Cut From Steel

THE MAN WHO READS THE LABEL

This week’s hero is the man reading this right now. You opened this letter on a Tuesday morning and kept going. Most men skim a subject line and hit delete. That takes no effort at all.

You are a different kind of man. I have noticed it in the way you treat your body lately. A man like you reads the label before a bottle goes in the cart. He asks the pharmacist one more question, even when the line is long.

You have been told for years that a foggy morning is just age. A lost word at work gets blamed on the calendar. So does a name that will not come when you need it. You refused to accept that answer, and you kept looking for the real cause.

I want to tell you why that habit counts this week. Some of the fog men blame on age may come from a small box on the nightstand. A man who reads labels is the man who finds that box first.

You started your second act the day you decided to ask better questions. Reading the label is how a sharp man stays sharp. Today’s letter shows you which label to read.

Forgot a Name Again? Look in Your Kitchen First.

You can’t find your keys. A name you have known for years is right there, and it won’t come out.

Most men file that under getting older. Memory researchers at the University of New Mexico point somewhere else: one everyday kitchen habit they say to stop right away.

It is one small change. According to the researchers, it can strengthen your memory and sharpen your focus, starting today.

More than 47,000 people have already made this simple change.

Helen K. from Denver put it plainly: “I thought memory loss was just aging. Turns out I was wrong — and so was my doctor.”

==> See the kitchen habit memory researchers say to stop

THE PILL BY THE BED

You lie awake at midnight with your mind running. The clock says you have five hours until the alarm. So you reach for the box in the bathroom cabinet with “PM” printed on the front.

I understand the pull of that box. The pill works fast, and it sits on the shelf right next to the toothpaste. Most men assume anything sold without a prescription must be gentle.

You may want to check the back of that box tonight. Many of these pills get their sleepy effect from diphenhydramine, the same drug in Benadryl. Others use doxylamine, which is sold as Unisom. Advil PM, for example, pairs ibuprofen with 38 mg of diphenhydramine in each caplet.

IT'S NOT AGE. IT'S THE NIGHT PILL.

You were told the morning fog comes with age. Three facts point somewhere else.

01 / It blocks a memory chemical

Diphenhydramine and doxylamine are anticholinergic drugs. In other words, they block acetylcholine, a chemical messenger your brain uses to learn and remember. Mayo Clinic warns that these sleep aids may carry risks for people over 65, including a higher risk of dementia.

02 / Heavy use was linked to dementia

University of Washington researchers followed nearly 3,500 adults aged 65 and older for about seven years. The heaviest users of strong anticholinergic drugs had a 54 percent higher risk of dementia. For diphenhydramine, that level matched about 50 mg a day for more than three years. A study like this shows a link, not proof, yet the risk climbed as use went up.

03 / The sleep it buys wears off

Mayo Clinic notes that tolerance to these drugs can develop quickly. The longer you take them, the less sleepy they make you. Many men also wake up groggy, with a dry mouth and a slow head. You end up with a weaker night and a foggier morning.

TALK BEFORE YOU TOSS IT

You do not need to panic or empty the cabinet tonight. Write down every sleep aid, allergy pill, and bladder pill you take, including store brands. Bring that list to your doctor or pharmacist and ask one question: “Do any of these have strong anticholinergic effects?”

You may have better options than a pill. The American College of Physicians recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, called CBT-I, as the first treatment for chronic insomnia. CBT-I retrains your sleep habits without medication. For allergies, the study team pointed to newer antihistamines such as loratadine.

I would not stop any prescription on your own. Some drugs need to be tapered, and your doctor knows your full picture. Shelly Gray, the pharmacist who led the study, said the same thing… tell your provider about every over-the-counter pill, and never stop a therapy without talking to them first.

One last thing. You have been guarding your memory for weeks. Check the box by the bed, because it may be working against you.

— Travis

Insider Member's Corner

6 free habits for a clear head in the morning:

You kept your head clear. Spend it on something worth remembering.

01 / Car · Jaguar E-Type

Jaguar unveiled the E-Type in March 1961. Enzo Ferrari is said to have called it the most beautiful car ever made. The Museum of Modern Art added a 1963 roadster to its design collection in 1996. A good Series 1 roadster now sells well into six figures. You can admire one at any classic car show for the price of a ticket.

02 / Pen · Lamy 2000

Gerd A. Müller designed the Lamy 2000 in 1966, and Lamy still makes it today. The body is matte black polycarbonate with a brushed steel grip. Inside sits a hooded 14k gold nib that fills from a bottle. List price is $279, and retailers often sell it for less. Keep it on the desk for the letters that matter.

03 / Trip · Walking the Cinque Terre

Italy’s Blue Path links five fishing villages on the Ligurian coast, from Monterosso to Riomaggiore. The full trail runs about 12 kilometers. Fit hikers can walk it in about six hours. The park suggests splitting it into shorter sections and starting early. Some stretches close after landslides, so check the trail page before you fly.