Toolkit For Sleep

Toolkit for Sleep
Thank you for joining the Huberman Lab Podcast Neural Network—a once a month
newsletter with science and science-related tools for everyday life.
For this first newsletter, I want to provide you some actionable information in
condensed form.
Recently, I posted this to Twitter & Instagram:
Best nootropic: sleep

Best stress relief: sleep
Best trauma release: sleep
Best immune booster: sleep
Best hormone augmentation: sleep
Best emotional stabilizer: sleep
Sleep Tools: Ep. 2 Huberman Lab Podcast, HLP interview w/Matt
Walker https://t.co/TphgkozQyg
— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) September 16, 2021
It ended up being shared more than any other post, which told me that people likely
want tools for getting better at sleeping. Episode 2 of the Huberman Lab
Podcast (Master Your Sleep) is all about that topic, but I wanted to provide a succinct
list of the key things for sleep.
So here is my list for how to get better at sleeping:
1) View sunlight by going outside within 30-60 minutes of waking. Do that again in
the late afternoon, prior to sunset. If you wake up before the sun is out and
you want to be awake, turn on artificial lights and then go outside once the sun rises.
On bright cloudless days: view morning and afternoon sun for 10 min; cloudy days: 20
min; very overcast days 30-60 min. If you live someplace with very minimal light,
consider an artificial daytime simulator source.
Don’t wear sunglasses for this practice if you safely can, but contact lenses and
eyeglasses are fine.
No, you don’t have to look directly at the sun, and never look at ANY light so bright it
is painful to view! That said, you can’t wear a brimmed hat, sunglasses and remain in
the shade and expect to “wake up” your circadian clock.
2) Wake up at the same time each day and go to sleep when you first start to feel
sleepy. Pushing through the sleepy late evening feeling and going to sleep too late (for
you) is one reason people wake at 3 am and can’t fall back asleep.
3) Avoid caffeine within 8-10 hours of bedtime. Dr. Matt Walker (sleep expert from
UC Berkeley) might even say 12-14 hours. I do fine with caffeine at 2 pm and I go to
sleep at ~10-11 pm. Dr. Walker was on the Huberman Lab Podcast and we discussed
this in detail.
4) If you have sleep disturbances, insomnia, or anxiety about sleep, try the
research-supported protocols on the Reveri app (for iPhone). Do the Reveri sleep
self-hypnosis 3x a week at any time of day. It’s only 10-15 min long and will help you
rewire your nervous system to be able to relax faster.
5) Avoid viewing bright lights—especially bright overhead lights between 10 pm

and 4 am. Here is a simple rule: only use as much artificial lighting as is necessary for
you to remain and move about safely at night. Blue blockers can help a bit at night but
still dim the lights. Viewing bright lights of all colors are a problem for your circadian
system. Candlelight and moonlight are fine. (Shift workers should see the Huberman
Lab Podcast on jetlag for offsetting shift work negative effects. Same for jetlagged
travelers.)
6) Limit daytime naps to less than 90 min, or don’t nap at all. I love naps as do
many of my colleagues. I tend to nap for 30 min most afternoons… maybe 45 min, but
never longer.
7) If you wake up in the middle of the night (which, by the way, is normal to do
once or so each night) but you can’t fall back asleep, consider doing an NSDR
protocol when you wake up. Enter “NSDR” into YouTube and the top 3-4 options
have different voices, durations for you to select from. Or simply do a “Yoga Nidra”
protocol (enter “yoga nidra” to YouTube; 100s to select.)
8) You might consider taking (30-60 min before bed):
 145mg Magnesium Threonate or 200mg Magnesium Bisglycinate

 50mg Apigenin
 100-400mg Theanine
 (3-4 nights per week I also take 2g of Glycine and 100mg GABA.)
*I would start with one supplement (or none!) and then add one at a time as needed.
Some people do not need any supplements, and some people like theanine but not
magnesium, etc. so you have to determine what is best for you.
**Don’t take theanine if you have overly intense dreams, sleep-walk, or have night
terrors.
***Also, some people (~5%), get an agitated stomach from magnesium
supplementation, in which case, do not take it.
****I use supplements from Momentous for all of the above. You can get 20% off all
Momentous supplements at https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman or you can
pick another source you like and trust.
9) Expect to feel really alert ~1 hour before your natural bedtime. This is a
naturally occurring spike in wakefulness that sleep researchers have observed.
Don’t freak out if it happens. It will pass!
10) Keep the room you sleep in cool and dark and layer on blankets that you can
remove.
Your body needs to drop in temperature by 1-3 degrees to fall and stay asleep
effectively. Body temperature increases are one reason you wake up. Thus, keep your
room cool and remove blankets as needed. If it’s too hot you would have to use a
cooling device and that’s harder than simply tossing off blankets if you get too warm.
11) Drinking alcohol messes up your sleep. As do most sleep medications.
This was discussed on the Huberman Lab Podcast Episode with Dr. Matt Walker.
12) Kids (and indeed all of us) have changing sleep needs over time. Adjust
accordingly.
We might be night owls at 15 but become “morning people” as we age or need 6 hours
a night in summer and 7-8 in winter. It will vary.
That’s it for now. Again, sleep is THE foundation of our mental and physical health and
performance in all endeavors. Yet no one is perfect about sleep. The occasional night
out or missing sunlight viewing here and there is not a big deal, so don’t obsess about
that. However, if any of us drift from these and the other behaviors for too long, we
start to suffer. So whatever your life and goals and schedule, master your sleep. You’ll
be so happy you did!
Teach & Learn Better With A “Neuroplasticity
Super Protocol”
Thank you for joining the Huberman Lab Podcast Neural Network—a once a month
newsletter with science and science-related tools for everyday life.
For this newsletter, I want to provide you some actionable information in condensed
form. It relates to a talk I recently gave (hosted by Logitech) for teachers, and students
of all ages.
There were two goals of the lecture:
1. Provide an overview of the major discoveries on neuroplasticity and learning.

