Huberman Lab

In this episode, I discuss testosterone and estrogen hormones and how they impact the brain, body, and behavior after puberty. I also discuss how various behaviors such as exercise (resistance and endurance training) and sex or observing sex impact these hormones and their levels. I ask: "what specifically is it about such activities that impact testosterone and estrogen?"; the resounding theme is that when our nervous system is activated in particular ways, it drives our endocrine system and vascular system to activate or repress certain hormone networks in predictable ways. I also discuss peer-reviewed studies and protocols addressing (at a mechanistic level) how light, cold and heat, and respiration (breathing) can positively or negatively impact testosterone and estrogen. We discuss specific supplements and compounds that peer-reviewed studies illustrate can adjust testosterone and estrogen levels by changing their binding to other proteins, raising them directly, or changing other hormones released from the brain and pituitary. I discuss optimization in the normal reference ranges for these hormones, and I discuss pheromones, apnea, menstrual cycles, menopause and andropause.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:26 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:05:50 Hormone Optimization  

00:07:00 Salutogenesis: A Powerful Way to Conceptualize Health  

00:10:03 Estrogen and Testosterone: Sources, Levels and Ratios  

00:15:46 The Power of Competition, Plus: Anxiety, Persistence and Dopamine  

00:20:58 Testosterone and Libido Pre-Ovulation  

00:21:48 Estrogen and Sexual Receptivity; Libido In Males  

00:23:10 How Sex Behavior Impacts Testosterone: Observing vs. Actual vs. Abstinence  

00:26:46 Testosterone and Prolactin: Sex Seeking vs. Pair Bonding  

00:27:30 DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone): Effects on Levels/Ratios  

00:28:45 Behaviors That Decrease Testosterone (and Cortisol): Parenting and Prolactin  

00:31:24 How Illness Impacts Testosterone and Estrogen: Cytokines, e.g., IL-6  

00:33:20 How Exactly Do Behaviors Change Hormones?  

00:34:18 Pheromones: Miscarriage, Menstrual Cycles, Puberty Onset, and Mate Recognition  

00:43:33 Apnea: A Powerful Bi-Directional Influence On Estrogen and Testosterone  

00:47:44 Mouth vs. Nose Breathing and Hormone Levels: Effects Via Sleep and Direct Effects  

00:51:11 How Sleep Adjusts Cortisol/Testosterone and Cortisol/Estrogen Ratios  

00:53:49 O2:CO2 Ratios, Nasal Breathing During Exercise  

00:56:30 Light Viewing Patterns and Hormones: Dopamine, GnRH  

00:57:44 Spring Fever: Tyrosinase, Hair Color, Mating Frequency  

01:04:39 Specificity of Hormone Effects  

01:06:03 Temperature: Cold and Hot Gonads  

01:14:10 How To Exercise: Types, Effort Level, Sequencing  

01:21:42 Cardio/Endurance vs. Resistance Training (First or Last?) Yes, It Matters  

01:24:41 Estrogen and Menopause: Compounds That May Ameliorate/Reverse Symptoms  

01:33:18 Nutrients That Optimize The Foundation For Hormones  

01:36:00 Opioids as Severe Hormone Disruptors  

01:37:23 Testes, Antlers and Ovaries  

01:38:50 Creatine and Increasing DHT (Dihydrotestosterone)  

01:40:14 Free and Bound Testosterone: SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin), Tongat Ali  

01:43:23 Nettles, Prostate, Boron, and Blood Brain Barrier  

01:45:27 Hormone Related Cancers: Sometimes Reducing Estrogen and Testosterone Is Optimal  

