Good morning. Most people think falling asleep should happen the moment their head hits the pillow. Your brain needs a carefully orchestrated neurological transition that takes time.

Sleep researcher Matthew Walker explains why.

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^BUSINESS

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warned reporters last Thursday that investors are "overexcited" about AI models, saying "someone will lose a phenomenal amount of money." The comments came as OpenAI seeks a $500B valuation, up from $300B.

New MIT research shows 95 percent of enterprise AI pilots fail to deliver rapid revenue acceleration. The study analyzed 300 public AI deployments and found implementation problems rather than model quality issues drive failures (another dotcom bubble?).

Unlike the dot-com era, today's AI investors including Microsoft, Google, and Meta generate hundreds of billions in annual profits from core businesses. This financial stability could prevent sudden market crashes despite bubble concerns.

Many consumers are using AI, few are paying for it.

Nearly 80 percent of hiring managers predict artificial intelligence could eliminate internships and entry-level positions. More than 90 percent of information technology jobs will be transformed by AI, with 40 percent affecting entry-level roles.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts about 1 million office and administrative support jobs will disappear by 2029 due to technological advancements. Tasks like drafting press releases and basic research are increasingly handled by AI agents (Mike Rowe’s Foundation encourages more blue collar jobs.)

Higher education institutions are responding by integrating work-based learning into classroom curricula. The Council of Independent Colleges launched initiatives helping member schools embed real employer projects into academic programs to bridge the experience gap.

Most common jobs in US 100 years ago.

^POLITICS

New data shows Democrats lost voter registrations to Republicans in all 30 states maintaining party records between 2020-2024 elections. Republicans added 4.5 million more voters than Democrats, strategists said.

The shift follows Democrats' devastating 2024 election losses, when the party lost the presidency to Donald Trump and control of both congressional chambers. Recent polling shows 63 percent of voters view Democrats unfavorably (Democrat Comedian Bill Maher has been making similar claims for months).

Democratic strategists worry the party appears "out of touch" to working-class voters across demographics. Party officials are conducting focus groups and postmortems to rebuild their brand and win back defecting voters (Republican Charlie Kirk shares graph).

^HEALTH

Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist and author of "Why We Sleep," reveals a fundamental misunderstanding most people have about falling asleep. Your brain doesn't simply "turn off" when you decide it's bedtime - it undergoes a complex neurological transformation that requires time and the right conditions.

Walker explains that "the brain needs time to transition" because sleep involves a dramatic shift in brain activity patterns. During wakefulness, your brain operates in a state of high-frequency, low-amplitude brain waves called beta waves. To enter sleep, your brain must gradually shift through alpha waves (relaxed wakefulness) to theta waves (light sleep) and finally to delta waves (deep sleep). This neurological gear-shifting cannot be rushed.

Think of it like cooling down a car engine - you can't immediately switch from highway speeds to park without damaging the system. Your brain's arousal circuits need time to power down while sleep-promoting circuits gradually take control. The neurotransmitters that keep you alert - like norepinephrine and dopamine - must be metabolized and cleared, while sleep chemicals like adenosine and melatonin build up to sufficient levels.

Create a 60-90 minute wind-down routine with dim lighting and calm activities to honor this natural process.

▲ Get Walker’s book on sleep, here. Tim Ferriss and Peter Attia recommend this $17 blackout sleep mask.*

Productive Reddit users shared 15 two-minute daily habits that transformed their weeks. Tips include creating not-to-do lists for mental decluttering, making beds every morning, washing dishes immediately after eating, avoiding phones upon waking, and morning breathing exercises. These micro-habits prove small consistent actions create significant productivity gains without overwhelming commitments.

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