2. Share a “Neuroplasticity Super-Protocol” based on those discoveries, so that
anyone can teach and learn anything more efficiently.
Note: This version of the “Neuroplasticity Super-Protocol” focuses on behavioral tools.
If you want a description of the specific scientific references that support the steps listed
below, please watch this video.
NEUROPLASTICITY SUPER-PROTOCOL
1. GET ALERT
We must be alert to trigger neuroplasticity (later, sleep completes the
neuroplasticity/learning process). Getting alert involves many mechanisms but mainly
the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) in the brain and body. One simple way to
become more alert is 25-30 deep breaths (inhales through the nose, and exhales through
the mouth). Then exhale your air and hold your breath with lungs empty for 15-60
seconds. Then inhale once and hold your breath. But don’t force the breath hold; start to
breathe normally immediately once you feel the impulse to breathe. Whether you rely
on caffeine or not (I certainly do in the early portion of the day), try this prior to a
learning bout.
2. GET FOCUSED
Mental focus follows visual focus. To increase your level of focus on the task you are
about to do, stare at a point on a wall or screen, or object for 30-60 seconds before
starting (You can blink as needed). You’ll be surprised how this takes a bit of effort—
that ‘effort’ you feel is “top-down” attentional engagement and reflects the activity of
neural circuits involving acetylcholine release in the brain, and other mechanisms too of
course. Then move into the task at hand. Expect your mental focus to flicker on and off,
especially at the start of a work/learning bout. [Obviously, having your phone off and
out of the room and web browsers closed or limited to essential tabs only (or even
better, the internet turned off) can help.]
3. GENERATE REPETITIONS
Perform the maximum number of repetitions you safely can in a given learning bout.
For some types of learning, “repetitions” will be actual repeats of something- learning
scales of music, for instance. We progress linearly for other types of learning by
repeating the same process, such as reading or doing math problems. Regardless, the
same principle holds; work to repeat the process a bit faster than is reflexive for you.
This helps the mind from drifting off task and naturally keeps you alert. Will you make
errors? Of course, which leads to #4.
4. EXPECT & EMBRACE ERRORS
Provided they don’t comprise safety, errors during learning are terrific because they
increase activation of the neural circuits that increase alertness. It makes sense, right? If
you perform something correctly, why should your brain take notice? When we make
errors, it feels “stressful,” but that is just an increase in attention that puts us in a much
better place to perform and execute learning-related behaviors the next trial—meaning
on the next attempt. Computational modeling data suggests that an error rate of ~15%
may be optimal and can help determine how difficult we should make a task. But don’t
worry too much about those specifics. Instead, keep doing repetitions and when you
mess up, capitalize on it by doing another attempt (and another) while your forebrain is
in that maximally attentive state.
5. INSERT MICRO-REST INTERVALS (AT RANDOM)
This is a non-obvious way to increase repetitions and learn faster. Studies (in humans)
have shown that when we are trying to learn something, if we pause every so often for
10seconds and do nothing during the pause, neurons in the hippocampus and cortex—
areas of the brain involved in learning and memory, engage the same patterns of neural
activity that occurred during the actual activity of reading, musical practice, skill
training, etc. but 10X faster—meaning you get 10X neural repetitions completed during
the pause. These “gap-effects” are similar to what happens in a deep sleep. The
takeaway: randomly introduce 10 second pauses during learning. “How often?” I get
asked. A ratio of approximately 1 pause per every 2 minutes of learning is good but
remember, distributed at random, so not every 2 minutes on the minute.
6. USE RANDOM INTERMITTENT REWARD
The neural circuits that control rewards (all of which are brain chemical rewards, by the
way) are closely tethered to the circuits that control motivation and the desire to pursue
things, including learning. The question of how often to reward ourselves or others in
order to keep motivation high is simple: make it random and intermittent. This is what
casinos do to keep people gambling. It works. Predictable rewards lose their
motivational impact quickly.
7. LIMIT LEARNING SESSIONS TO 90 MINUTES
Solid research shows that 90 minutes is about the longest period we can expect to
maintain intense focus and effort toward learning. Shorter bouts are fine but after ~90
minutes, take a break (see #8). Also, space intense learning bouts 2-3 (or more) hours
apart. Most people can’t do more than 270 minutes of intense learning bouts per day.
8. AFTER A LEARNING BOUT, DO A NSDR (NON-SLEEP DEEP REST) PROTOCOL
Two studies (on humans) published in the last 2 years show that shallow naps and/or
NSDR can enhance the rate and depth of learning. This is an easy practice to
incorporate. Within 1 hour of completing a learning bout, do a short NSDR protocol.
You have options as to what NSDR you choose: Reveri is a zero-cost (research tested),
self-hypnosis app, or take a brief 20 minute nap, or listen to an NSDR script such as
Yoga Nidra (I like this 10 minute one and do it daily, or here is a longer 30 minute
video that is excellent).
9. GET QUALITY & SUFFICIENTLY LONG DEEP SLEEP THAT NIGHT (& THE NEXT, &
THE NEXT…)
The actual rewiring of neural circuits that underlies learning occurs during sleep and
NSDR. Think of the learning bout as the “trigger” or stimulus for the possibility that
we might learn, but sleep and NSDR are when the actual learning- the neural circuit
rewiring, occurs. I did an entire episode (4 actually) of the Huberman Lab Podcast on
mastering sleep. I provided a summary of key points in Neural Network Newsletter #1.
Our goal should be to get sleep right at least 80% of the time—it takes some work to
get there but it is well worth it.
FINAL NOTES
In the future, I will talk about the pharmacology of accelerated/deeper learning but
remember that behavioral protocols like the ones listed here are necessary no matter
what. You don’t have to do all 9 every learning session (although numbers 1, 2, 9 are
non-negotiable).
I’ll be posting more on tools for neuroplasticity in the near future.
5 Steps to Enhance Quality of Connection

