Is Blue Light Really The Culprit

Most of what we have been told about exposure to blue light and sleep can be summarized as follows: 

We’ve all heard the warnings about blue light exposure at night. It can disrupt your sleep, cause eye strain, and generally make it harder to get a good night's rest. But is this really true? Is blue light really what’s keeping us awake? The short answer is yes—but only if you're exposed to too much of it. Blue light comes from natural sources like the sun as well as artificial ones such as LED lights and electronic screens (think phones, tablets, TVs). And while getting some exposure during the day can help regulate our circadian rhythm (our body clock), too much of it at night throws off that balance and makes it more difficult for us to fall asleep—and stay asleep once we do drift off. But not all blue light is created equal: 

The wavelength range associated with most disruption falls between 400-490 nm on the visible spectrum; anything outside of that range has less impact on our sleep cycles when used in moderation late at night or early morning hours before sunrise.. This means that devices with warmer color temperatures are better options than those emitting cooler colors like blues or whites because they produce less disruptive wavelengths overall. Additionally, using dimmer lighting settings also helps reduce total exposure levels so you don't overstimulate your eyes right before bedtime . 

So how exactly does overexposure affect our bodies? Well for starters ,it suppresses melatonin production —the hormone responsible for helping us feel drowsy—which then messes up our internal clocks by making them think its still daytime even after dark . As a result ,we may find ourselves lying awake in bed feeling alert instead of sleepy which leads directly into difficulty falling asleep due to lack thereof .. Plus long-term effects include increased risk factors associated with certain types diseases such Alzheimer's disease & diabetes both linked prolonged periods without adequate amounts shut eye ! Ultimately though there are ways minimize negative impacts caused by excessive nighttime use electronics – namely limiting screen time close bedtime wearing glasses specifically designed block out harmful rays emitted digital display devices etc… Doing these things should help improve quality slumber significantly but also important remember everyone reacts differently same stimuli so be sure experiment bit until figure out works best you! 

Then, a couple of months ago I stumbled across a post from 2018, Is Blue Light Really What’s Keeping You Awake? that included a link to the study, The Sleep and Technology Use of Americans: Findings from the National Sleep Foundation's 2011 Sleep in America Poll. As it turns out, it is more about the context than just blue light exposure. In a nutshell: 

1. Exposure to blue light from digital devices can suppress the body's release of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. 

2. Interactive devices, such as smartphones, computers, and video games, are more likely to be associated with difficulty falling asleep. 

3. Social media and other smartphone activities can spur rumination and keep the brain churning, making it difficult to settle down for sleep. 

So passively watching TV is probably ok, but smartphones, computers, video games, and social media that boost dopamine are a no-no. There really is no need to purchase blue-blocking glasses or special home lighting that has no blue light. Just pick up a book and read it before bed. 

Until next time, 

Chuck

Avoiding Social Jet Lag

 As I have said many times before, you should not focus on sleep stages. Only total sleep and consistency are important for achieving optimal health.  Far too many people do not achieve 7-9 hours of high quality sleep per night or otherwise stay up late and sleep in late on weekends (social jet lag). It is ok to stay out late once in a while, but this should be the exception rather than the rule. 

Below is a snapshot of my sleep for the past two months. 

Consistency is key. 

Chuck

My Top Health and Wellness Tools for 2020

Below in no particular order are the tools I use to track and improve my health. 

Sleep

In my opinion, sleep is the most important part of your 24 circadian cycle. So one of my top tools for helping me achieve optimal sleep each night is our Essentia Dormeuse Fior mattress. These mattresses are not inexpensive what are well worth the money. 

Another great tool for achieving awesome sleep, especially during the summer months, is the Ooler Sleep System. From a circadian biology standpoint, we are meant to sleep on a cool surface, think the floor of a cave. The Ooler allows you to achieve optimal body temperature for sleep. 

I have been tracking my sleep for well over a decade. I have been using the Oura Ring since early in 2016 to track my sleep (I wear the ring 24/7). The Oura ring is also a great data collection device for other Apps (see below).

Recovery

I have been using various versions of PEMF while sleeping since 2012. The current device we use while sleeping is the EarthPulse V6 Pro 4-magnet system. We sleep with this set at 9.6Hz which has been shown to speed up recovery and increase performance. 

I spend 20 minutes each morning in my DIY infrared sauna. This helps reset my circadian clock, especially during the winter months.  I have the SaunaSpace 4-bulb panel hanging on the wall in our small utility room. This room stays at 80F+ so I have no problem getting a good sweat on. We plan to build a Finnish sauna behind our house this fall. We will mainly use this sauna in the evening prior to bed. 

Another more recent toy I have been using is the Apollo Neuro. The Apollo Neuro uses haptic vibrations that vary in pulse rate and intensity for instant energy, recovery, and pre-sleep/wind down. I have used biofeedback devices while using the Apollo and have seen my HRV increase significantly. So I know it works, at least for me. 