01:47:43 Ecdysteroids: Mimic Mammalian Hormones  

01:51:50 Optimizing Brain Hormones: Chorionic Gonadotropin, Fadogia Agrestis  

01:57:18 Additional Compounds, Liver Toxicity, Overall Milieu  

01:59:17 Summary: And Note About Additional Related Topic Coverage Coming  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I discuss how hormones such as testosterone and estrogen and their derivatives impact the early development of the brain and body and their maturation. I review published data on environmental factors shown to powerfully alter hormone pathways in animals and humans and the effects of cannabis, alcohol and cell phones on testes, sperm, ovaries and hormones. I describe the predictable relationship between genes, beard growth and balding patterns, and the importance of estrogen for brain development in people of all chromosomal sexes. Finally, I discuss how the hormones we are exposed to in the womb shape the relative length of our finger digits, the sounds our ears make (yes you read that correctly), and how those correlate with people's self-reports of their sexual preferences. As always, basic information and tools are discussed.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:30 AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:06:47 Announcement: Mood Meter App Works Again  

00:08:00 Maximizing Learning from the Podcast  

00:10:00 New Non-Sleep Deep Rest Protocol, Spanish Subtitles  

00:11:35 Sexual Differentiation: Hormones, Neurons & Behavior  

00:14:15 Hormones Basics  

00:15:26 Sperm Meets Egg, Chromosomal Sex, Gonadal Sex  

00:17:50 Y Chromosome Inhibition of Feminization  

00:19:00 Placenta Is An Endocrine (Hormone-Producing) Organ, Adrenal Testosterone  

00:19:45 Hormonal Sex, Morphological Sex  

00:21:04 Hormones Fast & Slow, Sex Steroids Can Turn On Genes  

00:23:06 Masculinization, Feminization, Demasculinization, Defeminization  

00:23:42 Primary Sexual Characteristics: DHT Drives Penis Development  

00:27:03 Secondary Sexual Characteristics  

00:27:43 Penis Sprouting: Guevedoces  

00:31:25 Estrogen, NOT Testosterone, Masculinizes The Brain  

00:33:15 Breast Development In Males: Aromatase; Puberty, & Steroids in Athletes  

00:34:50 Estrogen Powerfully Controls Brain Development In All Individuals  

00:35:19 Avoiding Hormonal Disruption In Children & Adults: Specific Oils, Creams, Etc.  

00:39:00 Environmental Endocrine Disruptors, Sperm Count Decline, Vincloziline  

00:44:20 Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome: Hormones Need Receptors, SARMS  

00:48:41 Estrogen Establishes “Masculine” Brain Circuits, Testosterone  

00:49:42 Cannabis, Alcohol: In Babies, Puberty & Adults  

00:56:25 Cell Phone Technology: Effects On Hormones, Ovaries, & Testicles  

01:02:33 Beards & Baldness Patterns Around the World, DHT, 5-alpha-reductase  

01:06:39 Creatine & DHT/Hair Loss  

01:08:20 Predicting Aging Rates By Pubertal Rates  

01:10:04 Hyenas, Baseball, & Jumbo Clitorises: Androstenedione  

01:14:26 Intersex Moles  

01:15:40 Marijuana Plants, Pollens: Plant-To-Animal “Warfare”  

01:20:08 Finger Length Ratios, Prenatal Hormone Exposure & Sexual Orientation  

01:29:13 Brain Dimorphisms with Sexual Orientation  

01:32:00 “Older Brother Effects”: Male Fetuses Might Change Mothers & Subsequent Brothers  

01:35:06 The Path Forward & A Warning  

01:35:55 Support & Your Questions  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I discuss the biology of emotions and moods in the context of relationships. I focus on the science of how early infant-caregiver attachment, combined with adolescence and puberty shape our adult patterns of attachment. I explain the three universal aspects of emotions, the reality of right-brain versus left-brain personalities, and how the roots of adult attachment are also grounded in specific aspects of puberty. I review what factors determine when puberty starts and ends, and the role of oxytocin and other chemicals in controlling how we perceive and remember others. As always, I refer to various practical tools including new tools for understanding and predicting our emotions before they occur, and neurochemicals that shape human connection.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:32 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:05:10 Announcing New Cost-Free Resources: Captions, NSDR Link  

00:07:40 Emotions: Subjective Yet Tractable  

00:10:53 To Understand Your Emotions: Look At Infancy & Puberty  

00:15:21 Your First Feeling Was Anxiety  

00:17:36 What Are “Healthy Emotions”?  

