In this episode, my guest is Dr. David Berson, Professor & Chairman of Neuroscience at Brown University. Dr. Berson discovered the neurons in your eye that set your biological rhythms for sleep, wakefulness, mood and appetite. He is also a world-renowned teacher of basic and advanced neuroscience, having taught thousands of university lectures on this topic. Many of his students have become world-leading neuroscientists and teachers themselves. 
Here Dr. Berson takes us on a structured journey into and around the nervous system, explaining: how we perceive the world and our internal landscape, how we balance, see, and remember. Also, how we learn and perform reflexive and deliberate actions, how we visualize and imagine in our mind, and how the various circuits of the brain coordinate all these incredible feats. 
We discuss practical and real-life examples of neural circuit function across the lifespan. Dr. Berson gives us a masterclass in the nervous system—one that, in just less than two hours, will teach you an entire course's worth about the brain and how yours works.
For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman
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Supplements from Momentous
https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Dr. David Berson 
(00:03:11) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT
(00:08:02) How We See 
(00:10:02) Color Vision 
(00:13:47) “Strange” Vision
(00:16:56) How You Orient In Time
(00:25:45) Body Rhythms, Pineal function, Light & Melatonin, Blueblockers
(00:34:45) Spending Times Outdoors Improves Eyesight 
(00:36:20) Sensation, Mood, & Self-Image
(00:41:03) Sense of Balance
(00:50:43) Why Pigeons Bob Their Heads, Motion Sickness 
(01:00:03) Popping Ears
(01:02:35) Midbrain & Blindsight 
(01:10:44) Why Tilted Motion Feels Good 
(01:13:24) Reflexes vs. Deliberate Actions
(01:16:35) Basal Ganglia & the “2 Marshmallow Test”
(01:24:40) Suppressing Reflexes: Cortex 
(01:33:33) Neuroplasticity 
(01:36:27) What is a Connectome?
(01:45:20) How to Learn (More About the Brain)
(01:49:04) Book Suggestion, my Berson Appreciation
(01:50:20) Zero-Cost ways to Support the HLP, Guest Suggestions, Sponsors, Supplements
Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac
Disclaimer

Dr. David Berson: Understanding Your Brain's Logic & Function

Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience — how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. We also discuss existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.
Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology, and by courtesy, psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. He has made numerous significant contributions to the fields of brain development, brain function and neural plasticity, which is the ability of our nervous system to rewire and learn new behaviors, skills and cognitive functioning. 
Huberman is a McKnight Foundation and Pew Foundation Fellow and was awarded the Cogan Award, given to the scientist making the most significant discoveries in the study of vision, in 2017. His lab’s most recent work focuses on the influence of vision and respiration on human performance and brain states such as fear and courage. He also works on neural regeneration and directs a clinical trial to promote visual restoration in diseases that cause blindness. Huberman is also actively involved in developing tools now in use by the elite military in the U.S. and Canada, athletes, and technology industries to optimize performance in high stress environments, enhance neural plasticity, mitigate stress and optimize sleep.  
Work from the Huberman Laboratory at Stanford School of Medicine has been published in top journals including Nature, Science and Cell and has been featured in TIME, BBC, Scientific American, Discover and other top media outlets. 
In 2021, Dr. Huberman launched the Huberman Lab podcast. The podcast is frequently ranked in the top 5 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of Science, Education, and Health & Fitness.

