

wise athletes podcast
wise athletes podcast
athletic longevity and peak performance as we age
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 1, 2025 • 51min
#172 | Levers of (Food) Satiety | Dr Ted Naiman
Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the always discount)
Dr Ted Naiman Bio:
Dr. Ted Naiman is a board-certified Family Medicine physician in the department of Primary Care at a leading major medical center in Seattle. Dr. Naiman holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, which influences his analytical approach to medicine. He earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University in 1997 . Initially raised in a near-vegetarian Seventh-day Adventist household, he experienced personal health challenges that led him to explore alternative nutritional strategies. This journey culminated in the development of the P:E Diet, focusing on the protein-to-energy ratio in foods, and now, Satiety per Calorie: Eating, solved, to promote fat loss and muscle gain.
For decades, diet books have focused on what to eat—low-carb, low-fat, paleo, keto, and everything in between. Today learn what really works for anyone who wants to improve health, body composition, athletic performance....longevity in sport.
What You’ll Learn Today:
✅ The four key factors that determine satiety per calorie
✅ Why protein and fiber are the ultimate weight-loss levers
✅ How to structure your diet for maximum satiety and effortless fat loss
Episode Resources
Satiety per Calorie website -- SatietyperCalorie.com
Dr Ted Naiman's personal website -- TedNaiman.com
Related episodes & links:
Episode 145 | Food for Thought | William Li MD
Episode 142 | Fasting Mimicking Diet | Joseph Antoun MD PhD
Episode 137 | The #1 Secret to Healthy Fat Loss | Vyvyane Loh MD
Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Fat %? | Vyvyane Loh MD
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Aug 1, 2025 • 56min
#171 | Managing Glucose for Athletes | Hunter Allen, Peaks Coaching Group
Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the always discount)
Hunter Allen Bio:
Hunter Allen, ex-pro cyclist, coach and author has recently authored “Training and Competing with a Continuous Glucose Monitor”. Hunter is best known for his work with power meters and for developing the power training principles. He’s the co-author of “Training and Racing with a Power Meter”, along with “Cutting Edge Cycling” and “Triathlon: Training with Power”. Hunter was one of the co-developers of TrainingPeaks WKO software and a co-founder of TrainingPeaks. He founded and currently operates The Peaks Coaching Group.
Key Ideas:
Managing blood glucose is not only important for health and longevity, it impacts athletic performance in real time
Wearing a CGM provides access to the raw data needed to manage glucose via diet, feed schedule, activity
For athletic performance, keeping blood glucose in the high performance zone means no bonking or premature fatigue.
Episode Resources
Hunter's Coaching Website -- PeaksCoachingGroup.com
CGM Book Website - TrainingandCompetingwithaCGM.com
Key Discussion Points:
Discover how and why seeing your continuous blood glucose with a CGM in real time will give you an edge in your sport with the ability to:
Optimize the timing of nutrition intake (for exercise, for sleep…?)
Determine the correct serving of foods to positively impact energy levels
Understand the proper type of foods to use to “prime” your system before training or an event (“top off glycogen stores” without causing hypo-glycemic rebound?)
Recognize patterns of poor nutrition and correct them (food combos, volume of fast carbs)
Learn your blood glucose highs and lows throughout the day to correct them for better glucose stability (why correct them?)
And so much more
Related episodes & links:
Episode 87 | Zeroing in on Fun AND Fitness part 2 of 2 | Hunter Allen
Episode 86 | Make Training Fun for Better Performance part 1 of 2 Hunter Allen
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Jul 19, 2025 • 1h 7min
#170 | Sweat Equity: Fitness is a Good Start | Frank Schwartz, Nant'an of F3
Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the always discount)
About the guest: Frank Schwartz, Nant'an (CEO) of F3 Nation
Frank Schwartz, known in the F3 community by his nickname "Dark Helmet," serves as the CEO (referred to as "Nant’an") of F3 Nation. F3 Nation is a free, peer-led movement designed to help men get fit, build bonds of friendship, and learn how to join forces to serve the community. As Nant'an, Frank leads the strategic vision and cultural stewardship of F3, which has grown into a global network supporting thousands of men across the U.S. and internationally.
Frank’s F3 journey began like so many others: a early morning workout, a goofy nickname, and a gut-level recognition that something life-changing was underway. Since then, he’s become a guiding voice in shaping F3 Nation: 100's of independently operating chapters around the USA and the World. He’s all-in on helping men become what they always wanted to be.
