Dr. Allison Brager: Improve Sleep Efficiency & Resilience
Dr. Allison Brager: Improve Sleep Efficiency & Resilience  
Podcast: Perform with Dr. Andy Galpin
Published On: Wed Mar 26 2025
Description: In this episode, my guest is Dr. Allison Brager, Ph.D., an active-duty Army neuroscientist whose research focuses on physiological resilience in extreme stress environments such as Antarctica and outer space. We discuss how sleep is impacted in these harsh conditions and the broader concept of sleep resilience, which is crucial for athletes, military personnel, and anyone with demanding personal or professional situations. We explain the effects of circadian rhythm (chronotype) misalignment on performance and how different chronotypes align with certain careers and sports. We also outline the key differences in sleep between men and women, including sleep onset, daytime sleepiness, and duration, along with the biological mechanisms that drive sleepiness. Finally, we discuss practical strategies for recovering from poor sleep and improving sleep through behaviors, light exposure, and nutrition. Regardless of your career or lifestyle, this episode provides valuable insights for optimizing your sleep to enhance performance and overall well-being. Read the episode show notes at performpodcast.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/perform Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/perform LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/perform Parker University: https://parkerseminars.com Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/perform Timestamps 00:00:00 Allison Brager 00:01:37 East vs West Coast, Sports Teams, Sleep, Injury 00:04:46 Performance & Circadian Clock, Genetics, Chronotypes; Kids & Habits 00:10:50 Sponsors: AG1 & Eight Sleep 00:13:38 Chronotype, Genetics, Military, Academia 00:18:01 Importance of Animal Models, Chromosomal Sex & Hormones; Sleep 00:24:22 Sleep Differences & Men vs Women, Sleep Pressure, Onset 00:30:32 Sex Differences, Sleep Duration; Naps 00:33:45 Tool: Nap Duration; “Nappuccino”, Chronic Insufficient Sleep 00:38:42 Multiphasic Sleep, Chronotype, Shift Work & Health Risks 00:42:44 Sponsors: LMNT & Parker University 00:45:29 Night Shift, Performance, Per Genes, Genetic Testing, Chronotypes 00:51:25 Antarctica, Sleep, Seasonality, Sleep Resilience & Limits 00:58:50 Poor Sleep, Sleep Banking, Weekends 01:01:42 Sleep in Extreme Environments, Outer Space 01:08:04 Mars Mission Preparation, Gene Editing & Studying Sleep 01:11:50 Short Sleepers, Sleep Pressure & Adenosine, Efficiency 01:16:39 Hypersomnia & Poor Health, Depression; Traumatic Brain Injury & Sleep 01:21:30 Sponsor: Momentous 01:23:08 Increasing Sleep Efficiency Case Study, Morning & Daytime Behaviors 01:30:23 Sleep Efficiency, Nighttime Behaviors, Foods, Melatonin? 01:34:59 Cold Plunge, Mouth Taping, Nasal Dilators 01:37:02 Jet Lag, Supplements, Melatonin 01:41:37 Sleep Extension, Tool: Intervals; Sleep Banking, Sleep In or Bed Earlier? 01:49:18 Youngstown, Ohio & Sports 01:55:24 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Subscribe & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Social Media, Perform Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures