in between 3 and 6 pm when body temperature is elevated and strength is highest.

20 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

CHAPTER 10: Nutrition For Better Sleep
Improving your diet is a top priority if you want to sleep well. Sleep, wakefulness, and energy levels are regu-
lated by chemical pathways in the brain. We can control those pathways with what we eat. Here are several
dietary trends that have been shown to improve quantity and quality of sleep.

1. Have Regularly Schedule Meals, Prioritizing Protein

The amino acids in protein foods increase alertness by blocking a portion of the brain called the orexin path-
way, which makes you feel sleepy. However, this doesn’t mean that eating a higher protein diet will cause
trouble sleeping. In fact, higher protein intake may support neurotransmitter balance and regulate blood
sugar, allowing for better overall sleep.

In one study, high-protein diets allowed people to sleep better and wake up less frequently during the night
compared to high-carb diets (25). Higher carbohydrate diets allowed subjects to go to sleep much faster
after turning off the light, but they were more wakeful during sleep.

2. Eat Quality Carbs At Dinner

Higher carb foods are relaxing because they lower cortisol and increase the “feel good” neurotransmitter
serotonin. They are also necessary for the conversion of T4 thyroid hormone into the active T3 form, which
plays a role in regulating your circadian clock by how it affects body temperature.

People on very low-carb diets often have trouble sleeping due to low serotonin. Therefore, including complex
carbs at dinner, such as fruit, grains, or starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, may have a calming effect and
get you ready for a restful night.

Varied effects on sleep have come from sugar-filled carbs. Some studies show high-glycemic carbs short-
en sleep onset but may negatively affect sleep quality (25). Because these foods encourage overeating, the
smart move is to opt for whole-food carbs rather than anything baked or processed.

3. Ensure Adequate Vitamin D3

The part of the brain responsible for sleep has a large concentration of vitamin D receptors, and the entire
sleep-wake cycle is disrupted if the receptors are deficient. A study from the University of Texas found an
increased risk of insomnia and headaches in 1,500 subjects with vitamin D deficiency (10). Upon supple-
mentation, subjects’ insomnia and headaches immediately began to go away. At the point where the group’s
vitamin D3 level improved to between 60 and 80 ng/ml, normal sleep was almost completely restored.

When supplementing vitamin D, make sure you are taking the cholecalciferol D3 form (not the D2 ergocalcif-
erol form) because it is the form the body can use and absorb.

4. Ensure Adequate Magnesium

Magnesium calms the nervous system, effectively reducing stress and allowing you to relax. It also helps the
body metabolize the stress hormone cortisol (1). One study found that people who suffered from poor sleep
who supplemented with magnesium improved sleep quality by 60 percent and also decreased inflammatory
stress markers (34).

The researchers emphasize that humans are not consuming enough magnesium in their diets—58 percent of
the people in this study had magnesium deficiency, contributing to poor sleep. We offer Zen Mag 2.0, a mag-
nesium product designed to improve sleep that provides magnesium bound with L-threonate, a derivative of
vitamin C, which can cross the blood brain barrier to promote relaxation (2, 3).

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 21

5. Ensure Sufficient B Vitamins
Deficiencies in the B complex of vitamins have repeatedly been linked with sleeping problems. Folic acid
(B9), thiamine (B1), pyridoxine (B6), and cobalamin (B12) are especially important for a tidy mind and the
rest it requires. For example, thiamine affects brain transmitters and is closely linked with serotonin, so a lack
leads to poor sleep (14).

While it’s possible to get adequate B vitamins from food, many people can benefit from a high-quality B
supplement that provides these vitamins in a methylated form that bypasses genetic variations and ensures
absorption and bioavailability. Thiamine is a good example of a B vitamin that can be depleted if you limit
meat because the main dietary source is organ meat, such as liver. We offer a methylated B Complex called
B Excellence that provides all the Bs you need in a highly absorbable form.

22 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

CHAPTER 11: Lifestyle Factors That Impact Sleep
If you have put in the effort to develop good sleep hygiene but still find it difficult to get enough shut eye,
it’s time to optimize your circadian rhythm. Research has identified several lifestyle factors that negatively
impact your biorhythm and disrupt sleep.