With Yourself & Others During the Holidays
& New Year
Thank you for joining the Huberman Lab Podcast Neural Network—a once-a-month
newsletter with science and science-related tools for everyday life. My goal with this
newsletter is to provide you with some actionable information in condensed form. It
relates to two recent episodes of the Huberman Lab Podcast: one on the science of
gratitude and another on the science of social bonding (in relationships of all kinds).
While much has been said before about the science of gratitude and its benefits, most of
what I see “out there” is not accurate to what the science shows. What is clear is that
specific gratitude practices can be immensely beneficial for us. For example, an
effective gratitude practice can:
1. Reduce the activation of fear and anxiety circuits in the brain and body.
2. Improve mood, focus and sleep.
3. Reduce biomarkers of inflammation. (When combined with tools for enhancing
social bonding, the positive effects are even greater.)
For these reasons, and because the holidays and New Year are upon us and have us
navigating social interactions, I have assembled a list of five steps to enhance the
quality of connection with yourself and others during the holidays and the new
year.
1. Get Thanks
That’s right. Get thanks. Neuroimaging, EEG (brain electrical recording) and
psychology studies show that the positive effects of a gratitude practice primarily occur
when we receive, not when we give, gratitude. Of course, for that to happen, someone
has to give gratitude, but merely writing out gratitude lists or counting our blessings—
while useful, pale in comparison to receiving gratitude. Thus, give gratitude and
encourage those receiving it to really hear you. Hopefully, someone in your life
(perhaps many people) will genuinely thank you too.
2. Make it Genuine
In the science of gratitude podcast episode, I discussed a study showing that the
genuine intention of the gratitude giver (the thanker), has a direct impact on the degree
of positive effect felt by the person receiving the gratitude (the thankee). So give
thanks, but do so with honesty. It matters.
3. Observe/Recall Others Giving & Receiving Genuine Thanks

