Dr. Vonda Wright

And so we tend to think, oh, when I get old, well, 40 is midlife. If we arrive there having taken care of the habits, it is significantly easier. Now, it's easier to start at 40 than it is at 65. I don't want to be discouraging to people if you've missed the boat on 2030s. But that's what I mean by biologically, there's a big hit about 44.

with the experience of age and working this long, your top priority is to figure out how to sleep through the night. Because secondarily, if I tell you to go build muscle mass and to work on your VO2 max, which we can talk about all those things, if you're exhausted, if you are not...

with the experience of age and working this long, your top priority is to figure out how to sleep through the night. Because secondarily, if I tell you to go build muscle mass and to work on your VO2 max, which we can talk about all those things, if you're exhausted, if you are not...

aware of your circadian rhythm and when you should be going to sleep and when you're waking up, you will not have the energy or the brain power to do the secondary things, which number two is mobility. I'm an orthopedic surgeon. It's top of mind for me where everybody's talking about it now. We are to build lean muscle mass.

aware of your circadian rhythm and when you should be going to sleep and when you're waking up, you will not have the energy or the brain power to do the secondary things, which number two is mobility. I'm an orthopedic surgeon. It's top of mind for me where everybody's talking about it now. We are to build lean muscle mass.

But what people forget about is this is prime time in both men and women's lives to to build your bone. We top out at bone density around 30, right? So what does that mean? Well, we need the thickest, strongest bones because we literally do live off that for the rest of our lives. Now, we can get into this, but you can build bone back, but you need the best bones and

But what people forget about is this is prime time in both men and women's lives to to build your bone. We top out at bone density around 30, right? So what does that mean? Well, we need the thickest, strongest bones because we literally do live off that for the rest of our lives. Now, we can get into this, but you can build bone back, but you need the best bones and

And that's what I would focus on, muscle and bone. And then finally, everybody needs to not treat their bodies like a garbage can. We are not a trash disposal. Everything can't go in. This is a temple. This is a meticulously designed machine. And just like we would take care of the machines of our cars by what we put in it, many people don't think of their bodies in the same way.

And that's what I would focus on, muscle and bone. And then finally, everybody needs to not treat their bodies like a garbage can. We are not a trash disposal. Everything can't go in. This is a temple. This is a meticulously designed machine. And just like we would take care of the machines of our cars by what we put in it, many people don't think of their bodies in the same way.

Well, particularly for women. 40 to 45 becomes a critical time that they might not even be aware of. Because what we know, and you've probably heard of this before, I've heard it on your podcast, women are born with the amount of eggs that we're ever going to have at birth. It's a miracle, right? And we slowly use those such that at age 40... We only have 1% left.

Well, particularly for women. 40 to 45 becomes a critical time that they might not even be aware of. Because what we know, and you've probably heard of this before, I've heard it on your podcast, women are born with the amount of eggs that we're ever going to have at birth. It's a miracle, right? And we slowly use those such that at age 40... We only have 1% left.

Well, it's our eggs that make our estrogen. So as our total number of eggs declines, so does our estrogen. And that's about the time when women go from this normal cyclic pattern of hormones up and down to... haywire. And that's when we don't build muscle as well. We don't build bone as well. But our sleep becomes disturbed because our circadian rhythm is off.

Well, it's our eggs that make our estrogen. So as our total number of eggs declines, so does our estrogen. And that's about the time when women go from this normal cyclic pattern of hormones up and down to... haywire. And that's when we don't build muscle as well. We don't build bone as well. But our sleep becomes disturbed because our circadian rhythm is off.

And so it is not uncommon for women in their 40s, and this is such a common time, we're all waking up at 3.37 in the morning and Not only because our sugar is dipping and our bodies are waking us up to save our lives, but because of the hormonal fluctuations. So sleep becomes really difficult.

And so it is not uncommon for women in their 40s, and this is such a common time, we're all waking up at 3.37 in the morning and Not only because our sugar is dipping and our bodies are waking us up to save our lives, but because of the hormonal fluctuations. So sleep becomes really difficult.

But think about in our early 40s, because many women have chosen to put off childbearing, they may have just come off of the time when their children are up all night. And now they're plagued by not being able to sleep. So it becomes a real big problem. For men, men don't realize it, but... Men can start losing testosterone in their early 40s too.

But think about in our early 40s, because many women have chosen to put off childbearing, they may have just come off of the time when their children are up all night. And now they're plagued by not being able to sleep. So it becomes a real big problem. For men, men don't realize it, but... Men can start losing testosterone in their early 40s too.

And the caveat to that is your testosterone may still be in the normal range, 250 to over 1,000, but most men don't check their testosterone when they're 20 or 30. So you still may be in the normal range, but your normal, I'm making a random person up here, your normal may be 850, and now you're 450. So for your body, it's a dramatic change, and that affects sleep cycles and everything.

And the caveat to that is your testosterone may still be in the normal range, 250 to over 1,000, but most men don't check their testosterone when they're 20 or 30. So you still may be in the normal range, but your normal, I'm making a random person up here, your normal may be 850, and now you're 450. So for your body, it's a dramatic change, and that affects sleep cycles and everything.

So that's why sleep in our 40s becomes more difficult.