00:19:03 Digital Tool For Predicting Your Emotions: Mood Meter App  

00:21:08 The Architecture Of A Feeling: (At Least) 3 Key Questions To Ask Yourself  

00:24:00 You Are An Infant: Bonds & Predictions  

00:27:57 Attachment Style Hinges On How You Handle Disappointment  

00:32:40 “Glue Points” Of Emotional Bonds: Gaze, Voice, Affect, Touch, (& Written)  

00:36:34 “Emotional Health”: Awareness of the Interoceptive-Exteroceptive Dynamic  

00:37:50 An Exercise: Controlling Interoceptive-Exteroceptive Bias  

00:42:19 Getting Out Of Your Head: The Attentional Aperture  

00:46:59 Puberty: Biology & Emotions On Deliberate Overdrive  

00:47:58 Bodyfat & Puberty: The Leptin Connection  

00:50:34 Pheromones: Mates, Timing Puberty, Spontaneous Miscarriage  

00:54:37 Kisspeptin: Robust Trigger Of Puberty & Performance Enhancing Agent  

00:58:26 Neuroplasticity Of Emotions: Becoming Specialists & Testing Emotional Bonds  

01:00:25 Testing Driving Brain Circuits For Emotion: Dispersal  

01:07:48 Science-Based Recommendations for Adolescents and Teens: The Autonomy Buffet  

01:11:05 “Right-Brain Versus Left-Brain People”: Facts Versus Lies  

01:14:18 Left Brain = Language, Right Brain = Spatial Awareness  

01:16:15 How To Recognize “Right Brain Activity” In Speech: Prosody  

01:18:32 Oxytocin: The Molecule of Synchronizing States  

01:20:09 Mirror Neurons: Are Not For “Empathy”, Maybe For Predicting Behavior  

01:23:00 Promoting Trust & Monogamy  

01:27:00 Ways To Increase Oxytocin  

01:28:34 Vasopressin: Aphrodisiac, Non-Monogamy and Anti-Bed-Wetting Qualities  

01:30:43 Bonding Bodies, Not Just Minds: Vagus Nerve, Depression Relief Via the Body  

01:35:18 A Powerful Tool For Enhancing Range & Depth of Emotional Experience  

01:36:43 MDMA and Other Psychedelic Compounds: Building A Framework  

01:38:54 Roundup, Various Forms of Support  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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This episode explains the science of motivation and drive. I describe how dopamine — a chemical we all make in our brain, underlies our desire for and pursuit of our goals, as well as our capacity to move and experience pleasure. I describe how we can leverage specific behaviors, reward schedules and dopamine-prolactin balance to help ensure we can maintain motivation and capacity for pleasure over the long term. I also discuss dopamine in the context of ADHD, craving and addiction, and some absolutely amazing results about specificity of drug effects based purely on belief.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:30 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:04:22 Announcement: Spanish Subtitles  

00:05:06 Emotions, Addiction & Mindset  

00:06:22 Motivation & Movement: The Dopamine Connection  

00:07:29 A Double-Edged Dopamine Blade  

00:08:56 Dopamine Fundamentals: Precursor to Adrenalin  

00:10:15 The Reward Pathway: An Accelerator & A Brake  

00:12:10 Motivation = Pleasure Plus Pain  

00:14:14 The Dopamine Staircase: Food, Sex, Nicotine, Cocaine, Amphetamine  

00:16:15 Subjective Control of Dopamine Release  

00:17:40 Social Media and Video Games  

00:18:15 Addiction & Dopamine: Progressively Diminishing Returns  

00:18:48 Novelty, Sensation-Seeking & Anticipation  

00:20:15 Craving: Part Pain, Part Pleasure & Pain Always Prevails  

00:23:11 Desire Scales With Pain: The Yearning Function  

00:24:43 The Croissant Craving Circuit  

00:25:45 “Here and Now” Molecules: Serotonin, Bliss & Raphe Nucleus  

00:26:26 In Your Skin Or Out In the World  

00:27:25 Cannabinoids Lethargy & Forgetfulness  

00:28:15 The Almond Meditation  

00:29:30 Drugs That Shift Exteroception Versus Interoception  

00:30:36 Emotional Balance, Active & Passive Manipulation  

00:32:36 Procrastination: Leveraging Stress, Breathing, Caffeine, L-Tyrosine, Prescription Drugs  