Neuroimaging studies from Antonio Damasio‘s Lab show that observing or hearing the
stories of others receiving help (or thanks) activates pro-social circuits that improve our
mood and other health metrics. We are wired for social interactions and are wired to
gauge the emotional state of others. Hence, billions of viral Instagram and Twitter posts
of people helping each other, people helping dogs or other animals stuck in drainage
ditches, even dogs helping people stuck in drainage ditches, etc. It’s not by chance these
posts are so popular. As the psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett,
says: we regulate each other’s nervous systems. Having a story you can recall in which
someone received genuine gratitude is beneficial. Recall that story 1-3 times per week.
Once it’s embedded in your memory, you don’t have to recall it in great detail to
receive the benefits.
4. Introversion & Extroversion Reflect Social Homeostasis
We have brain circuits that drive a “social hunger” – an appetite for finding and
reinforcing social bonds, and the release of the neurochemical dopamine from a special
brain location (called the dorsal raphe nucleus; DRN) is involved in that drive. Studies
on introverts and extroverts suggest that introverts like social interaction but are socially
satisfied faster than are extroverts. This makes sense, based potential differences in the
amount of dopamine they release from the DRN in response to social interactions.
Don’t assume that introverts are quiet and that extroverts talk a lot. That can be true,
but just as often, it is simply that introverts experience more dopamine release from less
social interaction and thus are satisfied earlier. The takeaway is to offer (or take)
opportunities to exit social interactions early and not feel guilty about it or take offense.
The extroverts can keep at it until they get the DRN/dopamine they need. If anyone gets
offended when you say, “all full… I’m ready to go”, feel free to cite me.
5. Merge Physiologies
Elegant studies done earlier this year show that when people hear a story, their hearts
begin to beat in a similar way even if they are not in the same room as one another. This
is remarkable and holds up even for people with very different backgrounds and lives.
Other studies point to the fact that when people have similar physiological experiences,
they forever feel closer, which is familiar to many of us. Oxytocin (a hormone) appears
to be involved. Narrative drives common physiological responses, which are powerful
glue for relationship building of all kinds. The takeaway: Build social bonds by hearing,
watching or sharing stories. Everyone being on their individual phones is not the way to
do that. Watching movies, hearing someone tell stories, playing or listening to music,
etc. are all excellent paths to this. Do those things together.
BONUS (REMINDER): Keep your wellbeing baseline high during the holidays. View
morning sunlight, avoid bright lights (most) nights between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. and
practice Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) so you can maintain strength for yourself, and
show up strong to everything you’re doing. See Newsletter #1 (Toolkit for Sleep) for
details.
5 Science-Based Steps to Improve Your
Workspace
newsletter with science and science-related tools for everyday life. This newsletter aims
to provide you with some actionable information in a condensed form. It relates to a
recent episode of the Huberman Lab Podcast, “Optimizing Workspace for Productivity,
Focus, & Creativity.”
Regardless of where we work—at home, in an office, in cafes, or elsewhere—we can

all do a few simple things to our work environment to optimize our productivity. Below
is a short list of the most effective things—none of which require purchasing any
products or equipment. Anyone can use these tools to:
1. Maintain alertness and focus longer.

2. Improve posture and reduce pain (neck, back, pelvic floor, etc).
3. Tap into specific states of mind (creativity, logic, etc.) for the sake of work.
1. Sit or Stand?
Many people favor standing desks. Others prefer to sit. The data on this (yes, there are
quality peer-reviewed studies on the matter; we discuss those and link to them in the
Huberman Lab Podcast episode on optimizing your workspace) indicate that the best
approach is: both! It is best to arrange your desk and workspace so that you can work
sitting for some period of time—10-30 minutes or so for most people, and then shift to
work standing for 10-30 minutes, and then go back to sitting. Research also shows that
it’s a good idea to take a 5-15 minute stroll after every 45 minutes of work. You do not
need to purchase a standing desk. A very accomplished academic (MD, PhD, member
of the National Academy of Sciences) colleague has maintained tremendous
productivity for decades by simply placing a box and a few books on their desk to
create a simple, effective sit-stand desk. I use a shallow angle drafting table and then
move to a regular desk and back again approximately every 30 minutes. There is
evidence that such a sit-stand approach can reduce neck and shoulder and back pain and
even help augment some of the positive effects of exercise—which we should all be
doing too, of course.
A note about treadmill and cycling desks:
Active workstations are better for some tasks but worse for others. Improvements in
attention and cognition can be observed in people using active workstations versus
seated workstations. However, verbal memory scores were worse in people using active
workstations.
2. Time It Right
We are not the same person across the different hours of the day, at least not
neurochemically. I call the first part of your day (~0-8 hours after waking up) “Phase
1.” During this phase, the chemicals norepinephrine, cortisol, and dopamine are
elevated in your brain and body. Alertness can be further heightened by sunlight
viewing, caffeine and fasting. Phase 1 is ideal for analytic “hard” thinking and any work
that you find particularly challenging. It isn’t just about getting the most important stuff
out of the way; it is about leveraging your natural biology toward the best type of work
for the biological state you are in.
“Phase 2”: is ~9-16 hours after waking. At this time, serotonin levels are relatively
elevated, which lends itself to a somewhat more relaxed state of being—optimal for
brainstorming and creative work.
“Phase 3”: ~17-24 hours after waking up is when you should be asleep or try to sleep.
During this phase, do no hard thinking or work unless, of course, you must (cramming
for an exam or deadline comes to mind), keep your environment dark or very dim and
the room temperature low (your body needs to drop in temperature to fall asleep and
stay asleep).
3. Place Your Screen (and Vision) in the Right Location

