We Speak Wellness & Self-Care

Sleeping Less Than Seven Hours Linked to Lower Life Expectancy in Nationwide OHSU Study

Published

10 months ago

January 8, 2026

Sleep may say more about how long people live than what they eat or how much they exercise — at least by association. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) found that insufficient sleep was more strongly associated with reduced life expectancy than diet, physical activity or social isolation, in a study published in SLEEP Advances, the journal of the Sleep Research Society. The findings were announced January 8, 2026.

The team analyzed county-level life expectancy figures against U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey data — the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System — from 2019 through 2025, covering counties across the United States. Insufficient sleep was defined as sleeping less than seven hours a night, the threshold the CDC draws from American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society guidance. The researchers report this was the first study to track year-by-year associations between sleep and life expectancy across states.

In the study’s main model, only smoking showed a stronger association with life expectancy than insufficient sleep, and the association held after accounting for physical inactivity, employment status and education. ScienceAlert’s coverage of the study notes a nuance worth keeping: in a second model that added obesity and diabetes, obesity also ranked above sleep.

“We’ve always thought sleep is important, but this research really drives that point home: People really should strive to get seven to nine hours of sleep if at all possible,” said senior author Andrew McHill, Ph.D., an associate professor in the OHSU School of Nursing. Lead author is Kathryn E. McAuliffe. The researchers and the university are clear about the study’s limits: it is observational, it did not examine biological mechanisms, and it cannot prove that short sleep causes shorter lives. The work was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

We Speak Wellness & Self-Care

It’s A Secret Med Spa Celebrates Houston Grand Opening on September 24

Published

4 days ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

A guest at the It's A Secret Med Spa Houston grand opening

It’s A Secret Med Spa welcomes Houston to its new Post Oak location

It’s A Secret Med Spa celebrated the grand opening of its Houston location at 1800 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 6130, with exclusive daytime specials and a Grand Opening Party on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

Located at BLVD Place in the heart of Houston’s Uptown district, the new location officially opened earlier this summer after relocating from Washington Avenue. The celebration marked the next chapter for It’s A Secret in Houston and gave the community an opportunity to explore the new space, meet the Houston team and learn about the med spa’s full range of aesthetic and wellness services.

First-time clients could celebrate throughout the day with 50% off Botox when booked in advance. The Grand Opening Party followed from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring exclusive offers such as 20% off injectables and skincare, 60% off laser hair removal and up to $2,000 off treatments.

The evening event also featured specialty drinks, light bites, a DJ, giveaways and raffle prizes. Guests had the opportunity to meet the Houston providers and learn more about the treatments and services available at the new location.

Attendees could also participate in an interactive Grand Opening Passport Experience. Upon arrival, guests received a passport and visited stations located throughout the med spa’s treatment rooms. At each stop, they could meet providers and learn about featured services. Guests who completed their passports unlocked additional event rewards and raffle opportunities, including the chance to receive 10 complimentary units of Botox to be scheduled and redeemed at a later date.

“We’ve been looking forward to officially celebrating this location with Houston since we opened our doors this summer,” said Garrett Gay, Vice President of It’s A Secret Med Spa. “Post Oak is exactly where we wanted to be, and this event is our opportunity to welcome the community into the space, introduce them to our team and give them the full It’s A Secret experience.”

The Houston location offers It’s A Secret Med Spa’s complete range of aesthetic and wellness services, including injectables, skin rejuvenation, laser treatments, body contouring, wellness offerings and personalized treatment plans.

About It’s A Secret Med Spa

It’s A Secret Med Spa is a premier luxury medical spa offering advanced aesthetic treatments in a sophisticated, highly personalized environment. With locations across Texas, Arizona and Washington, D.C., It’s A Secret has grown into one of the leading aesthetic providers in the Southwest and the largest provider of neurotoxins, dermal fillers and aesthetic treatments in Texas.

Follow It’s A Secret Med Spa on Instagram: @itsasecretmedspa