Key Ideas:
If you change a man, you change the world
Leave no man behind; leave no man where you found him
No rules; only principals to guide men remaking themselves
Episode Resources
The Starfish and The Spider -- Link to Amazon
Freed to Lead 2 - Link to Amazon
F3 Website -- F3Nation.com
Key Discussion Points:
Why is this happening…this lack of close friends among men?
What is the effect of not having good friends?
Is a close friend for a man the same as a close friend for a woman?
How does F3 work? What are the rules and methods that have been stolen and honed to craft the experience that served men? Why does it work so well, and I speak from personal experience.
What is to be gained from a men’s group like F3? Starting or joining one? What is the stair-step of benefits that are available to men who participate, who maybe are just looking for fitness, but if they want to change their lives more profoundly, they can get much more than mere fitness.
Related episodes & links:
Episode 122 | How to Stay Young or Die Laughing | Bill Gifford
Episode 91 | Successful Aging | Dr Alan Castel
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Jul 13, 2025 • 45min
#169 | A Big Life | Adrian Kelly
Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the always discount)
Do you feel like you are drifting through life always waiting on something?
Do you feel dissatisfied and unfulfilled?
Is time flying by?
About the guest: Adrian Kelly, Author of The Success Complex
Drawing from his experiences as a solicitor, entrepreneur, and sports coach, Kelly examines the skills essential for overcoming challenges and achieving sustained success. Adrian joins me to discuss how to shift into living a big life, rather than merely a long one. Adrian says:
Most of us don’t just want simple happiness; we want intensity. We want to feel that sense of existential urgency we get when we are engrossed in some meaningful project, when we know you are doing something important and good.
Link to Amazon: Success Factor
Episode Summary:
Adrian Kelly’s Success Complex explores the hidden emotional and psychological burdens that often accompany outward success, especially for men. It challenges the traditional view that success—defined by wealth, career, and achievements—automatically leads to happiness. Instead, Kelly argues that many high-performing individuals are silently struggling with stress, disconnection, and a lack of purpose.
Core Aspects of Spirituality
Connection: A feeling of being linked to a higher power, nature, or the collective human experience.
Purpose and Meaning: An ongoing quest to understand one's role and significance in the world.
Transcendence: Experiences that go beyond the ordinary, often described as profound or mystical
Inner Peace: Cultivating a sense of calm and contentment through practices like meditation, mindfulness, or prayer.
Key Themes:
The Illusion of Success -- Success is often externally validated—money, titles, status—but it can mask deep dissatisfaction, anxiety, or emotional repression. Many men achieve success only to find it unfulfilling.
Performance-Based Identity -- Men often tie their self-worth to performance. When they stop achieving or face setbacks, they feel worthless or lost.
Emotional Suppression -- A major cost of the “success complex” is emotional disconnection. Men learn to suppress vulnerability, which leads to isolation and strained relationships.
The Masculine Mask -- the “mask” successful men wear to appear confident, in control, and stoic. Behind it, many feel burned out or uncertain.
Breaking the Pattern -- Healing begins by questioning the cultural narrative around masculinity and success. This includes:
Reconnecting with emotions
Seeking genuine relationships
Redefining success through internal values rather than external metrics
Authentic Living -- shift from achievement-driven living to values-driven living—embracing meaning, connection, and self-awareness.
The ABC Framework:
Activity (A): Engaging in purposeful actions…a means to an end
Balance (B): Maintaining equilibrium between various life aspects.
Congruence (C): Aligning actions and values to achieve a state where success is both sustained and sustaining
Prioritizing What Truly Matters
In a world filled with opportunities, Kelly encourages us to reflect on our true goals and values, suggesting that genuine success may differ from societal expectations.
Related episodes & links:
Episode 122 | How to Stay Young or Die Laughing | Bill Gifford
Episode 91 | Successful Aging | Dr Alan Castel
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Jun 29, 2025 • 1h 4min
#168 | Mito Boosters: Methylene Blue & Urolithin A | Richard LaFountain, Phd & Brandon Fell, MS
Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the discount)
About the guests: Richard LaFountain, PhD & Brandon Fell, MS
Clinical Staff at Healthspan (gethealthspan.com)
Rich LaFountain, PhD - Health coach and science writer; his academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.
