Minute 1: Men and women have different sleep struggles

We’ve all heard that “Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus.” Regardless of the questionable science behind that book, it’s hard to dispute there are some differences between genders and we just learned of a surprising one – a divergence in the way men and women sleep: “Do men really sleep better than women? Experts explain.” According to research, women are 1.5 times more likely to experience insomnia. The explanation may relate to the fact that on average, women have a slightly shorter circadian rhythm cycle than men, and that can cause their body’s internal clock and sleep/wake times to fall out of sync. Furthermore, women experience somewhat higher rates of depression and anxiety, and the stress of those conditions can worsen sleep quality. Researchers concluded that there should not be a “one size fits all” solution to sleep trouble. Why should you care as a runner? WHOOP, one of the foremost technologies for sleep measurement, explains the “Importance of Sleep for Health and Performance.” According to WHOOP, “Sleep, particularly the deep sleep stages that support restorative sleep, plays a major role in the body’s repair and healing processes. The blood vessels, bones, muscles, immune system, and other cells and tissues all rely on sleep for necessary repair to continue functioning properly.” That repair process has a direct impact on athletic performance improvement. Proper sleep is also critical for your mental health, as explained in: “Maintain Your Brain Fitness as You Age by Prioritizing These 6 Things.”

#NapsToLaps

Optimize your training with cutting-edge tech

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Lumen biohacks your metabolism with a single breath

Meet Lumen, the world's first portable device validated to measure your metabolism with a single breath. The Six Minute Mile staff is a couple of weeks into their Lumen journey and has started noticing great results from this powerful all-in-one health tool. After waking up and blowing into our Lumen device, their app produces an instantaneous reading telling us whether our body is in a state to burn fat or carbs before heading out running. Essentially, Lumen generates a composite score of your body's ability to perform during exercise by factoring in diet, sleep, and stress, then gives you guidance based on your personal wellness goals. So far, it feels like a cheat code for runners and endurance athletes!

The more scientific explanation of how Lumen scores your metabolic health with only a breath is measuring your RER (Respiratory Exchange Ratio). It detects the amount of CO2 in you, which gives a clear reading of your glucose levels dictating your metabolic fuel utilization. You can learn more about the specifics in this recently peer-reviewed validation study. 

We are excited to share that Six Minute Mile readers can now access the same technology once available only to professional athletes in hospitals and clinics. Six Minute Mile readers will also receive an exclusive $100 discount on their Lumen with code "SMM".

Minute 2: Swap the elevator for stairs to live longer

When Zeppelin wrote “Stairway to Heaven,” we’re sure they weren’t talking about running a stair workout. Those couldn’t be much farther from eternal paradise, as they’ll certainly have you feeling the burn. But that mortal pain produces some divine gain, according to experts who say you should “Climb stairs to live longer.” In a recent metaanalysis, researchers found that stair climbing “was associated with a 24% reduced risk of dying from any cause and a 39% lower likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease.” They suspect that the more stairs you climb, the better, but switching even one elevator ride for a stair climb every day can have a positive impact on your health. Stair exercise is so effective, in fact, that some athletes center their training and competition around them. Here are some “Stair Climb Training Programs” to try out. The fight against gravity amplifies the physical demands of stair climbing when compared to other forms of cardio, so you’ll want to have a strong aerobic base before you take flight. The additional range of motion required to step upwards puts a lot of work on your quads, so exercises like high knees, squats, and deadlifts, can lay the foundation you need to succeed. Once you’ve done the prep work, keep an eye on the “Upcoming Stair Climbs in the USA” to test your skills and reach new heights in these difficult, but rewarding races.

#StepYourGameUp

The AJC Peachtree Road Race is the Party of the Summer

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Join us for the 55th Running of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race and be part of the unforgettable Atlanta experience! Secure your spot now to ensure you're in on the action. Atlanta Track Club members enjoy the lowest price, guaranteed placement in Wave A - Wave M, and exclusive access to the post-race member party at Park Tavern, featuring refreshments, non-alcoholic beverages, and FREE beer provided by SweetWater Brewing (must be 21 or older). Share the Peachtree spirit with friends and family by inviting them to join using your invite link – the more sign-ups you get, the more exciting prizes you can win!

