Biological System
Chronic Inflammation
The slow burn underneath nearly every age-related disease.
What it is
Chronic, low-grade inflammation is the immune system stuck in the 'on' position. It accelerates aging at every level — cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic.
Inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, hs-CRP) tick up silently for years before symptoms appear.
Sleep loss, visceral fat, and dysbiosis are the three most-modifiable drivers in modern life.
Signs of dysfunction
- Joint stiffness in the morning
- Skin redness, eczema, persistent acne
- Slow recovery from training
- Elevated hs-CRP on bloodwork
- Persistent fatigue despite sleep
Levers
What moves the system.
Sleep architecture
7–9h with deep + REM sleep prioritized. Inflammation drops measurably in 7 days.
See Better Sleep protocol →Recommended stack
Tools for this system.
References
- · Nature Medicine, 2019 — Inflammaging and chronic disease risk.
- · JAMA, 2021 — Sleep deprivation and CRP elevation.