My Longevity Journey

Does Bryan Johnson’s Sleep Routine Actually Work? We Put It to the Test

Published

11 months ago

May 16, 2025

Sean Callahan

Can a strict sleep routine actually improve brain health, hormone balance, and energy? We followed Bryan Johnson’s method for 90 days to find out.

Today, we’re sharing what happened after following Bryan Johnson’s sleep protocol for three full months.

Armed with blackout curtains, consistent bedtimes, and a WHOOP tracker to measure the results, we set out to see if better sleep could translate into real health improvements.

The goal was to treat sleep as the foundation of wellness and see what changes would follow. What we discovered was simple, science-backed, and surprisingly effective.

Blue Light and Doomscrolling Are Your Enemies

Most people treat bedtime as one final chance to catch up on the day. That usually means bringing the phone to bed, but Bryan warns against this with simple logic. We were guilty of it too. Phones in bed ruin sleep. Blue light blocks melatonin. Doomscrolling spikes cortisol. And before you know it, your wind-down routine becomes a stress-fest.

The fix? Leave your phone out of the bedroom or, if that feels too hard, at least make it part of your pre-sleep shutdown an hour before bed.

What Happens in Deep Sleep Is Not Just Rest

The most restorative part of your night happens in SWS, or slow-wave sleep. During this “deep sleep” phase, your brain’s glymphatic system becomes highly active, clearing out toxic waste like beta-amyloid proteins that can accumulate and are linked to neurodegenerative diseases.

Deep sleep also supports muscle recovery, memory consolidation, and immune function. Missing this window repeatedly is like skipping daily cleanup in a laboratory. It adds up over time in ways you cannot feel immediately, but will absolutely notice later.

This is part of the reason Bryan is so aggressive about protecting his sleep. He is not just trying to feel better in the morning. He is trying to build long-term cognitive resilience.

Bryan Johnson’s Personal Sleep Protocol

Bryan calls sleep “the lighthouse” of his health stack. For him, it is the most important lever for health, performance, and longevity. Over the years, he has refined his sleep habits to the following essentials:

Sleep in a fully blacked out room
Go to bed at the same time every night
Sleep alone
Use blue light blocking glasses before bed
Schedule one hour of downtime with no screens
Use a temperature-controlled mattress

Following a Sleep Protocol Works

We have been following Bryan Johnson’s sleep protocol for three months, and our WHOOP data tells an encouraging story. Most notably, our sleep consistency sits at an impressive 99 percent, meaning we are going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day. This is one of the most powerful levers to improve circadian rhythm stability and reduce sleep latency.

Sleep 3-Months Ago and Now

When we first started tracking sleep with WHOOP in January 2025, the numbers told a different story than today. Average nightly sleep was 7 hours and 38 minutes, with just 45 minutes of deep sleep and 2 hours and 5 minutes of REM. After three months on the protocol, deep sleep has nearly doubled to 1 hour and 45 minutes, while REM now averages 1 hour and 17 minutes.

Time in bed now averages 9 hours and 46 minutes, giving us ample opportunity to reach optimal levels of deep and REM sleep. But not all of that time is spent sleeping. Our sleep efficiency sits at 87 percent, with an average of 1 hour and 27 minutes spent awake each night. While this shows there is still room for improvement, the bigger picture is clear. Our sleep has become more consistent, more restorative, and much better aligned with what the science says we need to thrive.

Here’s the breakdown of restorative sleep stages:

SWS (Deep Sleep): 1 hour 45 minutes
REM Sleep: 1 hour 17 minutes

For most adults, the ideal ranges are:

SWS: 1.5 to 2 hours
REM: 1.5 to 2 hours

We are close to hitting those targets, but we are consistently falling short on REM. This could be due to stress, overstimulation before bed, or lifestyle habits or inconsistent light exposure. Improving REM may require a stronger wind-down routine and more natural light exposure earlier in the day.

Still, these results reflect a high level of discipline. While Bryan’s protocol may seem strict, the data shows that structure is what gives the body the consistency it needs to enter deeper, more regenerative sleep. It also shows how small adjustments, like reducing screen time or sleeping in a cooler room, can lead to measurable improvements.

Final Thoughts

Sleep is not just rest. It’s a biological repair cycle that clears waste from the brain, balances hormones, and strengthens your ability to focus and recover. Bryan Johnson is not chasing sleep perfection for the sake of routine. He is using it as a foundation to expand the limits of health, performance, and longevity.