1. Avoid Eating Late At Night

Eating a large number of calories at night goes against your circadian rhythm and can cause you to become
insensitive to the hormone leptin (11). Leptin helps regulate appetite by giving an “I’m full” message to the
brain and it impacts release of other hormones. Consider what happens after a late night meal:

1) You’ll have trouble sleeping.

2) The next day, your lack of sleep decreases insulin sensitivity and causes a pre-diabetic situation in
which you have much lower glucose tolerance.

3) Insulin will be elevated and you will be less sensitive to leptin.

4) You will be hungrier because the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin will be elevated. You’ll par-
ticularly crave foods higher in sugar due to the poor blood sugar state.

5) You’ll have less desire to by active, leading you to burn fewer calories on the days after short sleep.

How To Fix It: First, identify a meal frequency that allows you to avoid eating the bulk of your calories at night.
Whether you choose two, three, five, or six meals a day, you’ve got to get your eating done a few hours be-
fore bed. If you’re shooting for a 10 pm bedtime, that means you need to finish eating by 7 or 7:30 pm.
Second, if you are hungry before bed and worry it will keep you from sleeping, consuming “good” fat such as
almonds, nut butter, or coconut oil may help because it won’t spike insulin or affect leptin release.

2. Be Careful With Fasting

Although there are benefits to fasting such as lower inflammation and improved body weight, randomly
skipping meals can alter circadian rhythms and impede sleep by activating neurons in the brain that keep you
alert and awake.

Evolutionarily it makes sense because when our hunter-gatherer ancestors lacked food, they needed en-
hanced mental clarity and brain function to drive activity and help them find food. However, it’s unlikely they
were in a fasting state on a regular basis, as many people who practice fasting are.

How To Fix It: If you think long fasts are impairing your sleep, you may want to try a more moderate intermit-
tent fasting option such as a 10- or 12-hour eating window.

3. Irregular Social Interaction

Research shows that circadian rhythms are affected by when we interact with other humans (30). Having
social interactions and viewing human faces in the evening (such as on TV) has been found to increase
wakefulness and inhibit sleep.

On the other hand, having social interactions during the day is known to improve sleep, whereas people who
are isolated during daytime experience altered internal clocks. This makes sense evolutionarily because our
ancestors needed to cooperate and have fruitful social interactions during daylight in order to survive. After

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 23

dark, social interactions were likely limited.

How To Fix It: Plan your social activity during the day (at lunch or during breaks at work, for example) or as
early as possible in the evening. Avoid nighttime TV viewing completely, or at the very least, of faces—opt for
animal shows or sports, for instance.

4. Excessive Exercise Or Training At The Wrong Time

Although nighttime may be a better time for physical performance than first thing in the morning (since body
temperature is higher and coordination is enhanced), it’s not ideal and may inhibit sleep (15, 35). Late after-
noon is the ideal workout time from a performance and recovery standpoint.

In addition, too much exercise, such as daily high-intensity training, chronic long and intense cardio, or reg-
ular two-a-days, may lead to elevated inflammation and hormone imbalance. For example, IL-6 is an inflam-
matory factor, which can improve muscle development at certain levels. However, it can become chronically
elevated in response to poor sleep and physical stress, further inhibiting sleep in a cyclical fashion.

How To Fix It: Keep your workouts to an hour or less and avoid doing high-intensity exercise too frequently.
Be aware that the benefits of exercise are not correlated with performance meaning that the optimal amount
of exercise for health and circadian rhythm enhancement is much less than that required for optimal perfor-
mance. Therefore, if you’re an athlete and need to perform, an hour or less of training a day isn’t going to cut
it, so you’ll have to focus on other methods to improve sleep and enhance your circadian clock.

24 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

CHAPTER 12: Supplements For Better Sleep
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, getting a restful night sleep can be a challenge. Whether from in-
creased stress and anxiety, limited sleep time, or erratic schedules, you may find yourself tossing and turning.
A sleep aid may be helpful.