Education: Ph.D. in Kinesiology from The Ohio State University; Bachelor of Science in Biology from the College at Brockport, State University of New York.
Research: His academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.
Current Role: Senior Scientist on Healthspan's clinical staff
Brandon Fell, MS - Wellness Coach, with expertise in keto nutrition, clinical research, and longevity science.
Education: M.S. in Kinesiology (OSU, 2020); Dietetic Internship with rotations through Volek’s lab.
Research: Graduate Research Associate in Dr. Jeff Volek’s ketogenic diet studies; major controlled trials.
Current Role: Head of Metabolic Coaching at Healthspan
Episode Summary:
In my followup chat with Healthspan, we talk about Methylene Blue and Urolithin A, the darlings of the mitochondrial boosting party set.
Healthspan offers both supplements as a part of its suite of longevity and healthspan offerings.
Methylene Blue is very edgy, so I wanted to understand how Healthspan came to believe it was safe for their clients/patients (I take Methylene Blue)
Urolithin A is very new and somewhat controversial. I wanted to know how Healthspan came to believe it was effective (I take Urolithin A).
Some important notes:
Webinar for healthspan onboarding
gethealthspan.com
MB
What is it, and how it is used in medicine?
Why does Healthspan believe it is a useful supplement to use chronically?
What are the targeted symptoms and effects of MB? Dosing? Take regularly or only when symptoms arise? How long to feel an effect?
Does it help athletic performance? (I found it makes exercise feel harder)
What are the side effects to be cautious of?
Who should not take MB?
Urolithin A
What is it, and why do people need to supplement it?
Why would a bacteria post biotic signal the mitochondria to scavenge old mitochondria? Is it similar to an internally made chemical used for the same purpose?
I’ve heard a lot of marketing of Urolithin A by the company that patented its delivery mechanism, and I’ve heard scientists say there is no real proof it works.
What did Healthspan uncover to prompt it to offer it?
What are the targeted symptoms and effects of UA? Dosing? Take regularly or only when symptoms arise? How long to feel an effect?
Does it help athletic performance?
What are the side effects to be cautious of?
Who should not take UA?
Related episodes & links:
Urolithin A -- Nature Paper
Episode 128 | Mitochondrial Powerup w/Methylene Blue | Dr Scott Sherr
Episode 144 | Muscle for Athletic Healthspan | Mark Tarnopolsky MD PhD
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Jun 22, 2025 • 1h 15min
#167 | Navigating Bloodwork | Richard LaFountain, PhD & Brandon Fell, MS of Healthspan
Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the discount)
About the guests: Richard LaFountain, PhD & Brandon Fell, MS
Clinical Staff at Healthspan (gethealthspan.com)
Rich LaFountain, PhD - Health coach and science writer; his academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.
Education: Ph.D. in Kinesiology from The Ohio State University; Bachelor of Science in Biology from the College at Brockport, State University of New York.
Research: His academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.
Current Role: Senior Scientist on Healthspan's clinical staff
Brandon Fell, MS - Wellness Coach, with expertise in keto nutrition, clinical research, and longevity science.
Education: M.S. in Kinesiology (OSU, 2020); Dietetic Internship with rotations through Volek’s lab.
Research: Graduate Research Associate in Dr. Jeff Volek’s ketogenic diet studies; major controlled trials.
Current Role: Head of Metabolic Coaching at Healthspan
Episode Summary:
Blood testing isn't perfect but it's one of the best tools available to shine a light into the black box of your personal physiology to see how your body is doing: compared to other healthy people and compared to yourself over time as you age and implement health and longevity interventions. Healthspan now offers an online Longevity Pro Panel blood testing and analysis service to provide expert guidance into lifestyle-based health enhance, and as a gateway into more aggressive interventions to recover lost athleticism, extend healthspan, and maybe even life a long healthy life.
Healthspan comprehensively analyzes pivotal longevity biomarkers to help you optimize your metabolic and cellular health. Examining over 100 biomarkers, Healthspan identifies health insights, enabling personalized recommendations for a successful longevity journey.
Some important notes:
Webinar for healthspan onboarding
gethealthspan.com
What is Healthspan, and why does it offer the blood testing / evaluation service?
