Sleep: the recovery multiplier

No protocol replaces sleep. It's when your body does much of its repair work, and it shapes energy, appetite and mood the next day.

Keep a steady schedule

Going to bed and waking at similar times — weekends included — is one of the simplest ways to improve sleep quality.

Light in the morning, dark at night

Morning daylight helps set your internal clock. Dim screens and lights in the hour before bed.

Watch late caffeine and alcohol

Both can fragment sleep even when you fall asleep easily. Try cutting off caffeine by early afternoon.

Talk to your clinician

If you're considering a recovery-focused protocol, your clinician will look at sleep, labs and history together before recommending anything.