Minute 3: Gut health could be the key to healthier cholesterol

The term “microbiome” may sound small, but its impact is just the opposite. We’ve been digesting a lot of info on gut health and how it impacts the rest of our wellbeing, and one of our most fascinating recent discoveries is that “Certain Gut Bacteria Linked to Lower Heart Disease Risk.” It turns out that bacteria from the Oscillibacter genus are associated with lower cholesterol levels, and that means they may help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other nasty conditions. How do you get more of this good gut bacteria? Experts say the answer is surprisingly simple. Having a well balanced diet with plenty of fiber is the first step to giving your microbiome what it needs. You should check out the “Best Foods For Gut Health” for a more complete list. In addition to foods high in fiber, try to eat fermented foods like kefir, kombucha, and yogurt for a source of probiotics. Those pair well with prebiotic foods like bananas, garlic, and oats. Like we said earlier in this issue, it’s important to understand the different ways men and women face health concerns. That’s why we’re wondering: “How does high cholesterol affect women and men differently?” First of all, women should expect to have slightly higher levels of HDL cholesterol compared to men. You should also know that testosterone and estrogen have an impact on cholesterol levels, and that means life events which impact sex hormones like menopause and diminished testosterone as men age can impact the risk of cholesterol-related conditions.

#GutToBeFit

Minute 4: These exercises can develop your balance

Aristotle once said that “Virtue is the golden mean between two vices, the one of excess and the other of deficiency.” He thought that living the good life was all about balance, and we think that’s good advice for your morals and running alike. You’d be surprised just how beneficial improving your balance can be, which is why we’re excited to try these: “9 Ways to Improve Your Balance.” Maintaining a strong sense of balance is vital for staying active throughout your life. It can prevent falls and injury, as well as keep your options open for the kinds of activity you can engage with. Exercises that improve your posture and core strength lay a solid foundation for better balance. Additionally, activities that strengthen the mind-body connection like yoga and tai chi can help you gain coordination. Balance is also important for your running performance, according to “Why Work on Balance to Improve Your Running?” When you get down to basics, running is fundamentally a repeated series of single leg exercises. It requires your whole body to work in sync, but at the same time, your force is primarily being generated by one leg at a time. That’s why single leg exercises like a pistol squat can deliver significant performance gains, and if you’re looking for a few more movements like that to try, you should consider these: “Balance Exercises: 9 Moves To Improve Stability And Boost Performance.”

#StabilityAbility

Minute 5: Quick Intervals

• With Mother’s Day right around the corner, we can’t think of a better time to mention the recent accomplishments of Anna Rohrer. She’s a pro runner who recently took home the gold at the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis. Believe it or not, she did it 23 weeks into her pregnancy. If you want to see the details, check out “Pregnant runner wins half marathon, outpacing 8,000 others: ‘Women have superpowers’.”

• For many years running, the Mediterranean diet has been crowned king. It’s the healthiest diet around according to many experts, but what good can it do you if it isn’t convenient? We understand not everyone has time to cook a nutritious Mediterranean meal from scratch, but you don’t have to do that to still reap the benefits. Instead, make things easy by trying: “The best snacks for the Mediterranean diet: 9 heathy, tasty ideas.”

• It’s been a bad month for Influencers running on TikTok. In our last Quick Interval of this past issue, we saw Davis Clarke come across the line of the Boston Marathon in crappy fashion, if you know what we mean. Well, he wasn’t the only one with bathroom trouble, as TikToker Max Zavidow had to make an emergency pit stop in the porta potty as he hit mile 14 of the same race. Whether or not it’s a good idea to be sharing your “business” online like this is a separate conversation, but we appreciate them getting the ball rolling on addressing a serious issue that affects many athletes: “Runner's diarrhea: a Tik Tok doctor's advice for avoiding the porta-potty blues.”

Minute 6: Daily Inspiration

Social media can have the unfortunate consequence of keeping us in a bubble. Algorithms are made to show us people who are like ourselves, and for runners and other athletes, it can give you the impression that everyone you know is getting out and running marathons all the time. Well, we really appreciated the reality check from Jannis Ntalos, AKA @greekrunninggoat, as he pointed out that the average 5K and 10K finishing times across the entire population are a lot slower than you might expect. Moreover, only 0.01% of the population finishes a marathon every year, so if you’re one of the few who have ever run 26.2 miles, you should be tremendously proud of yourself. Take a look at his video if you need a motivational reminder and some good perspective this week.