Blood panel is a big part, but what else is needed to fully assess biological age status (identify areas for improvement)? BP, DEXA: bone, lean mass, visceral fat, VO2Max, grip strength (bar hang time), etc.
Reliability of blood tests for identifying “optimal” vs. “problems”? wide ranges based on population “normal” (40% obesity rate), different labs/procedures, test result variability, time of day test taken, workouts / foods eating in proximity to testing, blood is only a proxy (not the same thing as organs)
Personal trends vs. “vs. normal” vs. low ACM? Or centenarian typical blood marker ranges?
Need to look at multiple blood markers and understand context to interpret blood test results
Example of a blood panel review session (using Joe Lavelle's data)
Related episodes & links:
Episode 141 | Your Blood Tests Results May Vary | Dr Austin Baraki
Episode 154 | Adaptive Range Expansion (Functional Youth) | Dr Mike T Nelson
Episode 161 | Omega 3: Science vs. Hype | Bill Harris, PhD
Episode 140 | Solving Low Vitamin D | Dr Grant E Fraser
Episode 139 | Finding Your Iron Sweetspot for Performance and Health | Dr Grant Fraser
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Jun 13, 2025 • 40min
#166 | Don't "Act Your Age" | Matt Fitzgerald
Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes
About the guest: Matt Fitzgerald
Author of over 30 books on running & endurance
Matt Fitzgerald, a certified sports nutritionist, started running on April 19, 1983, one day after watching his father complete the Boston Marathon. This began a lifelong love affair with the sport. Having completed 50 marathons of his own, authored more than 30 books, cofounded the world’s largest online provider of endurance training resources, and coached dozens of his fellow runners to their goals, Matt lives by the motto, “Let your passion, not your ability, decide how far you go.” That’s why he created Dream Run Camp–to enable runners of all abilities who share his passion for the sport to see just how far they can go.
Episode Summary:
How do you know what you are capable of doing if you don't try? Matt Fitzgerald trains athletes of all ages, including older athletes, but he doesn't have "older athlete training plans". Matt says everyone has limiters...you have to choose to go at them or around them, or let them define you. Older athletes often self-limit themselves to play it safe but with careful attention to building up capacity, older athletes are proving themselves to be capable of more speed, more strength and more endurance than ever before.
Our talk today is about how can the older athlete avoid settling for being older...how to find compensations and motivations and expert tricks for retaining or regaining the athletic capacity of yesteryear.
Some important notes:
Don’t let the expectations of declining athletic capacity turn. Into a self fulfilling prophecy
…”not every man truly lives”
You have to push the envelope regularly or the envelope shrinks in on you
Focus on the big rocks: training hard frequently (finding your own way that works for you), keeping the joy in it, setting and reaching for big goals )
Everyone has limiters. They are unique to the individual and they change over time. You have to treat the training process as an open ended experiment. You have to identify the limiters and then work towards or around them. But find out what they really are not what you think they are because you are older.
Keep moving. But use different forms of movement to spread the load.
Scale back the volume but maintain the intensity
Treat “niggles” with care. Incremental Retreat — backed progressively to be careful without being fearful and losing big chunks of fitness.
Training as treatment - ryan whited. Motion is lotion.
Disadvantages AND advantages of being older: youth is wasted on the young.
Compensate for losing some athletic capacity by tightening down the lifestyle that you couldn’t bother to do when younger. Diet, sleep, better training protocols.
Diet: eat enough of a wide range of whole foods with enough of all macros. Avoid processed foods.
Avoid reductionist rabbit holes.
Supplements: case by case. Most people can benefit from: fish oil , iron (if you need it), creatine
Cross training: lifting weights, physical skill acquisition, balance and coordination, don’t stop playing
Periodization is a good practice. Weekly / monthly / seasonal cycles
Related episodes & links:
Stronger, Faster, Older
Episode 91 | Successful Aging | Dr Alan Castel
Episode 109 | Physical Intelligence for Heathy Aging | Dr Scott Grafton
Episode 124 | Pain and Performance | Matt Fitzgerald and Ryan Whited
Episode 148 | Adventure for Life | Brian Keane
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

May 31, 2025 • 1h 9min
#165 | Right Way to Paleo | Trevor Connor, CEO of The Paleo Diet & Fast Talk Labs
Professional Grade Supplements for Wise Athletes
About the guest:
Trevor Connor is an exercise physiologist, endurance sports coach, and former professional cyclist with nearly 20 years of racing experience. He has coached at national performance centers in both Canada and the U.S., managed teams such as Team Rio Grande, and holds a master's degree in exercise bioenergetics and nutrition. He is also the co-host of the Fast Talk podcast, which focuses on the science of endurance performance.
