Episode

Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
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2:06:45
Published: Mon Jul 12 2021
Description

In this episode, I discuss science-supported tools for enhancing focus, learning, creativity, sleep, physical strength and endurance and brain and body health. I explain each protocol in detail, the rationale behind it, and how the protocol can be adjusted depending on individual needs. I set these tools in the context of a 24-hour day as a way of framing how one might incorporate these tools and protocols into their own daily routine. 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) Introduction: Protocols for sleep, mood, focus, exercise creativity (00:04:23) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Thesis, Momentous (00:08:50) Protocol 1: Record Your Daily Waking Time & Temperature Minimum  (00:12:07) Protocol 2: Self-Generate Forward Motion (Outdoors)  (00:17:00) Protocol 3: View Natural Light For 10-30min Every Morning (00:22:43) What To Do If You Can’t View The Sun: Blue Light  (00:26:50) Protocol 4: Hydrate Correctly  (00:28:00) Protocol 5: Delay Caffeine 90-120m After Waking (00:30:48) Protocol 6: Fast (or Fat-Fast) Until Noon (00:32:30) What Actually Breaks A Fast & What Doesn’t? (00:34:30) Fat Loss & Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP1), Yerba Mate, Guayusa Tea (00:37:30) Protocol 7: Optimize Deep Work: Visual Elevation, Ultradian Cycles, White Noise (00:48:30) Optimal Time of Day To Do Hard Mental Work  (00:52:07) Protocol 8: Optimal Exercise; 3:2 Ratio (01:03:54) Tools for Training & Mental Focus: Fasting, Salt, Stimulants, Alpha-GPC  (01:10:00) Protocol 9: Eat For Brain Function & Mood (01:17:39) Protocol 10: Get Your Testosterone & Estrogen In An Ideal Range (01:24:00) Protocol 11: Reset the Mind & Body, Enhance Neuroplasticity, Reveri.com (01:31:15) Protocol 12: Hydrate Correctly, Nap Rules (01:33:29) Protocol 13: View Late Afternoon/Evening Light To Support Sleep & Dopamine (01:39:00) Protocol 14: Eat Dinner That Promotes Serotonin, Calm Sleep (01:44:27) Protocol 15: Optimize Falling & Staying Asleep; Tools & Supplements That Work (01:55:00) Protocol 16: Preventing Middle of the Night Waking (01:59:10) Protocol 17: Weekends, Recovering From A Poor Nights Sleep (02:05:20) Neural Network, Supplement Sources, Sponsors Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer

Chapters
Learn about science-backed protocols to optimize your daily routine for better sleep, mood, learning, nutrition, and exercise, among others, all supported by quality peer-reviewed literature.
00:00 - 03:39 (03:39)
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Science-based protocols
Summary

Learn about science-backed protocols to optimize your daily routine for better sleep, mood, learning, nutrition, and exercise, among others, all supported by quality peer-reviewed literature. This podcast covers behavioral and supplement-based protocols for optimizing various aspects of life.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Knowing your temperature minimum, the time when your temperature is at its lowest point, is valuable information for shifting your circadian sleep and eating schedules.
03:39 - 13:09 (09:30)
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Circadian rhythm
Summary

Knowing your temperature minimum, the time when your temperature is at its lowest point, is valuable information for shifting your circadian sleep and eating schedules. It is also helpful for understanding your body's natural rhythm.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Multiple studies have shown that generating optic flow through forward ambulation, such as walking or biking, can lower activity in the amygdala and reduce anxiety levels.
13:09 - 21:33 (08:23)
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Anxiety
Summary

Multiple studies have shown that generating optic flow through forward ambulation, such as walking or biking, can lower activity in the amygdala and reduce anxiety levels.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Blue light is important for setting circadian rhythms and should not be avoided during the day, but at night exposure to overall light, including from screens, should be limited.
21:33 - 26:51 (05:18)
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Blue Light
Summary

Blue light is important for setting circadian rhythms and should not be avoided during the day, but at night exposure to overall light, including from screens, should be limited. Wearing blue blockers may not always be necessary depending on the brightness of the environment.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Delaying caffeine intake 90 minutes to two hours after waking optimizes the relationship between adenosine and wakefulness, providing a consistent energy level throughout the day while also avoiding potential afternoon crashes.
26:51 - 34:12 (07:20)
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Caffeine
Summary

Delaying caffeine intake 90 minutes to two hours after waking optimizes the relationship between adenosine and wakefulness, providing a consistent energy level throughout the day while also avoiding potential afternoon crashes.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
There's a relationship between brainstem areas controlling alertness and eye direction, meaning how alert you are, controls how open or closed your eyes are, and vice versa.
34:12 - 41:22 (07:10)
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Brainstem, Alertness, Eye Direction, GLP-1, Yerba Mate, Guayusa
Summary

