I Did Red Light Therapy for 3 Months So You Didn’t Have To
The author spent three months using a $1,000‑$2,000 red‑light blanket, 15 minutes five times a week, to test the hype around photobiomodulation. While research confirms modest benefits for skin wound healing, hair regrowth, and localized joint pain, the experiment yielded no noticeable improvements in mood, tendon soreness, skin texture, fat loss, or workout recovery. The piece highlights the gap between social‑media claims and the limited, condition‑specific evidence supporting red‑light therapy. It concludes that casual users should temper expectations and consider the high cost versus modest, slow‑acting gains.
A Monk’s Method for Falling Asleep Fast
Thomas Merton, the 20th‑century Trappist monk, described a simple visualization to fall asleep: lie flat without a pillow, mentally “remove” each body part from the feet upward until the body feels gone. The method, detailed in his autobiography The Seven...
Odds & Ends: April 3, 2025
The Art of Manliness "Odds & Ends" roundup spotlights Guster’s 1999 album *Lost and Gone Forever*, Thomas Merton’s spiritual autobiography *The Seven Storey Mountain*, and a favorite hot sauce, Ski Valley Salsa Verde. It also revisits the little‑known Sea Scouts,...
The SEEDS Framework for Boosting Testosterone Naturally
The Art of Manliness outlines the SEEDS framework—Sleep, Exercise, Environment, Diet, and Stress—as a practical, evidence‑based approach to naturally boost testosterone. Research shows that limiting sleep to five hours can cut testosterone by 10‑15%, while 6.5‑9 hours supports optimal hormone...
The 5 Most Common Watch Complications (And Which Ones You Need)
The article explains that watch "complications" are any functions beyond the basic hour‑minute‑second display, focusing on the five most common ones for everyday wearers. It outlines the practical benefits of date windows, chronographs, GMT/dual‑time, moonphase displays, and power‑reserve indicators. Each...
What Time Should You Wake Up to Do Your Best Work?
The article examines whether a specific wake‑up time drives creative success by analyzing 68 famous authors, artists and thinkers from Mason Currey’s *Daily Rituals*. While 6 a.m. was the most common hour, the data show almost equal numbers rising at 5, 7...
Odds & Ends: March 20, 2026
The Art of Manliness’ "Odds & Ends" roundup spotlights four distinct experiences: the 1986 sports drama *Hoosiers* for family movie night, Tom Junod’s memoir about his father’s legacy, a 16‑mile backpacking adventure in Arkansas’s Devil’s Den State Park, and an opinion...
The George Marshall Method for Leaving Work at 5 PM
General George Marshall, WWII Army Chief of Staff, managed the world’s largest military effort while leaving the War Department precisely at 5 p.m. each day. He slashed direct access to his office from over sixty people to six, created an Operations...
Odds & Ends: March 13, 2026
The Art of Manliness’ "Odds & Ends" roundup spotlights four distinct stories: Bill Zehme’s posthumously completed biography of Johnny Carson offers a rare glimpse into the introverted TV legend and mid‑century entertainment culture; the Garmin Forerunner 55 is praised for...
Odds & Ends: March 6, 2026
The Art of Manliness roundup highlights Derrick Jeter’s debut novel *Blood Touching Blood*, which immerses readers in post‑Civil War Indian Wars through the eyes of Buffalo Soldiers. It also spotlights BAMF Style, a long‑standing men’s fashion blog that dissects iconic...
Odds & Ends: February 27, 2026
The Art of Manliness roundup highlights four distinct topics: Karl Marlantes’ novel *Matterhorn* delivers a raw, first‑hand Vietnam experience; Billy Wilder’s 1944 film *Double Indemnity* is praised for its razor‑sharp dialogue and noir tension; the Jetboil Stash cooking system promises...