Fortunately, there are a number of safe and natural supplements that can help you sleep. Some promote a
restful night by increasing relaxation and targeting brain chemicals, whereas others help you cope with stress
and lower cortisol. What follows is a list of several powerful nutrients that can support a good night’s sleep.

1. Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that is released by the pineal gland that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. One anal-
ysis found that taking between 0.5 and 6 mg of melatonin reduces insomnia and improves sleep quality and
quantity (13, 24).

How To Take It: Melatonin should only be taken at night right before bed. The optimal dose will vary based
on your unique situation. Doses as high as 100 mg a night have been shown to be safe and effective, but it’s
reasonable to go for the lowest dose that has a beneficial effect.

If you have trouble staying asleep throughout the night, you may want to try a sustained release melatonin
supplement that delivers melatonin over the course of the night. Melatonin is rapidly metabolized by the liver
and it has a half-life of 30 to 60 minutes. Fortunately, scientists have come up with a solution: Our Quick
and Sustained Release Melatonin has a biphasic delivery system that overcomes the body’s speedy metabo-
lism by releasing 1 mg of melatonin immediately upon digestion and the rest of the melatonin (4 mg) over a
6-hour period to help you sleep soundly throughout the night.

2. L-Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that has pro-sleep, anti-stress, and immune support proper-
ties (12). It is thought to be most effective for sleep in people with anxiety or other psychological issues such
as ADHD. One randomized study found that supplementation with 200 mg daily resulted in improved sleep,
lowered anxiety, and led to better cognitive performance in young men and women (21).

How To Take It: Pure L-theanine supplements are available, as are formulated sleep aids in which L-theanine
is blended with other sleep-supporting herbs, such as our Sleep Soothe product that combines L-theanine
with melatonin, valerian, PharmaGABA™, 5-HTP, magnesium, and niacin for more powerful results.

3. Valerian & Lemon Balm

Both valerian and lemon balm activate the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has a calming effect on
the nervous system. GABA allows the brain to shut itself down so that you can have a restful night. Valerian
has a sedative effect and is “profoundly beneficial for sleep architecture,” according to one researcher (20).

How To Take Them: Valerian often takes several weeks to start having a sleep-promoting effect. The ideal
dose appears to depend on your level of stress and severity of insomnia. One study from Iran found that in-
somnia was improved in response to a dose of 160 mg of valerian and 80 mg of lemon balm (23). Our Sweet
Dreams sleep formula contains both valerian and lemon balm as well as l-theanine, passionflower, lavender,
and a small dose of melatonin to help ease stress on the nervous system and facilitate a more rejuvenating
night’s sleep.

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 25

AFTERWORD

If you have been putting off taking your sleep seriously, now is the time. Start with habits, optimize your
nutrition, and get the perfect dose of exercise to support your circadian rhythm. Focus on stress management
and adopt a relaxation activity later in the day to help manage cortisol and set you on your way to dreamland.
Establishing a routine for healthy sleep can transform your life and give you the reserves to tackle the physi-
cal and mental challenges you face every day.

26 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

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© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 27

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28 © 2020, Poliquin™ Group

 ABOUT POLIQUIN™ GROUP

Our mission is to inspire and support fitness professionals to improve the health and performance of individ-
uals from all walks of life. We aim to create a global impact in the fitness and wellness industries through a
combination of unique products, evidence-based education, and actionable information. We are dedicated to
providing the highest quality supplements and fitness tools to help people reach new levels of wellness and
performance.

Since the early 2000’s, Poliquin Group started as a fitness trainer education company and has grown into a
global leader in the health and fitness industry. Today you can find our certified coaches in over 70 countries
worldwide.

In the coming years, we will partner with industry-leading experts to offer cutting edge virtual health and fit-
ness curriculum while continuing to travel the world teaching our flagship PICP™, Applied BioSignature body
composition, and Poliquin™ Personal Training certifications.

Our line of supplements is created to support the body’s intricate systems while maintaining our commit-
ment to providing products that meet or exceed the FDA GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), ensuring
quality, purity, and authenticity of dietary supplements.

Poliquin™ Group’s driving force will be to support, guide, and inspire peak performance and optimal health
for people around the world through education, nutrition, and supplementation for years to come.

© 2020, Poliquin™ Group 29