I curate articles from around the web that present an interesting perspective or helpful information at the intersection of behavior design, technology, and wellbeing. Each of these articles were featured in my August 2022 newsletter. I send out an update twice a month along with some notes on my latest work. Sign up for my newsletter here.
Hi friends,
I got a break from the August heat of Austin with a trip back to San Francisco this month. Whenever I travel, it takes so much more effort to keep the mind and body in balance.
Since airline travel makes you more susceptible to dehydration, one habit I focus on when flying is staying hydrated. I have my favorite insulated water bottle that fits perfectly in my backpack and easily slides out for quick access. Reduce as much friction as possible to make habits stick. Nearly ever airport now has water bottle friendly water fountains.
I've been geeking out on hydration lately reading Hydration Guide: Ultimate Guide To Restore, Rejuvenate and Refine Your Body by Kriss Smolka, developer of the fantastic WaterMinder app I've been using for several years now.
“What do you have to drink every day to stay properly hydrated? Are there types of drinks that are better than others? Can you actually drink something that results in dehydration? Is water the best drink for good hydration? What are the best times of the day to drink fluids? What are the benefits of keeping hydrated 24 hours a day, seven days a week?” Smolka answers all these questions and more in this beautifully packaged ebook.
Key tip from the book: If your urine is light to pale yellow, you're properly hydrated. If it's dark, your body is becoming dehydrated.
This is making me feel like I need to go grab a glass of water before I finish writing this newsletter🚰
On my media list ...
Guide to Sleep Trackers: Sleep Experts Review, Compare, and Test Top Brands
If you're considering buying a sleep tracker, this is a solid overview of the top sleep trackers and the pros and cons of each. For most people, my recommended preference, the Oura Ring, comes out on top.
No matter which one you choose, check in with yourself before you check the data. Guess your own sleep or readiness score before you look at the sleep tracker data. Your own check-in is as valuable (if not more valuable) than the tracker data.
What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health
Well I can't unlearn what I heard on this episode of the Huberman Lab podcast hosted by Stanford's Dr. Andrew Huberman. The case against alcohol is pretty stark. Low to moderate levels of alcohol intake (1-2 drinks / day or 7-14 in a week) disrupts the brain, rewiring circuitry and reducing the its size. Even small amounts of alcohol results in more cortisol to the body increasing stress and anxiety even when not drinking.
In addition to having zero nutritional value and just empty calories, it destroys the microbiome leading to more inflammation and gut bacteria leaking into the bloodstream. To top it all off, alcohol increases tumor growth and reduces the body's ability to naturally fight them off.
Dr. Huberman does offer several harm reduction strategies including debunking myths about dealing with hangovers. Having a healthy microbiome in general goes a long way, as well as using electrolytes to help stay hydrated, especially when consuming alcohol.
"The goal of this episode is to help people make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption that are in keeping with their mental and physical health goals." It's a must-listen episode for anyone who consumes any amount of alcohol.