Weekly Blog

August 28

In a busy life, there's never really enough time. An entire subgenre of self-help suggests that life would be better if we said "no" more often. Easier said than done. For those who prefer physics, the theory of relativity says that the faster we move, the slower time passes. Perhaps this is why seconds can feel like minutes in an emergency situation - our brain is moving so fast the world slows down, as explained here. However, if we widen our gaze from the moment or even the day to our entire lifetime, new research suggests another very clear way to slow time: by investing between 6.5 and 8 hours in RECOVER every day. Yes, we're talking about sleep this week and some new updates on how much we need and how best to protect what we have. 

The story starts with Dr. Junhao Wen, an assistant professor at Columbia University's medical school. Combining expertise in advanced data science with a personal concern about the health effects of being a "light sleeper," Dr. Wen and his team tested more than 20 models of tissue and organ aging (called aging clocks) against the sleep habits of 500,000 people. What he and his team found confirmed what we know about sleep: first, there's a sweet spot for adults, which they found to be between 6.4 and 7.8 hours each night to restore and recover; second, both insufficient and excessive sleep can indicate risk—not too hot, not too cold, just right. Zooming further in, the team also found that certain organs and systems are more closely linked than others.

While long sleep was associated with a narrower group of risks, including breathing and digestive disorders like COPD, asthma, gastritis and GERD, short sleep was more broadly negative. Like the chicken-and-egg problem, we don't know for sure whether poor sleep is a symptom, a cause, or both. However, the data clearly showed that regularly getting less than 6.5 hours was associated with all the risks above plus others, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. So what can be done if we regularly fall on the edges or even outside this optimal range?  The short answer is: work on it. Sleep habits can be influenced by repetition.

The longer answer is to explore it more deeply; finding the approach that fits your pattern is key. For example, one study published in February showed that for sedentary individuals, releasing pent-up energy through high-intensity exercise, when combined with efforts to improve sleep habits, was more effective than either approach alone. Of course, we shouldn't expect the same result for individuals who do heavy, fatiguing work all day. A recent review of interventions for industrial workers showed that lower-intensity efforts promoting relaxation and freedom of movement, such as yoga, had a better impact—similar to a structured cool-down after a hard workout. This may be particularly important during the summer, as heat exposure can make it even more challenging to fully rest and recover as described here.

Finally, from chamomile tea to functional foods, a long and ever-growing list of nutrients may positively impact sleep. This extensive review from May dives into the evidence on many nutrients we are often asked about. While there are pros and cons to consuming well-studied supplements like Melatonin and Magnesium, which warrant caution, adding kiwifruit and tart cherry to the menu (also well-studied) might be worth a look. In more specialized groups such as older adults with poor sleep and mild cognitive impairment, adding Vitamin D is showing promise, and a single dose of creatine (although perhaps too heavy to be practical) appears to ward off the brain lag associated with acute sleep deprivation; however, these options would be best discussed with a professional before proceeding.

The not-so-great news is that burning the candle at both ends objectively ages us faster at every cell in the body. The better news is that what we've known from previous years still holds: how we MOVE, FUEL, and ready our relaxation runway before bed all impact whether we can expect to RECOVER and be ready for tomorrow. Prioritize, protect, and prime it - you'll be glad you did.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.