About Me - Doug Kilgore

Doug Kilgore, wellness blogger and software architect

Hi, I’m Doug. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve personally tested hundreds of different wellness products and lifestyle solutions, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of my own money. Now I share what actually worked.

As a software architect/engineer who spent years designing complex systems, I eventually turned that same analytical approach toward solving my own health challenges. Sleep deprivation. Chronic Stress. Burnout. The whole package.

What Makes This Site Different

Testing over many years

Most wellness blogs test products for a few days. I’ve been at this for more than 25 years.

data-driven experiments

Using a systematic approach when introducing something new into my daily regimen.

Real reviews, Not Sponsored

I’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars
of my own money over many years.

real context, not just tips

I’m sharing direct experience from my wellness journey. Solving real issues, not just generic tips.

Like a lot of people in tech, I spent years ignoring stress until it caught up with me – Hard. Sleep deprivation. Chronic exhaustion. Full burnout. I needed solutions, not theories. That’s when I started learning everything I could about restoring the body and mind naturally. What began as a personal crisis turned into 25 years of systematic testing, tracking every variable, and documenting what moved the needle.

My Journey from burnout to balance

1999

Intense work schedule

After a few years of working 70 hour weeks, I hit a wall. I decided to quit working to regroup and understand why I was experiencing so much anxiety and feeling burned out.

During this time off I tried a traditional sauna for the first time as well as going to my first in person meditation class.

2002

Got a little more serious about wellness

I attended my first mindfulness based stress reduction course. Went on my first week-long meditation retreat, in Thailand.

2004

things got a little hot

I bought my first infrared sauna for home. I experimented and used it regularly for almost 10 years. I started taking courses on TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) which included herbal medicine, nutrition, qigong practice.

I started experimenting with supplements on a slightly larger scale to learn how they could support and improve my health.

2006

Looking for more answers

I bought my own ionic foot bath system for home use and tested at least 20 other wellness devices looking for other ways to improve my health.

2015

things got complicated

I went through major stress during this time. I stopped following my normal protocols and my health started to decline. My sleep took a major hit. I started experimenting with sleep tech.

I discovered white noise and other sleep sounds and started creating my own. I’ve been creating them for over 10 years along with meditation music. They’re available on YouTube and all major streaming platforms.

During this time I also began having intense headaches after working on the computer. With the kind of work that I do, I have to use a computer. I discovered that all the blue light was the cause and started using blue light reducing glasses. The headaches were gone after that.

2018

got deep into supplements

During this time I started researching deeply into supplements. Running many different protocols and trying different approaches. Eventually I figured out my core stack, the supplements that supported my stress levels, improved overall well being and sleep. I also got my first PEMF mat.

2019

Experiments with steam

I didn’t want to get into an expensive or complicated sauna setup so I opted for a $200 portable steam sauna. It worked surprisingly well. I experimented with different protocols to find what worked best.

2021

Back to conventional

I went back to using a conventional sauna at the gym on a regular basis. I also experimented with two other PEMF devices of different intensities, red light therapy, cold therapy, cranial electrical stimulation devices and Oura ring.

2024

Bringing it all together

After all the testing and experimentation I figured out what was working the best for me and built a daily routine from it. I had my favorite wellness tech that was working, my core supplement stack, and finally felt like I found the true meaning of balance.

My Approach

My background in tech has taught me to think systematically; to measure, adjust, and look for patterns. I bring that same mindset to health and wellness: grounded, data-aware, and realistic.

Start Here

The Complete Sauna Guide: 25 Years of Testing Every Major Sauna Type

After over two decades of using traditional, infrared and portable steam saunas. I’ve documented what actually works for recovery, sleep and overall health. This is my most comprehensive guide, everything I wish I knew when I started.

Read Complete Guide

25 Years of Sauna Exploration to Find The Best Benefits