Science

Health & Fitness

Life Sciences

Recently I had the pleasure of hosting a live event in Sydney, Australia. This event was part of a lecture series called The Brain Body Contract. My favorite part of the evening was the question and answer period, where I had the opportunity to answer questions from the attendees of each event. Included here is the Q&A from our event at the Sydney Opera House.
Sign up to get notified about future events: https://www.hubermanlab.com/events
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
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Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:00:15) Live Event Recap: The Brain Body Contract
(00:00:36) Sponsor: AG1 & Eight Sleep
(00:02:50) The Power of Mindset on Stress
(00:05:23) David Goggins: A Case Study in Resilience
(00:09:59) Exploring Time Perception & Frame Rate
(00:18:20) Jet Lag Protocol: Adjusting to New Time Zones
(00:26:44) The Science of Neuroplasticity
(00:26:49) The Transformative Power of Psychedelics
(00:29:26) Exploring Psilocybin & MDMA: Personal Experiences & Insights
(00:36:12) The Science of Sleep: How Temperature Affects It
(00:39:38) Understanding Stress Response & Habituation
(00:41:20) Personal Anecdotes
(00:47:00) Finding Your Passion: Advice for the Youth
(00:51:20) Closing Thoughts & Gratitude
Disclaimer

LIVE EVENT Q&A: Dr. Andrew Huberman at the Sydney Opera House

This is episode 3 of a 6-part special series on sleep with Dr. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and leading public educator about the role of sleep in health, disease and performance. 
We explain how our sleep architecture changes as we age. We also cover how childhood development and aging affect sleep biology and needs. We also discuss whether polyphasic sleep (multiple short sleep periods) is beneficial. 
Then, we discuss naps, including their positive benefits, individual variability, those who should not nap, and alternative rest states like non-sleep deep rest. Dr. Walker shares protocols to optimize nap duration, timing and effectiveness.
We also explore the effects of caffeine on sleep and other health aspects, as well as the optimal timing for caffeine intake.
This episode describes many actionable science-based tools for optimizing sleep, naps and caffeine use for better health and performance.
The next episode in this special series explores the relationship between sleep, memory, and creativity.
For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman
LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman
Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman
Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman
Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Sleep Structure
(00:01:29) Sponsors: BetterHelp, LMNT & Waking Up
(00:05:42) Sleep Phases & Lifespan
(00:11:58) Sleep Stages & Lifespan, Sleep Paralysis & Animals
(00:20:19) Adults & Biphasic Sleep, Modern Society
(00:25:14) Chronotype, Circadian Rhythms & Biological Flexibility
(00:29:07) Genetics & Chronotype
(00:31:42) Sponsor: AG1
(00:32:55) Biphasic Sleep, Adults; Body Position & Sleepiness
(00:40:09) Naps, Positive Benefits, Nighttime Insomnia
(00:49:38) Tool: Optimal Nap: Duration & Timing; Grogginess
(00:58:15) Nap Capacity, “Liminal” States & NSDR
(01:07:37) NASA Nap Culture, Power Naps
(01:11:49) Sponsor: Eight Sleep
(01:12:50) Tools: Nap Timing, “Fragile” Nighttime Sleep; On-Off-On Protocol
(01:18:57) Avoiding Naps: Insomnia, Aging & Sleep Quality Decline
(01:28:20) Caffeine, “Nappuccino”; Hot Drinks
(01:38:28) Adenosine Clearance, Sleep 
(01:43:10) Tool: Delaying Caffeine, Afternoon Crash, Sleep Quality
(01:49:06) Caffeine, Health, Antioxidants; Caffeine Tolerance & Alcohol
(01:56:54) Tool: Nap “Enhancements”, Caffeine, Light & Face Washing
(02:04:33) Polyphasic Sleep, Adverse Effects
(02:12:43) Sleep Deprivation & Car Crashes; Polyphasic Sleep
(02:16:49) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
Disclaimer

GUEST SERIES | Dr. Matt Walker: How to Structure Your Sleep, Use Naps & Time Caffeine

