If there was ever an ultimate sleep episode, this is it. 

Dan Pardi, sleep researcher at Stanford and Leiden University and CEO of humanOS.me, an application designed to promote health mastery, is here to unpack the exact science of deep sleep. And even better, how to get more of it. 

We discuss sleep stages, sleep physiology, the major causes of sleep loss in our society (think high reward activities and mistimed lighting environments) and the consequences of sleep loss, including decreased purging of toxic substances from the brain and damage to neurons that signal to the brain to stay awake. We also cover:

• The physiological benefits of slow wave sleep
• How sleep impacts eating behaviors and weight gain
• The optimal amount of sleep and the importance of sleep timing
• How sleep regulates the immune system and effects cellular senescence
• Effects of light on circadian rhythms
• Science-backed ways to optimize your “master clock”
• Dan’s favorite routines and products to biohack your sleep

If you’re looking to get the most from your sleep, this episode is for you. If you want even more after listening you’re in luck. This is part one of a two part series. Listen in now. 

Episode transcript:

Throughout history, people have sought the heights of human potential. Today psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Rick Hanson is here with us to explore how combining the latest neuroscience of awakening with ancient wisdom can help us tap into peak experiences, a sense of oneness, and even enlightenment itself. The discussion includes:

• What we can learn from Buddhist explorations of consciousness 
• The fascinating neuroscience of peak experiences, and
• Why we need both top-down and bottom-up processing for serenity in a changing world

Get ready for a conversation designed to help you cultivate an unshakable presence of mind, a courageous heart, and serenity in a changing world. Listen in now. 

Full episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/how-science-and-ancient-wisdom-unlock-mysteries-of-consciousness

Daniel Schmachtenberger, founding member of The Consilience Project and Director of R&D at Neurohacker Collective, is here with us today to shed light on the need for collective intelligence with which to navigate towards beneficial outcomes.

We discuss:

• The most important problems in the world today,
• How technology and social media are undermining sense-making,
• Why we need to reinvent democracy, and
• How to maintain existential hope in an environment of crisis. 

If we're serious both as individuals and as humanity about improving the world, it's vital that we intersect around the reality of our situation and the radical solutions needed to create meaningful change. This is Daniel’s take on the situation.

Episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/why-collective-intelligence-is-vital-to-navigate-existential-risk-today

Dr. Mark Tager and Dr. Molly Maloof are both members of the Medical Advisory Board at Neurohacker Collective and are here with us today to jam out on a whole systems approach to skin health. This is not your typical skincare podcast. We move right past the fluff and hone in on a science-backed approach to beautiful skin. 

Have you ever wondered how insulin resistance impacts skin health? We answer that. What about fatty acids, carotenoids, and ceramides - where do they fit into beautiful skin? We share the latest science surrounding that topic too. Here are few more subjects we spotlight during the discussion:

• How mitochondrial dysfunction impacts skin health
• How to eat for great skin
• Collagen for your skin: healthy or hype?
• How ceramides combat ‘leaky skin”
• Cutting edge cosmeceuticals for skin health

Chances are that healthy skin that feels good and looks radiant is on your health optimization radar. But to achieve those results you must start from the inside out. Tune in to learn exactly how to do that. 

Episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/beautiful-skin-from-the-inside-out-a-whole-systems-approach-to-skin-care

This episode is one that’s close to our heart. A small group from the Neurohacker team recently went to Rythmia, a beautiful medically-licensed plant medicine center in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Our goal was to better understand and experience for ourselves how fusing ancient wisdom and modern techniques, with a focus on shamanic plant medicine, can help us heal and live a life led by love to better show up in the world.

While at Rythmia, we interviewed Dr. Jeff McNairy, Chief Medical Officer at Rythmia. He shared with us an in depth view of the science associated with healing through plant medicine. We also discussed:

• The history and origin of the ancient shamanic plant medicine
• The neurochemical effects of plant medicine compounds
• Exactly what to expect during a shamanic plant medicine ceremony
• Who shouldn’t use plant medicine

And much, much more. We’re excited to share this very special interview with you. Join us by listening in now. 

Full episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/the-science-to-support-healing-trauma-with-sacred-plant-medicine

Rich Diviney, joins Jamie Wheal for a discussion surrounding the value and development of attributes. For those of you who loved Jamie’s Stealing Fire, Rich Davis (a nom de guerre for Diviney) was the opening story in that book. Their friendship and passion for peak performance, flow states, and optimal psychology runs deep fosters an educational and moving discussion.

