In Sleep Smarter, nutritionist and podcast host Shawn Stevenson offers 21 practical strategies for better sleep. He argues that sleep drives physical repair, fat loss and mental clarity, and that small changes to your environment and daily habits add up.
Designing the Sleep Sanctuary#
Stevenson treats the bedroom as a space built for darkness, coolness and calm:
- Darkness: Blackout curtains and removing light sources. Stevenson argues that even small amounts of light, like a standby LED, can disrupt melatonin. Light reaching your eyes matters most; the claim that light on your skin disrupts sleep has weak evidence.
- Temperature: Your core temperature needs to fall for you to fall asleep easily, so he suggests a cool room, around 60–68°F (15–20°C).
- Electronics: Stevenson suggests moving phones and Wi-Fi routers away from the bed. The evidence that electromagnetic fields affect sleep is weak, but keeping your phone out of reach does help with late-night scrolling.
Gut Health and Sleep#
Stevenson links gut health to sleep:
- Serotonin: Over 90% of the body's serotonin, a precursor to melatonin, is made in the gut. Gut serotonin doesn't reach the brain, though, so any link to sleep is indirect.
- Magnesium: Stevenson recommends magnesium, a mineral involved in muscle and nerve function. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement, especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have kidney problems or take medication. Our post on magnesium and other sleep supplements covers the evidence.
Alcohol before bed sedates the brain but disrupts sleep, suppressing REM sleep and causing more awakenings later in the night.
How This Connects to ARC#
ARC doesn't check your bedroom or advise on supplements. It handles the timing side: a wind-down reminder before bed and a caffeine cutoff computed from every drink you log. For the evening-light part of Stevenson's advice, see our evening light and melatonin guide. ARC isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Shawn Stevenson; this summary is our own.
ARC isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Shawn Stevenson or the publisher. This summary is our own reading of the book. Educational content, not medical advice.