Sleep Support

SLEEP IS VITAL. Have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling deeply rested and fully refreshed when you wake? You are not alone, though it may feel like it when you are awake at 3:12 a.m. and the outside world is quiet and dark. Sleep deprivation is akin to alcohol intoxication - the impairments are real and equally disabling in terms of response times, cognitive processing speed, accuracy, impulse control, coordination and attention [1] . Additionally, being chronically underslept is a risk factor in nearly every chronic disease we face in our modern world, so it’s important to stop treating sleep deprivation like a badge of honor that showcases how productive we are! 


Everyone has experienced a sleepless night now and again. According to The National Sleep Foundation, conservative studies estimate that 10-30 percent of adult Americans live with chronic insomnia [2]. American adults average 6.5 hours of sleep per night [3]. While there is individual variation in the ideal amount of sleep each person needs, the American Sleep Association advises that adults need 7-9 hours [2]. We are a nation of underslept people and it has far-reaching effects on our physical, mental and emotional health.

In evolutionary terms, why would we be programmed to spend one-third of our lives at great cost to ourselves if it weren’t absolutely essential? It’s a ridiculous proposition to spend ~8 hours per day sleeping and not foraging for food, taking care of our young, protecting your clan/tribe/family from predators or reproducing. And yet, sleep is one of the most highly conserved behaviors across all species, which underscores how important it is [3]. 

Excessive wakefulness has been described as low-level brain damage, and the research bears this out. Sleep deprivation is a risk factor in nearly every single chronic disease that we face in our modern lives. The research reveals that sleep deprivation [3, 4]:

  • increases the calcification of one’s arteries, thus increasing likelihood of a heart attack; 

  • contributes to obesity, diabetes and heart disease; 

  • amps up your stress response by increasing cortisol and adrenaline release; 

  • weakens your immune system; 

  • heightens your inflammatory response;

  • blunts production of Natural Killer (NK) cells, one of our best defenses against malignant cancer cells;

  • impairs DNA repair; 

  • significantly reduces time to physical exhaustion (take heed, athletes!); 

  • thwarts memory consolidation and learning; 

  • creates metabolic derangement whereby your body preferentially uses glycogen instead of fat for fuel; 

  • increases your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease; 

  • blunts hormone production; and 

  • stunts your ability to regulate moods and emotions, which induces undesirable psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in otherwise mentally healthy individuals.


Sleep deprivation is fatal. In rat studies, sleep deprivation killed the rats in approximately half the time as food deprivation, and the effect in humans is believed to be more severe [3]. Notably, sleep deprivation studies in humans haven’t been done since the 1980s due to its fatal effects. Eight hours of sleep per night is the most effective insurance policy against poor health. In fact, getting adequate sleep is the absolute best thing you can do for your health. Nutrition and exercise are not to be minimized, yet sleep is the foundation of health. 


For those of you who already struggle with sleep (like myself!), these statistics can be terrifying. I share these not to add to your panic and desperation, but rather to encourage you to keep seeking solutions to help you get the rest you need because if sleep improves, it will have a positive ripple effect on numerous other issues and functions. 


HOW NEUROFEEDBACK CAN HELP. Virtually all NeurOptimal® users notice changes in their sleep patterns, even if they’re not specifically training for that. With NeurOptimal®, your brain gets to prioritize what to address first, which could be why so many users report improvements in their sleep habits, which are absolutely essential to operating at your best. Often users report better quality sleep, feeling more rested and refreshed after sleep, an easier time falling and staying asleep or getting back to sleep if they wake up during the night, and experiencing more energy and vitality during the day. NeurOptimal® neurofeedback helps your brain organize itself toward greater efficiency, which can mean more fluid transitions among different states (i.e., sleep/wake cycles).

[1] Williamson AM, Feyer AM. Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication. Occupational Environmental Medicine. 2000; 57:649–655. doi: 10.1136/oem.57.10.649 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1739867/pdf/v057p00649.pdf 

[2] Sleep by the numbers. The National Sleep Foundation. May 12, 2021. Accessed October 27, 2021. https://www.thensf.org/sleep-facts-and-statistics/.

[3] Attia P. Interview with Matthew Walker, PhD, on sleep:  3-part series. The Peter Attia Drive. 2019. Accessed May 20, 2020.

[4] Rogan J. The Joe Rogan Experience #1109 - Matthew Walker. YouTube. April 25, 2018. Accessed May 14, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwaWilO_Pig