NEXT LEVEL HEALTH
- Nannette Brown
- 32 minutes ago
- 16 min read
Stepping Up Your Game
The quest for good health can be a daunting, but I’ve got to give it to science, it’s never been a better time when it comes to understanding it.
We have machines, equipment, emerging research—and increasingly, A.I.—that give us insight into nearly every aspect of our health today. We can see how we sleep, how we recover, how stress shows up (and what to do about it), and how food choices actually affect us.
What makes it even more interesting is the access now afforded us. Many of the tools that were once out of reach are now increasingly affordable and designed for home use. That shift is meaningful. It gives us more optionality, more autonomy, and allows us to engage with our health in a way that integrates more readily into daily life.
Over the past two weeks—both here and on social—I’ve covered the fundamentals. The basic qualifiers that shape essential health: stress regulation, sleep, exercise and movement, and nutrition. I also shared my own approach to living a healthy life—certainly not with perfect discipline, but with curiosity and flexibility. Health, for me, has to support life, not compete with it.
I constantly think about how to integrate the most salient elements of good health into my days—and how not to treat it like a list when there’s already so much on. It can feel like a lot.
I offer this: don’t think of it as more to do, but simply what you grow to know.
While we touched on a few advanced protocols last week, this week I want to go deeper into what I think of as the next layer—those that are becoming more commonly available and can meaningfully enhance your routine beyond the basics.
We’ll also be sharing more recipes that support good nutrition, including simple salads and soups that are as nourishing as they are satisfying.
I’m a big believer that when good habits, protocols, and products are used in combination, they can support healthspan and longevity in very real ways. Through my experience designing spa environments, along with a ton of homes, and a great deal of personal research and use, I’ve developed a clear sense of what feels worth the effort, the space, or the cost, and what doesn’t.
My goal here is to share what’s available so you can decide what best expands your own picture of health.
NOT FUNDAMENTAL
The Add-On’s
Before anything else, it’s important to note: no technology or product can replace the basics when it comes to health.
Sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress regulation are non-negotiable pillars. They’re mental and physical requirements that must be directed by you and practiced often. The tools we’re talking about now only work if those foundations are in place. Without them, these devices can become distractions or even a source of stress.
The protocols and products suggested here are simply a way to go further—the equivalent of support architecture. They should make good habits easier, recovery deeper, and awareness clearer. And as I’ve said before, they should not turn health into a full-time occupation. We’re here to live, folks.
Consider this an expanded toolbox. You don’t need every tool—but it’s helpful to know what exists so that when you’re ready to step things up, you’re choosing well.
STRESS BUSTERS
Fundamental 1: Fixes to Stay Calm and Carry On
A healthy nervous system isn’t one that avoids challenges—it’s one that can move fluidly between them, as well as your mindset, allowing for both activation and recovery. Most of us are very good at the first part and terrible at the second.
Wearables and biofeedback tools don’t fix stress. What they do best is create awareness and, over time, retrain your system to recognize safety again. The most effective approaches are built on breath, rhythm, and repetition, aimed at helping your mind and body remember how to downshift. And yes, think more pleasant thoughts.
They train resilience; they’re not substitutes meant to manage stress forever. The idea is that by using them, you learn skills that carry you forward.
Here are the products I find most credible—either from personal use or from extensive research and trusted recommendations.
A wearable that uses gentle vibrations to cue the nervous system toward calm or focus. It doesn’t sedate or distract—it nudges. Some people feel an immediate effect; others notice benefits over time with consistent use.
Why it stands out: It’s passive, non-invasive, and designed specifically for nervous system regulation, not productivity or performance theater.
One of the most established names in HRV biofeedback. This system teaches you how to regulate stress through paced breathing and real-time feedback.
Why it stands out: Decades of research, not trends. This is skill-building, not outsourcing calm.
A meditation headband that provides feedback on brain activity during meditation. It’s particularly useful for people who struggle to know whether they’re actually settling or just sitting still.
Why it stands out:It makes meditation tangible without turning it into a performance.
A handheld device that uses low-frequency vibrations during breathwork to support vagal tone and relaxation.
Why it stands out: Simple, grounding, and especially helpful for evening wind-down or high-stress periods.
While often discussed in the context of sleep, Hatch deserves a place here. Light cues, sound, and routines can be powerful anchors for nervous system regulation—especially at transitions like morning and bedtime.
Why it stands out: Structure supports calm. This helps create it without effort.
BED ROCK
Fundamental 2: The Best Products For Best Sleep
No supplement, workout, or technology can outpace poor sleep.
