Sleep-Aligned Extended Overnight Fasting Improves Nighttime

Can Timing Your Last Meal Around Sleep Improve Heart and Metabolic Health?

Yes. A Northwestern Medicine study found that stopping eating at least three hours before bedtime and extending the overnight fast by about two hours lowered nighttime blood pressure by 3.5% and heart rate by 5%. The intervention also improved how the body handles blood sugar during the day.

This 7.5-week study included 39 overweight or obese adults aged 36 to 75. Researchers aligned the fasting window with each person’s natural sleep-wake cycle, a key factor in heart and metabolic health. Participants did not change how much they ate, only when they ate. The study was published February 12, 2026 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (American Heart Association).

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Parkinson's disease as a somato-cognitive action network disorder

Could a Newly Discovered Brain Network Explain Parkinson’s Disease?

Yes. A large international study of 863 patients found that a brain network called the somato-cognitive action network (SCAN) is central to Parkinson’s disease. When treatments targeted this network directly, symptom improvement more than doubled compared to targeting other brain areas.

Parkinson’s disease has always been hard to explain. It starts with sleep problems and digestive issues. Then it moves to tremors, stiffness, and trouble walking. It even affects thinking and motivation. No single brain region can account for all of that, and that has puzzled researchers for decades.

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One Week of Sleep Restriction Reduces Testosterone by 15% in Young Men

Does Sleep Restriction Lower Testosterone in Young Men?

Yes, and the decline is rapid and significant. This controlled study found that just one week of sleep restriction to 5 hours per night reduced daytime testosterone levels by 10-15% in healthy young men. The testosterone decline was equivalent to aging 10-15 years, demonstrating that sleep loss can rapidly age the male hormonal system. The research reveals that adequate sleep is essential for maintaining optimal testosterone production and male reproductive health.

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