The Sleep Toolkit
Andrew Huberman's Sleep Toolkit puts behavior first: light exposure, cooling core temperature, and timing caffeine and alcohol. Only then does it add a small, optional supplement 'cocktail' of magnesium threonate, theanine and apigenin. A 1-to-3-degree drop in core temperature helps you fall and stay asleep; add supplements one at a time, since some people need none at all.
Dim and shift your light after sunset Dim overhead lights; avoid bright light 10pm to 4am
Bright overhead light in the evening suppresses melatonin and pushes your clock later. Use dim, low-placed lighting at night and get some sunset light when you can.
Cool the room and drop your core temperature Sleep environment ~65 to 68°F; optional hot bath/sauna 1 to 2h before bed
You need a 1 to 3 degree drop in core temperature to fall asleep. A cool room helps directly; a hot bath or sauna earlier helps by triggering a rebound cool-down afterwards.
Time caffeine and limit alcohol Last caffeine ~8 to 10 hours before bed; minimise alcohol and THC
Caffeine's half-life means an afternoon coffee is still active at bedtime. Alcohol and THC may help you fall asleep but fragment sleep quality and REM.
Use NSDR or self-hypnosis to fall (back) asleep 10 to 20 min NSDR / yoga nidra if you wake at night or can't drop off
Non-sleep deep rest teaches your nervous system to downshift and is his go-to for getting back to sleep without lying there frustrated. Free on YouTube and via Reveri.
Magnesium Threonate 145mg, 30 to 60 min before bed (or 200mg magnesium bisglycinate)
The base of his sleep cocktail. Threonate crosses into the brain well; bisglycinate is a cheaper, well-tolerated alternative. Roughly 5% of people get an upset stomach from magnesium, in which case skip it.
Apigenin 50mg, 30 to 60 min before bed
A chamomile-derived compound that nudges GABA for a calm, non-sedating wind-down. Evidence is lighter than for magnesium or theanine, so it sits in the optional/mixed tier.
L-Theanine Start 100mg; increase to 200 to 400mg if needed
Promotes alpha brain waves and quiets mental chatter. Start low. Skip theanine if you get overly intense dreams, sleep-walk or have night terrors.
Occasional extras for tough nights 2g glycine + 100mg GABA, or 900mg myo-inositol, every 3rd or 4th night
He adds these only intermittently, not nightly, to avoid building a routine around them. Treat as occasional support, layered one at a time.
Sleep is gated by your circadian clock and your core body temperature.
View sources
Huberman Lab #84: Sleep Toolkit (tools for optimizing sleep)
Huberman Lab newsletter: Toolkit for Sleep (exact doses and timing)
Not medical advice. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a qualified clinician before changing your health routine.
Independent curation. YourProtocol is an independent platform. This protocol is based on the publicly available work of Andrew Huberman and is not created, reviewed, endorsed by, or affiliated with Andrew Huberman or Stanford.
Is this for you
- Anyone who wants behaviour-first sleep tools, not just pills
- People who haven't fixed light, temperature and caffeine timing yet
- Those who want to test supplements one at a time
- Shift workers and travellers adapting their sleep
Cautions
- Behaviour first. The light, temperature and caffeine-timing steps do most of the work; the supplements are a finishing layer and some people need none.
- Add one supplement at a time so you can tell what actually helps you.
- Skip L-theanine if you get overly intense dreams, sleep-walk or have night terrors. About 5% of people get GI upset from magnesium; if so, stop it.
- Huberman advises against routine high-dose melatonin, citing possible effects on hormones; it is not part of this stack.
- Check supplements against any medications or conditions with your physician, and buy third-party-tested products.
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