00:37:04 When Enough Is Never Enough; How Dopamine Undermines Itself  

00:38:58 Dopamine-Prolactin Dynamics: Sex, Reproduction & Refractory Periods  

00:40:30 The Coolidge Effect: Novelty-Induced Suppression of Prolactin  

00:42:22 Vitamin B6, Zinc As Mild Prolactin Inhibitors  

00:43:25 Schizophrenia, Dopamine Hyperactivity and Side Effects of Anti-Dopaminergic Drugs  

00:45:08 Prolactin, Post-Satisfaction “Lows” & Extending the Arc of Dopamine  

00:48:00 The Chemistry of “I Won, But Now What?”  

00:49:00 Healthy Emotional Development: Child and Parent  

00:50:03 Never Say “Maybe” (Reward Prediction Error)  

00:52:02 Surprise!  

00:52:59 Are You Suppressing Your Drive and Motivation By Working Too Late?  

00:54:50 Disambiguating Pleasure and Drive: Dopamine Makes Us Anti-Lazy  

00:58:00 Beta-Phenylethylamine (PEA), & Acetyl L-Carnitine  

01:00:00 Attention Deficit Disorders, Cal Newport Books, Impulsivity & Obesity  

01:03:55 Leveraging Dopamine Schedules  

01:05:22 Subjective Control of Dopamine and Drug Effects: The “Adderall” Experiment  

01:09:03 Caffeine May Protect Dopamine Neurons, Methamphetamine Kills Them  

01:10:57 Nicotine: Dopamine, Possible Neuroprotection, Prolactin Increase  

01:11:53 Gambling, Intermittent Reinforcement, & Persistent Goal Seeking (Bad and Good)  

01:14:14 Intermittent Halting of Celebration; Enjoy Your Wins, But Not All of Them  

01:18:38 A Story Example of Intermittent Reward to Maintain Long-Term Drive and Motivation  

01:21:25 Corrections & Notes About Spanish Captions & Other Languages Soon  

01:24:00 Synthesis & Framework, Zero-Cost Support & A Note About Sponsors

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode explains the brain-body connections that allow the specific foods we eat to control our moods and motivation. I discuss the vagus nerve and its role in dopamine and serotonin release in the brain. I review Omega-3 fatty acids and the key role of the gut microbiome in supporting (or hindering) our mental and emotional states. Many actionable tools are reviewed and discussed related to fasting, ketogenic and plant-based diets, probiotics, fermented foods, fish oils, artificial sweeteners, specific supplements that promote dopamine and serotonin, and some remarkable behavioral (and belief) effects.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:31 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:05:00 Emotions: Aligning Mind & Body  

00:06:41 Nutrients, Neurochemicals and Mood  

00:08:39 Primitive Expressions and Actions  

00:12:30 The Vagus Nerve: Truth, Fiction, Function  

00:15:45 “Vagus Stimulation”: A Terrible Concept  

00:16:35 Polyvagal Theory  

00:18:27 Vagus Senses Many Things, & Moves Our Organs  

00:19:35 Sugar Sensing Without Perception of Sweetness  

00:23:00 Eating-Induced Anxiety  

00:27:30 We Eat Until Our Brain Perceives “Amino Acid Threshold”  

00:29:45 Reward Prediction Error: Buildup, Letdown and Wanting More  

00:32:01 L-Tyrosine, Dopamine, Motivation, Mood, & Movement  

00:34:04 Supplementing L-Tyrosine, Drugs of Abuse, Wellbutrin  

00:38:29 Serotonin: Gut, Brain, Satiety and Prozac  

00:43:38 Eating to Promote Dopamine (Daytime) & Serotonin (Night Time)  

