Mind Your Rhythms
More and more studies are showing deleterious effects of circadian arrhythmia. Shift work, jet lag, and mistimed meals won’t get you as fast as sleep deprivation or starvation, but they’ll get you eventually (Leung and Martinez, 2020). You’ll see it listed as CVD, cancer, infection, etc., but there’s a strong probability of a circadian arrhythmic component.
Sleep and circadian rhythms: evolutionary entanglement and local regulation | Bill Lagakos
Note: To get started combating circadian arrhythmia, see:
Reminders Aren’t Enough
Reminders are useful when you have actual memory problems, but they’re not so helpful when it comes to changing behavior. I wish this wasn’t so: Just imagine how easy it would be to quit smoking or stick to a diet if all you had to do was remind yourself of your earlier resolutions!
Instead, create obstacles that force behavior change.
Ask Ariely: On Standing Strategies, Future Feedback, and Sensible Savings | Dan Ariely
Minimal Moves
Can you get stronger with just one short workout per week?
The good news is that the training really works, despite taking less than 20 minutes a week all in street clothes. The bad news is that it eventually stops working, or at least gets less effective…
Key takeaway: There is a difference between the minimum effective dose and the optimal dose.
The Data Behind a Once-a-Week Strength Routine | Outside
Shiftwork, Caffeine and Sleep
For those working nightshifts, consuming caffeine has been found to improve psychomotor performance and vigilance, based on a study of emergency medical teams. However, the researchers of this study note that it may affect later sleep quality and duration.
The report findings suggest that caffeine’s effect on sleep depends on the amount consumed throughout the day, individual susceptibilities and consumption habits. For those sensitive to caffeine, limiting consumption six hours prior to sleep time can help lessen its effects.
For some individuals, six hours may not even be enough. Drink responsibly.
The Effect of Coffee Through Our Daily Sleep and Wake Cycles | Neuroscience News
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
But what if you could see what your blood sugar was doing?
… even when people ate identical foods — such as bread and butter or chocolate — some people had substantial blood sugar spikes while others did not. The researchers concluded that a variety of factors unique to every person, such as your weight, genetics, gut microbiome, lifestyle and insulin sensitivity, determine how you respond to different foods.
Originally developed for diabetics, continuous glucose monitors offer advantages for those looking to optimize nutrition as well. Though, without insurance companies footing the bill, the cost is hard to stomach.
Can Technology Help Us Eat Better? | New York Times
Money Dos and Don’ts
We shouldn’t fear mistakes. As long as we learn from them, they can actually be net positive. But in order to learn from them, we first have to recognize them.
The 10 Biggest Money Mistakes | Of Dollars and Data
Stay healthy-
Jason Glenn