Rich Diviney is a former Navy SEAL Commander who served in 13 overseas deployments. Throughout his career, Rich was intimately involved in the specialized SEAL selection process, whittling down hundreds of extraordinary candidates to a handful of the most elite performers. Oddly, which candidates washed out and which succeeded was often wildly unpredictable. Some had the right skills and still failed. At first glance others were more easily dismissible but would prove to be top performers. 

Rich discerned that beneath obvious skills were hidden drivers of performance, surprising core attributes that determine how resilient we are. And he’s here today to share that knowledge with us.

Dave Asprey, "Father of Biohacking" and founder of Bulletproof and New York Times bestselling author is here today to give us the low-down on how fasting changes the brain and body. 

There’s a lot of energy and exciting research in the fasting/longevity space, but what about the brain? How do the metabolic, cellular, and circadian mechanisms associated with fasting have direct and indirect influences on the brain, improving cognitive functioning? You’re in luck health optimizers, we discuss all of that and more, including:

• The how, what, when, and why of intermittent fasting
• How the food industry has altered natural eating behaviors
• The belief systems associated with fasting
• How intermittent fasting extends healthspan through circadian autophagy
• The scientific link between body temperature, fasting and longevity

Forget everything you think you know about the ancient practice of fasting and let Dave take you on a journey through cutting-edge science to examine how to upgrade your fasting game beyond calorie restriction.

Episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/scientifically-proven-ways-fasting-benefits-the-body-and-brain-an-interview-with-dave-asprey

We live in a time of unprecedented access to high reward, high-dopamine stimuli and it’s taking a toll on our minds and bodies. Today, Dr. Anna Lembke, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford University School of Medicine and author of Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence is here to help us maintain a healthy sense of pleasure seeking in life.

This episode has something for everyone: an overview of dopamine, an explanation of the pleasure pain-balance, an exploration of the impact of culture and social institutions on human behavior, and hormetic activities that naturally boost dopamine levels.

We discuss:

• How dopamine is involved in the pleasure-pain balance
• The role that serotonin plays in homeostasis
• Why a world if indulgence has led to dopamine deficits
• How flow states and human connections stimulate dopamine production
• Evaluating the risk-reward of psychedelics and dopamine mechanisms
• Leveraging hormetic activities to boost dopamine levels

Settle in, and get ready to learn how to maintain balanced dopamine levels in a world of pleasure.

Episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/how-to-maintain-balanced-dopamine-levels-in-a-world-of-pleasure

Our mental strength and emotional resilience play intrinsic roles in how we show up in the world. Mental fortitude helps us be fully immersed in life, fully aware, and fully alive. But how do we build an unbeatable mind? How can we retrain negative biases so that in life, when the metaphorical game is on the line, we can recognize that every negative – pressure, challenges, critiques – are all opportunities for growth?

Enter Mark Divine, expert in human performance as it is displayed in mental toughness, leadership and physical readiness. Today Mark joins us to discuss:

• The role that stillness, time spent in nature, and awe play in building mental toughness
• How to properly meditate and embrace sacred silence
• Why we need dedicated training in order to break negative brain patterns
• Three preparatory practices to train and focus the mind
• How to tune our bodies vibrationally to qualities that are experienced emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually

If you want to develop or strengthen your mental fortitude, this episode is for you. Listen in now.

Full episode transcript is available here: https://neurohacker.com/combining-neuroscience-and-mindfulness-to-build-greater-mental-toughness-an-interview-with-mark-divine

We're in a race between consciousness and catastrophe. Today, Dr. Roger Walsh, one of the world's leading experts on the mind, joins us to discuss how integral psychology, altered states, and spiritual practices can help us meet our current global crises while building a “bunker of light” for future generations. We discuss: 

• Somatic, emotional, mental and spiritual intelligence
• How spiritual practices help us maintain radical hope
• The four enemies of knowledge
• Three constructive actions to respond skillfully to stress

Listen in as we deep dive into the nature of wisdom, human behavior, and spiritual practices to help us transcend to a higher-consciousness civilization.

Full episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/how-integral-psychology-helps-us-meet-the-global-meta-crisis-an-interview-with-roger-walsh-m-d-ph-d-dhl