Good In Bed – A Guide to Better Sleep

Summary

The Goop Podcast: "Good In Bed – A Guide to Better Sleep" Summary

Release Date: June 10, 2025
Hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow, featuring Dr. Sherry Ma

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Introduction

In the enlightening episode titled "Good In Bed – A Guide to Better Sleep," Gwyneth Paltrow teams up with Dr. Sherry Ma, a renowned sleep physician and researcher, alongside partners at Weston Hotels. The discussion delves deep into the multifaceted aspects of sleep, especially pertinent for women navigating perimenopause and frequent travelers seeking restorative rest.

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The Importance of Sleep

Dr. Sherry Ma opens the conversation by challenging prevailing cultural notions about sleep. Highlighting a common misconception, she states:

"There's this cultural belief that it is a badge of honor to not need sufficient sleep to be at your best." [02:33]

She emphasizes that optimal sleep is not only crucial for peak performance but also for longevity and overall happiness. Dr. Ma advocates for a paradigm shift where sleep is revered as a foundational pillar of wellness.

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Optimizing Sleep While Traveling

Travel often disrupts sleep patterns, introducing challenges like jet lag and unfamiliar environments. Dr. Ma offers practical strategies to mitigate these issues:

• Travel Sleep Kit: Essentials include an eye mask, noise-canceling headphones, earplugs, and light-blocking stickers to create a conducive sleeping environment regardless of location. [03:32-04:10]

• Ideal Room Temperature: Maintaining a cool environment between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit is optimal for consolidated sleep. [04:29-04:35]

• Wind-Down Routine: Establishing a consistent pre-sleep routine outside the bedroom helps signal the body that it's time to rest. Dr. Ma advises against associating the bed with activities like making to-do lists or thinking about work. [04:45-05:14]

• First Night Effect: The phenomenon where individuals sleep poorly in new environments is discussed, with Dr. Ma explaining that the brain remains alert as a protective mechanism. [05:17-05:43]

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Nutrition's Role in Sleep

Gwyneth Paltrow underscores the often-overlooked connection between diet and sleep quality. Dr. Ma elaborates on how both what and when we eat can significantly influence our sleep patterns:

• Meal Timing and Consistency: Regular meal times help maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, which is essential for quality sleep. [07:06-07:40]

• Sleep-Friendly Menus: Weston Hotels' "Eat Well" menu is tailored to support sleep, featuring items like parfaits for breakfast and turkey wraps for dinner. Dr. Ma notes:

  "The parfait can be a great breakfast option. It has carbohydrates and protein which are building blocks for serotonin and melatonin." [09:05-09:14]

• Caffeine Management: Introducing the concept of the "Nappuccino," where consuming a caffeinated beverage followed by a short nap can boost alertness without the typical caffeine crash. [08:55-09:35]

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Exercise and Its Impact on Sleep

Regular physical activity emerges as a critical factor in enhancing sleep quality:

• Consistency and Timing: Engaging in moderate to high-intensity workouts regularly promotes better rest. However, the timing of exercise can vary per individual; some may find evening workouts invigorating, while others prefer mornings. [11:03-11:16], [13:01-14:19]

• Wind-Down Through Movement: For travelers, utilizing equipment like yoga blocks and resistance bands can help maintain workout routines, which in turn supports sleep quality. [12:33-13:35]

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Understanding Sleep Debt

A pivotal part of the discussion revolves around sleep debt—the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep:

• Debunking Myths: Dr. Ma clarifies that catching up on missed sleep isn't as simple as sleeping extra on weekends. Instead, it requires consistent sleep practices over several weeks to effectively "pay back" the debt. [14:19-15:05]

• Recommended Sleep Duration: Adults are advised to aim for a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night to maintain optimal health and function. [14:46-15:05]

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Conclusion and Resources

Gwyneth Paltrow wraps up the episode by reiterating the paramount importance of sleep in overall well-being. She highlights the collaborative efforts with Dr. Sherry Ma and Weston Hotels in the Sleep Training for Grownup series, emphasizing that rest is both restorative and regenerative.