There’s a relationship between where we look and our level of alertness. When looking
down toward the ground, neurons related to calm and sleepiness are activated. Looking
up does the opposite. This might seem wild, but it makes sense based on the neural
circuits that control looking up or down.
Standing and sitting up straight while looking at a screen or book that is elevated to
slightly above eye level will generate maximal levels of alertness. To get your screen at
or above eye level and not work while looking down at your screen may take a bit of
configuring your workspace, but it’s worth it for the benefits to your mind and work.
4. Get the Background (Sounds) Right for Optimal Work Output

Some people like to work in silence, whereas others prefer background noise. Some
kinds of background noise are particularly good for our work output. Working with
white, pink, or brown noise in the background can be good for work bouts of up to 45
minutes but not for work bouts that last hours. So, use it from time to time. These are
easy to find (and zero-cost) on YouTube or in various apps (search by “white, pink,
or brown noise”).
Binaural beats are a neat science-supported tool to place the brain into a better state for
learning. As the name suggests, binaural beats consist of one sound (frequency) being
played in one ear and a different sound frequency in the other ear. It only works with
headphones. Binaural beats (around 40 Hz) have been shown to increase certain aspects
of cognition, including creativity and may reduce anxiety. The exact mechanisms are
still under investigation, but the effects are impressive. I review the data in detail here.
40 Hz binaural beats can be found in various apps, many of which are zero-cost.
5. Get the Room Right

There is an interesting effect of workspace optimization called the “Cathedral Effect,”
in which thinking becomes “smaller”—more focused on analytic processing, when we
are in small visual fields. The opposite is also true. In short, working in high ceiling
spaces elicits abstract thoughts and creativity, whereas working in low ceiling spaces
promotes detailed work. Even relatively small differences (a two-foot discrepancy in
ceiling height) have been shown to elicit such differences. The takeaway: consider
using different locations: rooms, buildings, indoors or outdoors to help access specific
brain states and the types of work they favor.
Conclusions
These are just some ways to optimize your workspace and of course, people differ in
their ability to tolerate clutter, noise, etc. Some people find they need silence early in
the day and love to work to music in the later day, or vice versa, but these five tools are
among the top science-supported ones that I believe all people can benefit from
experimenting with.
6 Key Tools to Improve Your Gut Microbiome

Health
to provide you with actionable information in a condensed form. It relates to a recent
episode of the Huberman Lab Podcast, “How to Enhance Your Gut Microbiome for
Brain & Overall Health.”
We all have trillions of microorganisms living inside our gut—not just our stomach but
our intestines and throat and mouth, and on our skin, in our eyes and nasal passages.
Maybe that sounds bad or gross, but… it turns out these microbiota are essential for our
immune, brain and hormone health—in part because they make chemicals that
immediately impact how the rest of our body functions, including neurotransmitters like
serotonin. The bottom line is: we need to nurture these living microbiota cargo to best
support our mental and physical health. During Episode 62 of the Huberman Lab
Podcast, I explored the impact of the gut on the nervous system (i.e., the gut-brain axis)
and how the gut contributes to your feelings of hunger and satiety. In Episode 63, I
interviewed Dr. Justin Sonnenburg, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at
Stanford University, and world expert on the microbiome to discuss how gut microbes
affect mental and physical health and how we can all improve our gut health.
Microbiota diversity is a measurement of the number of different species of

microbiota in our gut. Low diversity is considered a marker of dysbiosis (microbial
imbalance) and has been associated with autoimmune diseases, obesity and
cardiometabolic conditions. Below, I summarize 6 tools that can help increase
microbial diversity and improve overall gut and thereby, body and brain health.
#1 Eat Fermented Foods

Dr. Sonnenburg discussed the findings of his recent human study, in collaboration
with Dr. Chris Gardner of Stanford, in which they investigated whether diets high in
plant-based fiber or fermented foods would influence the health of the gut microbiome.
Their results show that fermented foods increased overall gut microbiota diversity, as
well as reduced key markers of inflammation (aka ‘inflammatome’).
In the study, participants ate six servings per day of fermented foods, however, higher
total amounts of ingested fermented foods did not lead to further benefits. Instead,
consistently incorporate fermented foods into your daily diet to achieve better outcomes
for gut microbiome health and inflammation reduction.
Try incorporating low-sugar fermented foods into your diet, such as sauerkraut, plain
yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, natto, kefir or even drinking brine. Find these products in
the refrigerator section to ensure there are live active cultures. (Shelf-stable fermented
foods are pasteurized, therefore, will not offer the same boost to the gut microbiome.)
Also, there are cost-effective ways to make your own fermented foods, such as
kombucha or sauerkraut, at home.
What About Fiber?
In this study, a high-fiber diet did not lead to an increase in microbiota diversity.
However, high-fiber diets did increase the amount of carbohydrate active enzymes
which help digest fiber and could further enhance the microbiome’s ability to degrade
other complex carbohydrates. Additionally, some participants in the high-fiber group
showed a reduction in markers of inflammation. Plant-based, high-fiber foods (i.e.,
vegetables, legumes, and whole grains) offer significant benefits for overall health and
can help provide key nutrients for established microbiota.
#2: Prebiotics and Probiotics