I use HRV4Training to gauge my recovery and manage my training load. HRV4Training pulls in my sleep and recovery metrics from my Oura ring, as well as my workouts I send to Strava and TrainingPeaks. This is a very easy to use App but is extremely powerful for any serious athlete. 

Workouts

I test a lot of wearables so typically wear multiple devices while working out. I currently wear an Apple Watch 5 during the day other than for workouts. I am using a Polar Grit-X for workouts. Finally, I often wear a Whoop 3.0 strap 24x7. Whoop has one of the better wearable apps and provides a second source of recovery to HRV4Training. I have Whoop data going back to March 2014. 

The big picture

I have been using HeadsUp for the past year plus to manage my overall health. You can think of this platform and associated App as your personal health dossier.  My instance of HeadsUp has all of my wearable and lifestyle data, blood labs, and all of my medical records. HeadsUp has an analysis section that lets you look at metric trends as well as compare metrics. No one else offers the same access to data as HeadsUp. 

Until next time,

Chuck

The big data dump

One of the weaknesses of the wearable industry is the lack of meaningful insights despite all the data collected and the easy access to machine learning and data science.  The end-user is on their own and is often overwhelmed or misinformed. 

Below are my personal thoughts on what metrics individuals should focus on. Please reach out if you have any questions or want to know why I focus on any given metric. 

Sleep

There is a modern-day misconception about the importance of sleep. We’ve convinced ourselves that anything else is more productive and frequently hear the expression “you can sleep when you’re dead.” 

Recently, though, sleep science has been gathering steam and proving what should have been intuitive all along–our bodies didn’t evolve to waste time. Sleep is central to your health and performance. Although we remember little from our time asleep, our brains are firing and our bodies are actively repairing. Your brain consolidates memories and removes toxins while you sleep, while your body stokes your immune system and regulates your metabolism. 

This movement is starting to have a social impact, and people are waking up to the importance of investing in sleep. If you want to take better care of yourself, start by making your sleep a priority.

The research is clear that adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. This range of sleep hours is based on years of research and is the standard set by the National Sleep Foundation. It’s been determined that chronic sleep deprivation can lead to accidents, dramatically increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, and lead to weight gain, to name a few. 

Another important aspect of sleep that can help one maintain optimal health and performance is sleep consistency. Ensuring consistency in your bed and wake times can make a world of difference. For example, going to bed early and waking up early during workdays can help improve productivity throughout the week.

Some users will often wake up tired despite sleeping the appropriate number of hours. This is typically due to restless sleep. 

Sleep Disturbances caused by wake-ups, get-ups, and restless time during your sleep can have a big impact on your sleep quality and daytime cognitive performance. Restless sleep is less restorative than uninterrupted sleep and it's usually the cause of daytime sleepiness. 

Disturbances can be caused by various factors, such as stress, noise, partners, pets, or different foods. To improve your chances of getting restful sleep, have a look at the tips below: 

● Optimize your sleep environment by making sure your mattress is comfortable and your bedroom is cool (~ 65 ℉/18 ℃), quiet, and dark. 

● Avoid spicy, heavy meals, and alcohol close to bedtime. 

● Avoid caffeine prior to bedtime and late in the afternoons. 

● While regular physical activity can make your sleep more restful, try to avoid exercising at least 1-2 hrs before your normal bedtime. 

● Help your brain and body to wind down by disconnecting from bright screens and dimming bright lights 1-2 hrs before going to sleep.

Recovery

From a circadian biology perspective, your day begins when you go to sleep each evening. Sleep allows the human body to recover from the physical and mental demands of the day.

Some of the top metrics related to recovery are:

Resting Heart Rate (RHR) - This metric captures the number of times your heart beats per minute while at rest. An abnormally high or low resting heart rate may mean you’re overly stressed and not getting enough rest, or perhaps your immune system is fighting something. 

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) - As popular as the metaphor may be, a healthy heart doesn’t beat as regularly as a metronome—it changes its rhythm with each beat. This constant variation in milliseconds between your heartbeats is known as your heart rate variability (HRV). 

Some situations increase variation (high HRV), while others cause the intervals between beats to remain constant (low HRV). 

You may be unaware of these subtle variations, but they reflect your heart’s ability to respond to different situations. HRV can react to stress and/or illness before resting heart rate (RHR), which makes it one of your body’s most powerful signals—providing useful insights into your stress levels, recovery status, and general well-being. 

As a rule of thumb: 

● High HRV is associated with rest-and-digest, general fitness, and good recovery 

● Low HRV is associated with fight-or-flight, stress, illness, or overtraining 

While individual days may be lower after high-intensity exercise, a night out, or a stressful day, if your recent HRV is on par with or better than your average, it’s a sign of good recovery. Monitoring HRV trends shows whether you are adapting or not to the “load” you are exposed to. This load could be new medications or treatment plans, or an increase in training load. 