The real insight is not simply that sleep is important. It is that self-sabotage often begins with neglecting the basics. Protect your sleep like your life depends on it. Turn off the phone. Stick to a schedule. Respect your body. Consistency creates the conditions for real progress.

🩺 Disclaimer

The content on I Won’t Die is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with any health concerns.

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My Longevity Journey

Take Two: The Speed of Aging Redemption

Published

3 weeks ago

March 11, 2026

Sean Callahan

A second attempt at Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint Speed of Aging test, two lancets, warmer hands, and a little more determination.

Back in January I attempted Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint Speed of Aging test.

And it failed.

Not philosophically. Not emotionally. Not metaphorically.

After waiting longer than anticipated for the results, the lab said they simply could not process my sample. Ugh!

A couple weeks ago, Blueprint sent a replacement kit and yesterday I gave it another shot.

Round two.

The Speed of Aging Kit Arrives

The Blueprint kit showed up looking exactly like the last one. Clean packaging, everything neatly organized, and a reminder that this tiny box holds the key to measuring something pretty profound.

Your biological aging rate.

Inside the kit were the usual suspects:

two spring loaded lancets
alcohol wipe
gauze and bandage
the blood spot card
biohazard bag and return envelope

Everything you need to run a small longevity experiment from your kitchen counter. And that is exactly what I did last night!

Preparing for the Finger Prick

Last time I did this test the blood flow was strong and the sample filled quickly.

This time, not so much.

I followed the same advice the Quest technician gave me earlier in the year.

Warm hands.

Blueprint Bryan Johnson Speed of Aging Test

So I ran them under hot water for a bit and set up my little testing station on the counter.

Alcohol wipe.
Lancet ready.
Sample card open and waiting.

I stared at the lancet again like it was a tiny plastic jack in the box.

The anticipation is still the worst part. I don’t mind at all having vials of blood drawn from my arm, but the anticipation of pricking my own finger is nerve-racking. Ha ha!

Pop. Again.

I pricked my finger and waited for the blood to flow.

It started slowly.

Slower than last time. I massaged my finger and it didn’t help much.

So naturally my brain went straight to the logical conclusion.

Better open a second blood source.

Second lancet.
Second finger. Ouch!

Now I had two active production sites.

Not exactly what the instructions call for, but efficiency matters.

Between the two fingers I was able to steadily blot the sample card until the circle filled and the blood absorbed through to the back.

That’s the key indicator that enough sample has soaked into the card for proper analysis.

Mission accomplished.

The Waiting Game

Once the card was fully saturated, I let it dry for about three hours.

After that it went into the biohazard bag, then into the return envelope.

Now it’s on its way back to the lab via USPS.

Results typically arrive digitally about two weeks after the sample is received.🤞

Why This Test Matters

The Blueprint Speed of Aging test is built on DNA methylation analysis, one of the most advanced methods currently available for measuring biological age.

Instead of looking at a handful of biomarkers, it analyzes epigenetic changes across thousands of DNA sites to estimate how quickly your body is aging. It measures the age of your lungs, blood, liver, kidney, heart, hormones, etc.

In other words, it measures the pace of aging itself, not just risk factors.

My Current Biological Age Signals

While I wait for the results, I already have two other aging indicators.

From my most recent Function Health panel:

Biological age: 35.3
About 10.8 years younger than my chronological age.

And from WHOOP:

WHOOP age: 30.8

WHOOP also tracks pace of aging, which currently shows 0.30x as of this morning.

Meaning my body is aging at roughly one-third the expected weekly rate based on recovery, sleep, HRV, and training load.

Different models. Different inputs.

But the signals are pointing in the same direction.

The Number I’m Watching

The Blueprint result is the one I’m most curious about.

The last time I ran this test in January 2025, my epigenetic age came back at 29.1 years old, roughly 15 years younger than my chronological age.

Since then I’ve doubled down on:

Mediterranean eating, consistent aerobic training, strength work, sleep discipline, and biomarker tracking.

So the big question now is simple…

Did the needle move or did the universe decide to humble me?

We’ll find out in about two weeks.

🩺 Disclaimer

🚀 Get Started with Blueprint

Start optimizing your health today with $25 off your first order! Use our referral code to begin your Blueprint journey and take control of your longevity.

🏋️‍♂️ Track Your Sleep, Workouts & Recovery

Boost your performance and recovery with Whoop. Join with my referral link to get a free WHOOP 5.0 and one month free!