00:44:30 Supplementing Serotonin: Sleep, & Caution About Sleep Disruptions  

00:46:40 Examine.com An Amazing Cost-Free Resource with Links to Science Papers  

00:48:05 Mucuna Pruriens: The Dopamine Bean with a Serotonin Outer Shell  

00:51:00 Emotional Context and Book Recommendation: “How Emotions Are Made”  

00:54:55 Exercise: Powerful Mood Enhancer, But Lacks Specificity  

00:56:45 Omega-3: Omega-6 Ratios, Fish Oil and Alleviating Depression  

01:01:00 Fish Oil as Antidepressant  

01:02:40 EPAs May Improve Mood via Heart Rate Variability: Gut-Heart-Brain  

01:07:24 Alternatives to Fish Oil to Obtain Sufficient Omega-3/EPAs  

01:09:05 L-Carnitine for Mood, Sperm and Ovary Quality, Autism, Fibromyalgia, Migraine  

01:16:29 Gut-Microbiome: Myths, Truths & the Tubes Within Us  

01:21:55 Probiotics, Brain Fog, Autism, Fermentation  

01:25:20 Artificial Sweeteners & the Gut Microbiome: NOT All Bad; It Depends!  

01:28:00 Ketogenic, Vegan, & Processed Food Effects, Individual Differences  

01:33:20 Fasting-Based Depletion of Our Microbiome  

01:35:20 How Mindset Effects Our Responses to Foods: Amazing (Ghrelin) Effects!  

01:38:30 How Mindset Controls Our Metabolism  

01:41:03 Closing Comments, Thanks, Support & Resources  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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This episode explains what stress is, and how it recruits our brain and body to react in specific ways. I describe the three main types of stress, and how two of them actually enhance the function of our immune system making us less vulnerable to infections. I review tools that allow us to control our stress in real-time, as well as tools to prevent long-term stress, burnout and stress-induced illness and anxiety. As always, we cover behavioral tools and supplements that can assist or hinder stress control.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

Huberman Lab Premium: https://go.hubermanlab.com/premium

Huberman Lab Shop: https://go.hubermanlab.com/merch

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:31 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:04:41 Emotions: A Logical Framework of Brain-Body Loops  

00:10:29 Stress: The (Falsely Narrow) Animal Attack Narrative  

00:14:31 The Stress RESPONSE: Generic, Channels blood, Biases Action  

00:21:08 Tools to Actually Control Stress: Reduce Alertness or Increase Calm  

00:24:15 The Fastest Way to Reduce Stress In Real Time: “Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia”  

