Off rhythm

The Brief

Welcome back, Wellworthy readers.

We’ve hit that point in December where 5pm feels like midnight, and everyone’s sleep schedule is a little off. 

So no, it’s not just you. Shorter days and holiday chaos can throw your circadian rhythm out of sync.

And that light–dark cycle matters more than most people realize. Because sleep isn’t just about hours — timing and consistency count, too.

This week, we break down the science of sleep timing and how getting it right keeps your body performing at its best.

Here’s what’s inside:

• The case for sleep as a legit health metric

• How winter light disrupts your internal clock

• Advice for resetting your rhythm from Zest co-founders

• Plus: Nostalgic candy dates, Zed Sleep’s recovery-first sleepwear, and our top picks for getting your rest back on track

— Here we go!

Jake, Joana & Ash — Team Wellworthy

 🎁  Our Recovery + Sleep Gift Guide is live

Since we’re all a little out of sync this month, it only felt right to highlight gifts that actually make rest easier.

Our Recovery + Sleep Gift Guide pulls together the gear that helps you reset: cooling beds, sleep wearables, magnesium blends, red light masks, and travel-friendly recovery tools to support your routine through the holidays.

If you want ideas beyond sleep and recovery, our full 2025 Wellness Gift Guide has you covered with picks across training, nutrition, daily rituals, and more.

The Breakdown

Sleep shouldn’t be an afterthought.

Even small changes in duration, timing, and regularity impact everything from heart health to mental well-being. One study found getting less than six hours of sleep made people 2.5x more likely to feel mentally drained.

That’s why researchers suggest sleep checkups, or using wearables to help spot early signs of circadian drift — the subtle shifts that snowball into feeling off for days or weeks.

Why it matters

Shorter days weaken your circadian signal, which is another way of saying your body gets confused. "The result is delayed circadian rhythms, lower morning alertness, and more evening wakefulness," says Sohaib Imtiaz, medical advisor of Zest, a product built around morning energy. 

The fix isn’t extreme. Small, consistent shifts in light exposure, wake times, and daily rhythm can keep your internal clock from drifting.

What you can do

• Get light early. “Expose your eyes to bright light within minutes of waking,” says Jason Jin, Zest founder and sleep researcher. It’s the fastest way to reset your clock.

• Wake up at the same time. According to Imtiaz, wake time anchors your rhythm more reliably than a perfect bedtime ever will.

• Aim for 7.5 or 9 hours. Sleep durations that line up better with full cycles and make mornings feel less foggy.

• Dim things down at night. Cut the blue light, keep things cool and dark.

The takeaway: This time of year throws your rhythm off, but consistency beats perfection. A few basics — light, timing, predictability — do more heavy lifting than any sleep hack.

This CEO tested his supplements (and didn’t like what he found)

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When Life Time Founder Bahram Akradi sent his multivitamin for third-party testing, the results were subpar. Instead of settling for products that didn’t match quality standards, he chose to fix the problem at the source.

LTH is the outcome — rigorously tested formulas created by registered dietitians and industry experts and made with nutrient forms your body can absorb.

Whether it’s Armor (Vitamin D3+K2) or Nourish (Daily Multi + Greens), each product is verified through NSF testing, so what’s on the label is what’s in the bottle.

Just Dropped

New products and drops spotted → 

Supplements & nutrition

Biologica introduced a three-part hormonal health line built for the reproductive years, perimenopause, and postmenopause. Each blend uses clinically backed ingredients to target stage-specific symptoms like mood shifts, disrupted sleep, and brain fog. See the full lineup.

Smood Sweets just launched Candy Dates, dates into candy-style bites in flavors like bubble gum and peach rings. It’s a nostalgic, crunchy take on sweets made with clean ingredients and real fruit. Try them here.

REP Fitness has expanded into nutrition with Purist, a minimalist supplement line built around one rule: only ingredients that serve a purpose. Every formula is NSF Sport certified, fully third-party tested, and priced to stay accessible. Take a look.

TheOther launched Master’s Blend, a ceremonial matcha made with first-harvest leaves from Uji for a smoother, umami-driven flavor and higher L-theanine content. Think of it as your elevated matcha ritual, without the bitterness. Buy now.

Performance & apparel

Zed Sleep launched Technical Sleep Apparel — sleepwear built like recovery gear. Their ZedCore™ fabric regulates temperature, wicks moisture, and produces 10x less bacterial growth than cotton. Order here.

The North Face x SKIMS return for round two, mixing real performance gear with SKIMS’ ultra-specific fit and feel. Expect winter-ready layers that look as sharp as they function. Shop now.

Faves is a new athlete marketing platform built around a simple idea: athlete influence deserves real infrastructure. It helps pros earn from products they already trust while giving brands a more credible way to reach performance-minded consumers. Explore Faves.

Longevity & self-care

Evvy launched the UTI+ Test, a one-day PCR screen built to catch what standard urine cultures miss. By identifying 12 pathogens and 7 resistance markers, it shortens the trial-and-error process that leaves so many women stuck in repeat infections. Learn more.

Lumati introduced an at-home saliva Microplastics Test that identifies the types and levels of microplastics in your system. It offers a clearer read on an issue most people never see and a way to track progress over time. Order now.

Fitness & training

URUNN 2.0, Sir Mo Farah’s updated training app, now adapts your running plan based on recovery, schedule, and progress. Miss a few days or shift your routine? The app recalibrates automatically so you can stay on track without starting from zero. Try it here. 

Superset just brought AI into Superset Sheets, giving coaches a smarter, faster way to build programs. It generates full periodized plans, recommends exercise swaps, and handles progressions in seconds without changing the spreadsheet-style workflow people already know. A major step forward for tech in coaching. Learn more.

On Our Radar 

What's moving in wellness this week → 

HYROX is taking the sport to sea. HYROX opened ticket sales for its first-ever HYROX Cruise, sailing October 2026 with stops in Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, and Marseille. It’s a race-meets-retreat setup: cabins, training sessions, events, and a traveling HYROX community. The brand continues to blur the line between competition and lifestyle, and apparently, the next frontier is the Mediterranean.

Life Time is bringing LT Games back bigger. Life Time is bringing back the LT Games this April after a sold-out debut, expanding its hybrid fitness competition built around a 17-station “choose-your-own-adventure” format. The event blends strength, cardio, and endurance in a more accessible way than most hybrid races, and this year it comes with prize money and a larger field.

Year-end recaps are rolling in. Tonal’s State of Strength and HYROX’s Sports Science Report both point to a simple truth: this was the year training shifted toward consistency, smarter progressions, and a little more purpose. If you missed it, here’s our breakdown of Strava’s Year in Sport.