It’s too primal for that. Sleep is the most basic pathway to good health and, on a practical level, determines the quality of our days. When sleep is good, consistent, and supported, everything else works better: energy, mood, metabolism, stress tolerance—even how we age.
What’s useful now is that we can see and understand sleep more clearly and, in some cases, even enhance it. The goal here isn’t perfect scores or tracking forever. It’s understanding patterns, removing friction, and creating an environment where sleep can do what it’s meant to do.
Here are the best means, products, and devices for achieving a good night’s sleep that I’ve found. Remember, no single device is perfect. The key is to pick one you’ll actually wear or use consistently.
Oura RingStill one of the strongest options for sleep tracking. It performs well in validation studies against polysomnography for sleep staging trends (no wearable is perfect), and it’s easy to live with. Low friction matters—especially at night.
WHOOP StrapExcellent for recovery, HRV, and sleep consistency. Often favored by athletes. Less focused on sleep stages, more on readiness and strain—useful if training load and recovery are priorities.
Apple Watch (latest generations)Surprisingly strong competitor now. Apple has invested heavily in sleep algorithms, HRV, and overnight tracking. For people who already wear one, it’s often “good enough” without adding another device.
Fitbit (Sense / Charge)Still relevant. Fitbit has one of the longest histories in consumer sleep tracking and solid longitudinal data. Less elegant, but credible.
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
I’ve Tested A Lot of Mattresses
When it comes to mattresses, I’m all about comfort—but I’m equally interested in good-quality materials, breathability, and longevity.
Choosing a mattress is deeply personal. It comes down to your own sense of comfort, material preference, and an important consideration: cost. Some people care a great deal about materiality and chemical load; others prioritize feel, support, or adjustability. Just know there isn’t a single “best” mattress—only the one that fits how you sleep and what you value.
If Temperature Regulation Is Your Goal
The Eight Sleep Pod is widely considered the most advanced and best-reviewed temperature-regulating mattress on the market. Earlier entrants like ChiliSleep (ChiliPad) and BedJet introduced the concept of bed cooling and warming and offer temperature-regulating features, but not nearly as comprehensively as Eight Sleep, which distinguishes itself by combining active temperature control with biometric sensing and automated adjustments throughout the night.
Once you set your Eight Sleep Pod, it responds to your body as you sleep. While I’ve never tried or installed this mattress, reviews are positive, citing improved sleep continuity, fewer nighttime wakeups, and better recovery—particularly for people who run hot or experience disrupted sleep. It’s also frequently used by athletes and performance-focused individuals.
In short: temperature-regulated beds are a real category, but Eight Sleep is currently the most refined, data-driven, and highly rated option available for home use.
If sleep quality is already a priority, this is one of the most meaningful upgrades available.
Traditional Comfort
Most mainstream mattress innovation has focused on comfort engineering: pressure relief, motion isolation, adjustability. Those things matter. But a quieter—and, in my view, more meaningful—movement in mattresses is the return to natural materials as the foundation of healthy sleep.
Some of the brands listed here are old-world; others are newer innovations. All are focused on physiology and material integrity when it comes to making quality mattresses that encourage good sleep.
Here are my favorite choices across a range of top-tier mattresses:
Ultra Premium, Heritage
Price tier: Ultra-luxury
Hästens is often considered the gold standard globally—and for good reason. These mattresses are handmade using horsehair, wool, cotton, and flax, materials chosen specifically for breathability, moisture regulation, and longevity. No foams. No synthetics. Exceptional airflow and temperature neutrality.
Why it stands out:This is not wellness marketing; it’s centuries-old craftsmanship aligned with sleep physiology. These mattresses are designed to last decades, not years.
Healthy Sleep Pioneers
Materials Matter
Price tier: Upper-mid to premium
Naturepedic is a leader in certified organic mattresses and one of the most trusted names in non-toxic sleep environments. Materials include GOTS-certified organic cotton and wool, and GOLS-certified organic latex, with full transparency around sourcing and certifications.
Why it stands out:If chemical exposure, off-gassing, or sensitivities are concerns, this is one of the cleanest, most rigorously certified options available.
Price tier: Mid-range to premium
Avocado has done something rare: made organic, natural-material mattresses accessible without diluting standards. Their use of organic latex, wool, and cotton supports breathability and alignment, and they consistently receive strong reviews.
Why it stands out:A well-balanced option—natural materials, strong performance, and a price point that makes sleep health more attainable.
