Sleep scientist and author of Why We Sleep; led the sleep lab at UC Berkeley, since 2026 at UT Dallas
Checked 17 Oct 2026. Each line is in our own words, with where it was said and an independent study or guideline next to it. Ties: Has advisory roles with sleep-tech companies.
“Go to bed at the same time, wake up at the same time”TED 2019: Sleep is your superpower, closing tips, last two minutes
Guideline · Regular timing tracks better health in a 41-study review and lower mortality in a 61,000-person cohort; all observational, no trial has changed it Research
Costs: no time, no money; an alarm on weekends
“somewhere between seven to nine hours”Huberman Lab guest series, The Biology of Sleep & Your Unique Sleep Needs, 01:47:57, QQRT and quantity
Guideline · AASM and SRS consensus: 7 or more hours. Mortality is U-shaped (short and long sleep both track higher risk); the book’s “8 hours” and “shorter sleep, shorter life” were challenged Research
Costs: 7 to 9 hours in bed; he gives himself an 8-hour window
“caffeine has an average half-life of five to seven hours”Why We Sleep, chapter 2 (Penguin excerpt), section 1, Caffeine
Strong evidence · A 24-study meta-analysis: caffeine cost 45 minutes of sleep on average; one coffee needs 8.8 hours before bed to leave sleep untouched Research
Costs: no money; decaf after lunch
“alcohol, unfortunately, is anything but a sleep aid”Huberman Lab, The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep (2021), 01:07:54, Alcohol
Strong evidence · A 27-study meta-analysis: about two drinks already cut REM sleep, and more drinks cut more Research
Costs: no money
“aim for a bedroom temperature of about 18, 18 and a half degrees Celsius”The Diary of a CEO, The 6 Sleep Hacks You Need (March 2023), about 1:39
Mixed evidence · A cool room and warm skin is well supported; the exact number is not. A 2019 review puts the best room at 19 to 21 °C, a 2023 older-adult study at 20 to 25 °C Research
Costs: thermostat down, maybe a fan or an open window; warm socks
“dim down half of the lights or switch off half of the lights”The Tim Ferriss Show #654, Dr. Matthew Walker (February 2023), about 1:37
Guideline · Expert consensus 2022: keep evening light under 10 lux from three hours before bed. Walker now says room lighting matters more than phone screens Research
Costs: no money; lamps instead of ceiling lights
“After about 30 minutes of time awake, you should get out of your bed”The Diary of a CEO, The 6 Sleep Hacks You Need (March 2023), about 1:16
Guideline · Stimulus control: the AASM 2021 insomnia guideline recommends it (conditional). The minute count is a rule of thumb, not a studied cut-off Research
Costs: no money
“at least 30 to 40 minutes of exposure to some kind of natural daylight”Huberman Lab, The Science & Practice of Perfecting Your Sleep (2021), 00:42:48, Viewing morning sunlight
Guideline · Expert consensus 2022: at least 250 lux at the eye by day, daylight preferred; it anchors the body clock that regular sleep depends on Research
Costs: 30 minutes outside, no money; combine with the commute or a walk
Don't take all of it. Pick one or two lines that fit your week, try them for two weeks, and keep what works for you. That's what Vea is for: a weekly check-in that shows what each habit does for you.
Not an endorsement: these are our short summaries of what each person has published, with a link to the source. They have no connection to Vea. Ideas to try, not medical advice. On this list and want off? [email protected]