In this episode, my guest is Dr. David Yeager, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, and the author of the forthcoming book "10 to 25." We discuss how people of any age can use growth mindset and stress-is-enhancing mindsets to improve motivation and performance.
We explain the best mindset for mentors and being mentored and how great leaders motivate others with high standards and support. We also discuss why a sense of purpose is essential to goal pursuit and achievement.
Whether you are a parent, teacher, boss, coach, student or someone wanting to improve a skill or overcome a particular challenge, this episode provides an essential framework for adopting performance-enhancing mindsets leading to success.
For show notes, including referenced articles, additional resources and people mentioned, please visit hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
AeroPress: https://aeropress.com/huberman
ROKA: https://roka.com/huberman
Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman
Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Dr. David Yeager
(00:01:49) Sponsors: AeroPress & ROKA
(00:04:20) Growth Mindset; Performance, Self-Esteem
(00:10:31) “Wise” Intervention, Teaching Growth Mindset
(00:15:12) Stories & Writing Exercises
(00:19:42) Effort Beliefs, Physiologic Stress Response
(00:24:44) Stress-Is-Enhancing vs Stress-Is-Debilitating Mindsets
(00:29:28) Sponsor: AG1
(00:30:58) Language & Importance, Stressor vs. Stress Response
(00:37:54) Physiologic Cues, Threat vs Challenge Response
(00:44:35) Mentor Mindset & Leadership; Protector vs Enforcer Mindset
(00:53:58) Sponsor: Waking Up
(00:55:14) Strivings, Social Hierarchy & Adolescence, Testosterone
(01:06:28) Growth Mindset & Transferability, Defensiveness
(01:11:36) Challenge, Environment & Growth Mindset
(01:19:08) Goal Pursuit, Brain Development & Adaptation
(01:24:54) Emotions; Loss vs. Gain & Motivation
(01:32:28) Skill Building & Challenge, Purpose Motivation
(01:39:59) Contribution Value, Scientific Work & Scrutiny
(01:50:01) Self-Interest, Contribution Mindset
(01:58:05) Criticism, Negative Workplaces vs. Growth Culture
(02:06:51) Critique & Support; Motivation; Standardized Tests
(02:16:40) Mindset Research
(02:23:53) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
Disclaimer

Dr. David Yeager: How to Master Growth Mindset to Improve Performance

This is episode 2 of a 6-part special series on sleep with Dr. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., a professor of neuroscience and psychology and founder of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
We discuss basic and advanced tools for improving sleep and explain how sleep quality is affected by temperature, light and dark, caffeine, alcohol, cannabis, nutrition, meal timing, and different medications. 
Dr. Walker also provides strategies for coping with a poor night of sleep, wind-down routines, technology in the bedroom, insomnia, visualizations, and building sleep “confidence.” 
We also discuss the current status of sleep research for developing advanced techniques to optimize sleep. 
This episode provides numerous zero-cost behavioral protocols for improving sleep quality and restorative power, which can benefit daytime mood, energy, performance, and overall health. 
The next episode in this special series explores napping, caffeine, and additional protocols to improve sleep.
For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman
WHOOP: https://join.whoop.com/huberman
Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman
InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman
Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Improving Sleep
(00:01:16) Sponsors: Helix Sleep, WHOOP & Waking Up
(00:05:30) Basics of Sleep Hygiene, Regularity, Dark & Light
(00:12:05) Light, Day & Night; Cortisol, Insomnia
(00:18:45) Temperature; “Walk It Out”; Alcohol & Caffeine
(00:26:05) Sleep Association, Bed vs. Sofa
(00:29:43) Tool: Falling Asleep; Meditation, Breathing
(00:35:23) Sponsor: AG1
(00:36:37) Alcohol & Sleep Disruption
(00:40:01) Food & Sleep, Carbs, Melatonin
(00:49:25) Caffeine; Afternoon Coffee, Nighttime Waking
(00:55:52) Caffeine Metabolism & Sleep, Individual Variation
(01:01:19) Sponsor: InsideTracker
(01:02:04) Cannabis: THC vs. CBD, REM Sleep, Withdrawal
(01:12:03) Sleep Hygiene Basics
(01:16:08) Tool: Poor Sleep Compensation, “Do Nothing”
(01:20:23) Tool: Sleep Deprivation & Exercise
(01:24:11) Insomnia Intervention & Bedtime Rescheduling, Sleep Confidence
(01:32:58) Wind-Down Routine; Mental Walk; Clocks & Phones
(01:41:29) Advanced Sleep Optimization, Electric Manipulation
(01:50:07) Temperature Manipulation, Elderly, Insomnia
(01:58:57) Tool: Warm Bath Effect & Sleep, Sauna
(02:04:36) Acoustic Stimulation, White Noise, Pink Noise
(02:13:30) Rocking & Sleep, Body Position
(02:24:17) Enhance REM Sleep & Temperature; Sleep Medications
(02:28:35) Pharmacology, DORAs & REM Sleep; Narcolepsy & Insomnia
(02:34:12) Acetylcholine, Serotonin, Peptides; Balance
(02:40:45) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
Disclaimer

