Eating for Better Sleep & Foods that Improve Metabolic Health | Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge
Andrew Huberman and Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge discuss the bidirectional relationship between sleep and food, exploring how sleep deprivation impacts hunger and metabolic health differently in men and women. They also delve into how specific dietary choices like fiber, saturated fat, and meal timing affect sleep quality, as well as the metabolic effects of functional foods like MCTs and ginger. The episode covers sex differences in sleep requirements and offers clinical approaches to addressing sleep issues.
- Fiber boosts deep sleep: Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge's research shows that higher fiber intake directly links to more deep, restorative slow-wave sleep. Read →
- Ginger boosts your internal furnace: Consuming ginger significantly increases the body's thermic effect of food (TEF), meaning you burn more calories simply digesting your meals. Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge's research showed this elevated burn lasted for hours after consumption. Read →
- Publication Rights Are Contractual: Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge confirms that research contracts almost universally protect a scientist's right to publish findings, regardless of whether the results favor the funder. Without the right to publish, she says, there is no point in doing the research. Read →
- Diets mirroring Mediterranean or DASH principles are strongly linked to better sleep quality and fewer insomnia symptoms. Read →
- When sleep-deprived, men experience increased ghrelin (the hunger hormone), while women see a reduction in GLP-1 (a satiety hormone), both leading to higher caloric intake. Read →
- Cutting sleep triggers specific hormonal shifts that directly increase hunger, making overeating a biological imperative, not just a willpower issue. Read →