- Kayla Barnes-Lentz is 33 but says biohacking has helped her reverse her biological age by 11 years.
- She views sleeping and red light therapy as biohacks, and says they are her favorite.
- Many of Barnes-Lentz’s longevity treatments are experimental.
Kayla Barnes-Lentz wants to live to 150.
And, according to her calculations of her “biological age,” she’s making good progress. The 33-year-old longevity clinic owner and podcaster, based in Los Angeles, told Business Insider that biohacking has helped her reverse her biological age by 11 years.
In contrast to chronological age, biological age is a measure of how healthy cells, tissues, and organs appear to be. However, the idea is contested because we don’t know how bodies “should” look at any given age.
Magdalena Wosinska
Barnes-Lentz has a lengthy list of experimental treatments she does to optimize her health and try to live longer — from taking cold plunges to standing on vibration plates to breathing in hydrated air — which means she’s essentially biohacking most of the day.
But of all her biohacks, she has two favorites.
Sleep
“Sleep is the foundation of health,” Barnes-Lentz said. “Going to bed early and getting high-quality sleep is a game changer for energy levels, focus, motivation, and overall feeling.”
She and her husband, Warren Lentz, wind down for the night by watching TV and cuddling. They go to bed at 8:30 p.m. most nights.
Masha Maltsava
Research suggests that getting less than seven to eight hours of sleep a night is associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and depression, as well as issues with focusing and reacting. But 36.8% of Americans get less than seven hours sleep a night, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some biohackers spend thousands on sleep hygiene products and tech that isn’t proven. Barnes-Lentz uses an Oura ring to track her sleep quality, but otherwise, she keeps things simple: she gets eight hours a night and never uses her phone in bed.
Business Insider previously reported on how to get the best sleep possible.
Red light therapy
Barnes-Lentz’s favorite tech-based biohack is red light therapy. Her at-home sauna has an in-built red light, so she can do both at the same time.
Masha Maltsava
She said red light therapy improves the functioning of the mitochondria, or the parts of cells that produce energy, which she hopes will increase her energy levels. In a 2024 study published in the Journal of Biophotonics, researchers found that red light appeared to improve the performance of mitochondria in the body — but there’s no proof this leads to overall better energy levels.
Barnes-Lentz has also posted on Instagram about how she uses red light therapy to reduce skin aging and inflammation.
It has shown some potential for improving the appearance of skin, such as reducing scars, acne, and wrinkles, but more research is needed to guarantee that it’s effective, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Some people buy $150,000 red light therapy beds or do red light therapy treatments at spas or medical centers. Barnes-Lentz combines red light therapy with time in her sauna, which she does every morning.
