About Vladislav
Vladislav Andreev is an executive performance coach for founders and senior executives, and the founder of O!Sapiens. Nineteen years ago he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a rare autoimmune disease, after a year and a half of severe pain and swollen joints that left him unable to walk. The verdict: no cure, immunosuppressants and anti-inflammatory drugs for life.
He took them for 14 years. But he never accepted the diagnosis — and while taking the pills, he kept searching. Fixing his sleep. Cutting pro-inflammatory food, excess sugar, and alcohol. Prioritizing movement, starting every day with a stretching routine. Not one pivotal moment, but years of daily behavioral interventions — until a doctor examined him and told him he could taper off. He has been medication-free for almost three years.
In 2025 he published a paper arguing that low-grade systemic inflammation is a primary and largely overlooked driver of mental health conditions. He now works with high performers to implement the Sapiens OS framework: a 10-pillar operating system for the body, rooted in evolutionary biology and built entirely around behavior — "the manual we never got when we were born."
What You'll Learn
Inflammation theory. Why Vlad believes low-grade inflammation in the body is one of the key reasons behind mental health issues — and the markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha) that point to it.
The sleep lie. Why almost every high performer who says they sleep fine is quietly running on a deficit, and what the science actually says about what the body demands.
Sapiens OS. The 10-pillar framework Vlad built to heal himself, in order of priority — and why he calls it the manual we never got at birth.
The curiosity deficit. Why the loss of curiosity in adult life is one of the most underestimated drivers of premature decline, and what restoring it actually changes.
The safety gap. The one pillar Vlad almost left out of his framework, and why it may need to come before everything else.
Structure that holds you. How the same routine carried him through two relocations, a separation, and the day Google wiped four years of company data — and the 80/20 rule that keeps it from becoming a prison.
Key Takeaways
1
"The solution is not a magic pill. It's the system that I built." There was no single turning point. Remission came from years of daily behavioral work — sleep, diet, movement, stress — implemented gradually, without a medical degree, until a doctor was surprised enough to say he could taper off.
2
Inflammation is the bridge between body and mind. Acute inflammation heals a cut; low-grade systemic inflammation is the enemy. When CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha are chronically present, they affect mental health, not just physical health. Vlad's eureka moment came in March 2025 — and he was "blown away" by how much evidence already existed.
3
The evolutionary gap is the root cause. Millions of years of wiring versus 150 years of artificial light, industrial food, pharmaceuticals, phones, and social networks. Our ancestors walked 20,000 steps a day foraging; we barely make 10,000. The gap between how we were built to live and how we live is what disrupts the system.
4
70% of your grocery store is pro-inflammatory. Ultra-processed food and excess sugar are "fuel to the fire" — an additional source of inflammation on top of the one already burning. Nutrition also means hydration and alcohol, not just what's on the plate.
5
The Sapiens OS: 10 pillars, no supplements, no drugs. In order of priority — sleep, nutrition, movement, stress management, social connection — then circadian rhythms (light and dark), sense of agency, meaning or purpose, rest, and curiosity. "It doesn't require any supplements, it doesn't require any drugs, nothing. Just behavior. That's the beauty of it."
6
The pillar he missed: safety. You can argue safety comes before sleep — it's hard to prioritize anything when you're being bombarded, bullied, or carrying deep-seated trauma. Physical and psychological safety may be the foundation under the foundation. "Maybe there's going to be a second version."
7
High performers who say they sleep fine are usually lying — to themselves. Science says seven to nine hours; roughly 1% of the population can get away with six. Vlad's clients claim great sleep, then admit to four hours. "You can biohack your way as much as you want, but the body will inevitably demand the reparation. The more we take from our body, the higher the interest rate is going to be."
8
Curiosity is a longevity pillar. Most adults have lost it — "I've seen it all, so it's time to die." Vlad argues that the loss of curiosity about life prematurely leads to decline, and that restoring it is part of the operating system, not a bonus.
9
The system is what holds you when life doesn't. Two relocations, a separation after seven and a half years, running a business — and the Sunday Google deleted four years of corporate data. He expected to ruminate all night. It took 20 minutes to fall asleep, and his sleep score was phenomenal. "I guess the system works."
10
80/20 — structure with room to live. Sleep is non-negotiable (less sleep meant more pain the next day). But rigidity kills social life, especially in Spain where dinner starts at 8pm. Eat healthy 80% of the time, savor the dessert the other 20% without guilt — and walk afterward to blunt the insulin response.
"The most mind-blowing aspect was that it's not the doctors that helped me. It was just me doing all this for many years. I do not have a medical degree."
"The vast majority of issues with inflammation are behavioral — and those are in the area of our control."
"Put the mask on yourself first. We are more likely to care about a relative, a friend, even a pet, than about ourselves."
Disclaimers
Medical disclaimer. The information in this episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Vlad's remission is his personal experience, not a protocol. Never stop, taper, or change prescribed medication — including immunosuppressants — without the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.
Statistics and claims. Figures quoted (grocery-store estimates, sleep statistics, step counts) are as stated by the guest in conversation and have not been independently verified by Peakspan.
