Sleep
Sleep is the single highest-leverage longevity intervention most people ignore. A 2010 meta-analysis in Sleep found that short sleep duration is associated with a 12% increase in all-cause mortality. Yet most sleep advice stops at "put your phone away" and "keep the room cool", treating symptoms while ignoring the biological machinery that generates restorative sleep.
These articles go deeper than sleep hygiene. We cover sleep architecture (the cycling through N1, N2, N3, and REM stages) that determines whether you wake up recovered or exhausted. We examine circadian biology, core body temperature regulation, adenosine clearance, and the specific mechanisms that drive each sleep stage.
We also cover supplementation for sleep, including which forms of magnesium actually improve sleep quality, how low-dose melatonin works as a circadian signal rather than a sedative, and why glycine is one of the most underrated sleep compounds available. Every protocol is grounded in published research from journals like Sleep Medicine Reviews and the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
If you are spending eight hours in bed and still waking up tired, the problem is almost certainly architectural, not behavioral. These articles will help you understand why.
Go deeper
The Outlive Protocol: Sleep
Engineer your sleep like your life depends on it, because it does. The complete system.
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Frequently asked questions
How much sleep do I actually need?
Most adults need 7-9 hours, but duration is only half the equation. Sleep architecture (the proportion of time spent in deep slow-wave sleep and REM) determines whether those hours are restorative. You can sleep 8 hours and still wake exhausted if your sleep stages are disrupted.
Do sleep trackers accurately measure sleep quality?
Consumer wearables estimate sleep stages using heart rate and movement, but they disagree with clinical polysomnography roughly 30-50% of the time according to a 2021 review in Sleep Medicine Reviews. They are useful for tracking trends over time, but the specific stage breakdowns on any given night should be taken with skepticism.
What is the best supplement for sleep?
Magnesium glycinate (200-400mg before bed) has the strongest evidence-to-side-effect ratio. Glycine (3g) is underrated for its ability to lower core body temperature. Low-dose melatonin (0.5mg, taken 3-4 hours before bed) works as a circadian timing signal, not a sedative. Most people take too much, too late.