00:29:45 The Fastlane to Calm  

00:34:53 Important Notes About Heart Rate Deceleration: Vaso-vagal Lag  

00:36:50 Cyclic Sighing For Calm and Sleep Induction  

00:37:57 Nasal Breathing For Cosmetic, Immune and Performance Enhancement  

00:38:46 Two Breathing Centers In The Brain  

00:39:45 Breathing For Speaking Clearly  

00:40:39 The 3 Types of Stress: Short, Medium and Long-Term  

00:42:10 Positive Effects of Short-Term Stress: Immunity and Focus  

00:45:32 Adrenalin (Epinephrine) Deploys Killer Immune Cells  

00:46:40 Cyclic Deep Breathing IS Stress: Wim Hof, Tummo & Super-Oxygenation  

00:50:58 Inflammation Is Useful and Good, In the Short Term  

00:52:02 Procrastination and Self-Manufactured Nootropics  

00:53:00 Relaxation Can Cause Illness  

00:54:30 Immune Activation Protocol  

00:55:20 Medium Term Stress: A Clear Definition  

00:56:07 Stress Threshold  

00:57:10 Stress Inoculation Tools: Separating Mind & Body, On Purpose  

00:59:50 Use Vision to Calm the Mind When the Body Is Agitated  

01:02:36 Beyond NSDR  

01:04:36 Long Term Stress: Definition, Measurement, Cardiovascular Risks  

01:06:30 Tools for Dealing With Long Term Stress  

01:08:20 The Oxytocin Myth  

01:09:15 Serotonin: Satiety, Safety  

01:12:00 Delight and Flexibility  

01:13:30 Chemical Irritants We Make But Can Control: Tackykinin  

01:15:40 Impactful Gratitude  

01:16:25 Non-Prescription Chemical Compounds For Additional Anti-Stress Support  

01:18:04 Melatonin: Cautionary Note About Adrenal Suppression  

01:19:15 Adrenal Burnout Is A Myth… But Why You Need to Know About It Anyway  

01:21:10 L-Theanine For Stress Reduction and Task Completion Anxiety  

01:23:00 Beware Taurine and Energy Drinks With Taurine  

01:23:30 Ashwagandha: Can Powerfully Lower Anxiety And Cortisol  

01:25:50 Examine.com Is An Amazing Free Resource  

01:26:20 How This All Relates to Emotions: State Versus Demand = Valence  

01:32:00 Modulating Reactivity, Mindfulness, & Functionality With Objective Tools  

01:34:00 Next Steps  

01:35:40 Topic Suggestions, Subscriptions and Reviews Please  

01:37:40 Additional Resources, Synthesis  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I describe the science of how and why pain arises in the body and brain, and how we can actively control our experience of pain. I discuss inflammation, stress, acupuncture, limb damage and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). I review protocols that leverage the lymphatic and nervous system to accelerate pain relief and healing in a variety of situations. Other topics discussed include how heat versus cold impacts neurons and wounds, red-light, sunlight, stem cells and more. 

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction/Avenues for Support  

00:00:31 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:04:58 Deliberate Unlearning  

00:06:43 Pain, Injury and Regeneration  

00:09:17 A System of Touch (Somatosensation)  

00:11:42 Pain and Injury are Dissociable  

00:15:19 Objective versus Subjective Control of Experience  

00:16:15 Plasticity of Perception  

00:16:41 Lack of Pain Is Self-Destructive; So Is Excessive Pain  

00:18:42 Homoculous, Ratonculous, Dogunculus  

00:19:05 “Sensitivity” explained  

00:21:30 Inflammation  

00:22:24 Phantom Limb Pain  

00:24:00 Top-down Relief of Pain by Vision  

00:26:41 From Deaf to Hearing Sounds  

00:28:10 Pain Is In The Mind & Body  

00:29:44 Recovering Movement Faster After Injury  

00:35:00 Don’t Over Compensate  

00:37:34 Concussion, TBI & Brain Ageing  

00:40:49 The Brain’s Sewage Treatment System: Glymphatic Clearance  

00:43:05 Body Position & Angle During Sleep  

00:44:30 Types of Exercise For Restoring & Maintaining Brain Health  

00:47:33 Ambulance Cells in The Brain  

00:49:20 True Pain Control by Belief and Context  

00:51:45 Romantic Love and Pain  

00:55:05 Dopaminergic Control of Pain  

00:57:15 Acupuncture: Rigorous Scientific Assessment  

01:07:32 Vagus Activation and Autonomic Control of Pain  

01:08:30 Inflammation, Turmeric, Lead and DHT  

01:11:40 Adrenalin: Wim Hof, Tummo, “Super-Oxygenation” Breathing  

01:14:53 Protocols For Accelerating Tissue Repair & Managing Pain  

01:17:55 Ice Is Not Always Nice (For Pain and Injury): Sludging, Fascia, Etc.  

01:22:02 Chronic and/or Whole Body Pain; Red-Light Therapy, Sunlight  

01:26:10 Glymphatics and Sleep  

01:26:29 Stem Cells, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP): Shams, Shoulds and Should Nots  

01:31:38 Young Blood: Actual Science  

01:35:44 Synthesis, Support & Resources

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I describe how to access focused learning bouts, creative states, and the underlying neural circuitry involved. I frame this in the context of our daily 24-hour cycle in order to make it practical, clear and precise about timing. I review the role of fasting, meal timing and specific types of nutrients for promoting certain states of mind. I also review various other tools and biological factors that directly or indirectly gate brain function and that we can control. I answer commonly asked questions about the science of psychedelics, binaural beats, and visualization. Thank you for your interest in science!

