Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and offering quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
Number you won’t forget
Weekly wisdom
The sleep mineral
Do cheaters prosper in the gym?
Arnold’s Podcast
Want more stories from Arnold? Every day, Arnold’s Pump Club Podcast opens with a story, perspective, and wisdom from Arnold that you won’t find in the newsletter. And, you’ll hear a recap of the day’s items. You can subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Longevity
Number You Won’t Forget: 35 Percent
If you ever wondered why we’re determined to create the positive corner of the internet, this study speaks to our purpose.
Scientists found that the most optimistic people have a 35 percent lower risk of experiencing cardiovascular events and a 14 percent lower risk of dying from any cause.
The study followed nearly 230,000 individuals over an average of 10 years. Researchers wanted to find out if having a positive outlook on life could actually influence physical health—specifically heart disease and lifespan.
The researchers suggest optimism might act as a buffer against chronic stress—which is a known risk factor for heart disease. Optimists are also more likely to engage in healthy behaviors like regular exercise, eating well, and maintaining strong social relationships. Additionally, they tend to have lower levels of inflammation and better immune function.
In short, optimism might create a virtuous cycle: positive mindset → healthier habits → stronger body → longer life.
You don’t have to be blindly positive. But training your brain to look for opportunity instead of threat can support better heart health and longevity.
Mindset
Weekly Wisdom
On Our Radar
The Sleep Mineral
Struggling with restless nights? A new study suggests that a specific form of magnesium could help you sleep better—and feel sharper during the day.
Researchers found that Magnesium-L-threonate significantly improved sleep quality and daytime functioning in adults who reported sleep problems.
Participants with self-reported sleep disturbances were divided into two groups—one receiving the magnesium supplement and the other receiving a placebo. Over the course of the study, researchers tracked their sleep patterns, cognitive function, and overall well-being.
The group supplementing with Magnesium-L-threonate experienced notable improvements in sleep efficiency, reduced nighttime awakenings, and better overall sleep quality. They also showed improvements in daytime cognitive performance, including focus and mental clarity.
Researchers believe Magnesium-L-threonate’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier makes it especially effective in enhancing magnesium levels in the brain. Magnesium plays an important role in regulating neurotransmitters and reducing neural excitability, which helps promote relaxation and better sleep.
If you struggle with poor sleep and groggy mornings, Magnesium-L-threonate might be worth trying. While general magnesium supplements can support relaxation, this specific form appears to be especially effective for brain function and sleep quality. The study found that 1,000 mg (1 gram) per day was effective.
Of course, good sleep hygiene is still most important. A dark, cool room, a consistent bedtime, and limiting screen exposure before bed will only enhance the effects of any supplement you take.
Fitness
Do Cheaters Prosper in the Gym?
When it comes to lifting weights, strict form is often preached as the golden rule. But what if a little momentum—a slight "cheat"—could help you grow more muscle?
New research suggests that a little extra momentum won’t hurt your muscle building in the gym — as long as you’re still doing full range of motion and pushing hard.
Researchers divided participants into two groups: one that performed upper-body resistance exercises with strict form and another was allowed to use more body language (think leaner forward and swinging your hips and elbows on biceps curls). Over a training period, both groups followed identical volume and intensity recommendations
Both groups saw increases in muscle hypertrophy, with no significant difference between those who lifted strictly and those who did “cheat reps.”
On paper, this all makes sense. Research suggests that a key driver of muscle growth is total mechanical tension and pushing your body near failure. The “hard reps” help push your muscles to grow, so as long as you’re maintaining high intensity, prioritizing tension, and pushing near failure, muscle growth should be similar.
But that doesn’t tell the entire story. The cheat rep group — as you might expect — was able to perform more reps and complete more total volume. In fact, they did nearly twice the volume as the strict group, and yet muscle gain was similar.
So while cheat reps didn’t prevent muscle growth, it also didn’t lead to more muscle growth. So those extra reps without good form not only didn’t have an additional benefit, but it’s possible that cheating could lead to a higher likelihood of injury.
The best approach to training is focusing on a full range of motion and good form. But if you need to cheat, just because sure it’s strategic so that excessive momentum does not remove tension from the target muscle, which can reduce effectiveness.
And that’s it for this week. We hope you all had a fantastic week. Remember, you all have the strength to lift up the world.
-Arnold, Adam, and Daniel
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