Trevor earned his master's degree in exercise bioenergetics and nutrition from Colorado State University, where he was the final graduate student of Dr. Loren Cordain, the originator of the Paleo Diet. His research focused on the effects of a Paleo-style diet on autoimmune conditions, including multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease
CEO of The Paleo Diet, LLC: Since 2018, Connor has led the company, overseeing its programs, certifications, and branding initiatives
Co-founder and CEO of Fast Talk Laboratories: He co-founded this platform dedicated to endurance sports science, offering resources on training, nutrition, and performance
Cycling Career: A former semi-professional cyclist, Connor trained at the Canadian National Center and managed Team Rio Grande, a top-ranked amateur team in the U.S.
Episode Summary:
The Paleo Diet. Initially skeptical of the Paleo Diet, Connor's perspective shifted after personal experimentation led to improved health and a return to competitive cycling at age 40. He now advocates for whole-food nutrition and challenges traditional high-carbohydrate sports diets, emphasizing the benefits of healthy fats and reduced sugar intake
Our talk today is mostly about how can the older athlete get the most out of the Paleo Diet and how to personalize it to make it work for each of us. What are the most important guidelines of the Paleo Diet that should guide and simplify our food decision-making. Foods to emphasize and minimize. Eating (and not eating) patterns that matter.
Some important notes:
Macronutrient based diets are hard to get right because there are healthy and unhealthy versions of all macronutrient diets. Paleo is not about macros, but instead about whole foods that mimics the food supply 10,000 years ago. Fruits, vegetables, naturally grown meat and fish, and nuts and seeds sparingly. Limit grains and minimize dairy. Some people should also limit legumes (beans / pulses / lentils / etc)
Eating whole foods means not just getting the vitamins and minerals and macronutrients but also the food matrix....all the other stuff in things that were once alive. Everything provides some benefit as long as we don't overdo it. But eating processed foods without the food matrix is a poor health choice.
An ancestral diet is hard to define exactly and impossible to replicate today, but some features can be mimicked: not eating the same things all the time or out of season, not eating the full daily calorie requirements every single day, eating foods that were recently alive are hard to chew (good for oral health and is satiating), not over-eating foods that didn't exist (dairy, processed food) or were in short supply (grains, beans).
Eat more potassium and less sodium (people generally get too much sodium; avoid processed food with sodium)
Eat more magnesium and less dairy (less calcium). Target 2:1 calcium to magnesium; most people are 4:1 calcium to magnesium.
Supplements recommended by Trevor: Vitamin D, Fish Oil (EPA/DHA), Magnesium (especially if consuming dairy: heavy calcium source), Taurine (especially vegans or low seafood consumers)
Protein: one source of protein is not the same as another source of protein so you cannot just talk amount of protein in a healthy diet. Protein from dairy is not the same as protein from muscle meat (animals / fish). Dairy comes from cows for their babies to grow up fast. The effect of dairy (whey / casein) is not the same as the effect of protein from muscle meat. Low / no dairy is best unless you need to build muscle as fast and as big as possible, but it comes with heath effects.
Related episodes & links:
Dietary Patterns and Non-Communicable Disease Biomarkers: A Network Meta-Analysis and Nutritional Geometry Approach (Paleo vs Mediterranean and other diets)
Summary of Paleo vs Mediterranean (from ThePaleoDiet company)
Episode 100 | Practical Tips for Phytonutrients and Fiber | Dr Jed Fahey
Episode 94 | Phytonutrients the 1% the Makes All the Difference | Dr Jed Fahey
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

May 18, 2025 • 1h 10min
# 164 | Medicine Impact on Athletic Performance | TriDoc, Dr Jeff Sankoff
Professional Grade Supplements for WiseAthletes
About the guest:
The TriDoc Podcast is a bi-weekly show hosted by Dr. Jeff Sankoff, the host of the TriDoc podcast, is an emergency physician, Ironman triathlete, certified coach, and older athlete (58). Dr Sankoff is the exact type of expert for the Wise Athletes podcast. Dr Sankoff specializes in providing athletes with evidence-based insights into health, wellness, and training, and helping us all distinguish scientific facts from marketing hype.
