Most of what we call "aging" may not be about time at all. It may be a nervous system stuck in stress, quietly draining your sleep, your recovery, and your long-term health.

In this episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with Dr. Kristen Holmes to discuss:

Why the hallmarks of aging- inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular decline may be symptoms of a dysregulated autonomic nervous system, and how much of your HRV (47–65%) is genetic versus trainable
How your sleep is decided during the day, not at night, and why perceiving your day as "threatening" keeps your HRV suppressed and robs you of deep, restorative sleep
The circadian "amplitude" formula for bright days and dark nights that predicts everything from menopause symptom severity to longevity, plus the ~90 minutes of natural light almost no one gets
Why late-night eating rivals alcohol for damaging your resting physiology, and how a simple 12-hour eating window gets you most of the way there
Why the fittest people sleep less, and how all-day movement and "exercise snacks" beat a single gym block

When you understand that your nervous system sits underneath your sleep, energy, and pace of aging, you stop chasing fragmented fixes and start pulling the few daily levers light, movement, meal timing, consistency that move the needle.

Studies & References

Stress and Heart Rate Variability: A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5900369/
How to Improve Your Circadian Rhythm with Satchin Panda PhD: https://youtu.be/gM_b4t0ARG8?si=QKfpYEAh1O5lyMw8

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⏰Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro of show

02:44 - Two types of people

03:01 - Aging as nervous system dysregulation

04:49 - The stellate ganglion block and trauma

07:34 - How much of HRV is genetic

11:13 - Emotions of trust versus fear

16:57 - Threat versus challenge appraisal

19:20 - Why modern life breaks your biology

23:24 - Structuring travel around sleep

26:16 - Circadian amplitude and contrast

28:00 - Amplitude and menopause symptoms

30:17 - What heart rate variability means

32:34 - Biggest levers for perimenopause

37:04 - Light dose and exercise snacks

40:18 - Why fit people sleep less

44:34 - Cycle syncing and training

51:56 - Meal timing and late-night eating

55:55 - Sleep-wake consistency and aging

59:43 - Exercise timing and pregnancy

01:04:54 - Why behavior precedes thought

‼️Disclaimer: The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.

This episode includes paid sponsorships.

Are You Aging Faster Than You Should? - Dr. Kristen Holmes

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show

Are You Aging Faster Than You Should? - Dr. Kristen Holmes