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:30 Sponsors: AG1 & LMNT  

00:04:53 The Daily (Learning) Routine  

00:07:13 Plasticity Is NOT the Goal  

00:09:26 No Obligation To Change  

00:09:59 Practical Plasticity Language  

00:13:37 Pillars of Neuroplasticity  

00:15:16 My Daily Routine: Chronotype Management  

00:17:20 Plasticity of the Wake-Sleep Circuit: Morning Light  

00:19:09 Delay Caffeine!  

00:21:19 Light, Black Coffee, Hydrate  

00:22:57 High Alertness, Linear Tasks/Learning  

00:25:12 Background Music/Noise: Yay or Nay?  

00:26:52 “GO” versus “NO-GO”: The Basal Ganglia & Dopamine  

00:28:37 Leveraging GO, NO-GO  

00:30:08 Non-Specific Action  

00:32:06 Clear, Calm, Focused: The GO, NO-GO Sweet Spot  

00:33:48 When Very Alert, Work In Silence; When Tired, Include Background Noise  

00:35:28 Temperaments Vary: And So Should This  

00:36:01 The 3 Hour-Long Post Waking Block  

00:36:20 Early Morning Exercise and GO Networks  

00:38:05 Fasting, Ketogenic Diets, & Food Volume  

00:39:41 Sodium/Electrolytes  

00:40:57 Avoiding Hot Lunch, Food Pre-Occupation  

00:42:01 Post Lunch Low/No Cognitive Load  

00:42:56 Hydration, NSDR, Nap  

00:44:54 Creativity Work  

00:46:26 Creativity Is A Two-Part Phenomenon  

00:51:15 Psychedelics  

00:58:20 Afternoon Light As Insurance  

01:00:26 Evening Nutrition  

01:01:21 Repacking Glycogen: Hormonal Factors  

01:04:11 Pre-Sleep Anxiety: Normal and Easy To Solve  

01:07:08 The Power of Objective Tools  

01:08:14 Visualization  

01:11:34 Mini-Synthesis  

01:13:31 Resetting Your Clock  

01:15:55 Don’t Trust the Mind Now  

01:16:59 Two, (Maybe 3) Optimization Bouts Per Day  

01:18:33 Organizational Logic  

01:20:22 Wim Hof Breathing, Binaural Beats, Ice Baths, Etc.  

01:24:42 Variation Among People, and Dogs  

01:25:49 Accurate Versus Exhaustive  

01:27:57 Familiar and New Ways To Support  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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In this episode, I discuss how we can use specific types of behavior to change our brain, both for sake of learning the movements themselves and for allowing us to learn non-movement-based information as well. I describe the key role that errors play in triggering our brains to change and how the vestibular (balance) system can activate and amplify neuroplasticity. As always, I cover science and science-based practical tools. Thank you in advance for your questions and for your interest in science!

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

00:00:00 Introduction  

00:00:29 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up  

00:06:20 Nerves and Muscles  

00:12:00 Exercise alone won’t change your brain  

00:12:58 Behavior will change your brain  

00:13:30 Remembering the wrong things  

00:15:00 Behavior as the gate to plasticity  

00:15:45 Types of Plasticity  

00:17:32 Errors Not Flow Trigger Plasticity  

00:21:30 Mechanisms of Plasticity  

00:22:30 What to learn when you are young  

00:23:50 Alignment of your brain maps: neuron sandwiches  

00:26:00 Wearing Prisms On Your Face  

00:29:10 The KEY Trigger Plasticity  

00:32:20 Frustration Is the Feeling to Follow (Further into Learning)  

00:33:10 Incremental Learning  

00:35:30 Huberman Free Throws  

00:38:50 Failure Specificity Triggers Specific Plastic Changes  

00:40:20 Triggering Rapid, Massive Plasticity Made Possible  

00:43:25 Addiction  

00:45:25 An Example of Ultradian-Incremental Learning  

00:49:42 Bad Events  

00:51:55 Surprise!  