Listeners are encouraged to explore additional resources, including full episodes available on the Goop YouTube channel and a dedicated sleep training hub at goop.com/sleeptraining. Additionally, Goop's new sleep shop features curated products aimed at enhancing sleep environments, such as Weston's Next Generation Heavenly Bed.

"Rest is not just restorative, it's regenerative. It's how we detox, repair and reconnect to ourselves." [15:18]

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Key Takeaways

1. Prioritize Consistent Sleep Schedules: Regular sleep and meal times support the body's internal clock, enhancing sleep quality.

2. Optimize Sleep Environments: Utilizing tools like sleep masks and maintaining cool room temperatures can significantly improve rest.

3. Integrate Movement and Mindful Eating: Regular exercise and strategic nutrition choices play a vital role in facilitating better sleep.

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For those seeking to transform their sleep habits and embrace a more nourishing approach to rest, this episode of The Goop Podcast offers invaluable insights and actionable strategies backed by expert knowledge.

Transcript

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

When you are pioneering anything or introducing new ideas to the culture, you get criticized.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

You do?

[Unnamed Guest]

Yeah. Did you hear about that? I didn't find the one. I found someone I respected and we made it the one.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

In the sort of longing kind of view of love, people understand each other as if by magic.

[Unnamed Guest]

Nothing in itself is addictive on the one hand. On the other hand, everything could be addictive. If there is, there's an emptiness in that person that needs to be filled.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

I now know that nobody changes until they change their energy. And when you change your energy, you change your life.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

I'm Gwyneth Paltrow. This is the GOOP Podcast, bringing together thought leaders, culture changers, creatives, founders and CEOs, scientists, doctors, healers and seekers. Here to start conversations. Because simply asking questions and listening has the power to change the way we see the world. Here we go. Welcome to the GOOP Podcast. I'm Gwyneth Paltrow and today we're diving into one of the core pillars of wellness, something I have long believed is foundational to how we show up in the world. Sleep. Sleep has always been a non negotiable for me. But like so many women navigating perimenopause, I've noticed my sleep shifting. And with summer travel on the horizon, I've been thinking even more about the rituals that truly support rest. So I'm so grateful to partner with another sleep obsessed brand, Weston Hotels, and the brilliant Dr. Sherry Ma, who's a leading sleep physician and researcher, to explore how we can all sleep a little bit better. So in this three part series, we're talking about everything from how to create a supportive bedtime routine to how movement and diet and environment affect our ability to rest. And why your first night in a new place often feels a bit off. I've always believed that when you sleep well, you live well. So I hope this conversation offers a few tools and a little inspiration for a more nourishing approach to rest.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

It's nice to be here. Excited to talk with you about sleep. I am a sleep physician and I'm also a research scientist. I have a specialization in optimizing sleep and maximizing performance with elite athletes and sports organizations.

[Unnamed Guest]

Dr. Ma, it's so nice to be.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

Sitting here with you talking about sleep, which is one of my favorite subjects.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

There's this cultural belief that it is a badge of honor to not need sufficient sleep to be at your best. But what I want to share with you today is that is not true. And really it's those that are Leveraging the power of optimal sleep that are able to live the happiest, longest life and to be their best. I think the tides are turning and I think there are more individuals that respect sleep and really recognize how powerful and transformative sleep can be. What's fascinating with at least my work, is showing how you can actually optimize sleep and performance outcomes.

[Unnamed Guest]

What are some things that I can do to optimize that or to get back to how I used to sleep? Or should I just forget it?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

No, there's things that you can do for sure. So when you travel, obviously your sleep can sometimes be impacted. And especially if you cross time zones, you'll experience jet lag. You can feel more sluggish, more tired and just feel off. So I'm curious, what is in your carry on bag?

