Try This: 4 Things You Have to See This Week

Try This fam! First off, happy August!

Secondly, happy birthday to me! 

On my 43rd birthday today, I feel super grateful for so many things, especially all of you! Thank you so much for reading, sharing, and following this newsletter; it truly means the world.

With that being said, let’s jump into it!

This week, I’m sharing four simple things that I’m paying attention to, enjoyed reading, or that have personally helped me. 

Today, high level: 

• One of my favorite sleep hacks (which I’ve been doing for years!)

• A super-accessible way to fight depression

• You can’t out-exercise a bad diet—science says so! 

• My favorite morning alarm for waking up gently (and not like there’s a tiger in your face)

Let’s get into it! 

Want Better Sleep? Get Morning Light

A daily diary study tracked over 100 US adults for up to 70 days to see how sunlight exposure affects sleep, and the results were pretty clear: morning sunlight (even just a little) was linked to better sleep quality that night.

Interestingly, it wasn’t about how long you were outside. The timing of the light exposure mattered more than the duration. Getting sunlight in the morning (versus the afternoon or none at all) was consistently associated with higher-quality sleep.

Why? Morning light helps anchor your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm), which plays a key role in when you feel sleepy and when you wake up. It’s also tied to melatonin production, which we know helps us fall asleep. 

I love this habit personally because it’s high-impact and low-effort (for most!). And it's a great opportunity to habit stack. I take my coffee or tea, and I go sit out on my balcony to get my morning dose! Twenty-to-thirty minutes, low-UV morning light—easy peasy!

Bottom line: If you want to sleep better tonight, try getting outside and soaking up a little sunlight first thing tomorrow. I personally like to enjoy my cup of coffee with my wife on the balcony.

And a shout-out to sleep expert Dr. Roger Seheult for highlighting the importance of sunlight, specifically this compelling study.

Being Outside Fights Depression

Ok, I’m really coming in strong with a case for spending time outside this week.

I mentioned that I’ve seen mood benefits by getting outside and getting sunlight in the morning, and it turns out there’s science behind it. 

A massive study of nearly 381,000 people found the sweet spot for daily outdoor light exposure: about 1.5 hours a day (roughly two hours in summer and one hour in winter) was associated with a lower risk of depression. 

Even more interesting, this pattern showed up whether someone had a low, medium, or high genetic risk for depression.

Again, this is another low-cost and potentially accessible habit for many people, especially those who are fighting depression. 

Bottom line: If you’re like me, you might initially read that and think, whoa, 1.5 hours sounds like a long time, but after reading this, I definitely want to try to get to that goal by taking two 30-minute walks and having a work or workout session outside. Even a little time outside is better than nothing, so don’t sweat it if you’re not at the 1.5-hour goal yet. 

Send This to Your Friends Who Think They Can Out-Exercise a Bad Diet

Alright, this isn’t shocking information, but it’s good evidence to have for any friends or family members who make fun of you for eating a healthy diet. 

You’ve probably heard the saying “you can’t outrun a bad diet,” and well, it’s true: a massive new study says so.

Researchers looked at people all over the world (from super-active hunter-gatherers to sedentary office workers) and found they all burn about the same number of calories each day when you adjust for body size. Whoa! Even in countries where people move a ton, calorie burn wasn’t wildly different from the US or Europe.

So if we’re all burning roughly the same calories, what’s driving today’s obesity epidemic? 

It’s what we’re eating.

Ultra‑processed foods, sugary drinks, and refined carbs are the main culprits. Our bodies seem to have a “calorie budget” that doesn’t really change much with more activity, so extra workouts don’t necessarily mean more calories burned overall.

Bottom line: Don’t get me wrong, exercise is still essential for strength, heart health, mood, and longevity. But if your goal is to lose weight or prevent obesity, food quality and quantity matter most. Since most Americans are eating a LOT of calories and ultra-processed food, this explains our obesity crisis. 

Move your body every day for health, but if you want to make the biggest impact on your waistline and well-being, start with your plate. If you want to read more about this study, check out this NPR article. 

A Gentle Way to Wake Up in the Morning 

I’m all about getting rid of as many micro-stressors in my life as possible. Not the good stressors (cold exposure, exercise, doing hard things)—I’m talking about the type of stressors that can trigger fight-or-flight in your body without you even knowing it and put you in a funky space. 

Believe it or not, your morning alarm is probably one of these stressors. 

My wife and I were recently complaining a lot about the jarring iPhone alarms that would wake us from a deep slumber. 

So, I literally went through and played all of them until I found one that felt like a gentle nudge instead of a fire alarm! 

If you have an iPhone and use an alarm or timer sometimes, do yourself a favor and change the sounds to “Steps.” This is the best one they have, and it doesn’t throw me for a loop in the morning.

Don’t know how to change your alarm? Watch this tutorial. 

I hope you enjoyed these simple and fun shares. 

See you next week, 

Dhru Purohit