Beverly Hills California, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Renowned clinical psychologist and sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus joined Stark CEO Todd Vande Hei on the latest episode of Health is a Skill, delivering an insightful discussion on how simple daily habits—breathing, hydration, and sleep—can lead to profound long-term health improvements.
Dr. Breus, widely known as “The Sleep Doctor,” is double board-certified and the author of multiple bestselling books, including The Power of When and his latest, Sleep, Drink, Breathe: Simple Daily Habits for Profound Long-Term Health. In this episode, he outlined his “Three Fifteens” strategy—15 minutes of morning sunlight, 15 deep breaths, and 15 ounces of water—as a powerful wellness primer.
“These are things we’re already doing—breathing, sleeping, drinking water. But doing them better can create exponential results,” said Dr. Breus. He emphasized that foundational habits often outperform more complex biohacks when implemented consistently and correctly.
The episode also breaks down the importance of chronotypes—genetically influenced sleep-wake tendencies—and how aligning daily activities to one’s natural rhythm can optimize rest and performance. Dr. Breus introduced his ChronoQuiz tool as a way for listeners to understand their individual sleep types and tailor their daily routines accordingly.
Additional highlights from the discussion include:
- The connection between poor sleep and hydration, and how to spot dehydration through simple urine color checks.
- Breathwork techniques such as box breathing and the 4-7-8 method, useful for activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
- The critical impact of consistent wake-up times on melatonin regulation.
- Pros and cons of melatonin supplementation, and the limitations of common sleep tracking devices.
- The future of sleep diagnostics, including FDA-approved at-home tools like the Happy Ring.
Dr. Breus also shared insights on treating sleep disorders like insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea, covering treatment alternatives to CPAP machines such as dental appliances and new technologies like eXciteOSA. He stressed that while these devices are promising, foundational health behaviors remain the most impactful.
For those navigating sleep challenges or simply looking to improve their wellness baseline, Dr. Breus recommended starting with the fundamentals. “If there’s one thing people should do, it’s wake up at the same time seven days a week,” he advised.
Listeners can hear the full conversation on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
About Health Is a Skill
Health is a Skill is a Los Angeles-based podcast hosted by Todd Vande Hei, CEO of Stark. Through expert interviews and solo episodes, the podcast explores the systems, tools, and daily practices that optimize health and longevity in the modern world.
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- Dr. Michael Breus, author of Sleep, Drink, Breathe, discusses sleep optimization with Todd Vande Hei.