Sleep quality with Dr. Daniel Barone

Sleep quality is an often overlooked part of health and fitness.  You'll hear you need 7 – 8 hours, but it is critical that the quality of that sleep is good.  Sleep quality matters even more than quantity.  On today's episode, we meet Dr. Daniel Barone and discuss his book, Let's Talk About Sleep.

Sleep quality

Our health is directly tied to the quality of our sleep.  While we may feel that sleep is a waste of time.  But we all know we feel better when we've had a good night of sleep.  If you're stressed, you may struggle to sleep well.  If you're not sleeping well, you're likely to be stressed.  As a system, sleep ties into all of our health, stress, exercise, etc.

Sleep quality can really affect your ability to lose weight.  And being overweight can affect sleep quality.

 

Sponsor:  This episode of the 40+ Fitness Podcast is sponsored by Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Company.  They are offering you a $39 bottle of their high quality, fresh-pressed olive oil for only $1.   Go to 40plusfitnesspodcast.com/oliveoil to learn more.

 

What do we know about why we sleep?

While we don't know why we sleep, there are many theories.  The most recent and most exciting theory regards the glymphatic system, which allows for a cleansing of the brain.  This is important as good quality sleep appears to help filter out and clear out waste products in the brain.  Sleep is incredibly important and we're getting closer to understanding why.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

I snore.  My wife snores.  While snoring is a marker, it is not a clear determinant of obstructive sleep apnea.  However, if you're noticing issues with your sleep quality such as waking up to urinate often, not feeling rested in the morning, or waking with a headache you may have an issue.

Obstructive sleep apnea is more likely being:

1. a man
2. a post-menopausal woman
3. over-weight
4. genetically smaller airway

During obstructive sleep apnea, your airway is obstructed and your body experiences itself being choked and wakes up.  You may not be aware this is happening, but your body does as it prevents your body from going through full sleep cycles.

Most of us do go through periods of non-breathing.  If this is happening less than five times per hour, you're below the threshold of obstructive sleep apnea.  So, your bed partner may notice that you've stopped breathing, but you may not be reaching the threshold of sleep apnea.

Smoking, drinking, sleeping on your back can trigger obstructive sleep apnea events.

Central Sleep Apnea

Central Sleep Apnea is a version of sleep apnea that is caused by things other than an obstruction.  After a sleep quality test, you'll know whether this is an issue for you and what is causing central sleep apnea.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless leg syndrome is much more common than most people know (2 – 15%).  The legs feel like they have to move or it is going to be very uncomfortable.  This makes it incredibly hard to sleep.

Medications and lifestyle modifications can be used to manage restless leg syndrome.

1. Iron – When iron levels are low, you're not able to produce dopamine correctly. You should check your iron levels to ensure you're storing iron the way you should.
2. Stretching – Calf stretches can help relieve the symptoms.
3. Keep the brain engaged – Reading or knitting can help stave off the symptoms of restless leg syndrome.

 

While medications can play a part in improving sleep quality, meditation, massage, and acupuncture are all good at helping the brain and the body relax.

T0 learn more about Dr. Daniel Barone and his book, Let's Talk About Sleep, go to Roman and Littlefield.

 

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Choose the StrongPath with Fred Bartlit

Fred Bartlit is the author of the book, Choosing the StrongPath.  Fred chose to change his life when his wife, Jana pushed him to begin taking his fitness seriously.  As he aged, he noticed that the friends he had that were his age were falling off and not participating in activities like skiing.

Sarcopenia

Beginning in our 30's we begin losing around 1% of our muscle mass per year. That puts us into a death spiral that if not addressed, we'll end up disabled and face many chronic diseases.  This is preventable with a resistance training program.

Falls

Falls are a very common and they can lead to disability and death.  Being stronger not only reduces the likelihood of falls, it also prepares the body to handle falls better.

 

Sponsor:  This episode of the 40+ Fitness Podcast is sponsored by Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Company.  They are offering you a $39 bottle of their high quality, fresh-pressed olive oil for only $1.   Go to 40plusfitnesspodcast.com/oliveoil to learn more.

