Sleep Anxiety, Insomnia, Circadian Rhythms, Chronotypes, Sleep Trackers & How to Sleep Better with Dr. Michael Breus
Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist, sleep specialist, and internationally recognized sleep expert known as The Sleep Doctor, to explore insomnia, sleep anxiety, circadian rhythms, chronotypes, nighttime awakenings, temperature regulation, sleep medications, wearable sleep trackers, and the science of improving sleep quality.
The conversation challenges conventional thinking about sleep, including whether everyone needs eight hours, why trying harder to fall asleep can make insomnia worse, and how the body’s internal clock influences energy, productivity, and recovery.
Dr. Breus explains why he believes fear and anxiety contribute to a substantial proportion of sleep problems. He describes how worrying about falling asleep, waking up at 3 a.m., or feeling exhausted the next day can create a cycle of stress that makes restful sleep increasingly difficult. Dave and Michael explore how cognitive behavioral therapy, emotional regulation, and changing your relationship with sleep may help break that cycle without relying exclusively on medication.
The conversation explores why sleeping pills may fail to address the underlying causes of chronic insomnia, how nighttime awakenings can trigger negative thinking, and why the fear of being tired may sometimes become more disruptive than the tiredness itself. Dave shares his experience deliberately restricting sleep while building his businesses, and Michael explains the difference between temporarily functioning with less sleep and maintaining healthy sleep habits over the long term.
Finally, Dave and Michael examine emerging research on creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation, including whether creatine can temporarily support cognitive performance after insufficient sleep. They discuss the potential benefits, limitations, and risks of using supplements to compensate for lost sleep, emphasizing why improving sleep quality should remain the priority.
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You’ll Learn:
-Why Dr. Michael Breus believes fear and anxiety contribute to many sleep problems, and how worrying about sleep can make insomnia worse
-How your chronotype influences your ideal bedtime, wake-up time, energy levels, and the amount of sleep you may need
-Why lowering body temperature, heart rate, and anxiety can help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality
-How nighttime light exposure, meal timing, exercise, and bedroom temperature influence circadian rhythms and sleep
-Why waking up at 3 a.m. can trigger negative thinking, and how changing your response to nighttime awakenings may help
-What sleep trackers get wrong about deep sleep, how to interpret your sleep data, and whether creatine can help when you’re sleep-deprived
Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.
New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
Resources:
• Learn More About Michael’s Work At: http://chronoquiz.com/
• Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/
• Dave Asprey’s Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today.
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/davetube
• My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off)
• Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off)
Timestamps:
00:00 — Trailer
01:27 — Intro
02:46 — Chronotypes & Sleep Compression
05:00 — Blue Light Glasses Debate
07:50 — Night Owls & Morning Meetings
12:15 — Circadian Time Cues
14:21 — Temperature & Thermoregulation
19:58 — EMFs & Sleep Sensitivity
25:01 — Sleep Research & Fear
30:28 — Sleep Deprivation Experiment
36:15 — Trackers & Creatine
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