#716: Performance Coach Andy Galpin — Rebooting Tim's Sleep, Nutrition, Supplements, and Training for 2024

Tim uses Momentous Magtein (magnesium L-threonate) as part of his sleep stack to improve onset, quality, and duration of sleep.

Tim uses L-theanine from Momentous as part of his pre-sleep stack.

Tim uses apigenin from Momentous as part of his sleep stack.

Tim takes creatine daily, often before podcast recording, citing benefits for short-term memory and performance under stress, as well as physical performance.

Tim recommends Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega fish oil for omega-3 intake, citing no fishy aftertaste and improvements in recovery, sleep, and mood.

Tim alternates the fish oil with Nordic Naturals Algae Omega, a plant-based EPA/DHA option.

For people whose sleep waking events occur on their back, wearing a fanny-pack-style pouch reversed onto the low back prevents supine sleep and can dramatically reduce nighttime waking.

Galpin recommends measuring respiratory rate overnight as a sensitive, low-cost indicator of stress and overall physiology; targets ~10–11 breaths/min, action above 13, problematic above 15.

Galpin's company offers a wireless in-home clinical sleep lab device measuring at 150Hz, FDA-approved for diagnosing sleep disorders.

Tim has used AG1 since ~2010 as a daily foundational supplement supporting brain, gut and immune systems.

For people with elevated respiratory rate / sympathetic dominance, do walks and low-intensity sessions without headphones/podcasts to learn to read and regulate physiology.

Galpin recommends Emily Hightower's Skill of Stress course on reading and regulating physiological stress states.

After high-intensity training, lie down in dark and quiet for 2–7 minutes of breathwork to consciously downregulate; can use box breathing or extended exhale (4s in/8s out).

During light exercise, intentionally cap inhale/exhale to ~3 seconds each to retrain a lower breath rate.

Tim finds Stuart McGill's Big Three (especially side plank) significantly alleviates lower back tightness and spinal erector tension.

Before periods of intensified training or sleep restriction (e.g., training camps, travel), increase sleep duration to up to 10 hours/night to build a buffer; data shows 45 min–2 hrs extra sleep improves athletic performance.

Test individual sweat rate and composition (Gatorade patch ~$12 up to Nix ~$150) to personalize electrolyte and fluid replacement.

For rehydration plus recovery, an isotonic solution with sodium, electrolytes and ~5–9% glucose maximizes uptake; add fructose during acute exercise to use both gut transporters.

Stop drinking water 2 hours before bed (part of 3-2-1 rule: 3 hr no food, 2 hr no water, 1 hr no devices) to reduce nocturia.

Tim finds Pilates instruction significantly alleviates his lower back issues.

Tim recommends Maui Nui unsweetened venison sticks as a convenient nutrient-dense ~10g protein source for skiing days.

Tim uses UCAN bars as on-slope nutrition during skiing days.

For Tim's frame and recovery needs, target at least 150–200g protein per day, distributed across the day including 40–50g at breakfast.

Include carbohydrates in the evening meal (e.g., ~40g) to support sleep quality and hormonal balance (lowers SHBG via insulin, supports free testosterone).

Use the color of foods (varied fruits/vegetables) as a proxy to ensure micronutrient breadth; frozen produce is acceptable.

Heavy sweaters and altitude athletes should generously salt food and/or use electrolyte packs to replace sweat sodium losses.

Magnesium supplementation is sensible, especially with high sweat losses.

Take creatine daily rather than intermittently for chronic effects; consider higher doses (10–20g) for brain health benefits.

Supplementing vitamin D is generally safe and beneficial without major cross-reactions.

Omega-3 fish oil is a standard recommendation alongside vitamin D for general supplementation.

Ashwagandha is a cortisol-modulating adaptogen with reasonable evidence for sleep and supporting testosterone; quality and dosing standardization is hard.

Klean is the third-party-certified pure ashwagandha brand Galpin knows of.

Galpin has used rhodiola for over a decade as a cortisol modulator with anecdotal benefits for testosterone and growing evidence for muscular endurance.

Galpin specifically uses Momentous's rhodiola because it is third-party tested.

At altitude, beetroot/arginine precursors are a low-risk option that may help via nasal dilation and red blood cell delivery.

Galpin speculatively suggests lactate (gel or topical) may help at altitude as a brain/heart fuel and acid buffer; cites use in TBI research.

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as an alkaline buffer can support performance at altitude; topical lotion form (PR Lotion) avoids GI distress.

Respiratory muscle training device that restricts airflow on inhalation to strengthen intercostals and diaphragm; helpful for altitude prep.

Nasal-only breathing during moderate exercise effectively trains respiratory muscles by restricting airflow, mimicking altitude.

Tim's regular practice is twice-daily 20-minute TM-style meditation sessions.

Slow restorative yoga sessions (~60 min) used as evening downregulation post-skiing.

For people with low-back compression sensitivity, replace bilateral squats/deadlifts with single-leg movements: leg press, step-ups, rear-foot-elevated split squats, sled push.

In-season strength maintenance: 3–5 days/week, 3–5 exercises, 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps with 3–5 minutes rest, at ~85% 1RM but never to failure.

~4-minute warmup: diaphragm breathing supine, glute bridges with chin tuck, single-leg bridge, split-stance lunges with rotation watching rib-to-ASIS distance, bird dog, low-level stiff-leg hops.

For chronic low-back guarding, isolate glutes and hamstrings on machines (leg curl, banded glute work) to retrain firing without recruiting spinal erectors.