The Modern Brand
Thoughtful Design + Intelligence
Price tier: Mid-range to premium (accessible luxury)
Parachute built its reputation on bedding first, but they’ve since expanded into mattresses, which follows the same philosophy: simple construction, quality materials, no over-engineering. Their mattresses tend to be hybrid designs—coils plus foam—focused on support, airflow, and longevity rather than trend-driven features. Parachute does the basics extremely well. I’ve installed these mattresses many times both for primary use and for secondary bedrooms. Clients consistently like them and they’re a great price point.
Reliable Standbys
For Comfort and Popularity
These brands don’t position themselves as health pioneers in the sleep space, but depending on your goals around comfort, materiality and cost, they remain strong performers and are consistently ranked well.
Price tier: Mid-range to Premium
Known for pressure relief and motion isolation. Memory foam adapts closely to the body, which many people love—but it can retain heat.
Competitive edge:Excellent for joint support and partners with different movement patterns.
Price tier: Mid-range to premium
Hybrid construction with coils and foams, strong spinal alignment, and consistent quality.
Competitive edge:Traditional feel executed well, reviews cite good airflow compared to all-foam options.
FUELING PERFORMANCE
Fundamental 3: Nutritional Nuances
Fuel is about giving our bodies what they need to perform—and that equates to good nutrition—but it’s about pleasure and pride too. I don’t formally track food, though I do attempt to track my hydration as it’s a real effort for me.
Generally speaking, devices that help track how to eat more healthfully are about enhancing knowledge, visibility and execution around food: tools that help you understand what you’re eating, make small upgrades, and stay consistent without friction.
FOOD AWARENESS & INGREDIENT CHECKING
What’s actually in this?
One of the most user-friendly food and cosmetic scanning apps available. Yuka scores packaged foods and beauty products based on ingredient quality, additives, and nutritional profile, flagging problematic and hazardous ingredients with a score, while offering cleaner alternatives.
Why it’s useful:Fast, clear, and practical. You don’t need to read labels endlessly — this does it for you.
Designed to identify seed oils in packaged foods and restaurant use. Particularly useful for people trying to reduce ultra-processed oils without going extreme.
Why it’s useful:Specific, focused, and helps you spot bad oils that often hide in plain sight.
METABOLIC & NUTRITION FEEDBACK
Glucose Goals: How food lands in your body
Glucose is one of the most misunderstood markers of everyday health. It’s not just sugar, nor is it just a diabetes issue. It’s a metabolic reality for all of us and it’s driven by everything, and I mean everything, that we eat.
Glucose tells us how well our bodies handle fuel. When your glucose is stable, energy is steady, focus is clear, and recovery is easier. When it’s not, you feel it—you experience crashes, cravings, disrupted sleep.
The amazing thing is that we now understand much more about glucose’s effects. There are great resources to read more about the subject. Jessie Inchauspé is a French biochemist whose research and insights I’ve found really helpful. She can be found on social media as @glucosegoddess. She offers practical education and strategies on how to stabilize and optimize glucose.
The even better news: today, we can understand glucose’s effects in real time. There are increasingly effective tools available that bring insight into daily life. They remove guesswork and reveal patterns like meals that spike you, poor sleep that shows up the next day, stress that elevates glucose even when the food you eat hasn’t changed.
By the way–I don’t see glucose monitoring as something that you do forever, or even something everyone needs. I see it as a learning tool—a way to understand your metabolic response so you can be attuned to your body and make better decisions to support it.
Below, are the best reads and product options for understanding your metabolic health that I’ve found:
GOOD GLUCOSE READS
The Glucose Revolution – Jessie Inchauspé
This is the most accessible, practical entry point. Inchauspé translates biochemistry into everyday habits—how food order, pairing, and timing affect glucose. It’s not restrictive and it’s easy to apply to your life. A strong foundation for anyone new to the topic.
Good Energy – Dr. Casey Means
This book takes a broader metabolic view, connecting glucose regulation to energy, inflammation, mental clarity, and long-term health. It’s more systems-oriented and medical in perspective, while still readable for a general, albeit more detail-oriented audience. A solid next step if you want deeper context without getting academic.
GLUCOSE MONITORING
Best-in-Class At-Home Devices
These are the most advanced, well-reviewed options currently available for metabolic insight, not just diabetes management.
This is the gold standard for accuracy and reliability. FDA-cleared, widely used in medical settings, and increasingly adopted for metabolic awareness. Clean data, minimal friction.
Levels pairs a CGM (often Dexcom) with an interface designed specifically for non-diabetic users. The strength here is interpretation—clear insights without overwhelming you with raw numbers.
Nutrisense combines CGM data with nutritional context and optional coaching. A good option if you want guidance alongside the data rather than interpreting everything yourself.