Prebiotics: fermentable dietary fiber or microbiota-accessible carbohydrates;
supplements of food for established gut microbiota
Probiotics: live bacteria or yeasts that can colonize in the gut microbiome
Synbiotics: mixtures of prebiotics and probiotics
Augmenting the gut microbiome with low levels of prebiotics and/or probiotics while
still focusing on eating whole quality foods leads to improvement in gut microbiome
health.
In cases of dysbiosis, such as after taking antibiotics, during high periods of stress,
traveling or changing your diet, higher levels of prebiotics and/or probiotics can aid in
recovery and replenish your gut microbiome. However, the excessive intake of
probiotics has been linked to the induction of brain fog; therefore, if you experience
these symptoms, you could try to reduce the level of supplements that you are
ingesting.
Since prebiotics and probiotics are considered supplements, they are not FDA-regulated
products. When choosing a supplement, look for an independently validated product.
Finally, the gut microbiome is uniquely personalized. Therefore, supplementation will
impact individuals differently.
#3: Sleep
Throughout many podcast episodes, I have emphasized the foundational role that sleep
has in overall health. As the gut microbiome is highly attuned to the amount of stress
you experience (through direct links to cells of the immune system), achieving the
proper quality (deep) and duration (generally 6-9 hours) of sleep each night is essential
to manage stress and, in turn, to ensure gut microbiome health. See our “Toolkit for
Sleep” (NeuralNetwork Newsletter #3) and listen to Episode 2, “Master Your Sleep &
Be More Alert When Awake,” for more tips on achieving better-quality sleep.
#4: Avoid Processed Foods
Foods additives are ubiquitous in processed foods. Emulsifiers, detergent-like additives,
can disrupt the mucus layer of the GI tract. In animal models, emulsifiers reduce
microbial diversity, induce low-grade inflammation, and cause an increase in body fat,
higher blood sugar levels and insulin resistance – key markers of metabolic syndrome.
The typical Western Diet (i.e., high fat, low fiber, higher in processed foods) does not
provide gut microbiota with many of the key essential nutrients. When you eat
complex, plant-based fiber, the gut microbiota produces fermentation by-products, such
as short-chain fatty acids (e.g., butyrate). These substances reduce inflammation, help
maintain the gut’s mucosal barrier, regulate the immune system, and modulate
metabolism along the GI tract. To enhance the health of your gut microbiome, prioritize
a diet rich in whole foods, plant-based fiber, and fermented foods.
#5: Artificial Sweeteners

Clinical studies have yet to fully tease apart the impact (if any) that artificial
sweeteners have on the gut microbiome. However, within animal models, there is
evidence that artificial sweeteners can disrupt the gut microbiome. A recent
study showed that neuropod cells in the gut can discriminate between natural and
artificial sweeteners. Further, these cells send a unique pattern of signals to the brain,
depending on whether the sugars they sense are nutritive (i.e., contain calories) or are
non-caloric sweeteners.
An interesting finding from the Human Microbiome Project is the high degree of

individualization of the gut microbiome. Potentially, try removing some artificial
sweeteners from your diet to see if you notice an effect and also consider that artificial
sweeteners might be capable of influencing your gut microbiome.
*Non-caloric plant based sweeteners like stevia are probably fine, but there have not
been many studies of stevia in regards to the microbiome.
#6: Don’t Over-Sanitize Your Environment

