The College of Glycation is an educational video series dedicated to helping viewers understand one of the most critical and often overlooked processes in human biology: glycation. Led by Dr. Paul Reynolds, Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at Brigham Young University, this series explores how sugar interacts with proteins and fats in the body, forming harmful compounds called Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs). These compounds accelerate aging, contribute to chronic diseases, and play a key role in metabolic dysfunction. Each video is designed to break down complex topics into clear, practical insights. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, student, or simply someone seeking to improve your health, this series will give you a deeper understanding of the biological roots of inflammation, insulin resistance, and cellular damage—and what you can do to address them.
Curated by: PaulReynoldsPhD (74 videos)
In this essential episode of the College of Glycation series, Dr. Paul Reynolds—Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology—uncovers the hidden but powerful connection between glycation and sleep. Building on prior episodes exploring glycation’s impact on the brain and cardiovascular system, Dr. Reynolds now shows how sugar-driven molecular damage undermines our most restorative biological function: sleep. Glycation, through its toxic byproducts known as AGEs (advanced glycation end products), doesn’t stop when we go to bed. Instead, it sabotages sleep quality by impairing melatonin production, damaging neural circuits that regulate circadian rhythms, and fueling sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. By stiffening tissues, disrupting hormones, and driving inflammation, AGEs create a vicious cycle—poor sleep worsens insulin resistance, which increases glycation, which in turn fragments sleep even more. This lecture traces the science from landmark studies on sleep and glucose metabolism to cutting-edge insights into circadian biology. Most importantly, Dr. Reynolds highlights practical, evidence-based strategies—nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep hygiene—that can break the cycle, reduce AGE burden, and restore healthy, regenerative sleep. Topics Covered: -What glycation is and how it disrupts sleep physiology -The role of AGEs in reducing melatonin and impairing circadian rhythms -How glycation worsens sleep disorders (insomnia, apnea, RLS) -The vicious cycle of sleep loss, insulin resistance, and glycation -Lifestyle interventions to lower AGEs and improve sleep quality Timestamps: 0:00 Intro – College of Glycation & episode theme 0:40 What is glycation? (quick refresher) 1:21 Glycation’s long-term effects on tissues 2:02 Sleep stages explained – NREM & REM 2:46 How poor sleep drives insulin resistance 3:27 Vicious cycle: sleep, insulin resistance & glycation 4:10 Melatonin & pineal gland damage from glycation 4:58 How glycation disrupts circadian rhythms 5:45 Orexin signaling, wakefulness & narcolepsy link 6:34 Glycation, inflammation & fragile sleep systems 7:18 Sleep apnea and glycation feedback loop 8:00 Insomnia, inflammation & cortisol dysregulation 8:46 RAGE pathway & pro-inflammatory cascade 9:31 Cytokines, IL-6, TNF-α, and sleep disruption 10:17 Restless Leg Syndrome & glycation link 11:01 Lifestyle levers you can control 11:44 Diet: reducing dietary AGEs 12:28 Exercise: improving insulin sensitivity & sleep quality 13:11 Stress management & breathwork for cortisol 13:54 Sleep hygiene & circadian rhythm maintenance 15:14 Circadian rhythm disorders & glycation’s role 15:59 Genes, SCN, and circadian clock disruption 16:47 Closing thoughts – glycation sabotages sleep 17:37 Tools for breaking the vicious cycle 18:18 Final words & sign-off Whether you struggle with insomnia, apnea, or simply want to protect long-term health, this episode equips you with the science and actionable tools to reclaim restful, restorative sleep. About Dr. Paul Reynolds Dr. Reynolds is a dynamic educator and biomedical scientist at Brigham Young University, known for making complex metabolic pathways both understandable and engaging. His College of Glycation series empowers individuals to confront the silent molecular processes that drive aging, chronic disease, and now—even poor sleep. #sleep #sleepapnea #insomnia #sleephygeine #stressmanagement #rem #melatonin #circadian #Glycation #AGEs #inflammation #OxidativeStress #ROS #Redox #CollegeOfGlycation #Ketodiet #LowCarb #InsulinResistance #HealthyAging #SugarDamage #HealthyLiving #KetoDiet #LowCarb #HealthPodcast #AntiAging #Nutrition #BiomedicalScience #BloodSugar #Wellness #HealthTips #SciencePodcast #HealthyEating #CellularHealth #Keto #KetoCommunity Paul’s favorite yerba mate: https://ufeelgreat.com/usa/en/c/C63EE3 Paul’s favorite source for clean, earth-sourced essentials such as salt, elecrolytes, hydration, pre-workout and more. Go to https://redmond.life and use PAULSALT for 15% discount. Paul’s favorite exogenous ketones: A high-quality option is the NSF-certified goBHB from Clean Form Nutrition, where you can use the code Paul10 for a 10% discount: https://cleanformnutrition.com/products/go-bhb Paul’s favorite allulose source: https://rxsugar.com (discount: PAUL20) Paul’s favorite health check-up for men or women: https://blokes.co/DRPAUL (discount: DRPAUL for 50% off of labs and smart supplements and 15% off all other products)