Ambitious Michael, Anxious Michael, and the Quest for Better Sleep

I’m currently on a quest to optimize two things that make a big difference in my life: my sleep score and my energy score. So far, the results have been encouraging. My smartwatch confirms what I’ve been feeling—more restful sleep, more sustainable energy. In fact, last night I hit an all-time high energy score of 94.

Then, this morning, I came across an article about a man named Bryan Johnson, who reportedly maintained a 100% sleep score for eight months straight. Naturally, I was curious. I looked into his routine and found that I already do many of the things on his checklist. But one new idea really caught my attention:

Bryan holds internal dialogues with the different parts of himself before bed.

He gives them names like Ambitious Bryan and Anxious Bryan. Each one gets the chance to speak their mind. Once they’ve aired their thoughts and concerns, he thanks them, tells them he’ll revisit their issues in the morning—and then, he sleeps.

That’s when it hit me: I think I’ve just discovered my next sleep experiment.

I’ve long believed that challenging sleep often stems from unresolved inner noise—thoughts spinning in circles, emotions trying to get the last word. Bryan’s approach feels like a form of self-compassion. Acknowledging each voice. Giving them room. And then saying, “Now rest. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”

These voices want action. But I want sleep—so I can wake up as the best version of myself. And maybe, just maybe, the two goals can work together instead of against each other.

Stay tuned—I’ll share the results of this internal-dialogue sleep experiment in real time. I can’t guarantee I’ll sleep like Bryan Johnson (who might just be a world champion sleeper), but I do believe there’s room for growth.

At least, that’s the word from Kindergarten Michael, who recently resurfaced thanks to a decades-old report card saved by Mama Bear—just before it was shredded by Efficiency-Focused Michael. Meanwhile, Therapy Michael is pretty sure this will come up in our next session.

Until then, may your inner voices be heard—and then lovingly sent off to bed.
Have a great day... and sleep well tonight.