Sleep Protocol

The Problem

Sleep is inconsistent. Some weeks average 90+ sleep score, others around 70. Some nights 9 hours, others 6. Bedtime ranges from 10 PM to midnight. Hardest to fall asleep after hard evening sessions. Wake time is fixed at 7 AM naturally.

The Fix

Move training to 1-3 PM. Work hours are flexible, classes are self-study, and there are showers and storage at the office. Evening training was the root cause of the sleep inconsistency. Hard intervals at 7-8 PM spike cortisol and core temperature for 1-2 hours, making it hard to fall asleep before midnight. Moving sessions to early afternoon eliminates this entirely.

Cortisol is fully baseline by 8 PM. No sympathetic activation at bedtime. No elaborate wind-down protocol needed.

Training Schedule (Revised)

This gives 7-8 hours between training and sleep. Body temperature peaks mid-afternoon, so performance is actually higher in the 1-3 PM window than in the evening.

Sleep Rules

Non-Negotiable

1. Lights out at 10:30 PM every night. Not 10 PM some nights and midnight others. The 2-hour variance was essentially self-imposed jet lag. The circadian system needs consistency to lock in melatonin timing. If not tired at 10:30, lie in the dark.
2. Wake at 7:00 AM. Already happening. Keep it.
3. 8-8.5 hours sleep opportunity. 10:30 PM to 7:00 AM.
4. No screens in bed. Already not bringing electronics home. Good.

Room Environment

• Temperature: 18-19 C. Core temperature needs to drop 1-2 degrees to initiate sleep. A warm room fights this.
• Dark: Blackout curtains or sleep mask. Any ambient light suppresses melatonin.
• Consistent: Same bed, same routine, every night. The body learns to associate the environment with sleep.

If Sleep Is Still Poor After 2 Weeks

If the schedule change doesn’t fix it:

1. Add magnesium glycinate (200-400mg) 30-60 min before bed. Glycinate form specifically for bioavailability and mild sleep-promoting effects from glycine.
2. 10 min breathing drill before bed. Box breathing (4 sec in, 4 sec hold, 4 sec out, 4 sec hold) or extended exhale (4 sec in, 6-8 sec out). Activates the vagus nerve and shifts from sympathetic to parasympathetic.
3. Check the deficit. If sleep score is consistently below 75 and training quality is declining, the caloric deficit may be too aggressive. Add 200 kcal from carbohydrates and reassess.

What to Track

For the first 2 weeks after switching to afternoon training:

The hypothesis is simple: moving training 5-6 hours earlier removes the cortisol/temperature spike at bedtime, and fixing bedtime at 10:30 gives the circadian system consistency. If sleep scores stabilize above 80 within 2 weeks, the problem was training timing, not sleep hygiene.