📲 Download the I Won’t Die App

Stay ahead with the latest news, updates, and insights. Download the I Won’t Die app now on the Apple App Store and Google Play!

📩 Contact Us

Have tips, photos, or questions? Want to collaborate? Reach out at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!

🔗 Stay Connected

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My Longevity Journey

Function Health January Labs: One Year Later

Published

1 month ago

February 24, 2026

Sean Callahan

One year after transforming my cardiometabolic risk profile, my January Function Health labs show sustained gains, a younger biological age, and the next levers to pull for long-term resilience.

A full year into this journey, here is where my data stands.

I had planned to wait before writing this post.

In January I completed my Function Health panel and also sent off my Blueprint Speed of Aging test to TruDiagnostics. I wanted both sets of results before sharing an update.

Unfortunately, Blueprint came back yesterday with this message:

“The lab has reported that the sample could not be processed at this time. While uncommon, this can occur with a small number of samples. We are more than happy to provide you with a replacement test kit at no additional cost if you would like to attempt a retest. If you would like to proceed, please confirm your address here and I will make the arrangements as soon as possible.”

So I am waiting on a replacement kit. That process will take time.

The good news is that Function Health provides its own biological age metric. It is not the same as Blueprint’s epigenetic methylation test, which uses TruDiagnostics and measures DNA methylation patterns directly. That test is likely the more sophisticated aging clock.

But I do have a baseline biological age from January and my current WHOOP Age.

And it tells a strong story.

Big Picture

Function Health analyzed 121 biomarkers.

89 in range
12 out of range
20 categorized as other

Biological age: 35.3
That is 10.8 years younger than my calendar age.

This is not an apples to apples comparison with the Blueprint Speed of Aging test from last year, but it is directionally meaningful. After one year of deliberate health work, my system is not trending older. It is trending younger.

My WHOOP Age confirms this too, sitting this morning at 30.8 years old, 15.4 years younger than my chronological age, with a Pace of Aging at 0.50x.

The cardiometabolic transformation that began in January 2025 has held.

Now the work shifts from fixing risk to building resilience.

Cardiometabolic Health: Am I Out of the Woods?

One year ago my concern was simple: future cardiac event risk.

Inflammation was high. ApoB was elevated. CRP was over four. Triglycerides were triple digits. I did not like where that path led.

Today the picture looks very different.

Here is the full year comparison including January Function Health results.

Marker	Jan 2025 (Blueprint)	May 2025	Sep 2025	Nov 2025 (WHOOP)	Jan 2026 (Function)	Optimal Range
ApoB (mg per dL)	87	72	43	52	51	< 60
LDL Particle Count (nmol per L)	830	861	501	Not measured	979	< 1000
Triglycerides (mg per dL)	113	115	42	59	74	< 100
Total Cholesterol (mg per dL)	161	143	114	132	124	< 150
hs CRP (mg per L)	4.38	3.5	0.4	0.2	0.3	< 1.0
A1C percent	5.4	5.2	5.1	5.1	5.2	< 5.3
Insulin (µIU per mL)	2.4	1.6	2.9	2.7	5.2	< 5.0
Omega 3 Index percent	3.1	4.6	5.2	Not measured	8.4 (OmegaCheck)	> 5.5

What Matters Most

ApoB: 51
Under 60 is considered low-risk. I am there.

hs CRP: 0.3
From 4.38 to 0.3 in one year. That is not cosmetic. That is structural.

Triglycerides: 74
Stable, clean, metabolically flexible.

A1C: 5.2
Insulin sensitive. No drift upward.

If the question is whether I have materially reduced near and mid-term cardiometabolic risk compared to January 2025, the answer is yes.

Am I “out of the woods” permanently? That is not how health works.

But I am no longer walking toward a predictable cardiac event profile.

My engine is clean.

Inflammation and Longevity Defense

CRP remains low.
Vitamin D remains solid at 57.
Liver markers are clean across the board.
Kidney function is strong with eGFR at 92.

This is what you want to see one year into a disciplined protocol.

Inflammation is quiet.
Metabolism is stable.
Lipid transport is controlled.

This is what low long-term vascular risk looks like.

What Is Out of Range

This is where the work shifts.

My out of range markers are not catastrophic. They are performance and reserve markers.

