⭑ Calculated your sleep cycle? ✔ Knowing it will help you get better sleep
⭑ Ozempic ✔ Why, after 50, we might end up taking it like statins
⭑ Hearing loss accelerates dementia ✔ Yet men resist hearing aids; what to do
⭑ This easy at-home exercise will improve your strength and balance ✔

All strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

Hello,

I'm back from sunny Queensland.

The views were as promised last week - where I worked while my daughter was at her soccer camp. She had a great time and improved her skills, and I had a new outlook and bright sunshine. I ran 5km along the foreshore park every 2nd day.

Looking down on so many helicopters was a new experience!

There is an exercise I do daily that I highly recommend. Apparently others think differently, as it took me an age to find one example of it buried in a Youtube video - see item #4.

Ozempic-related medicines are turning out to have much wider-ranging benefits than originally understood, especially as we age — see Item #2.

Few people know the duration of their sleep cycle, i.e., 90 minutes, 110 minutes, or 70 minutes. I worked mine out in my twenties, and I use this knowledge unconsciously now to help me plan my sleep. You should too — see Item #1 below.

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01 What Noone Has Told You About Your Sleep Cycle

Knowing your personal sleep cycle improves your ability to manage your sleep and, therefore, to get better sleep.

Managing your sleep allows you to maintain a more consistent circadian rhythm. This improves your daytime alertness and heart health by reducing blood pressure and metabolic inflammation.

How do you do it?

In my twenties, I started noting (mentally) when I went to sleep and when I woke - either during the night or in the morning. You'll read that our average sleep cycle is between 90 and 110 minutes. So, I would divide my minutes of sleep by 90 to see how many cycles. It was mostly not a round number, such as 4 or 5 or 6.

So I tried dividing by more minutes e.g. 100, 110. Also mostly not a round number.

I eventually found that dividing by 1 hour and 10 minutes resulted in a number that was most often a round number, remarkably accurate.

So my sleep cycle is 70 minutes.

⇒ Knowing my sleep cycle is 70 minutes allows me to plan for better sleep in many ways, from setting alarms, to knowing when to go to sleep, to knowing how long to sleep in on the weekends, to knowing how long I might sleep on an airplane and when I plan to wake up.

What this means for you: Here are ways to use your knowledge of your sleep cycle duration to improve your sleep and to reinforce your circadian rhythm:

1. Determine when you go to sleep: I wake up at 5:30 am, and 6 sleep cycles of 1 hour 10 - meaning that I should go to sleep at 10:30 pm. So, allowing for 10 to 15 minutes to drop off, I start to go to sleep at 10:15.
2. Determine when you wake up: Let's say you normally get up at 6:45 am and one time you have to get up at 6:00 am, say to go to the airport, then this is tricky. This means you will be in the deepest part of the sleep cycle (assuming a 90-minute sleep cycle), and you will feel dopey and spaced out. Best to set yourself up to go to bed 45 minutes earlier. This gives you a better chance of feeling good when you wake up.
3. Deciding whether to get up in the night: If you wake at the top of the sleep cycle, in the lightest phase, getting up for a quick drink of water won't disturb your sleep too much. I often wake up around 2 am, which is 3 cycles for me. I get up, have a glass of water, and then drop off into the next set of cycles until morning. On the other hand, if you put off getting up, and it drags on and on, it tends to get your entire sleep rhythm for the night out of sync.
4. Taking a nap: At home or on a plane trip, aim to sleep in multiples of your sleep cycle duration. If you only have time for half a cycle and are woken up from deep sleep, you won’t feel refreshed. Take a 10 minute quick nap instead.

Regarding your circadian rhythm: waking up at the top of your sleep cycle, and not in a trough halfway through the cycle, means you are alert and immediately in tune with your circadian rhythm. This helps reinforce your circadian rhythm and more so if you get out into the morning light.

On the other hand, waking up at the bottom of a cycle can leave you lethargic and prevent you from giving your circadian rhythm a boost.

⇒ A poorly synchronised circadian rhythm is associated with cardiovascular disorders, poor neurological health, and increased stress and anxiety.

Related: Why Walnuts Lower Heart Disease and Help You Sleep Better​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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02 The Surprising Benefits of Ozempic Beyond Weight Loss

Articles about "GLP-1 receptor agonists", such as Ozempic, have mainly focused on their potential for weight loss and diabetes management.

However, emerging research indicates that these medications may offer a range of unexpected health benefits, including reduced risks of heart and kidney diseases, potential assistance with infertility, and even lower mortality rates from COVID-19.

Recent insights into inflammation reveal its dual role: while it protects us in the short term, chronic inflammation can contribute to long-term diseases like heart disease and dementia. This complexity highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of inflammation and its implications for our health.

⇒ One eye-opening realisation is that inflammation doesn’t just accompany disease; it can actually initiate and exacerbate it.

