A Conversation with Barry Sandler, DO
What drives your work at Vail Health and the Vail Health Behavioral Health Innovation Center?
I’m motivated by a commitment to helping people live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. This means treating the disease but also understanding and addressing its root causes. At Vail Health, I focus on integrating science-backed therapies with forward-thinking approaches to optimize mental and physical health.
At the Behavioral Health Innovation Center, I’m the research physician on two studies that reflect this mission. The CHILL’D Study explores the impact of sauna and cold plunge protocols on depression, which merges ancient wellness practices with modern neuroscience.
Our second study, OPTIMIZE, investigates the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy for individuals with moderate or severe depression. Both studies aim to expand the toolkit for those who haven’t found relief through traditional methods.
Ultimately, I’m driven by the belief that innovation in behavioral health can transform lives and the future of medicine.
You’re involved with the new Healthspan program. In honor of Men’s Health Month, what advice would you give to men who want to improve their long-term health and wellness?
Men often delay going to the doctor until something goes wrong, but the real key to health and longevity is being proactive. The earlier you address subtle issues like low energy, disrupted sleep, or weight gain, the easier it is to fix. The goal isn’t just to live longer; it’s to maintain strength, vitality, and mental clarity throughout life.
At Vail Healthspan, we help identify and address early warning signs through advanced lab testing and personalized health strategies. We focus on hormone health, inflammation, cardiovascular risk, and metabolic health to optimize performance and reduce long-term risk of disease, helping you stay healthy and vital throughout your life.
We also emphasize the importance of nutrition and exercise as essential components of health. Start with the fundamentals: strength training, whole food nutrition, quality sleep, and consistent stress management form the foundation of a healthy and happy life.
Mental health is just as important. If you’re feeling burned out, anxious, or off your game, effective treatments are available. You don’t need to tough it out or go through it alone.
Can you share a bit about your background and how your training has shaped your approach to medicine and science?
I spent nearly 30 years practicing emergency medicine, where the focus is on rapid decision-making, acute care, and managing crises. It taught me how to act decisively, think critically under pressure, and treat people at their most vulnerable moments. But over time, I began to ask a bigger question: How can we prevent these emergencies in the first place?
That led me to pursue advanced training in Functional and Metabolic Medicine. This approach looks upstream at the root causes of disease and focuses on optimizing health, not just reacting to illness. Now, I combine the urgency of emergency medicine with a deep commitment to prevention, performance, and healthspan.
My work today is grounded in both clinical experience and modern scientific medicine. Whether it’s investigating psilocybin for depression or using advanced data to personalize a patient’s nutrition, hormones, or resilience strategy, I bring that same mindset to medical practice. By incorporating precise evidence-based medicine with a drive to help people live their longest and strongest lives, we are shifting the focus from reactive disease management to proactive human optimization at Vail Healthspan.
Healthspan launched its Phase 1 Pilot Program with Vail Health employees earlier this year, allowing us to refine the model and assess its financial sustainability before expanding to the broader community.