[Unnamed Guest]

Well, I've been traveling for many, many years. I feel like I've got it down to a pretty fine art. So key items for me are sleep mask, earplugs. I'm very sensitive to sound. I always take lipospheric vitamin Cs and I travel with a book.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

I pack everything in travel sleep kit so it's easy to grab for any sleep tool that I need. You want any sleep environment to be dark, quiet, cool, comfortable and consistent. Eye mask, noise canceling headphones, earplugs, light blocking stickers. You can quickly peel them off and put them onto any device light.

[Unnamed Guest]

And your kit is way more sophisticated and comprehensive than mine.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Erasing mind I think is incredibly common. And so having strategies to manage that I think is essential. One tool that I always keep in here is a sleep trick. So I developed one that has a daily practice for you to journal and to write a to do list.

[Unnamed Guest]

So what is the ideal room temperature for sleep?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

60 to 67 degrees has been studied.

[Unnamed Guest]

60.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

That's cold.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

It's really cold. But cooler is better for consolidated sleep. Another strategy that is really essential is to have a regular wind down routine before bed.

[Unnamed Guest]

Right.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

And I think you're quite good with this.

[Unnamed Guest]

I have my whole routine, but that's so critical.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Your brain and your body learns to anticipate these triggers so that you're actually gonna set your up for better sleep at night.

[Unnamed Guest]

I'm very interested in the sleep journaling to do list because sometimes I do have a bit of a racing mind.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

So ideally your wind down routine is outside of bed so your brain doesn't start to associate being in bed with a to do list, with a to do list or thinking about work. Your bed should be sleep and sex. And that's it.

[Unnamed Guest]

Right. So what do all of these items have in common?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

These are all great sleep tools to help optimize your sleep environment whether you're at home or on the road. Have you heard about the first night effect?

[Unnamed Guest]

I have not.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

The first night effect is when you're in a new environment for the first night. People often don't sleep as well. And some of the studies have shown that part of your brain stays more awake than if you're in your home environment. It's thought to be partly as a protective mechanism to monitor your surroundings.

[Unnamed Guest]

So interesting. When I'm traveling and staying in a hotel, I always want to make sure that they're paying extra special attention to the comfort of the bed and the sheets and the pillows.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Your sleep surface can definitely make a difference. And if you're someone who does travel frequently, it is a smart strategy to stay at a place where you can have a reliable and familiar environment.

[Unnamed Guest]

Yeah, and it makes such a big difference when you crawl into your bed. You know, especially if you're on the road and it's like sensorily a great experience and you feel really comfortable. I think it mentally sets you up to know you're going to have a great night's sleep.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Exactly.

[Unnamed Guest]

So is this wind down ritual, is that the biggest factor in getting a good night's sleep?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Your wind down routine is one of the important factors for quality sleep. But it also matters what you do in the day and making sleep smart choices from the minute you wake up in the morning. Time and nutrition can also play a role in your sleep.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

One of the areas that gets overlooked when we talk about sleep is food. Both what we eat and when we eat it. Dr. Ma shares how our nutrition choices throughout the day can either support or disrupt our natural rhythms and why it's so much more than just avoiding a late night snack.

[Unnamed Guest]

I find on the road what's really hard is food consistency. It's hard to find good quality healthy food.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

It can be challenging to have not only the food that you want to have during meals, but also the timing which can really will affect your body clock and ultimately your sleep. Consistency is key. Our bodies really like regularity and so not just consistent bedtime and wake up time, but when you eat, when you have your breakfast, your lunch, your dinner. Those also can be strategically planned to help maintain a healthy and a normal circadian rhythm.

[Unnamed Guest]

Important to stay somewhere that cares about good healthy foods. Here at Weston, they've actually developed a menu around sleep called the eat well menu.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Yeah, and it's nice that they're mindful about the options that will be more conducive to sleep.

[Unnamed Guest]

Absolutely. And then well being overall.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Exactly. To get the best sleep possible. It's not just about that hour right before bed. It also matters what you do during the day and making sleep smart choices. So I have a challenge for you today. Okay. We have four items here from the eat well menu. And I want you to place those items in front of each of these clocks on when you think it would be ideal to have during your day.

