There are three things almost all Boulderites have in common: we like to stay active, we value our health, and we LOVE our coffee. And for good reason! The caffeine and antioxidant content in coffee give it some big health benefits that make it a no-brainer for Boulder’s biohacking health-centric community. To be fair, coffee can have some doppio-sized disclaimers – compromised sleep, enhanced anxiety, gut agitation, and exposure to cancer-causing toxins in the beans, water, and to-go cups. But overall, the research shows that daily coffee consumption can save you years of healthy,... Read More

Meditation is an ancient practice that trains the mind to observe and regulate its own activity. It has been used for centuries by Hindu and Buddhist practitioners to cultivate attention, insight, and spirituality (1,2). More recently, meditation has been adopted and adapted by Western science and medicine as a way to enhance well-being, reduce stress, and improve health (1). Why Meditate? Is it worth the hype? There is a growing body of evidence that supports the benefits of meditation for various physical and mental conditions, including (3-6): Alzheimer’s Disease. Anxiety. Cardiovascular... Read More

New research suggests people who get too little sleep during the week can make up for it on the weekends. According to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, people who slept less than five hours each night throughout the week had an increased risk of early death compared to those who slept six to seven hours every night. People who get less than five hours during the week, but who catch up on some of that lost sleep on the weekend, do not have the same risk. These results suggest that sleep is not a risk factor for mortality if it is combined with a medium or long weekend sleep. Some... Read More

If you ever wake up in the morning with a tight or sore jaw, fatigue, or sensitive teeth, you could be grinding or clenching your teeth at night.  The condition, known as bruxism, can lead to headaches and dental problems. Teeth grinding can be caused by stress and anxiety,  and it often occurs during sleep, caused by an abnormal bite or missing or crooked teeth. More importantly, bruxism can be caused by sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax during the night, blocking the airway and interrupting breathing. About 25% of people with obstructive sleep apnea grind... Read More

We all know that it’s important to eat well, be physically active and get a good night’s sleep.  In recent years, magazines such as Entrepreneur, Time and Inc. have featured articles about the connection between engaging in the trifecta of health behaviors and professional success. Why? Your success starts with your health – eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly. After all, if don’t feel great, how do you expect to sustain the focus and energy needed to get things done? Here’s a closer look at why food, sleep, and exercise can impact your success and what... Read More

Sleep is incredibly important to our well-being.  It is the time we heal from illness or injury, the opportunity to re-charge our brain and re-build muscle after a workout – it is critical to our health and well-being. Insomnia is defined as a persistent problem falling and staying asleep. Insomnia is often related to physical conditions like hyperthyroidism, peri-menopause and low back pain, or a state of stress like anxiety. If you suffer from chronic insomnia, it’s important to address the underlying reason instead of treating the symptom. If, however, you have an occasional problem with... Read More

It is ironic that this week—the week when we are all sleep deprived due to the commencement of Daylight Savings Time – is National Sleep Awareness Week. This year’s theme “Begin with Sleep” highlights the importance of good sleep health for individuals to best achieve their personal, family, and professional goals. Daylight Savings Time has a number of health risks associated with it. In the days after the time change, the risk of heart attack, workplace injury and car accident is higher. Being tired can decrease productivity, concentration, and general well-being and our appetite regulation... Read More

While at work a few weeks back, some of my co-workers and I talked about the pesky cold that seems to be going around as some of the COVID-19 restrictions have lifted.  We all mutually didn’t feel so hot, and it started to become apparent that something was spreading. All of us could name at least two peers that had been sick, and now it was sneaking up on us, too. In the last several years, I can hardly remember a time that I felt truly sick. I haven’t run a fever since I was a child, and my immune system has always been super solid – as long as I’m properly taking care of myself.  Summer... Read More

With the legalization of cannabis across more states and the stigma surrounding the plant and its users shifting, so has the demographic of people benefiting from the plant. According to the CDC, Americans aged 55-64 who use marijuana regularly has risen by 455%. Those aged 65 and older has risen by 333% from 2002-2014. Why is this shift occurring and how can seniors benefit from cannabis? We know that each person has their own endocannabinoid system. The endocannabioid system has recently been recognized as the most important modulatory system within the body. It is responsible for regulating... Read More

Actress Carrie Fisher’s cause of death was released this week and it was revealed that sleep apnea was a contributing factor to her death.  Sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, have become a significant health issue in the United States. It is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, with 80% of the cases of moderate and severe  sleep apnea undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or periods of shallow breathing during sleep. Each pause can last from a few seconds to several minutes and can happen many times a night.  Chronic sleep... Read More