NOBODY on Earth has lived to see 150-years-old – but that doesn’t stop people from trying to push the boundaries of ageing.
Kayla Barnes-Lentz and her husband spend six figures a year on a range of pricey tools and treatments as part of their reverse-aging quest but claim there are eight ways to biohack your body on a budget from home.
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Biohacking is the viral buzz phrase behind making small, strategic changes to your lifestyle that can slow down your biological clock.
For Barnes-Lentz, a 33-year-old longevity clinic owner, it means “having agency over your health and… getting more vested in how you feel on a day to day basis”.
“The industry definitely is kind of defined by being a really wealthy person’s game – or only for people with the means,” she adds.
“But the honest truth is that the practices that move the needle the most are quite basic, and they are low cost or free.”
Humming
Barnes-Lentz recommends “humming for improving vagal nerve tone”.
Vagal nerve tone, the activity of the vagus nerve, is linked to numerous health benefits, particularly in regulating the so-called “rest and digest” system.
A high vagal tone is associated with better cardiovascular health, smoother digestion, reduced inflammation, and a calmer nervous system.
Sunlight exposure
Natural light is a potent biohacker, according to Barnes-Lentz.
It can affect everything from sleep quality to your mood.
“We’re very dysregulated from that these days because of blue light, staying up late watching television, and not really getting natural sun exposure early in the morning,” she explains.
But getting 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight within the first half an hour of your day can help your circadian rhythm and boost serotonin – the happiness hormone.
“And then additionally, you can also view the sunlight later in the day as the sun sets, because it further anchors your circadian rhythm,” says Barnes-Lentz.
“It essentially signals to your body like, ‘OK, here’s the sun in the morning. I’m trying to wake up’.
“And then we see sunset, the colour range of the sun while setting is very different. So it signals to our body, ‘OK, sunset, it’s time to start winding down’.”
Blue light
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Cutting down your screen time before bed is critical for limiting your blue light exposure, according to Barnes-Lentz.
Blue light at night suppresses your natural melatonin production – the sleep regulating hormone.
This in turn can upset your circadian rhythm.
You can get blue light blocking glasses online for between £50 and £100.
Although you can DIY them, buying cheap orange or amber safety glasses.
Wearing these for between one and two hours before bed can block blue light spectrum from screens and blue-toned bulbs.
You can also change your phone settings to make the screen glow a warmer tone later in the evening.
Electrolyte and mineral water
You can also make your own electrolyte and mineral-rich water at home just by adding salt – although Barnes-Lentz urges you make sure your salt is free of pesky microplastics.
To replenish electrolytes, add about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of salt per liter of water.
This provides roughly 300mg to 600mg of sodium, which can help your body retain fluids without overloading on sodium.
Home-based cryotherapy
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You can indulge in cryotherapy at home, according to Barnes-Lentz, without splashing the cash on fancy, specialised chambers.
Ice baths or cold showers can help you de-stress, as well as lower inflammation and support immune system functions – three things that can potentially extend your lifespan.
“Cold showers can be beneficial for some people,” explains Barnes-Lentz.
“As a woman, I do mine more in the follicular phase [of the menstrual cycle] – that can give you a boost of dopamine and energy in the morning.
“Then I dial it back a bit after ovulation… because we have higher levels of stress and we’re recovering a little bit.”
Dunking your face in cold water – or applying a cold pack – for one to two minutes can also activate what’s known as the diving reflex.
This is a physiological response that slows the heart rate, diverts blood flow to vital organs like the brain and heart, and slows breathing.
While it is our body’s attempt at conserving oxygen while underwater, studies suggest it calms the nervous system via the vagus nerve.
Detoxing
Barnes-Lentz suggests dry brushing or even trampolining for eliminating toxins from organs like the liver, kidneys, and skin.
So you don’t need expensive diet plans or supplements.
Dry brushing involves using a bristle body brush all over your body.
It not only helps to unclog pores in the exfoliation process – but it can detoxify your skin by increasing blood circulation and promoting lymphatic drainage.
It supports the flow of lymph fluid, which can lead to reduced swelling, improved circulation, and a boost to the immune system by removing waste and toxins.
It’s the same reason why massages are good for you – only much cheaper.
And trampolining does the same thing, according to Barnes-Lentz.
“I also like a small rebound or trampoline,” she says. “Which is good for removing the lymph fluid, which can also enhance detoxification.”
Your lymphatic system relies on muscular contraction to move fluid around the body.
So the simple act of brushing or bouncing on a trampoline can help clear toxins from the body.
10,000 steps
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Physical activity is a cornerstone of health – but it doesn’t have to involve a gym membership or expensive equipment.
Walking, or mastering your own body weight, is one of the best ways to ‘hack your health’.
“If there was one pill for longevity, it would definitely be exercise,” says Barnes-Lentz.
The benefits span from boosting blood flow, adding muscle, strengthening bones, improving brain health – and longevity as a whole.
So getting in those 10,000 steps or more is worth it, according to Barnes-Lentz.
“Exercise can be done pretty much free or low cost,” she continues.
“I actually just moved from L.A. to Austin and we’re not near gym.
“So I’m doing at home workout programming with essentially just a couple of weights and mostly body weight.”
If there was one pill for longevity, it would definitely be exercise
Kayla Barnes-Lentz
Dr Kambiz Alavian, of Imperial College London and an associate professor adjunct of medicine at Yale University, agrees.
“In the longevity field, there are no magic bullets – but exercise might come as close as it gets to biohacking,” he tells The Sun.
“It’s still being called the miracle drug.
“That said, the science behind the effects of metabolic health, muscle mass, and cardiovascular health – and any interventions that can improve those – in extending health span is strong.”
Bed before 10pm
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Another trick that doesn’t require expensive gadgets is improving you sleep cycle.
Simple changes like establishing a sleep schedule and calming bedtime routine can make a significant difference.
And Barnes-Lentz reckons you should be going to bed before 10pm every night, in a cold, dark room.
“A routine can be something such as, eating earlier, so stopping eating three hours prior to bed to really allow your melatonin to produce naturally and to optimise circadian rhythm,” she says. “That can be really helpful.”
Something as simple as a sleep mask can be a good low-cost tool for “optimising” your sleep.
Even a few restless nights can weaken your immune system, increase your blood glucose and increase your hunger hormone, ghrelin, so you’ll have more cravings, according to Barnes-Lentz.
It can also “decrease motivation so you won’t be as motivated to work out or eat healthy,” she continues. “So sleep is a game changer.”
