Many people struggle with digestive problems and other health issues. I’ve been trying to fix my own health for a while now and have read so many posts about others feeling lost about what to do. So, I want to share my experience about how I managed to overcome my health challenges.
As a 55-year-old man, I had no health problems for the first 50 years. I had a strong stomach and could eat anything. But everything changed in 2020 when I had my first panic attack, which led me to the emergency room multiple times. Doctors reassured me that I was fine, but these attacks came with awful indigestion, heart palpitations, bloating, and extreme nausea that sometimes left me in tears. I felt like something was really wrong.
This went on for years. While I kept the anxiety at bay through exercise, it took a long time, and the panic attacks eventually stopped. Unfortunately, my digestion was still terrible. I dealt with constant nausea, bloating, burping, and heart palpitations. I’m fairly athletic and underwent numerous tests, including stress tests, EKGs, blood tests, and scans. All tests showed normal results, which was both encouraging and frustrating since I still felt awful daily.
It was not depression. My life was good. I had two wonderful kids, a loving and intelligent wife, a nice home, and a successful marketing agency. I had worked through emotional issues in therapy for over a decade. I knew I wasn’t depressed, even if the doctors suggested that I was. They pushed antidepressants, but I refused because I sensed that something else was wrong. I feared the worst, like cancer, but being curious, I started learning how the body works.
I tried cutting out many foods with no success. I tried the low FODMAP diet, Keto, and even went back to eating meat after being a vegetarian for seven years. I explored Kefir, sauerkraut, probiotics, and many supplements and medications, but nothing changed, and my condition got worse.
With help from a holistic doctor, I did various tests. I discovered I was sensitive to gluten, which was confirmed by my GI Map, food sensitivity tests, and even 23andMe. Cutting gluten helped a bit, but I still struggled with nausea and heart palpitations. My symptoms cycled; I would feel better for a few days, then suffer again for weeks, making diagnosis tough.
Using AI to analyze my GI map, I learned about high candida levels, prompting me to take a support supplement. It also revealed I had a weak intestinal lining, leading me to take Glutamine daily. While I didn’t see immediate results, I believe it helped over time.
Most importantly, my GI map indicated I struggled to digest fats effectively. Eating greasy foods led to long periods of discomfort, so I stopped eating fried foods. While this helped a bit, the symptoms would return, often worse than before.
This cycle lasted over four years, leaving me exhausted. I read countless posts about digestion and tried many supplements and medications without permanent success. Then I started looking into sleep. I began with an Ultrahuman Ring, but found it unreliable. After trying two, I switched to an Oura Ring and liked it much better.
The Oura ring tracks many factors affecting sleep, like changes in body temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep stages. I learned that my heart rate variability (HRV), heart rate drop time, and average heart rate were critical for sleep quality. HRV is thought to indicate how relaxed the heart is, with lower variability in older individuals.
Heart rate drop time measures how quickly the heart rate decreases after sleeping, affected by factors like late caffeine intake, late workouts, and late meals. Both HRV and heart rate drop time influence sleep quality, just as stress does. Circadian rhythms matter too; we should sync with natural light and dark cycles.
Initially, my heart rate dropped slowly after falling asleep, and my HRV was typically in the 20s. I felt awful. However, on good days, my HRV would rise, my heart rate would drop quickly, and I would feel great. I noticed a strong connection between my heart metrics and how I felt daily.
As I focused on improving my sleep quality, my HRV increased, and my heart rate dropped faster. Eventually, my average BPM during sleep dropped to the 40s or 50s, and I saw real improvement. I believe that combining good sleep habits led to my steadily improving sleep scores.
One big change was stopping food intake three hours before bedtime. I learned that when we eat, our body dedicates energy to digestion. If we sleep too soon after eating, it compromises our sleep. For years, I snacked before bed, but now I eat dinner and dessert early and wait before going to bed. I keep a consistent bedtime, waking up and sleeping at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Low-quality sleep often goes unnoticed when we’re young, but it becomes more apparent with age. I believe many people are chronically sleep-deprived due to years of poor sleep quality. Bright screens and bright sleeping environments lower sleep quality. While people know they need eight hours of sleep, not many discuss sleep quality over time. Poor sleep has cumulative effects and takes time to recover from.
Just last week, after five months of improving my sleep habits, I achieved record HRV scores, reaching over 70 average HRV for the first time and waking up feeling energetic and youthful. I’ve added several elements to my sleep routine that help, including a white noise machine and multiple fans for airflow. I work out most weekdays, getting my heart rate up to 160 bpm daily.
I drink hibiscus tea before bed, walk my dog in the morning for sunlight exposure, and take parasite drops regularly. I hydrate first thing in the morning and sleep in a dark, cool room with a consistent schedule. I avoid caffeine after noon and switched from coffee to Matcha for better energy. Alcohol is rare, and I practice deep breathing and stretching daily to improve my sleep position, eliminating morning back pain.
Each morning, I check my HRV, heart rate drop time, and average BPM. I know that when my scores are good, I feel great. Good sleep quality builds resilience, and poor sleep impacts mood and energy. I’ve learned to listen to my body and see significant improvements. I realize if my sleep scores drop, I reflect on my behavior. Did I eat too much sugar, was I stressed, or did I sleep poorly? My Oura ring has been invaluable for tracking and managing my health.
Science supports that sleep is when our bodies heal. I believe that poor sleep, especially as we age, leads to cumulative health deficits. I’ve been pondering how much disease is attributed to genetics or environmental factors without considering chronic sleep deprivation. It’s likely the key to many health issues in otherwise healthy individuals.
On a recent trip to Yellowstone, I noticed how sleep and digestion improved despite sleeping fewer hours than usual. This was my first trip without severe digestive issues. I think following my usual diet and not eating three hours before bed made the difference.
I also bought a Saatva posture correction bed. Initially, it hurt, but after a month, my chronic back pain improved, and I continued to stretch daily. I lost weight from avoiding late-night snacks and have now eliminated all my health issues. My digestive troubles, nausea, anxiety, heart palpitations, and low energy are gone, replaced by a sense of vitality.
If you’re struggling, my advice is to identify your trigger foods and eliminate them. Get tested for food sensitivities and GI issues. If you struggle with digestion, it will impact your sleep. Hydrate regularly, exercise daily, and connect with nature and others. Respect your sleep cycles, implement good sleep habits, and avoid eating before bed. Get a sleep tracker to monitor your heart metrics and reflect on your behaviors to improve your sleep. It takes time, but it’s worth it.
I can only speak for my own experience. Everyone is different, and I share my journey in hopes someone finds value in it. As I write this, I feel grateful for my transformation, but I remain cautious after years of health struggles.