[Unnamed Guest]

Okay. Early morning coffee. That's when I would have it. I eat breakfast later in the morning, usually around 11. I eat dinner early at like 6pm this feels like a trick question. I'm leaving the wine up there. I would never eat or drink anything late at night. I can't do it.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Great. Many of us start our day with coffee. That can give you a temporary boost in alertness. As our day progresses, we build up what's called adenosine and that causes us to feel sleepy. What caffeine does, it actually blocks that receptors and that's where you get that boost alertness. Have you ever experienced a caffeine crash?

[Unnamed Guest]

No.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

That's what's happening where that adenosine continues to build and then the caffeine wears off and now you have that big caffeine crash. Have you heard of the nappuccino?

[Unnamed Guest]

No.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

If you need a temporary boost in alertness, what you can do is consume your favorite caffeinated beverage, take a short 20 to 30 minute power nap. But caffeine will start to kick in about 15 minutes. So yes, you have to fall asleep within about 10 minutes or so. But then when you wake up and bam. Both the caffeine will have kicked in and the power n have kicked in.

[Unnamed Guest]

The last thing I would ever think to do is have a cup of coffee and then go take a nap.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but there really is research to show that this is a powerful and effective strategy.

[Unnamed Guest]

Pressure's on. If I could fall asleep that fast.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Okay. The parfait. It can be a great breakfast option. It has carbohydrates and protein in it. And those divide some of the building blocks for serotonin and melatonin that can be important for sleep. So that could be one that you would choose later in the evening if you're hungry. The turkey wrap. Yes. It can be an option for dinner. It also could be another option a little bit closer to bed.

[Unnamed Guest]

Well, I know that turkey has tryptophan in it. That's why people get so tired after Thanksgiving dinner.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

So the amount of tryptophan that you would need to actually feel sleepy, however, would be eight pounds of turkey to really feel sleepy.

[Unnamed Guest]

Anecdotally, I get pretty tired after I eat a Thanksgiving dinner. So are there certain rules to live by in terms of best times to eat and how it impacts sleep?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

You generally want to be very consistent with your meal times. That's going to at least set yourself up for success in terms of having the regularity for your body clock. Healthy sleep is so foundational for us to be our best, and each and every one of us can implement these strategies day to day to get the benefits as well.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

Movement is another powerful lever when it comes to sleep, and Dr. Mott shares how the timing and intensity of your workouts can deeply affect your ability to wind down. And what the science really says about something called sleep debt.

[Unnamed Guest]

Is exercise a critical component to getting good sleep?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

We know that exercise is really critical for quality rest and so if it's not something you're doing on a regular basis, it's a very easy way to try and improve the quality of your sleep at nighttime.

[Unnamed Guest]

Fitness for me is really important not only for my physical health and my sleep, but really for my mental health. I find that I really do love to exercise in the mornings about five mornings a week. And I find that as far as overall well being, that's really critical for me. Dr. Ma, I would like to know.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

What kind of sleeper you are.

[Unnamed Guest]

So I've developed this little game we're going to play. A rapid fire question.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Ready?

[Unnamed Guest]

Night owl or early bird?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Night owl, early bird.

[Unnamed Guest]

Morning or evening workout?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Morning workout for sure.

[Unnamed Guest]

Morning for sure.

Exercise when? Jet lag.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Definitely light exercise on the first day.

[Unnamed Guest]

Does lavender actually make you sleepy?

I think so.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

If you use it regularly it can be helpful.

[Unnamed Guest]

Coffee or tea?

Coffee.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Coffee.

[Unnamed Guest]

White noise or complete silence?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

White noise, complete silence.

[Unnamed Guest]

Sleep in or start in the day?

Sleep in if it happens.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Sleep in with consistency in your schedule.

[Unnamed Guest]

Cuddle or have the bed to yourself.

Depends on the day.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Depends if you can control your bed temperature.