 

Go to the gym

You should go the gym and get a trainer to teach you proper form. It is a great investment to get started on the right foot. A solid program will work all of the muscle groups with good variety. Having control and avoiding ballistic movements that can cause injury. Fred has a strategy for the time he is in the gym, with focus and dedication.

Not all trainers know how to train you

Just like there are different types of attorneys, trainers can specialize on older individuals. That will allow them to provide the best advice and guidance, allowing you to train, get the gains, without injury.

Age is not show stopper

At the age of 85, almost 85, Fred's commitment to the StrongPath has him breaking life-long strength goals.

Weightloss

We should lose no more than 1 – 1 1/2 pounds per week. Losing more than that is not sustainable or healthy. To lose weight, you should record your weight where you see it each day. If you aren't getting results, pay attention to what you're eating and change to get yourself back on path.

All that said, the wafer thin woman is no longer the ideal of beauty. Instead, being strong and fit is seen as beautiful. Women that follow the StrongPath are on their way to looking and feeling their best.

You can learn more about Fred and his book, Choosing the StrongPath at strongpath.com.

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Mitochondria and your health with Dr. Lee Know

Dr. Lee Know's bestselling book Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine shows us how the powerhouses of the cells are at the heart of health and fitness. When your mitochondria are working well, we have more energy and look and feel younger.

Basics of mitochondria

The mitochondria is an organelle in the cell.  Like organs in the body, organelles each have particular functions.  The mitochondria produce energy through APT.   When they perform well, we have all the energy we need.

Ketosis and calorie restriction

How we eat can really affect how well mitochondria perform.  This includes ketosis, calorie restriction, and intermittent fasting.  The amount of research is growing and understanding the metabolic pathways is improving.  The research is proving out that ketosis helps mitochondria function better.  Ketones being available as an alternative style of fuel helps the energy processes in our bodies function better.

The mitochondrial theory of ageing is becoming the most evidenced-based over all of the other theories including the free-radical theory and the wear-and-tear theory.  Calorie restriction is the only proven way of extending life for healthy individuals.  You're creating fewer free-radicals which leads to healthier mitochondria and a longer lifespan.  The idea is to reduce calories avoiding starvation or malnutrition.

Sponsor:  This episode of the 40+ Fitness Podcast is sponsored by Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Company.  They are offering you a $39 bottle of their high quality, fresh-pressed olive oil for only $1.   Go to 40plusfitnesspodcast.com/oliveoil to learn more.

Supplements

Dr. Know went through some of the supplements you may want to consider for better mitochondria health (note: the links are affiliate links to products on Amazon).

• D-Ribose: This critical component is made by our body, but the process is very slow.
• Coenzyme Q10: 
• L-Carnitine: 
• Magnesium: 
• Creatine: 
• B Vitamins: 

To get in touch with Dr. Lee know or to learn more about the book Mitochondria and the the Future of Medicine go to WEBLINK.

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Quote of the Week

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Running Rewired with Jay Dicharry

Jay Dicharry, the author of Running Rewired, is board- certified Sports Clinical Specialist.  He focuses on running biomechanics.  Beyond therapy, he seeks to correct the muscle imbalances that lead many runners to injury.

What really happens when you run

When we run, we are putting the body through a high amount of stress.  The forces on the body can exceed 2 1/2 times our body weight.  For an overweight runner, this can make running not only difficult but dangerous.

Core stability

One of the main areas that cause running injuries is a weak core.  But the fix is not just about doing crunches or planks.  You should look at your core as if were an aluminum can.  A can will support a great deal of weight.  However, if you make a small dent in the side, and the can collapses.  This is why it is critical to ensure the full musculature of the core is strong, balanced, and stable.

Sponsor:  This episode of the 40+ Fitness Podcast is sponsored by Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Company.  They are offering you a $39 bottle of their high quality, fresh-pressed olive oil for only $1.   Go to 40plusfitnesspodcast.com/oliveoil to learn more.

Quads vs Glutes

Your running correlates with the way you move.  If you squat and you find that you squat more forward, you're using your quads too much.  If you squat more toward the back, then you may be glute dominant.  You can do an exercise of squatting down and at the bottom position, oscillate forward and backward to feel how to activate both.  The more you can use your glutes (the stronger muscles), the more powerful your running will be.