Body Temperature - Body temperature is a key signal, as your body constantly generates and sheds heat to hover around your ideal temperature. This metric can act as a warning, signaling cold or broader health development like hormonal fluctuations. Very few wearables track this wearable. One exception is the Oura Ring which monitors your skin temperature while you sleep. This form of measurement is very close to your core temperature only while you are sleeping. You can also use one of the many digital thermometers to check your temperature right after you get out of bed. 

Respiratory Rate - This metric measures the number of breaths you take per minute and is typically measured while at rest. Average respiratory rates for adults at rest range from 12-16 breaths per minute. Respiratory rates that trend above a user’s baseline by a non-trivial amount can indicate impending illness or stress. 

Movement

Sitting is considered by many to be the new smoking due to the rising evidence that prolonged sitting can contribute to a range of diseases and conditions including: 

● Cardiovascular disease 

● Type 2 Diabetes 

● Certain cancers 

● Anxiety and depression 

● Obesity 

● Lower skeletal muscle mass 

● Elevated blood pressure 

● Higher cholesterol 

The human body performs better with regular movement throughout the day. Even standing up once every hour and stretching or doing a few jumping jacks can bring enormous health benefits.

The bottom line is:

● Make sleep a priority and be protective of the two to three hours before sleep, making sure you avoid exercise, eating, alcohol, and other forms of stress. 

● Monitor your recovery to make sure you are adapting to all forms of stress and use recovery to gauge the effectiveness of lifestyle changes.  

● Make sure you move throughout the day

Until next time,

Chuck

What to eat?

This past week brought yet more confusion as to what we should eat for optimal health. At the two extremes are the Vegans, been there, not trying that ever again, and the Carnivore crowd.

Katy and I have found that any dramatic change in diet initially works extremely well as you are typically eliminating foods which might not have worked well for you. The move to a raw vegan lifestyle a few years back is a good example. We both initially felt better and had some of the best athletic performances of our lives. This was until we noticed we were both becoming very fatigued, had hair falling out, and were becoming more easily agitated. So I led the charge into a meat heavy and fairly high fat lifestyle. Life immediately got better (my hormones were much happier).

Since this switch away from a Vegan lifestyle, we have continued to eat a mostly meat diet, but do throw in the occasion salad and sweet potatoes. Both of us have way more energy and find we recover faster from our outdoor adventures.

So will we move to a full blown carnivore diet? I doubt it. We may do week long carnivore tests, but also will continue to drink coffee and wine, eat chocolate, and continue to bake sweet potatoes.

Until next time, Enjoy!


Chuck

Breaking the silence

It has been way too long since I have written a blog. I hope to start back up soon. So why the silence?

Work as been crazy busy and we have been quite busy working on our small house here in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire/Vermont. Any of our spare time is spent running on the trails.

I am still testing various wearables and other toys which help improve sleep and recovery or otherwise help you track your the effects of your lifestyle choices and training.

Garmin has expanded the Firstbeat features they load on their running watches. I picked up the new Garmin Forerunner 945 which includes a PulseOx and the Body Resources (Garmin re-named Body Battery) feature. The PulseOx is not very accurate when compared to a Nonin Finger PulseOx. I assume Garmin will try to use this for sleep apnea screening but will need to calibrate a bit more.

The Body Battery is really a 24x7 simple stress level metric. It does OK at this but has no value for monitoring recovery from an athletic standpoint.

Next up is the Polar Ignite. This is the first mainstream watch which attempts to connect Sleep, Recovery, and Training Load. Polar has added detailed sleep stage and sleep quality analysis which they roll up into a Sleep Score. This sleep assessment is combined with analysis of your autonomic nervous system (ANS), which uses changes in HR, HRV, and Respiratory Rate from your baseline which is based on a rolling 28 day window. The recovery score, known as Nightly Recharge, is then used to provide training guidance (FitSpark) for either Strength, Cardio, or Stretching. Polar has knocked it out of the park with this watch and will be rolling out all of these features, with the exception of FitSpark, to the Vantage V and M watches in October. I expect great things from Polar in the next couple of years.

Finally, I was able to get my hands on the new Ooler cooling pad. The Ooler gets way cooler than the original Chillipad which is helpful when we are sleeping in our Hypoxico tent.

And really finally, I just upgraded our SaunaSpace lights to the new ThermaLight bulbs. These bulbs throw out way more IR light than the original bulbs and generate way more heat. The 4-light panel is hung on the wall in our utility room and the room easily gets up to 110F plus. I am able to achieve the same level of sweating as a traditional Finnish sauna. I have also found that completing a 15 minute session after first waking up in the morning has consistently increased my deep sleep each night.

Until next time, Enjoy!

Comprehensive Article on the use of blue blocking technologies

The below was just posted by Daniel Georgiev, the founder of Iris Technologies, the best blue blocking software on the market.  I say this as Iris not only supports the ability to remove any color you want from your screen, it also removes screen flicker, which causes eye strain, headaches, and is generally bad for overall eye health.

Blue light filter glasses, software or screen protectors


Enjoy!



Chuck