EDITOR’S PICKS
We know no one has time on the weekends, so we’re trying something new: a super short email with a few interesting things to make your weekend better. Send us an email and let us know what you think!
Book we're reading this weekend
Protocols by Andrew Huberman. You probably know him from Huberman Lab, one of the most popular health podcasts in the world. He’s a neuroscientist and tenured professor at Stanford, and this is his first book. The book covers seven areas of life, including sleep, exercise, stress and focus, with simple protocols you can adapt to your own routine (like getting sunlight as soon as possible after you wake up)
Travel lesson we learned the hard way
How to actually get the best hotel rate. Our head writer called a hotel this week to book. The phone quote was double the website's, and booking last minute was cheaper on a Sunday, but not a Thursday. What works instead:
Join the loyalty program first. It's free, and members get lower rates. Hilton says up to 17% off with advance purchase.
Book a refundable rate, then track it. Google Hotels now emails you when a specific hotel's price changes. If it drops, rebook.
Use the price guarantee. If you find a lower qualifying rate within 24 hours of booking, Marriott matches it and adds 25% off or 5,000 points.
Call for perks, not price. After you book, ask about an upgrade, early check-in or a crib.
Race-day shoe on our radar
Skechers AERO Elite. [Partner*] If you race in your everyday trainers, you carry extra weight on every stride. Skechers' first super shoe weighs just 5.9 ounces. It pairs supercritical Hyper Burst Pro foam with a full-length, carbon-infused plate built to drive you forward and return more energy, from 5Ks to marathons. Not racing yet? The rest of the AERO line covers easy days (AERO Burst), daily training (AERO Spark) and speed work (AERO Razor), all with hands-free Slip-ins. Chase your next PR.
Sleep fix we're trying
How to stop waking up at 3 a.m. If your mind races in the middle of the night, it's partly biology: melatonin peaks and cortisol starts rising in the early hours, right when you're least equipped to cope. Three fixes from sleep researchers:
Get out of bed and write your worries down for tomorrow (Dr. Jade Wu).
Shift your attention from your thoughts to your breathing (psychologist Greg Murray).
If it's been eight hours since you ate, have a small protein-and-fat snack, like a spoonful of peanut butter (sleep specialist Michael Breus, Ph.D.).
Most 3 a.m. worries lose their grip by daylight.
Documentaries we're queuing up
The Standard (teaser). Chris Bumstead won six straight Classic Physique Olympia titles, then retired on top. His documentary, from director Mark Bone, premieres in November at the Austin Film Festival. While you wait, go back to where it started. Pumping Iron, the 1977 film that followed Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno chasing Mr. Olympia, made Arnold a star, and it's free to stream.
Tried something this week worth passing along? Hit reply. It might make next Saturday's picks.
— The 1% Better Team