[Unnamed Guest]

An hour of exercise or an hour of extra sleep.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Definitely sleep.

[Unnamed Guest]

Yeah, I'll go with sleep. Weston has these gear lending kits that are so fantastic. They're full of workout equipment or recovery equipment.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

We have some yoga blocks in mine.

[Unnamed Guest]

Oh, I've got a recovery kit. So I've got like a muscle massage.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Gun that can be handy when you're sore. I think I have some recovery bands.

[Unnamed Guest]

I think these are exercise bands. You know, you can do like.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Yes. For resistance training.

[Unnamed Guest]

Thank you. That's what I was trying to say. This has leg compression. This is a massage ball so you can use for your hands, your feet, your forearms. Oh, boy, oh boy.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Let's see. I think I have some weight weighted bands.

[Unnamed Guest]

Those are great. You put those around your wrist or your ankles and it's just a nice lightweight. I like to wear those when I walk and I do my Tracy Anderson arms walking down the street. Everyone thinks I'm insane. I love the care that Weston puts into making a wellness focused environment for their guests. I got the good bag, you got the workout bag. Aw.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

What's really great, that Weston has these gear lending kits so that when you're out on the road, you can be able to get your workouts in at any time of the day.

[Unnamed Guest]

You can order them to your room anytime to really help you with your wellness and recovery.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

The gym at the Westin is open 24 hours a day. It is, which I think is great because it's nice you have that flexibility.

[Unnamed Guest]

True. Good for resetting the body clock.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Exactly.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

So what are the things that people.

[Unnamed Guest]

Should know about fitness as it pertains to sleep?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

First is that regular exercise is really helpful for quality rest. So you want to get your workouts in regularly of moderate to high intensity.

[Unnamed Guest]

Exercise and how far away from bedtime.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

This can depend a bit on if you know that sleep is impacted by your workout. Some people sleep well after an evening workout and others get much more energized. My research has really focused on how do you extend sleep opportunities to pay back accumulated sleep debt.

[Unnamed Guest]

I thought that was a myth. I've always heard that, like if you miss the sleep that night, then you're never getting it back.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

Can I venture to please?

[Unnamed Guest]

You're the one with 10 PhDs.

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

So your body needs a certain amount of sleep every single night. The misperception is that you should be able to pay back sleep debt in one night or one weekend. My research has really focused on paying that back over a longer period of time, multiple weeks. But that's where we really see the benefit.

[Unnamed Guest]

And what is the recommendation for how many hours of sleep?

[Dr. Sherry Ma]

For adults, it's recommended seven hours is the minimum. Sometimes you're going to fall short, but there are things that you can do to make back that sleep debt. Or as we talked about, some of the quality factors. So even if you fall short on duration, you still are trying to optimize the quality that you will get at night.

[Unnamed Guest]

This is super interesting and you busted a myth for me that you can't catch up on missed sleep. So what are the three takeaways?

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

I've always taken sleep seriously. It's one of the most powerful foundations for well being being. But this conversation made me reflect even more deeply on just how essential it truly is. Teaming up with Dr. Sherry Ma and Weston Hotels to create the Sleep Training for Grownup series was a beautiful reminder that rest is not just restorative, it's regenerative. It's how we detox, repair and reconnect to ourselves. If you'd like to explore more, you can watch the full episodes on the Goop YouTube channel or visit our sleep training hub at goop.com sleeptraining where we've gathered tools and insights to help support deeper rest. We've also curated a new sleep shop on goop.com filled with some of our.

[Unnamed Guest]

Favorite products to help create a truly.

[Gwyneth Paltrow]

Restful environment, including Weston's Next Generation Heavenly Bed, which, take my word for it, lives up to its name. Thanks for listening to the Goop podcast and wherever this finds you, I hope it leads you to deeper, sweeter sleep. Thanks for tuning in. This has been a presentation of Cadence 13 Studios. I hope you'll listen, follow, rate and review all of our episodes, which are available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Odyssey, or wherever you get your podcasts.