Contrary to concerns from animal studies about endocrine disruption, human data and Dr. D'Agostino's self-experimentation with high doses (up to 30mg) show no suppression of key hormones like testosterone, LH, or FSH. This suggests it can be used safely for its neuroprotective and antioxidant benefits.

Melatonin is not a sedative; it's a hormone that signals to your brain that it's nighttime. Meta-analyses show it only reduces the time to fall asleep by about 3-4 minutes. Its primary effective uses are for managing jet lag or specific circadian rhythm disorders.

Contrary to their widespread use, both over-the-counter and prescription sleeping pills are deemed ineffective at best and harmful at worst by leading institutions like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic. They do not provide quality sleep and should be avoided.

Over-the-counter "PM" medications contain diphenhydramine, an antihistamine that causes drowsiness. Emerging data suggests that daily use of this specific ingredient can lead almost directly to Alzheimer's disease, a significant and hidden risk for a widely used household product.

Unlike sedatives, DORA-class sleep aids (Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonists) work by inhibiting wakefulness, creating more natural sleep architecture. Research suggests this may improve the brain's ability to clear beta-amyloid and tau proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease, offering a potential preventative strategy.

While low testosterone can cause poor sleep, starting TRT can also lead to sleep issues. It drastically increases the risk of sleep apnea and can initially put the body into a hypersympathetic (fight-or-flight) state, disrupting sleep patterns.

The popular advice to take magnesium for sleep is often flawed. Most common forms of magnesium (like oxide or citrate) do not cross the blood-brain barrier. Since sleep is a brain process, these supplements are unlikely to have a direct effect unless an individual is clinically deficient.

Unlike sedatives like Ambien, a new class of medication (DORAs) works by dialing down the brain's wakefulness chemical (orexin). This allows for naturalistic sleep that is functionally beneficial, proven to increase the brain's cleansing of beta amyloid and tau protein, which are linked to Alzheimer's disease.

While specific, medically-approved red light therapies show promise for treating conditions like macular degeneration, consumer-grade devices bought online are often unstandardized. They can emit the wrong energy levels, potentially burning the retina and causing irreversible harm.