Muscular endurance, strength, and mass

Most runners don't want to lift weights because they don't want to add too much mass.  But there are ways to use weights to improve your running.  To improve your running economy, you want to be able to put more force down on the ground in a shorter period of time.  That requires heavier loads with squats, deadlifts.  Plyometrics and powerlifting are very effective tools to improve your running.  You won't gain much weight as you'll still be running and sarcopenia will keep you from putting on too much muscle.

You can learn more about Jay Dicharry and Running Rewired at LINK.

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Run strong and stay hungry with Jonathan Beverly

This episode is sponsored by Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil.  You can get a $39 bottle of this wonder tasting olive oil at 40plusfitnesspodcast.com/olive-oil.

Jonathan Beverly is the author of Run Strong, Stay Hungry, a collection of tips and wisdom from veteran runners who are still running after many years.

The book includes nine principles that would keep someone engaged in running over the years. Surprisingly, only three are physiological and six are psychological. A few include:

1. Consistency – Injuries can occur when you are inconsistent. Running regularly makes you strong. Being consistent helps to build habits, which make it easier to get out and run. Be sure to take time to rest and recover. Consider using rest days to do some other sort of physical activity.
2. Humility and Hunger – The joy of running or training is not in the accolades, but rather seeing continuous improvement. You are not defined solely by where you start in your running journey. Seeing your personal progression over time and striving to reach the next goal is another factor that keeps runners engaged long-term.
3. Stay Connected – Instead of just running, consider serving as a coach, volunteer or running writer. This removes you from just thinking about your own progress and you can see other people’s goals and obstacles. You can then apply this perspective back to yourself. If you become unable to run for some reason, you are able to stay involved in these roles.

To connect with Jonathan Beverly or to learn more about Run Strong, Stay Hungry, visit http://www.jonathanbeverly.com.

 

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Something Different

I don't think I'm much of a writer, but I did want to share 4 Reasons Most People Struggle to Lose Weight.

4 Reasons Most People Struggle to Lose Weight

Are you struggling to lose weight? You're not alone. Most of us have experienced this. I have lost and gained the same 10 – 20 lbs so many times. That was until I came to understand I'd been doing it all wrong. The harsh truth is… 4 Reasons Most People Struggle to Lose Weight.

Ageless soul with Thomas Moore

On this episode, we discuss Thomas Moore's new book Ageless Soul,, a book an successful aging.

Thomas Moore is the New York Times bestselling author of Care of the Soul, as well as many other books on deepening soul and cultivating a mature spiritual life, three of which have received the Books for a Better Life Award. At turns, he has been a monk, a musician, a university professor, and a psychotherapist.

Phases of Aging

– Immortal is the phase of life when you don't think of life as limited.
– First taste of aging is when we begin to recognize that life is not permanent.
– Maturity is the phase where you begin to see changes.
– Shifting toward old age is the phase when you begin to feel old age coming on.
– Old age is a phase of life when you begin to flow with your age.

Most of the shifts from phase to phase come about with an event. In Thomas' experience, that happened when he had a heart procedure. The initiate isn't planned, but it happens anyway.

Puer and Senex

“To age well you have to be profoundly old and profoundly young.”

Puer is a Latin word that means young person and Senex means old. We carry around a bit of each of these where our youth and our age talk through things to live well. We need to pay attention to the voices. These are a part of your identity and both can be useful.

Melancholy

Sadness and melancholy are a part of aging. Rather than try to collapse from it or avoid it, you should embrace it. Accepting this and looking for the new opportunities that are available to you now that you've reached a given age. And when you're older, you now have something to give to people that are younger.

Thomas recommends that we spend more time outside in nature as we will now have a much greater appreciation of it.

Developing a Clearer, Deeper Sense of Self

As we reach old age, we have developed as a deeper person. We can use our time to reflect more. We can observe and experience aging of others. We are learning more and we become a different person.

We can dedicate ourselves to learning, relaxing, and enjoying what we see.

To learn more about Thomas Moore and his book Ageless Soul, go to thomasmooresoul.com.

 

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Motivational Quote

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