Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

Episode: My 9-Step Evening Protocol for More Happiness and Better Sleep

Host: Arthur Brooks
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

Arthur Brooks, social scientist and Harvard professor, shares his personal nine-step evening protocol designed to maximize happiness and improve sleep. Building on a popular earlier episode covering his morning routine, this episode offers practical, science-based advice to help listeners end their day peacefully, sleep better, and wake up feeling refreshed. Brooks weaves in research from neuroscience, behavioral science, and real-life experimentation, while maintaining his trademark humor and warmth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Case for a Structured Evening Routine

• Purpose: Calm the mind, prepare for restorative sleep, and set up the next day for happiness and success.
• Quote: “The more that you structure your life, the more that you're in charge of your life.” (03:20)
• Brooks emphasizes that life, like finance or business, benefits from routines and rules—not rigidity, but parameters for living well.

2. The 9-Step Evening Protocol: Deep Dive

Step 1: Eat Dinner Early

• Ideal Timing: At least 3 hours before bed; for Brooks, that’s 6pm.
• Biological rationale: Avoids high blood sugar and digestive activity at bedtime, both of which disrupt sleep cycles.
• Quote: “You do not want to have a high blood sugar level when you're trying to go to sleep.” (12:30)
• Cultural anecdote: Brooks discusses adjusting this habit in his Spanish-American household.

Step 2: Avoid Alcohol (Especially Late)

• Research: Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster but disrupts sleep quality and circadian rhythms.
• Quote: “A euphoric substance is neurotoxic... if you’re drinking a bunch of alcohol before you go to bed, you’re going to be in a trough when you wake up in the morning.” (18:00)

Step 3: No Caffeine in the Afternoon/Evening

• Rationale: Caffeine’s effects last longer as we age; even decaf and dark chocolate may impact sensitive individuals.
• Tip: Brooks has his last caffeine dose by late morning.
• Quote: “These days... I do that [drink coffee] now, I’ll be out cleaning the garage in the middle of the night.” (23:17)

Step 4: Curtail Dessert and Late-Night Snacking

• Scientific basis: Nighttime sugar spikes blood glucose and disturbs sleep; willpower is lower at night, making habits key.
• Brooks shares his personal journey with a sweet tooth and the positive health impacts of cutting back.
• Personal moment: “I missed my dad so much every day. I love my dad... when I eat candy corn still today, I'm like, ‘Dad, this is for you.’” (25:41)

Step 5: Go for a Walk After Dinner

• Duration: At least 10 minutes, ideally 30–40 minutes.
• Benefits: Reduces post-meal blood glucose, strengthens circadian rhythms (especially witnessing sunset), supports mood and relationship health.
• Relationship hack: Hold hands while walking; reduces stress hormones and boosts oxytocin.
• Quote: “Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch. We hold hands all the time. This is our rule that we're always holding hands.” (37:45)

Step 6: Take Targeted Supplements

• Supplements cited: Magnesium glycinate (most supported), zinc, vitamin D3 + K2, L-theanine, and—where appropriate—melatonin (with caveats).
• Warning: Melatonin content in supplements can vary wildly, and most people take far too much.
• Research: “Anything that will really knock you out, a pill from the doctor, it’s most likely addictive and can be dangerous.” (42:58)
• Tip: Experiment to see what works for you and buy reputable brands.

Step 7: No Phones in the Bedroom

• Rule: Stop using your phone at least one hour before bed; leave phones outside the bedroom.
• Rationale: Both stress-inducing content and blue light inhibit melatonin and disrupt sleep cycles.
• Quote: “There’s this thing on Amazon called an alarm clock. It’s five bucks—life changing device.” (47:20)
• Practical method: Brooks puts his phone in a closet on a different floor.

Step 8: Go to Bed—Don’t Procrastinate

• On sleep procrastination: Staying up late rebelliously only hurts you.
• Quote: “Not going to bed when you need to go to bed is a stupid thing to do.” (53:24)
• Ideal sleep duration: Most people need at least 6.5 hours, though not everyone needs 8.

Step 9: Psychological Wind-Down Rituals

• a) With a Partner: Engage in eye contact for five minutes before sleep—boosts oxytocin and relationship closeness.
  • Quote: “Stare into each other’s eyes for five minutes. Gonna change your life. It’s gonna change your marriage.” (58:04)
• b) On your own: Mantras or sleep prayers (e.g., the Jesus Prayer or gratitude meditations).
  • Secular suggestion: “I’m grateful for this day and finish it in peace.”
• c) Reading (not on devices): Reading physical books or having your partner read to you enables relaxation and better information retention.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The morning protocol starts the night before. The biggest mistake that people make in their morning protocol is not having gone to bed in a timely way.”
  —Arthur Brooks (09:30)

• “Walking is one of the best things you can do to lower depressive symptoms and to lower anxiety... We’re an ambulatory species.”
  —Arthur Brooks (32:05)

• “No phones in the bedroom. That way it’s going to mess up [your kids’] brains… Phones out of the bedrooms, and your kids are just gonna sleep better.”
  —Arthur Brooks (52:25)

• “When things aren’t perfect, you should disregard the imperfection and just do the best you can. The last step is: never mind.”
  —Arthur Brooks (01:08:36)

Important Timestamps

• 03:20 — Rationale for structured routines
• 12:30 — Why dinner timing matters
• 18:00 — The case against alcohol at night
• 23:17 — Age and caffeine metabolism
• 25:41 — On genetic sweet tooth and emotional associations
• 32:05 — Walking for mood and physical health
• 37:45 — Relationship advice: always be touching
• 42:58 — Supplements: what works, what to watch for
• 47:20 — Removing phones from the bedroom
• 53:24 — Pitfalls of bedtime procrastination
• 58:04 — Eye contact and oxytocin before sleep
• 01:08:36 — Self-compassion: “Never mind” principle

Q&A Highlights

Q1: Should adolescents follow the same routine?

• Teens' circadian rhythms are more flexible than thought; main issue is phones in their rooms. Remove screens for better sleep hygiene.

Q2: Does Brooks’s wife follow his protocols?

• Not exactly. Esther gets up a bit later and needs more sleep, but follows her adapted routine.

Q3: Recommendations for afternoon energy crashes?

• Try delaying caffeine until 2–2.5 hours post-waking to avoid a mid-afternoon slump.

Conclusion

Brooks encourages listeners to experiment and adapt his protocol to their own needs. The science-backed framework—eat early, move after dinner, supplement smartly, disconnect from tech, and build positive pre-sleep rituals—can help anyone increase their happiness and sleep quality.

Final encouragement:
“You will have a better night. You'll have a better sleep architecture, you'll go to sleep more quickly, you'll wake up more refreshed, and you'll be happier. Do it your way. But let me tell you: my way certainly works for me.” (50:26)

Download the 9-Step Protocol PDF and see full references at ArthurBrooks.com.

For questions, feedback, or to subscribe to Brooks’s newsletter, visit his website or email officehours@arthurbrooks.com.