⭑ Less than 6.55 hours of sleep? ✔ Your lower back may be at risk
⭑ Starting consistent exercise at 45 to 55 holds back aging ✔ New research
⭑ Our brain aging slows with sustained long-term exercise ✔ More new research
⭑ This squat may change your life ✔ You can do it for life

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

Hello,

I trust you are well and active.

Do you feel yourself straining a little more when getting up from the lounge? It happens. Try the exercise in item #4 and you'll notice a very consistent improvement.

By the way, this problem of getting up from sitting is the number one reason people have to give up living unassisted in their own homes. So best to put in a little regular exercise and remain independent for as long as possible.

I don’t think I've heard of doing less to improve chronic back pain. Sure, to ease it do less, but in this case more sleep was found to cure lower back pain - see item #1.

When scientists examined the quality of proteins we manufacture metabolically they were shocked. They found they number of damaged and malformed proteins started accelerating at about 45 years old. They thought this happened much later - see item #2.

Other scientists just released research showing that sustained exercise - for a long time whether you start younger or older - keeps your brain healthier. See item #3.
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01 Sleeping Your Way To Less Lower Back Pain

It is rare to find sleep as the best way to cure back pain. This is a lot easier than exercise, right?
​
A recent study (2024, Frontiers in Public Health) pinpointed a precise sleep threshold for low back pain (LBP) in adults. Analysing data from 6,285 Korean adults aged 50 and older, researchers discovered the critical inflection point was 6.5 hours per night.

For those sleeping less than this amount, each additional hour of sleep was associated with a 13.6% decrease in the risk of developing low back pain. That's significant.

The study found no significant link between sleep duration and LBP for those sleeping more than 6.5 hours (meaning that the pain did not not decrease further with longer sleep).

What this means for you... According to the research you are giving yourself the best chance of less lower back pain by sleeping more - up to a point.

⇒ Know your number: 6.5 hours. The study's key takeaway is this specific inflection point. If you suffer from lower back pain aim to consistently get at least six and a half hours sleep.

I aim for for 7 to 8 hours each night, but in my case I don’t suffer from lower back so that is not my motivation. Over time I found, for me, this is my optimum sleep requirement for best recovery and for feeling alert and refreshed in the morning.

The most important factor is actually sleep cycles, because deep sleep cycles are most effective at metabolically refreshing our brain. Four to five each night is ideal.

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02 Best (Adult) Age To Start Exercising Is 45 to 50

This is a bit of a shocker. A sign of aging is when, metabolically, our cells start to make faulty proteins. These faulty proteins are not necessarily harmful but they are not as beneficial as correctly constructed ones.

Chinese scientists came up with the idea of studying protein quality in various body organs across people aged 14 to 68 and found that we start aging much earlier than previously thought.

What they discovered was a clear pattern: aging accelerates dramatically between ages 45 and 55 at the cellular level.

But here’s what makes this research so important - different organs age at different rates. Our spleen, aorta, and adrenal glands start showing aging signs around age 30, while our aorta experiences the biggest protein changes right around ages 45 and 55.

⇒ This isn’t about scaring you - it’s about timing your interventions for maximum impact.

What this means for you: The window for intervention is short but incredibly powerful. Starting interventions between 45-50 can add up to 10 years of healthy life, and this study shows the cellular truth behind that claim.

This is the time to start focusing on maintaining healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, through a better diet and more or improved exercise.

This is actually why I say that I was lucky to have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes when I was 50. It shocked me into exercising and I am so much better off for it.

⇒ If you’re in your 40s or early 50s, this is your wake-up call. If you’re past 55, don’t despair - it's never too late to start to reduce the rate of faulty protein production.​​​​

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

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03 Exercise At Any Age Slows Brain Aging

A 2025 UT Southwestern research report found that high sustained fitness is associated with less brain volume loss and better long‑term cognitive health.
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They found that activity accumulated over decades provides the strongest protection.

By measuring peak oxygen consumption of the participants - VO2max - they found an association between a larger "right superior parietal volume" in the brain and higher VO2max. This was linked to better cognitive function such as inductive reasoning, long-term memory, working memory, and verbal fluency.

⇒ The key finding here is "sustained". Whenever you start, young or older, it benefits your brain health, and continuing helps more every year.

What this means for you: The researchers actually said that sustained high aerobic activity should be best because this most effectively raises your VO2max.

But realistically this is quite challenging and you have to weigh up how much time you have to balance all forms of exercise e.g. strength training and flexibility and whatever else you enjoy.

⇒ My conclusion is to start as soon as you can to build habits - brisk daily walks, add in strength training 1X or 2X week, and over time safely add intensity. ​​​​​​​​​​​​

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04 The Most Overlooked Squat For Over-50s

This week's exercise is... the goblet squat.

Goblet squats are generally avoided by over-50s as the exercise seems too challenging or perhaps injury-threatening.

But they are a fantastic exercise - easy on your back and for building your posture and balance and getting you up off the lounge with ease.

1. Unlike squats that put a bar on your shoulders, the goblet squat has you hold a weight in front of you. This acts like a counterbalance, making it easier to keep your back straight and upright. This reduces strain and is much safer, especially if you have a history of back stiffness or pain.
2. The goblet squat mimics movements you do every day, like sitting down in a chair, standing up, or picking something up from the floor. By practicing this exercise, you’re training your body to perform these actions with more ease and control. This helps you stay active and independent for years to come.

What this means for you: Do these twice a week, starting with a light dumbbell or kettlebell, and after 6 weeks you'll start to feel stronger and faster up from sitting.

For a great video on how to perform a goblet squat, I recommend this one:

• ​How to Goblet Squat - The Complete Guide for Beginners by Naomi Kong ​​​​​​​​​​​​

Thanks for reading!

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

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