Microbiota are present on any and all surfaces which have come into contact with the
environment. Dr. Sonnenburg notes, “Exposure to microbes from the environment is
likely an important part of educating our immune systems and keeping everything in the
proper balance.” The gut microbiome is also populated from social interactions,
including skin contact by shaking hands, hugging, kissing etc. and interactions with pets
and dirt, and grass. Over-sanitization of our environments or excessive use of
antibiotics can eliminate sources of good gut microbiota. While it is still important to
eliminate the introduction of disease-causing pathogens and harmful environmental
chemicals (e.g., pesticides), consider that many environmental microbes play an
integral role in the establishment and maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome.
The Science & Use of Cold Exposure for
Health & Performance
newsletter with science and science-based tools for everyday life. The purpose of this
newsletter is to provide you with actionable information in condensed form.
Episode #66 of the Huberman Lab Podcast discussed the “Use of Deliberate Cold
Exposure for Health and Performance.” Done correctly, deliberate cold exposure can
positively affect brain and body health. Below, I detail some of those benefits and how
best to access them.
Safety
Never get into a dangerous body of water. Also, never do deliberate hyperventilation
before or during cold water (or any water!) immersion. Start slow (warmer than colder)
—as cold shock is possible; just as with lifting weights or other forms of exercise,
you’ll need to find the right temperature for you, yet prioritize safety.
How cold?
This is the most common question I hear, and it makes sense to ask that. However, it is
truly impossible to answer, as some people tolerate cold better than others. The key is to
aim for a temperature that evokes the thought, “This is really cold (!), and I want to get
out, BUT I can safely stay in.” For some people, that temperature might be 60°F,
whereas for others, 45°F.
Here is the key: the colder the stimulus (water immersion, shower, etc.), the shorter
amount of time you need to expose yourself to the cold. One study showed significant
and prolonged increases in dopamine when people were in cool (60°F) water for about
an hour up to their neck, with their head above water. Other studies describe significant
increases in epinephrine from just 20 seconds in very cold water (~40°F). The good
news is that as you do deliberate cold exposure more often, you will be more
comfortable in the cold at all times and can start to use colder temperatures with more
confidence, just like exercise.
Ice bath, cold shower, or cryo?

Most of the studies use ice baths or cold water immersion to the neck. Those are best,
but cold showers can work too (and are more accessible to most). Cryo is very
expensive and harder to access and not subject to much variation in protocols, so it is
not considered here.
To Increase Energy and Focus
Deliberate cold exposure causes a significant release of epinephrine (aka adrenaline)
and norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) in the brain and body. These neurochemicals
make us feel alert and can make us feel agitated and as if we need to move or vocalize
during the cold exposure. Cold causes their levels to stay elevated for some time and
their ongoing effect after the exposure is to increase your level of energy and focus,
which can be applied to other mental and/or physical activities.
Building Resilience & Grit

By forcing yourself to embrace the stress of cold exposure as a meaningful self-directed
challenge (i.e., stressor), you exert what is called ‘top-down control’ over deeper brain
centers that regulate reflexive states. This top-down control process involves your
prefrontal cortex – an area of your brain involved in planning and suppressing
impulsivity. That ‘top-down’ control is the basis of what people refer to when they talk
about “resilience and grit.” Importantly, it is a skill that carries over to situations
outside of the deliberate cold environment, allowing you to cope better and maintain a
calm, clear mind when confronted with real-world stressors. In other words,
deliberate cold exposure is great training for the mind.
Enhancing Your Mood

While not true of every stress, cold exposure causes the prolonged release
of dopamine. Dopamine is a powerful molecule capable of elevating mood, enhancing
focus, attention, goal-directed behavior, etc. Even short bouts of cold exposure can
cause a lasting increase in dopamine and sustained elevation of mood, energy, and
focus. Listen to Episode #39 to learn more about dopamine’s role in the body.
Metabolism
In the short-term, cold exposure increases metabolism as the body has to burn calories
to increase core body temperature. The total calories burned from the cold exposure are
not that significant. However, the conversion of white fat (energy storage) to beige or
brown fat (which are highly metabolically active) can be beneficial for:
1. Allowing people to feel more comfortable in the cold (i.e., cold adaptation)
2. Triggering further and more sustained increases in metabolism
Of course, calories in (consumed) versus calories out (metabolized) or “CICO” governs

whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight. There is no escaping the laws of
thermodynamics.
A Solid Basic, Science-Supported Protocol

