About Alex Ellis

I’m Alex Ellis, the writer behind The Soft Engine — a space built on the belief that every human is both resilient and fragile, powerful and in need of care. I write to help people understand, train, and restore the different parts of themselves, much like tuning up an engine that keeps you moving through life.

I didn’t start this work as an expert locked away in a lab. I started as someone asking hard questions: Why do we burn out even when we “do everything right”? How can we improve our health without extremes? What tools actually help, and which just create noise? Over time, those questions shaped into research, experiments, and writing that could serve others looking for grounded, evidence-based answers.

Through The Soft Engine, I bring together science, lived experience, and practical strategies to help people think, feel, and perform at their best — without turning life into another exhausting checklist.

What I Write About

I write about the soft engine, i.e., the human body.

• Mental Fitness: training focus, memory, and resilience like you would a muscle.
• Physical Health: building strength, stability, and daily vitality without extremes.
• Stress and Recovery: understanding how to rest, reset, and prevent burnout.
• Tools and Tech: exploring how modern innovations can support — not replace — human well-being.
• Mental Health: fostering emotional balance, self-awareness, and compassion in daily life.
• Biohacking: safely experimenting with nutrition, light, and lifestyle tweaks to optimize performance.
• Productivity: working smarter, not harder — creating rhythms that protect focus and energy.
• Sleep Recovery: learning how rest and repair fuel sharper thinking, stronger bodies, and calmer moods.

My Promise

I don’t believe in hacks that only work for the lucky few, or wellness advice that makes people feel like they’re failing. Instead, I focus on clarity, compassion, and credibility. If I share a strategy, it’s something I’ve researched deeply — and, more often than not, something I’ve tested myself.

The Soft Engine isn’t about chasing perfection. It’s about keeping your engine tuned enough to do the things that matter: create, connect, and live with more steadiness.

Experience and Background

I’ve spent years immersed in the worlds of psychology, fitness, and human performance, not as a distant academic, but as someone who wanted to make sense of it all for myself and for others. Along the way, I’ve collaborated with researchers, sifted through hundreds of studies, and tested practical strategies in everyday life.

I’ve also been a writer for close to a decade. Combining the two felt like a natural next step.

Through The Soft Engine, I contribute insights to a growing online community. My focus is always the same: translating complex science into simple, trustworthy guidance.

Outside The Soft Engine

When I’m not writing, you’ll probably find me exploring new books, testing simple movement practices, or chasing quiet moments away from screens. I believe the way we live outside of “optimization” — in rest, in curiosity, in connection — is just as important as the systems we build to support our health.

Connect With Me