Episode
Focus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
1:48:20
Published: Mon Sep 05 2022
Description
In this episode, I provide a list of behavioral, nutritional, and supplement-based tools you can use to improve your ability to get into a focused state to do mental or physical work. I explain science-supported strategies for transitioning into focus, maintaining focus during the work bout, and exiting the focus session, which is also critical, including decompression/defocusing tools. I explain when and how to use: binaural beats, caffeine, deliberate cold exposure, the pros and cons of working in fasted vs. fed states, and supplements and foods that enhance dopamine, epinephrine (i.e., adrenaline) and acetylcholine to promote optimal focus. Also, I explain how short behavioral practices, such as meditation and visual gaze training, will benefit your ability to focus over the long term. As deep focus is crucial to significantly improve cognitive or physical performance in any realm, this episode should be useful to anyone. By the end, you’ll have an essential toolkit of science-supported, low- to zero-cost focus and concentration strategies to select from that can be tailored to your physical and mental performance needs. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Focus Toolkit (00:04:42) Sponsors: LMNT, Thesis, Momentous (00:09:37) The “Arrow Model” of Focus: Epinephrine, Acetylcholine & Dopamine (00:15:15) Modulation vs. Mediation, Importance of Sleep (00:18:11) Tool: Binaural Beats to Improve Concentration (00:20:54) Tool: White, Brown & Pink Noise, Transition to Focused State (00:22:55) Warm-Up for Cognitive Work, Refocusing Attention & Neuroplasticity (00:26:14) Tool: Ultradian Cycles: Warm-Up, Maintaining Focus & Deliberate Defocusing (00:31:22) How Many Daily Ultradian Cycles Can One Perform? (00:32:28) Sponsor: AG1 (00:35:35) Virtusan: Mental & Physical Health Journeys (00:36:52) Tool: Fasted vs. Fed States & Focus, Prevent an Afternoon Crash, Ketosis (00:45:52) Tool: Foods to Improve Focus & Regulating Food Volume (00:47:53) Tool: Caffeine & Focused Work, Dopamine Efficacy, Alertness (00:52:55) Tool: Stress & Improved Concentration (00:55:46) Tool: Deliberate Cold Exposure & Focus, Dopamine & Epinephrine (01:00:39) Layer Focusing Tools & Design Your Own Protocols (01:01:19) Tool: Short Meditation & Improved Ability to Refocus (01:07:40) Tool: Yoga Nidra, Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) & Defocus Periods (01:12:13) Tool: Hypnosis & Focus/Deep Relaxation States (01:16:07) Optimal Time of Day to Use Specific Tools (01:16:46) Tool: Overt Visual Focus & Deliberate Gaze (01:20:42) Covert Visual Focus; Deliberate Gaze Warm-Up & Focused Work (01:24:43) Tool: Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (01:27:28) Tool: Creatine Monohydrate (01:29:10) Tool: Alpha-GPC & Acetylcholine, Increased Risk of Stroke? & Garlic (01:33:52) Tool: L-Tyrosine Supplements & Food (01:34:47) Combining & Choosing Focus Tools, Variability (01:36:50) ADHD Prescriptions, Training Neural Circuits, Maintenance & Reduced Dosage (01:39:19) Tool: Optimal Order Approaching Focus Tools, Prescriptions & Dependency (01:42:56) Tool: Phenylethylamine & Dopamine (01:44:50) Tool: Other Supplements to Enhance Dopamine, Epinephrine & Acetylcholine (01:46:46) Behavioral, Nutrition & Supplement Tools for Focus (01:49:12) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Momentous Supplements, AG1 (Athletic Greens), Instagram, Twitter, Neural Network Newsletter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer
Chapters
This podcast episode provides various tools for increasing focus and concentration, including behavioral, nutrition-based, supplement-based, brain machine interface-based, and prescription drug tools that have been peer-reviewed for their effectiveness.
00:00 - 04:26 (04:26)
Summary
This podcast episode provides various tools for increasing focus and concentration, including behavioral, nutrition-based, supplement-based, brain machine interface-based, and prescription drug tools that have been peer-reviewed for their effectiveness. The goal is to eliminate the legwork required to seek out and apply these tools, as most of them are completely zero cost.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
Acetylcholine, epinephrine and dopamine work together to help you focus precisely and increase your concentration over time within a single bout of focus, repeating the process whenever you want.
04:26 - 16:11 (11:45)
Summary
Acetylcholine, epinephrine and dopamine work together to help you focus precisely and increase your concentration over time within a single bout of focus, repeating the process whenever you want. The metaphorical arrow head representing focus and concentration relates to the mechanisms of acetylcholine.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
Peer-reviewed studies support the idea that using white, pink, or brown noise can increase focus and concentration by amplifying the activity of neurons in the prefrontal cortex and increasing levels of dopamine and acetylcholine.