Ferritin: 32

Iron stores remain below optimal. Not anemic. Hemoglobin is strong at 15.5. But storage is light.

This is consistent with high training volume and no red meat intake in over a year. I have already corrected my supplementation strategy and will continue to monitor.

Surprisingly, I’ve been taking an iron supplement since my November WHOOP Advanced Labs where my Ferritin came in at 16. I’ve now doubled my iron stores in about 2 months.

DHEA Sulfate: 45

Low for age. This reflects adrenal reserve and stress adaptation capacity. Testosterone remains strong at 550. But DHEA is the upstream reserve signal.

This aligns with high training load and chronic output.

White Blood Cell Count: 3.2

Mildly low. Platelets at 131 are slightly low as well.

This pattern is often seen in endurance athletes. It can reflect chronic training demand rather than pathology, especially with no symptoms and normal differential counts.

Still, it is worth watching. I may need to dial back my weekly running mileage.

LDL Pattern B and Small Dense LDL

This was the one surprise.

Despite excellent ApoB and low inflammation, Function flagged elevated small dense LDL and Pattern B.

This suggests the lipid profile is strong in quantity but could improve in particle quality.

This is not a red alarm. But it is a signal.

The Aging Question

I wanted to compare Function’s biological age to Blueprint’s Speed of Aging result.

Because Blueprint uses a TruDiagnostics epigenetic test measuring DNA methylation. That is probably the more sophisticated aging metric.

But my sample failed processing and I really made that sample card bloody!

So for now, the only aging metrics I have is from Function Health and my WHOOP Age, each using different methodologies to calculate biological age.

According to WHOOP, I am aging at half the expected weekly biological rate based on recovery, HRV, sleep consistency, and strain patterns.

WHOOP even shows I am aging slightly faster than last week, which is a reminder that this is dynamic. Aging is not a static score. It responds to behavior.

So here is where I stand:

Blueprint methylation test: pending retest
Function Health biological age: 35.3
WHOOP age: 30.8
WHOOP pace of aging: 0.50x

Different methodologies. Different inputs. And different models.

But all trending in the same direction.

Not definitive.
But encouraging.

When the Blueprint retest comes back, I will finally have the epigenetic layer to compare against these physiology based models.

For now, the signal is clear. One year of discipline did not just lower risk markers. It moved the aging needle.

Am I Healthier Than One Year Ago?

The good news is, yes. Without question.

One year ago:

Elevated inflammation
Elevated ApoB
Triple digit triglycerides
Higher CRP
Higher metabolic drift

Today:

ApoB controlled
CRP near zero
Metabolic flexibility intact
Lipid transport stabilized
Biological age trending younger

The work now is refinement, not rescue.

What I Need to Improve

Increase ferritin into a stronger reserve zone
Support adrenal reserve and DHEA production
Continue reducing small dense LDL particle presence
Ensure training load is not suppressing immune counts

This is optimization work. Not damage control.

Final Thoughts

This is the one year mark. January 2025 was the wake up call. September showed momentum. November confirmed discipline works. January 2026 shows stability.

The biggest risk factors are no longer cardiovascular. They are recovery capacity and long-term resilience. That is a very different conversation.

I am not finished, but I am no longer reacting to bad numbers. I am building margin. And that is exactly where I want to be.

January 2026 Function Health Data

January 2026 Data – Function Health Download

🩺 Disclaimer

🚀 Get Started with Blueprint

Start optimizing your health today with $25 off your first order! Use our referral code to begin your Blueprint journey and take control of your longevity.

🏋️‍♂️ Track Your Sleep, Workouts & Recovery

Boost your performance and recovery with Whoop. Join with my referral link to get a free WHOOP 5.0 and one month free!

📲 Download the I Won’t Die App

Stay ahead with the latest news, updates, and insights. Download the I Won’t Die app now on the Apple App Store and Google Play!

📩 Contact Us

Have tips, photos, or questions? Want to collaborate? Reach out at [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you!

🔗 Stay Connected

📬 Subscribe to I Won’t Die Newsletter

Get the latest longevity breakthroughs, Blueprint updates, and exclusive content straight to your inbox — sign up now!

My Longevity Journey

Blood, Biomarkers, and Beach Miles

Published

2 months ago

January 16, 2026

Sean Callahan

An eighteen hour fast, fifteen vials at Quest Diagnostics, a brave little finger prick at home, and two runs that turned a science day into a victory lap.

