What is heart rate before sleep (HRBS)

Bryan Johnson Longevity Products

Hi friend,

I’ve spent millions of dollars developing health protocols backed by science. I do dozens of things a day for my health. But if you’re going to focus on one thing, it would be this:

Lower your heart rate before sleep

The good news is that you can improve it immediately for free. I cannot overstate its importance. This is the most consequential health lesson to learn.

In this email we will cover…

What is heart rate before sleep (HRBS)
Why it’s important
How to measure it
What is a good score
Your protocol to improve it

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What is HRBS?

How fast or slow your heart is beating before bed is an informative predictor of your overall health.

This measurement (heart rate before sleep, HRBS) is the number of heartbeats per minute measured while lying quietly right before sleep.

Your HRBS reveals your…

+ fitness
+ metabolic health
+ food habits
+ stress management

HRBS is a powerful biomarker of overall health. A single number representing how your whole body is doing.

Your HRBS is also a longevity therapy.

If you lower your heart rate before sleep (HRBS), you’re more likely to fall asleep faster and experience deeper, higher-quality sleep. This is because a lower heart rate reflects activation of the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) system, which promotes relaxation and sleep onset.

You’ve probably felt this: after a large meal before bed, your heart rate stays elevated as your body diverts energy to digestion, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.

This is critical because sleep is the #1 longevity therapy.

Bryan Johnson Longevity Products

Poor sleep is linked to…

+ higher risk of death
+ increased hunger and weight gain
+ increased risk of hypertension
+ irritability and impaired judgement
+ lower functional IQ by 12-15 points

Personally, after five years of health experimentation, my HRBS is the marker I focus on most. I love it because it’s one number that mirrors how I’m doing in life generally.

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How to measure

There are two simple ways to measure HRBS. First, lay flat on your back and relax for sixty seconds. I find it helpful to take a few deep breaths to calm the body down.

If you have a wearable, you can check your app
If you don’t, count your pulse for 15 seconds and then multiply by 4

Example: your HRBS might be 70 bpm tonight.

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What’s a good score?

A fantastic HRBS score is around 50 bpm.

50 bpm reflects an efficient heart and a nervous system in “rest” mode. It’s common in aerobically fit people or athletes.

It can signal:

+ good stroke volume
+ higher vagal tone
+ better cardiorespiratory fitness

Mine usually hovers between 39-44 bpm.

If yours is higher, in the 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s, don’t worry, you can make meaningful progress very quickly with the protocol below. Measure your baseline HRBS tonight, then try to lower gradually.

Note: if your score is consistently very low (below 40) or very high (above 80), especially with symptoms, check in with your physician. If you ever feel dizzy or faint, seek care. Also, women typically have a higher HRBS by ~3 bpm.

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Bryan Johnson Longevity Products

Your HRBS protocol

My resting heart rate before bed is the strongest predictor of my sleep quality. If it’s 40 bpm, I am guaranteed a perfect night’s sleep. If it’s 57 bpm, I’ll lose about 30% of my sleep quality. Every time. It’s remarkable.

First, I’ll recommend a protocol for you. Then I will share extra actions I do daily to lower my HRBS. I am intensely focused on longevity so my protocol is over-the-top for most people.

Your protocol:

+ Finish all food ~4 hours before bed (earlier the better)
+ Avoid heavy/large foods for your last meals (i.e. pasta)
+ Avoid alcohol entirely
+ Avoid blue light (incl screens) at least 1 hour before bed
+ Avoid stress close to bed (fights, working late)
+ Finish all caffeine or stimulants by 12pm
+ Finish high intensity exercise 4 hours before bed
+ Screens off 60 min before bed
+ Have a calming routine 1 hour before bed (read, walk, journal)
+ Keep a cool, dark, and quiet bedroom
+ Same bedtime every night

Things that raise your resting heart rate…

+ Adds 5-10 bpm, Alcohol before bedtime
+ Adds 5-25 bpm, Anxiety, stress, rumination
+ Adds 2-5 bpm, Late-day caffeine
+ Adds 4-10 bpm, Intense evening exercise
+ Adds 10 bpm, Large evening meals
+ Adds 10 bpm, Nicotine
+ Adds 5 bpm, Dehydration
+ Adds 5 bpm, High room or body temp
+ Adds 7 bpm, Certain meds will elevate

Extra things I do:

+ Slight caloric restriction (2,250 cal daily)
+ Finish all food by 12 pm
+ Only use red light in the house at night

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The most encouraging part of all this is how quickly you’ll see the results. Friends tell me that it’s changed their life.

Your body responds almost immediately to the changes you make, and the benefits scaffold. A lower HRBS tonight means better sleep tomorrow. Better sleep tomorrow means a lower heart rate tomorrow night. It’s simple, measurable, and entirely within your control.

I know I’m asking a lot of you. To turn off your screens. To eat earlier when our culture eats late. I promise you, it’s worth it. You will feel more vibrant and energetic. If you’re at a social event and need to fit in, eat lightly. Small daily steps. Your behaviors will also influence culture so that eventually we create a new norm.

Share this with a friend and loved one. Life is twice the joy and half the sorrow when we do things together.