A final note about glucose monitoring: these tools are best used as learning devices, not permanent trackers. A few weeks or months of insight is often enough to understand your patterns and make informed changes. Remember, it’s not about tracking calories; it’s about tracking your body’s response to foods.
FOOD LOGGING & STRUCTURE
For awareness.
Still the most flexible option for logging food. Best used temporarily to understand portions, protein intake, or patterns — not as a permanent habit.
More nutrient-focused than calorie-focused. Helpful if you care about micronutrients or protein adequacy without diet culture tone.
EXERCISE AND MOVEMENT
Fundamental 4: A Big World
Exercise and movement are a world unto themselves. There are countless philosophies, methods, and protocols, and most of them ultimately come back to the same truth: we need to move our bodies—regularly, consistently, and in ways that suit our lives.
There are many tools that can support movement, but movement itself isn’t something you buy. It’s a practice. And while it deserves its own deeper conversation, that’s not the focus here.
This week is about what adds on to the fundamentals—devices and protocols that enhance recovery, resilience, and healthspan once movement is already in place. Think support systems, not substitutes.
With that, we move into the add-ons.
NEXT LEVEL
No Luxury Spa Needed
Tools That Support Recovery, Resilience, and Longevity
These are the technologies that sit on top of the basics. None are required. All are optional. But when used well, they can meaningfully support recovery, stress tolerance, and long-term health. The added benefits, when appropriate, are appreciable.
RED LIGHT THERAPY
Photobiomodulation
Used for skin health, inflammation modulation, and recovery support. The strongest evidence exists for skin quality and localized tissue support; systemic benefits are still being studied.
Best-in-class (at home):
Price tier: Premium to ultra-premiumA commercial-grade red light panel system widely used in spas, clinics, and high-end home gyms. Modular, scalable, and built for consistent, long-term use.
Why it works: Delivers reliable, clinically relevant wavelengths at scale, which is why it bridges professional and at-home use better than most.
Price tier: Mid-range to premiumHigh-output red light panels designed for full-body exposure at a lower cost of entry than commercial brands.Why it works: Strong power and coverage make it effective for recovery without unnecessary complexity.
Price tier: PremiumMask-based red light devices focused specifically on skin health and dermatologic outcomes.Why it works: Targeted, consistent exposure where red light has the strongest evidence—skin quality and tone.
SAUNA
Cardiovascular Health, Heat Adaptation, Recovery
Price tier: PremiumInfrared saunas designed for home use, with a wide range of sizes and configurations.Why it works: Infrared heat lowers the barrier to frequent use, which is where most of the benefit comes from.
Price tier: PremiumInfrared sauna systems with an emphasis on low-EMF design and long-term home integration.Why it works: Thoughtful construction supports repeated, consistent use over time.
Price tier: Mid-range to premiumTraditional sauna heaters widely used in residential and commercial Finnish saunas.Why it works: Simple, durable heat delivery—traditional sauna done right.
Sauna is a product area of increasing interest given its remarkable benefits. While the following are classified as more sauna-accessories, they raise your core body temperature and have been known to provide benefit. They get very good product reviews and they’re a very good alternative when you don’t have a lot of space.
Price tier: Mid-range (accessible compared to full saunas)A portable infrared sauna blanket designed for home use. It delivers infrared heat in a compact, foldable format and requires minimal space or setup.Why it works:Infrared heat supports relaxation and heat adaptation without the commitment of a full sauna. Ease of use makes consistency more likely.
Price tier: PremiumA portable mat combining infrared heat with pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, often used for relaxation and recovery.Why it works:Heat plus passive relaxation cues can support nervous system downshifting when used consistently.
COLD PLUNGE
Stress Tolerance, Mood, Recovery
Price tier: PremiumFully temperature-controlled cold plunge systems designed for ease and consistency.Why it works: When cold exposure is easy to access, people actually use it regularly.
Price tier: Mid-rangeA passive cold plunge system that uses ice rather than mechanical cooling.Why it works: Simplicity and durability make cold exposure accessible without added technology.
Price tier: PremiumDesign-forward cold plunge systems that integrate cleanly into modern homes.Why it works: Combines aesthetics with function, removing friction around use.
CRYOTHERAPY
Extreme Cold, More Limited Evidence
Price tier: High (session-based; not typical for at-home application)
Cryotherapy typically involves short exposures to extremely cold air in a specialized chamber, most often in clinical or spa settings and under supervision. While it’s popular among athletes and wellness seekers for perceived recovery and mood benefits, long-term data remains limited, and the modality is not FDA-approved.