Today, I turned my body into a friendly neighborhood research lab. Two blood tests, one long fast, a slightly dramatic amount of vials, and enough running to make my future self very proud. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to chase biomarkers in the morning and chase endorphins by sunset, welcome to my day.

Mission One: Function Health at Quest Diagnostics

I kicked off the morning fasted for about 18 hours and headed to Quest Diagnostics for my Function Health labs. According to the Function Health site, I expected around 10 to 12 vials.

The technician had other plans.

15 vials later, I’m sitting there thinking, wow, that is a lot of little tubes for one human. The whole process was quick and smooth, though. It started with a urine sample, then the blood draw. Unlike the Blueprint Advanced Panel I did a year ago at Lab Corp, this time they didn’t use a butterfly needle, which makes it feel like one clean, easy poke. Nevertheless, the technician was gentle today and it took about 5 minutes for sample collection.

This panel is supposed to cover a huge spread of categories, including autoimmunity, blood, electrolytes, male health and hormones, heart health, heavy metals, immune regulation, kidney, liver, metabolic, nutrients, pancreas, stress and aging, thyroid, and urine. Very similar to the Blueprint Advanced Panel, but not entirely the same.

I grabbed this test for $365 on Black Friday (referral link), and I also bought it for my whole family as a kind of health snapshot gift. Function says results show up in about four weeks. Based on my past experience with other testing, I’m secretly hoping I’ll start seeing some numbers pop up over the weekend!

Mission Two: Blueprint Speed of Aging test at home

*Blood sample from Blueprint Speed of Aging test.*

After Quest, I came home, broke the fast with oatmeal, and had green tea, plus a glass of electrolyte lemonade (yummy!). Then it was time for the at-home Blueprint Speed of Aging test developed by TruDiagnostics.

They ship a kit with everything you need. Two spring-loaded lancets, alcohol wipe, gauze, bandage, and the sample card where you blot your blood into a printed circle. In the photo above, you can see the card with that red circle filled in. It looks oddly official, like a tiny passport stamp from the land of longevity.

Before I left Quest, I asked the technician which finger gives the best blood flow, because last time I did this I had to poke my finger twice and that wasn’t fun! She recommended the side of the ring finger and told me to make sure my hands were warm.

Armed with that advice, I set up my little station on the counter, swabbed my ring finger, got the card ready, and stared at the lancet like it was a tiny plastic jack-in-the-box.

I will say this with confidence. I much prefer someone else drawing blood from my arm over me pressing a spring-loaded button and waiting for the pop. The anticipation is genuinely the scariest part. It’s like your nervous system knows what’s coming and politely requests an alternative plan.

Pop.

Blood started flowing. I wiped the first bit with gauze, then got to work blotting the card until the circle was mostly filled and it started showing through the other side. I snapped a photo, which captures the moment pretty good. Blood on my fingertip and the kit scattered around like a miniature crime scene, except the suspect is me and the motive is better data.

After that, it’s now a waiting game. I let the card dry for three hours, sealed it in the biohazard bag, and packed it into the envelope to mail back to the lab.

This is the test I’m most excited about. I expect my broader labs to be pretty consistent with the WHOOP Advanced Labs I did at the end of last year. But the Speed of Aging number is the one I’m watching like a hawk. In January of 2025, it came back at 29.1 years old, about fifteen years younger than my chronological age. Since then, I’ve drastically changed my diet, exercise, and sleep, so I’m eager to see whether that number holds, improves, or humbles me. As of today, my WHOOP Age stands at 30.8 years old with a pace of aging of 0.70.

The Victory Lap: Training to Celebrate the Data

Once the science portion of the day was handled, I did what I love most. I moved.

First, a 4 mile run on the treadmill in the gym, about 30 minutes, just in case I passed out from the blood work I’d be close to home! I spent about 15 minutes in Zone 4 with an incline of 4.0 and a pace of 7.8 MPH. Then I refueled with my spinach protein smoothie with olive oil, plus about 3 cups of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.

After that, I headed out for a 6.4 mile run along the coast, letting the ocean air do what it always does, clear my head and smooth out the edges of the day. Next up is a little light lifting, dinner, and then the best kind of recovery combo, a sauna and a long soak in the jacuzzi. Data collected, miles logged, body cared for. That’s a good day! 🙌

🩺 Disclaimer

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Start optimizing your health today with $25 off your first order! Use our referral code to begin your Blueprint journey and take control of your longevity.