TriDoc Podcast
TriDoc Coaching
Tempo Talks Podcast
Episode summary:
OTC Drugs -- impact on exercise performance -- aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol, anti-histamines
Pharmacutical Drugs - impact on exercise performance -- cholesterol, BP, heart rhythm, prostate meds, ED meds
Jeff's 3 Supplements
Related episodes & links:
Episode 36 | Dr Jeff Sankoff is the TriDoc
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
Episode 36 | Dr Jeff Sankoff is the Tri-Doc

May 4, 2025 • 52min
#163 | Good Sleep: What is it & How to get it | Merijn van de Laar ("Sleep Like a Caveman")
Professional Grade Supplements for WiseAthletes
On today's show, Dr. Merijn van de Laar, a recovering insomniac, sleep therapist, and the author of How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest, will tell us how learning about our prehistoric ancestors’ sleep (via studying the Hadza) can help us relax about our own imperfect sleep. He explains that the behaviors we think of as sleep problems are actually normal, natural, and adaptive. Merijn destroys the myth that you have to get 7-9 hours of sleep a night, and how being awake during the night is normal, and how efforts to change normal healthy sleep into "perfect" sleep scores is detrimental to our health.
Today’s episode is not for those few, lucky souls who fall asleep the moment their head hits the pillow, cruise through the night, and bounce out of bed in the morning ready to take on the world. Good for you—but seriously, get out of here. This one’s for the rest of us wise athletes who work hard to be fit and healthy—through exercise, through diet—only to be undone by poor sleep. The poor sleep that slows your recovery, ramps up your risk of illness, and leaves you reaching for caffeine just to survive the day, and then something else entirely just to shut down at night and squeeze 7-9 hours into the 6-hour window we allow for.
This talk is not a list of sleep hygiene factors and discount codes for fancy tools that work well to lighten your wallet without addressing the real reasons for poor sleep. Dr. Merijn van de Laar says "sleep is cheap" and that we've been sold a bunch of BS about sleep. This isn’t about chasing perfection. This is about letting go of the pressure and easing into realistically healthy sleep—the kind your ancestors would recognize—without needing to track every blink and breath.
So unplug, lie back, and listen up—because it’s time to learn how to Sleep Like a Caveman.
About the Guest
Dr Merijn van de Laar (https://merijnvandelaar.com/the-sleep-scientist/)
Merijn van de Laar studied biological psychology at the University of Maastricht and obtained his PhD on the subject of personality and sleep and the treatment of insomnia. He worked for years at Kempenhaeghe, Center for Sleep Medicine, and treated people with insomnia, parasomnia and delayed sleep phase syndrome. He is now adjunct director at the University of Maastricht.
Merijn’s professional and personal mission is to create restful nights across the world. His motivation to give people a better night’s sleep arose when he experienced what it was like to have chronic insomnia in his twenties. He did not receive the right care and, in retrospect, not the right scientifically substantiated information that could have helped him get rid of the problem much sooner.
Merijn’s slogan is “Sleep is Cheap”. By this he means that most people with insomnia do not need expensive products, apps or medication at all and that these often don’t help or even worsen the problem. For most people, a good night’s sleep can be achieved through natural solutions that cost little but are very effective. In many ways, we should learn to sleep like Cavemen again.
Merijn van de Laar website
Episode Summary:
Why do modern people report worsening sleep quality, despite the emergence of optimized sheets, mattresses, sound machines, and sleep trackers have emerged during that time, and despite the fact that the amount of time people are sleeping hasn’t decreased for over fifty years?
If people aren’t sleeping less than they used to, why are they less happy about their sleep than ever before.
Dr van de Laar says, to improve our experience of sleep, we’re better off looking past the BS modern advice and look back in time — to see how our ancestors (probably) slept.
What is sleep, and why is it so important? Any parts more important than others?
Why is an adults sleep so fragile while a child's sleep so easy and sound?
What can we learn from how the Hadza sleep? Do they get 7-9 hours of sleep, sleeping straight though the night?
What can we do to improve our sleep?
Related episodes & links:
Sleep Like a Caveman on Amazon
https://merijnvandelaar.com/
Help the show:
3 ways to support our show:
Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.
*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.