Paul Ridker, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, calls “low-grade silent inflammation,” a silent killer. He found that people with elevated inflammation levels were at much higher risk for cardiovascular events, even when traditional risk factors like cholesterol levels appeared normal.

As he says, "No one feels this low-grade inflammation, the same way no one feels their cholesterol, blood sugar or cholesterol".

Moreover, the link between chronic inflammation and aging raises critical questions about the aging process itself. If inflammation accelerates cellular degeneration, then managing it effectively could be key to promoting longevity and cognitive health.

What this means for you: Consider the following actionable steps:

• Get Informed: Educate yourself about the signs of chronic inflammation and discuss any concerns with your doctor.
• Monitor Inflammation: Request a simple blood test to measure inflammatory markers. Understanding your baseline can help tailor your health strategy.
• Adopt an Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Focus on whole foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fibre to combat chronic inflammation.
• Stay Active: Regular physical activity is a powerful way to reduce inflammation and improve overall health.

⇒ The potential of GLP-1s not just for weight loss but as part of a broader strategy for enhancing your healthspan.

Related: ​The Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Exercise - Easier Than You Think​​​​​​​​​​

@Medium - Follow me on Medium ↗, covering ⭑food, ⭑brain, ⭑body, ⭑life

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03 Changing the Playing Field - Men and Hearing Aids

Hearing loss is a widespread issue among men, but reluctance to wear hearing aids often boils down to one thing: the fear of looking "old" or "less capable." It’s not just about hearing; it’s about societal pressures linking aging with losing masculinity and vitality. As a result, many men would rather endure isolation and frustration than be seen as vulnerable.

I'm reluctant to get them myself, even though I am well aware of the need, but we need to get over the hurdle of taking action.

We can look at it from what we stand to benefit:

Enhanced Social Life: Wearing hearing aids helps us fully engage in conversations, social events, and activities we love. No more pretending to catch every word, no more missing the punchlines—just genuine connection.

Key Insight: Hearing aids aren’t just about hearing; they’re about staying connected to life’s most important moments.

Today’s Tech: Hearing aids aren’t the clunky gadgets of yesteryear. These devices come packed with Bluetooth connectivity, smartphone apps, and even noise-canceling features. They’re sleek, smart, and designed to keep up with our lifestyle.

Key Insight: Wearing a hearing aid today is like wearing cutting-edge tech, not a medical device.

Protecting Cognitive Health ⇒ Research shows that untreated hearing loss is linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and depression. By using hearing aids, men aren’t just improving their hearing—we’re protecting our brain health and overall well-being.

Key Insight: Hearing aids are about maintaining mental sharpness, not just sound quality.

What this means for you: Here’s how you can take practical steps today:

• Get a Hearing Check: Don’t wait until you’re struggling. A regular hearing check should be as routine as any other health screening.
• Try Before You Commit: Many audiologists offer trial periods, so test out different models to see what feels right.
• Look for Smart Features: Pick hearing aids that sync with your tech—smartphone apps, Bluetooth, and noise-cancelling features make the experience seamless.
• Involve Family and Friends: Their encouragement can make adapting to hearing aids feel like an exciting change rather than a challenge.

⇒ Hearing aids aren't signs of weakness; they're tools for staying sharp, connected, and in control.

Related: ​​Dizziness And Cataracts - Is There A Link?​​​​

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04 Do This Simple Exercise To Boost Your Balance and Hip Strength

Our exercise of the week is... resistance band leg march.

It took me 10 minutes to find this exercise on Youtube, yet it's a must-do everyday exercise for us when we're older.

It builds balance, posture and hip flexor strength.

I do it daily with different strength resistance bands, and different movements - such as up slowly, hold, down slowly, or up fast, hold and down slowly.

Up fast rebuilds your fast twitch muscles. This will help prevent you from falling. Holding at the top builds endurance, and slowly down builds strength.

⇒ Three times a week is perfect if you do the same variation every time.

What it means for you: Check this video, at 3 min 53 sec.

I do between 10 and 30 reps on each side. I do mine one side at a time as I find it easier to balance than on alternating legs, as in the video. Start with ten reps on each side, and vary the strength of the band and the reps as you get stronger.

⇒ Hold on to something if you cannot balance at first, but aim to do it without holding on to anything, as this will develop your overall balance.

Related: ​​​​How To Go From On-knee to Full Pushups, and Reap The Benefits​​​​​​

Thanks for reading!

P.S. If you are not yet subscribed to my free exercise app, try now ↓↓↓ Free forever. Opt-out any time. Opt-in by CLICKING HERE PLEASE SEND ME THE EXERCISES. NOTE: YOU ONLY NEED TO SUBSCRIBE ONE TIME.

>> My Latest Blog Post: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods​

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