GUEST SERIES | Dr. Matt Walker: Protocols to Improve Your Sleep

In this episode, my guest is Coleman Ruiz, a former Tier One U.S. Navy SEAL joint task force commander. He served in Afghanistan and Iraq and as a BUD/S training officer. He shares his journey from childhood through the Naval Academy to elite Navy SEAL special operations. He shares the physical and emotional challenges he has overcome and discusses his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He also talks about the key role of mentors, family and friends in building resilience. Coleman gives us a raw, humble account of hitting rock bottom. He tells of the intense pain, fear, depression and suicidality in his journey of redemption. Coleman’s story is a real-life hero’s journey. He tells it with extraordinary vulnerability and humility. He explains the challenges and sudden tragedies that helped to ground, shape and renew him. His story will inspire listeners of all ages and backgrounds.
Note: This conversation includes profanity and topics that are not suitable for all audiences and ages.
For show notes, including additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.
Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode.
Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman
Maui Nui Venison: https://mauinuivension.com/huberman 
Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman 
Plunge: https://plunge.com/huberman
Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Coleman Ruiz
(00:01:55) Sponsors: BetterHelp, Maui Nui Venison & Eight Sleep
(00:06:06) Childhood, “Wildness”
(00:13:24) Wrestling, Combat Sports & Respect
(00:22:26) Divorce, College Applications & Naval Academy
(00:29:51) Sponsor: AG1
(00:31:22) Prep School, Patriotism, Fear
(00:40:08) Growth Mindset, 24-Hour Horizon
(00:43:02) Naval Academy, Mentor, Focus
(00:52:45) Wife, Work Ethic
(00:59:23) Sponsor: Plunge
(01:00:51) Navy SEALs, BUD/S, Hell Week
(01:04:51) BUD/S Success Predictors; Divorce & Aloneness; Rebellion
(01:16:30) Patriotism, Navy SEALs, Green Team
(01:22:15) Advanced Training, Tier One, Free-Fall
(01:26:13) Special Operations, Deaths & Grief
(01:36:08) Mentor Death & Facing Mortality
(01:47:49) Warriors & Compassion; Trauma, Family
(01:52:37) Civilian Life Adjustment
(01:57:39) Hero With a Thousand Faces, Civilian Return & PTSD
(02:07:03) Massage, Perspective, Space-Time Bridging
(02:14:10) Psychedelics, Connection, Warrior Culture
(02:19:15) Rock Bottom: Talk Therapy, Depression, Alcohol
(02:25:50) Emotional & Physical Pain, Vulnerability, Fighter Mentality
(02:30:42) Suicide, Asking For Help & Support
(02:38:32) Therapy, PTSD Recovery, Dread; Pharmacology
(02:44:54) Healing Process: Unsatisfaction & Asking For Help
(02:54:03) Daily Routine, Movement, Nutrition
(03:02:22) Manhood, Range, Parenthood, Surrender
(03:10:08) Current Pursuits
(03:16:01) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
Disclaimer

Dr. David Berson: Understanding Your Brain's Logic & Function

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