5 minute summaries
1 quote, 3 ideas & 1 question from each episode
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#521: Dr. Andrew Huberman — A Neurobiologist on Optimizing Sleep, Enhancing Performance, Reducing Anxiety, Increasing Testosterone, and Using the Body to Control the Mind
The Tim Ferriss Show
7 Jul 2021
2hr 41mins
FEATURING
Quote
"When your mind isn't where you want it to be, use your body to control your mind"
Ideas
1
We should all view sunlight for 2-10 minutes every morning upon waking.
You want to get bright light into your eyes in the morning for two important reasons.
First, it triggers the timed release of a healthy amount of cortisol into your system which acts as a wake up signal and helps with your ability to focus throughout the day.
Second, it s a timer for the onset of melatonin, which is the sleepiness hormone that we want to release later in the day.
Even on a cloudy day, there will be way more photons of life coming through the clouds than there is through your phone and computer, so make an effort to get outside to absorb the sunlight each morning.
First, it triggers the timed release of a healthy amount of cortisol into your system which acts as a wake up signal and helps with your ability to focus throughout the day.
Second, it s a timer for the onset of melatonin, which is the sleepiness hormone that we want to release later in the day.
Even on a cloudy day, there will be way more photons of life coming through the clouds than there is through your phone and computer, so make an effort to get outside to absorb the sunlight each morning.
2
Fear is the anxiety you feel when you don't know the behaviour that can remove the feeling of helplessness in the face of a threat.
When we're anxious, we're constantly anticipating and evaluating our environment and internal state.
And the element of uncertainty, or being unable to predict when this stress is going to pass, creates a meta-level stress or anxiety. And the more stressed we are, the more we want the stress to pass.
You can't have stress without anxiety, and you can't have trauma without stress, but you can have stress and anxiety without trauma.
And the element of uncertainty, or being unable to predict when this stress is going to pass, creates a meta-level stress or anxiety. And the more stressed we are, the more we want the stress to pass.
You can't have stress without anxiety, and you can't have trauma without stress, but you can have stress and anxiety without trauma.
3
Things that make us feel more vital like testosterone & growth hormones generally will shorten your life.
Puberty is the most rapid period of aging that any of us go through and it's when we have the highest level of hormones.
All the attempts at increasing lifespan are things like starving yourself, reducing blood sugar, which are catabolic and use energy to break down.
Whilst things like testosterone and insulin are all anabolic and requires energy to grow and build
Growth, vitality, libido and strength in its proper form is wonderful, but the reason why I think we see people dying early who do a lot of growth hormone and testosterone is because they've effectively created a third and fourth round of puberty, so they're accelerating aging.
Vitality and longevity always have to be balanced with one another.
All the attempts at increasing lifespan are things like starving yourself, reducing blood sugar, which are catabolic and use energy to break down.
Whilst things like testosterone and insulin are all anabolic and requires energy to grow and build
Growth, vitality, libido and strength in its proper form is wonderful, but the reason why I think we see people dying early who do a lot of growth hormone and testosterone is because they've effectively created a third and fourth round of puberty, so they're accelerating aging.
Vitality and longevity always have to be balanced with one another.
Questions
1
Can you think of times where you altered your mental headspace through physical actions?
What else is in the episode
1
How to use breathing to reduce stress immediately
2
What hypnosis is and some of its most practical applications
3
How there's no such thing as a biological free lunch
Who is Andrew Huberman?
1
A neuroscientist and professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance. He's also the host of The Huberman Lab Podcast which discusses how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body controls our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health.
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