Why it works (with caution):The intense cold acts as a strong nervous system stimulus and may temporarily reduce pain or inflammation, but outcomes vary widely. For most people, cold water immersion offers a more accessible and better-studied alternative.
How I think about it:This is best approached as an occasional, supervised experience—not a foundational or at-home protocol.
HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY
Specialized, Promising, Still Evolving
CRYOTHERAPY
Extreme Cold, More Limited Evidence
Price tier: High (session-based; not typical for at-home application)
Cryotherapy typically involves short exposures to extremely cold air in a specialized chamber, most often in clinical or spa settings and under supervision. While it’s popular among athletes and wellness seekers for perceived recovery and mood benefits, long-term data remains limited, and the modality is not FDA-approved.
Why it works (with caution):The intense cold acts as a strong nervous system stimulus and may temporarily reduce pain or inflammation, but outcomes vary widely. For most people, cold water immersion offers a more accessible and better-studied alternative.
How I think about it:This is best approached as an occasional, supervised experience—not a foundational or at-home protocol.
HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY
Specialized, Promising, Still Evolving
Price tier: Ultra-premium
HBOT involves breathing concentrated oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. That pressure allows significantly more oxygen to dissolve into the bloodstream and reach tissues—including the brain—than is possible under normal conditions. The result is increased oxygen delivery at a cellular level, which is why HBOT has long been used clinically for wound healing and certain neurological conditions.
In wellness and longevity contexts, emerging research suggests potential benefits for brain health, cognitive function, and cellular repair, including effects on neuroplasticity. That research is promising, but still developing, which places HBOT firmly in the specialized add-on category rather than a foundational practice.
There are two main types of chambers: rigid, medical-grade systems—often metal and used in hospitals or clinics—that can cost well into six figures, and softer, lower-pressure chambers designed for residential use. While home versions are more accessible, they operate at lower pressures and are not equivalent to clinical systems.
Price tier: Ultra-premiumA leading manufacturer of medical-grade and residential hyperbaric chambers used in clinical, athletic, and high-end residential settings.
Why it works: Controlled oxygen delivery under pressure is the core mechanism, but outcomes depend heavily on pressure level, protocol, and supervision.
How I think about it:HBOT is compelling and increasingly stdied, particularly for brain health, but it remains specialized. At this stage, it’s best pursued in reputable clinical environments rather than adopted as a standard home protocol.
LIGHTER FARE ADDITIONS
Benefits That Don’t Bust The Bank
Some of my favorites—
Price tier: Mid-rangeA silk eye mask that blocks light without putting pressure on the eyes or skin. Widely recommended and consistently well reviewed.Why it works: Darkness supports melatonin, and silk is gentler on skin and hair.
Price tier: AccessibleLight compression masks designed for relaxation and eye-strain relief.Why it works: Gentle pressure can support nervous system downshifting, especially at night.
Price tier: AccessibleAn anti-bedhead, anti–sleep-crease standard queen-size pillowcase made of high-grade mulberry silk for better sleep and fewer visible signs of wear over time.Why it works: Reduces friction and heat retention—small upgrades that add up.
Price tier: Accessible to mid-rangeA straightforward, reliable sound machine with consistent fan-based noise (not looping tracks).Why it works: Stable sound reduces nighttime disruptions without added complexity.
Price tier: Mid-rangeA handheld device offering quick, targeted relief from tension, stiffness, and everyday aches. Multiple intensity levels and interchangeable attachments make it easy to tailor each session to what your body needs.Why it works: Percussive therapy delivers rapid, targeted pulses deep into muscle tissue, increasing blood flow and helping release built-up tension—supporting faster recovery and immediate relief.
BEFORE YOU GO
If there’s one thing I hope comes through in this series, it’s that living a healthy life doesn’t require doing everything—or owning everything. It requires discernment.
The tools and products shared here aren’t prescriptions. They’re options. Some may resonate immediately, others not at all. That’s the point. Health is personal, contextual, and always evolving. What works in one season of life may not in another.
I’ve approached this week the same way I approach design: start with strong fundamentals, layer thoughtfully, and choose pieces that make life function better and feel better. Nothing here replaces sleep, movement, or nourishment. But the right add-ons can support them, extend them, and sometimes make them easier to sustain.
If this edition helps you clarify even one choice—something to try, something to skip, or something to finally let go of—then it’s done what it’s meant to do.
As always, take what’s useful. Leave the rest. And build your healthy life the way you build anything worth living in: with intention, flexibility, and care.
I hope these resources help.
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