Your brain is shrinking (unless you do this 3x/week)

What you'll learn today

• The 3×4 protocol that reverses memory decline

• This popular wearable might be ruining your sleep

• A question that predicts burnout

Happy Thursday amigos,

As a father to a young daughter, I often think about the world she'll grow up in — and more importantly, the mental health landscape she'll navigate.

The data doesn’t lie, and it raises critical questions: Why are young adults, particularly women, reporting such a sharp decline in mental health?

It’s clear that mental well-being is becoming a more significant concern with each generation. But here’s the silver lining: We have the power to reshape the trajectory. 

Today’s newsletter is about taking action — whether it’s optimizing memory to stay sharp as we age or integrating recovery strategies to protect our mental health.

Let’s dive in.

🔗 The Leaner Circle — an exclusive, once-a-month experience

Here’s what you can expect:

• Hosted at Banya Forrest: One of the most exclusive wellness centers in Dubai, with access to private areas for our sessions.

• Sauna & Cold Therapy: Utilize the largest steam room and cold plunge to enhance recovery, reduce inflammation, and boost resilience.

• Outdoor Areas: Enjoy outdoor relaxation areas for mindfulness, breathing exercises, and connection with nature.

• Mastermind Rooms: A private mastermind environment to connect, learn, and collaborate with like-minded executives.

The 3×4 protocol that reverses memory decline

A new meta-analysis of 3,000+ older adults just confirmed it:

Not strength.
Not mobility.
Episodic memory — the kind that tells you where your keys are and what your wife just said.

→ Aerobic movement fuels your hippocampus
→ Memory loss is not inevitable — it's preventable
→ 12 sessions/month is your minimum insurance plan

Try this brain-stacking routine:

→ Mon: 30-min brisk walk with sunlight
→ Wed: 40-min stationary bike (podcast optional)
→ Sat: Outdoor hike = movement + vitamin D hit

Your brain is a garden. Stop watering it, and weeds take over.

Always Stressed?
The Anti-Cortisol Strategy

Avoid doom scrolling and take just 4 minutes to watch this! Learn how to beat stress, lower cortisol, and feel better instantly.

This popular wearable might be ruining your sleep

Let’s talk Oura Ring, Whoop, and HRV dashboards.

Translation?

You’re not sleeping — you're performing sleep.

→ Use wearables for patterns, not nightly self-worth
→ Don’t check sleep score first thing in the morning
→ Prioritize inputs (light, wind-down, breathwork) over outputs

How to do this?

The 5-4-3 Approach

Use your wearable to track these 5 core metrics.

1. Sleep Quality: Track your total sleep and its stages (light, deep, REM).

2. Heart Rate Variability (HRV): Your body's recovery signal — higher is better.

3. Steps/Movement: Your daily activity levels; stay consistent.

4. Resting Heart Rate: A key sign of cardiovascular health and recovery.

5. Active Minutes/Workout Intensity: How hard your body is working in exercise sessions.

Once you’ve collected the right data, turn it into actionable insights by focusing on these 4 areas:

1. Sleep Optimization: Improve sleep hygiene (e.g., consistent bedtime, reducing screen time).

2. Recovery: Use HRV data to gauge how much recovery time you need. If HRV is low, back off from high-intensity workouts and focus on low-intensity movement (like walking).

3. Movement: Track your steps and aim for consistency, not extremes. Focus on daily minimums first (like 8,000 steps) and increase gradually.

4. Heart Rate Zones: Use your wearable during workouts to ensure you're in the optimal heart rate zones for fat loss, performance, or recovery.

Wearables track your data, but you control recovery. This is where 3 key habits come in — and they’re just as critical as your training.

1. Deep Breathing: Start each morning with 5 minutes of deep breathing to lower cortisol.

2. Mindful Movement: Engage in daily movement for stress relief, like a 15-minute stretch session or walk.

3. Digital Detox: Set 1–2 hours a day where you completely disconnect from your wearable and devices.

A question that predicts burnout

Forget long assessments and HR surveys.

A 2024 study found that one question predicted burnout 6 months in advance:

That’s it.
Not how tired you are.
Not how long your hours are.
Effectiveness is the new energy.

Here’s what to do if your answer is “no”:

→ Audit your energy-drainers (not just tasks — people, meetings, inputs)
→ Ask: "What could I stop doing today that no one would notice for a week?"
→ Reclaim 10% of your week — and reinvest it into deep focus or recovery

Burnout isn’t always about volume. Sometimes it’s about meaningless motion.

Closing pulse

→ Move your body, save your memory
→ Sleep like a human, not a data point
→ Measure your output, not your hours

Hasta la vista amigos!

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