Barbell Shrugged Physiology Friday: The Rhythm of Rest: Unlocking Sleep Potential Naturally w/ Dr. Chris Perry, Anders Varner, Doug Larson, and Travis Mash
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Aug 22, 2025 Dr. Chris Perry, an Assistant Professor at Eastern Kentucky University, dives into the vital connection between sleep, nutrition, and athletic performance. He discusses how daylight saving time affects our circadian rhythms and cardiovascular health. Unpacking heart rate variability (HRV), he emphasizes personalized health assessment over generic data. Listeners learn how proper meal timing enhances sleep quality and explore sleep supplements and hygiene practices. The conversation also highlights non-sleep deep rest techniques to optimize recovery and cognitive function.
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Small Clock Shifts, Big Cardiovascular Risk
- Circadian misalignment of even 1–2 hours hyperactivates the HPA axis and raises cardiovascular risk.
- Daylight Saving spring-forward correlates with increased heart attacks and worsened HRV metrics.
Use Night And Morning HRV Correctly
- Use nighttime HRV to assess recovery and morning HRV to assess readiness for the day.
- Prefer wearable data that captures both overnight recovery and a first-morning snapshot for best insights.
Track HRV Changes, Not Absolute Numbers
- Track individual HRV baselines and the magnitude of change to detect meaningful stressors.
- Use repeated measures to identify which habits drop your HRV and by how many milliseconds.