There's a relationship between brainstem areas controlling alertness and eye direction, meaning how alert you are, controls how open or closed your eyes are, and vice versa. Looking upward can create a state of heightened alertness and increasing GLP-1 levels by consuming Yerba Mate and Guayusa can support levels of alertness during fasting.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Low levels of white noise played in the background can engage brain areas involved in attention, focus, cognition, and memory, and can put the brain into a state that's optimal for learning and workflow.
41:22 - 46:40 (05:17)
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Focus
Summary

Low levels of white noise played in the background can engage brain areas involved in attention, focus, cognition, and memory, and can put the brain into a state that's optimal for learning and workflow.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Understanding your body's natural circadian rhythm can help you match your work routine and increase productivity.
46:40 - 52:14 (05:33)
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Productivity
Summary

Understanding your body's natural circadian rhythm can help you match your work routine and increase productivity. By identifying your temperature minimum and scheduling work during your body's peak focus times, you can optimize your schedule for better results.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Incorporating both endurance and strength training in your workout routine can be immensely beneficial for brain health, cardio health, and oxygen utilization, as well as promoting the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and limiting inflammatory cytokines.
52:15 - 1:03:45 (11:29)
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Fitness
Summary

Incorporating both endurance and strength training in your workout routine can be immensely beneficial for brain health, cardio health, and oxygen utilization, as well as promoting the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and limiting inflammatory cytokines.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
The scientific literature shows that meats and nuts support alertness, while vegetables are healthy for us.
1:03:45 - 1:13:34 (09:48)
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Nutrition, Exercise, Health
Summary

The scientific literature shows that meats and nuts support alertness, while vegetables are healthy for us. Engaging in physical exercise while fasted can amplify the effects of that exercise, not just increasing fat burn but also leading to cellular and organ health, and ingesting water with salt and potassium can improve mental clarity and physical performance.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
The quality of your diet and how you structure your day can impact your testosterone and brain function.
1:13:34 - 1:26:58 (13:24)
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Brain Function, Testosterone, Diet, Ginseng, Tongat Ali
Summary

The quality of your diet and how you structure your day can impact your testosterone and brain function. Additionally, tongue at Ali, a form of ginseng, can help increase levels of free testosterone.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
A new app that contains hypnosis protocols backed by high-quality science can help users enter a state of deep relaxation, which has proven benefits for executive function and overall focus.
1:26:58 - 1:31:51 (04:53)
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Hypnosis
Summary

A new app that contains hypnosis protocols backed by high-quality science can help users enter a state of deep relaxation, which has proven benefits for executive function and overall focus. Hypnosis activates specific areas of the brain associated with executive function, making it more effective than other forms of non-sleep deep relaxation (NSDR).

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Viewing bright light or even not so bright light between the hours of 10 p. m. and 4 a. m. can disrupt learning and memory, immune system, and mood in long-lasting ways, as discovered by David Burson's lab at Brown University and Samir Tahr's laboratory at the National Institutes of Mental Health.
1:31:51 - 1:36:50 (04:58)
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Bright Light Disruption
Summary

Viewing bright light or even not so bright light between the hours of 10 p. m. and 4 a. m. can disrupt learning and memory, immune system, and mood in long-lasting ways, as discovered by David Burson's lab at Brown University and Samir Tahr's laboratory at the National Institutes of Mental Health. However, getting some afternoon sunlight can prevent some of the disruption caused by bright light in the evening.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Our gut neurons can respond to sugar and trigger the release of dopamine in our brain, leading to sugar cravings.
1:36:50 - 1:43:23 (06:33)
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Gut neurons
Summary

Our gut neurons can respond to sugar and trigger the release of dopamine in our brain, leading to sugar cravings. However, adopting basic habits like eating nutrient-dense foods and blue light avoidance can support our biological functions, including brain function and hormone balance.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
Sauna and hot shower helps in the cooling down mechanism of the body, which helps in falling asleep more easily.
1:43:23 - 1:50:51 (07:27)
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Sauna
Summary

Sauna and hot shower helps in the cooling down mechanism of the body, which helps in falling asleep more easily. Longer bouts of sauna cooling lead to huge increases in growth hormone.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
A combination of 300-400mg magnesium threonate or biglycinate, 50mg apigenin found in chamomile, and 100-200mg of theanine taken alone or in combination has proven beneficial for many people as a sleep cocktail to aid in falling and staying asleep.
1:50:51 - 1:58:56 (08:04)
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sleep supplements
Summary

A combination of 300-400mg magnesium threonate or biglycinate, 50mg apigenin found in chamomile, and 100-200mg of theanine taken alone or in combination has proven beneficial for many people as a sleep cocktail to aid in falling and staying asleep.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab
The speaker emphasizes the benefits of deep-focused 90-minute work blocks and describes how to incorporate them into your daily routine for maximum productivity.
1:58:56 - 2:07:21 (08:25)
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Productivity
Summary

The speaker emphasizes the benefits of deep-focused 90-minute work blocks and describes how to incorporate them into your daily routine for maximum productivity.

Episode
Maximizing Productivity, Physical & Mental Health with Daily Tools
Podcast
Huberman Lab