00:52:00 Making Dopamine Work For You (Not The Other Way Around)  

00:53:20 HOW to release dopamine  

00:55:00 (Mental) Performance Enhancing Drugs  

00:56:00 Timing Your Learning  

00:57:36 (Chem)Trails of Neuroplasticity  

00:58:57 The Three Key Levers To Accelerate Plasticity  

00:59:15 Limbic Friction: Finding Clear, Calm and Focused  

01:04:25 The First Question To Ask Yourself Before Learning  

01:05:00 Balance  

01:07:45 Cerebellum  

01:10:00 Flow States Are Not The Path To Learning  

01:11:18 Novelty and Instability Are Key  

01:14:55 How to Arrive At Learning  

01:15:45 The Other Reason Kids Learn Faster Than Adults  

01:19:25 Learning French and Other Things Faster  

01:22:00 Yoga versus Science  

01:32:00 Closing Remarks  

Disclaimer & Disclosures

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode introduces neuroplasticity—which is how our brain and nervous system learn and acquire new capabilities. I describe the differences between childhood and adult neuroplasticity, the chemicals involved and how anyone can increase their rate and depth of learning by leveraging the science of focus. I describe specific tools for increasing focus and learning. The next two episodes will cover the ideal protocols for specific types of learning and how to make learning new information more reflexive.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:00:32) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Waking Up

(00:03:50) Plasticity: What Is it, & What Is It For?

(00:06:30) Babies and Potato Bugs

(00:08:00) Customizing Your Brain

(00:08:50) Hard-Wired Versus Plastic Brains

(00:10:25) Everything Changes At 25

(00:12:29) Costello and Your Hearing

(00:13:10) The New Neuron Myth

(00:14:10) Anosmia: Losing Smell

(00:15:13) Neuronal Birthdays Near Our Death Day

(00:16:45) Circumstances for Brain Change

(00:17:21) Brain Space

(00:18:30) No Nose, Eyes, Or Ears

(00:19:30) Enhanced Hearing and Touch In The Blind

(00:20:20) Brain Maps of The Body Plan

(00:21:00) The Kennard Principle (Margaret Kennard)

(00:21:36) Maps of Meaning

(00:23:00) Awareness Cues Brain Change

(00:25:20) The Chemistry of Change

(00:26:15) A Giant Lie In The Universe

00:27:10) Fathers of Neuroplasticity/Critical Periods

00:29:30) Competition Is The Route to Plasticity

00:32:30) Correcting The Errors of History

00:33:29) Adult Brain Change: Bumps and Beeps

(00:36:25) What It Takes to Learn

(00:38:15) Adrenalin and Alertness

(00:40:18) The Acetylcholine Spotlight

(00:42:26) The Chemical Trio For Massive Brain Change

(00:44:10) Ways To Change Your Brain

(00:46:16) Love, Hate, & Shame: all the same chemical

(00:47:30) The Dopamine Trap

(00:49:40) Nicotine for Focus

(00:52:30) Sprinting

(00:53:30) How to Focus

(00:55:22) Adderall: Use & Abuse

(00:56:40) Seeing Your Way To Mental Focus

(01:02:59) Blinking

(01:05:30) And Ear Toward Learning

(01:06:14) The Best Listeners In The World

(01:07:20) Agitation is Key

(01:07:40) ADHD & ADD: Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder

(01:12:00) Ultra(dian) Focus

(01:13:30) When Real Change Occurs

(01:16:20) How Much Learning Is Enough?

(01:16:50) Learning In (Optic) Flow/Mind Drift

(01:18:16) Synthesis/Summary

(01:25:15) Learning With Repetition, Forming Habits

As always, thank you for your interest in science!

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

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