16:11 - 22:10 (05:59)
Summary
Peer-reviewed studies support the idea that using white, pink, or brown noise can increase focus and concentration by amplifying the activity of neurons in the prefrontal cortex and increasing levels of dopamine and acetylcholine.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
The ability to focus can be improved through engaging the neural circuits responsible for focus repeatedly over time.
22:10 - 28:17 (06:06)
Summary
The ability to focus can be improved through engaging the neural circuits responsible for focus repeatedly over time. It is important to give yourself time to rest and idle as it is essential for your ability to focus and deepen concentration.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
The ability to focus is not only related to what happens during the focused bouts, but after them as well.
28:17 - 34:03 (05:45)
Summary
The ability to focus is not only related to what happens during the focused bouts, but after them as well. Deliberately decompressing by doing automatic or reflexive tasks allows you to drop into intense bouts of focus again repeatedly throughout the day.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast episode explores the relationship between blood glucose levels and cognitive function, specifically how having sufficient glucose in the brain can increase the precision with which neurons represent information in the environment.
34:03 - 38:26 (04:22)
Summary
This podcast episode explores the relationship between blood glucose levels and cognitive function, specifically how having sufficient glucose in the brain can increase the precision with which neurons represent information in the environment.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast episode talks about how caffeine dosage can affect a person's focus, and how to optimize it using tools such as ingesting caffeine with or without food and delaying the first caffeine intake of the day.
38:26 - 48:26 (10:00)
Summary
This podcast episode talks about how caffeine dosage can affect a person's focus, and how to optimize it using tools such as ingesting caffeine with or without food and delaying the first caffeine intake of the day. It also reminds listeners to be mindful of their caffeine tolerance to avoid discomfort, especially those with anxiety or panic attacks.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
Deliberate or non-deliberate exposure to cold water increases epinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain and blood, with the practice dating back to medieval times as a way to consolidate memories.
48:26 - 56:04 (07:37)
Summary
Deliberate or non-deliberate exposure to cold water increases epinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain and blood, with the practice dating back to medieval times as a way to consolidate memories.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
The repeated return to a state of focus from a state of non-focus or diminished focus helps improve the neural plasticity of the brain.
56:04 - 1:10:40 (14:35)
Summary
The repeated return to a state of focus from a state of non-focus or diminished focus helps improve the neural plasticity of the brain. A 13 minute meditation practice, in which you fully expect your focus to drift, but continually refocus is the most effective way to teach yourself to focus and stay concentrated according to studies, while NSDR and Yoga Nidra involve defocusing techniques.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
By practicing visual focus techniques, such as focusing on a particular location and refocusing when your attention drifts, you can improve your ability to focus and concentrate over time, as well as enhance relaxation.
1:10:40 - 1:21:35 (10:55)
Summary
By practicing visual focus techniques, such as focusing on a particular location and refocusing when your attention drifts, you can improve your ability to focus and concentrate over time, as well as enhance relaxation. These zero cost tools tap into the neural circuits within your brain and can help improve cognitive abilities.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
The intake of alpha GPC, omega-3 essential fatty acids, and creatine monohydrate can improve brain function, mood, and enhance cognitive performance, modulating brain circuits involved in concentration and focus.
1:21:35 - 1:31:32 (09:56)
Summary
The intake of alpha GPC, omega-3 essential fatty acids, and creatine monohydrate can improve brain function, mood, and enhance cognitive performance, modulating brain circuits involved in concentration and focus. Combination with caffeine, yerba mate, or double espresso can further enhance focus by increasing epinephrine levels.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast emphasizes the importance of using behavioral tools, nutrition, and if necessary, supplementation, to improve focus and concentration, teaching neural circuits to focus and concentrate more effectively and reduce reliance on prescription drugs designed for ADHD and narcolepsy.
1:31:32 - 1:40:13 (08:40)
Summary
This podcast emphasizes the importance of using behavioral tools, nutrition, and if necessary, supplementation, to improve focus and concentration, teaching neural circuits to focus and concentrate more effectively and reduce reliance on prescription drugs designed for ADHD and narcolepsy.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
Taking time to daydream and intentionally take a break from focusing can actually improve your brain's ability to concentrate and work more efficiently when you return to intense mental, physical or focused work.
1:40:13 - 1:46:10 (05:57)
Summary
Taking time to daydream and intentionally take a break from focusing can actually improve your brain's ability to concentrate and work more efficiently when you return to intense mental, physical or focused work. Additionally, experimenting with a combination of different supplements and compounds can help to achieve specific goal states like concentration, sleep or physical performance.
EpisodeFocus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
PodcastHuberman Lab
The Huberman Lab podcast has partnered with Momentous Supplements to provide the highest quality and most biologically and cost-effective supplementation protocol for listeners.
1:46:10 - 1:48:29 (02:19)
Summary
The Huberman Lab podcast has partnered with Momentous Supplements to provide the highest quality and most biologically and cost-effective supplementation protocol for listeners. They also discuss science-related tools and provide essential protocols through their newsletter.