Consider doing deliberate cold exposure for 11 minutes per week TOTAL. NOT per
session, but rather, 2-4 sessions lasting 1-5 mins each distributed across the week.
Again, the water temperature should be uncomfortably cold yet safe to stay in for a
few minutes. You can do more, but this should be the minimum to achieve the benefits
of cold exposure. You can do very cold, very brief exposures for adrenaline release too,
but the 11 minutes is based on a recent study that explored a range of effects and is a
good solid, basic protocol for ongoing use.
The Huberman Lab “Counting Walls” Approach
Undoubtedly, during (or before) cold exposure, you will find your mind pushing back
against the challenge. Your mind will say, “I really don’t want to do this,” even before
getting in, or “Get me out of here.” You can imagine those mental barriers as ‘walls.’
Those walls are, in fact, the effects of adrenaline pulses in your brain and body, which
in this case is what triggers the eventual adaptive response. After all, if it were easy,
then there is no stimulus for your body to change (adapt). By maintaining top-down
control of your reflexive urge to exit the cold environment, you will have successfully
traversed that wall. Challenge yourself by counting walls and setting a goal of “walls”
to traverse (e.g., 3-5 walls) during the round of cold exposure. You can also go for time.
Up to you. The advantage of the walls approach is that it carries over to other scenarios
more seamlessly, as most of life’s stressors don’t lend themselves so well to merely
timing the duration until it passes. It also enhances your sense of mind-body connection
to do it this way.
Shivering and The Søeberg Principle
The Søeberg Principle based on deliberate cold researcher Dr. Susanna Søeberg is: To
enhance the metabolic effects of cold, force your body to reheat on its own. Or “End
With Cold.”
Also, allowing your body to shiver may enhance metabolic increases from
cold. Shivering causes the release of succinate from muscles and further activates
brown fat thermogenesis.
Try this protocol to increase shivering, either during or immediately after cold
exposure:
Don’t huddle or cross your arms while in the cold or after getting out. Also, don’t towel
off. Let your body reheat and dry off naturally. Admittedly, this is tough. Unless doing
deliberate cold exposure on a hot sunny day, admittedly, I prefer to take a hot shower
and towel dry after cold exposure, but I am no doubt limiting the metabolic effect by
doing that.
Physical Recovery
A meta-analysis of cold-water immersion effects on recovery found that cold exposure
can be a highly effective recovery tool after high-intensity exercise or endurance
training. Short interval (< 5 mins), cold water immersion demonstrated positive
outcomes for muscle power, perceived recovery, and decreased muscle soreness (in part
due to a reduction in circulating creatine kinases).
The problem is that cold water immersion (but not cold showers) can limit some of the
gains in hypertrophy, strength or endurance if done in the 4 hours or so after training.
It’s better to wait 6 to 8 or more hours until after training, or do it before training
UNLESS your goal is simply to recover without adaptation (for instance, when in a
competition mode and not trying to get better, stronger, etc.)
Day or night?
After cold exposure, your body heats up—yes, HEATS up—for reasons discussed on
the Huberman Lab Podcast with Dr. Craig Heller from Stanford. Body temperature
increases tend to wake us up, whereas body temperature decreases tend to shift us
toward sleepy states. Thus, I suggest using deliberate cold early in the day and not too
close to bedtime. Sometimes it’s better to do it late than never, but not if it perturbs
your sleep. If deliberate cold affects your sleep, try doing it earlier in the day, or not at
all.
Increasing the Resilience-Enhancing Effects of Deliberate Cold Exposure
Staying completely still while in cold water allows a thermal layer to surround your
body, ‘insulating’ you from the cold. To be most effective as a resilience training tool,
move your limbs while keeping your hands and feet in the water. That will break up the
thermal layer and you will experience the water as (much) colder than if you stayed
still. This is also a good way to increase the potency of a cold stimulus without having
to make the water colder. This is akin to slowing down the movement of a weight lift to
remove reduce momentum and provide more tension on the working muscles.
Deliberate Heat Exposure Protocols for Health
& Performance
newsletter with science and science-related tools for everyday life. The purpose of this
newsletter is to provide you with actionable information in condensed form.
In many episodes and guest interviews, I have discussed the benefits of deliberate heat
exposure for overall health, improved mood, adjusted hormone levels, and athletic
performance and recovery. Episode 69 was a deep dive into the scientific literature
about what the specific mechanisms are by which heat can positively impact the body
and brain. I also outlined specific protocols aimed at providing specific goal outcomes.
Below, I detail the key takeaways from that episode and outline three protocols that use
deliberate heat exposure as a powerful means to improve health, mood, and longevity.
Safety Considerations
When done correctly, heat exposure offers tremendous benefits. However, it is
extremely dangerous to use temperatures that are too hot. What is too hot? That will
depend, but in general, pregnant women and children younger than 16 should not sauna.
Start slow—using cooler temperatures that don’t significantly increase heart rate.
Hyperthermia (abnormally high body temperature) and dehydration are always
possible, so proceed with caution. Also, for men trying to conceive children, please
know that repeated deliberate heat exposure can reduce sperm count. The counts
rebound after cessation of sauna/hot bath use, but that can take ~45-60 days. Men
wishing to avoid sperm count reductions due to heat may opt to apply a cool or cold
pack while in the sauna; this is not possible in a hot bath/tub, for obvious reasons.
There are many ways to access controlled deliberate exposure to heat, including dry
saunas, steam saunas, hot tubs, hot showers, or by simply increasing body
temperature by wearing warm layers of clothes during a brief jog. Pick whatever
method or methods you can routinely work into your schedule and that match your
budget. Note: Recently, the use of infrared saunas has become popular. Currently, there
is insufficient evidence of their having additional effects beyond those of a standard
sauna, and more importantly, most infrared saunas do not reach the heat ranges outlined
below for positive health effects.
Cardiovascular Health
Regular use of sauna can improve cardiovascular health. Laukkanen et al. found that
through regular use of sauna, participants reduced their risk of cardiovascular
events/stroke that led to death. This paper found that increasing the frequency and
length of sauna sessions subsequently decreased the long-term risk of cardiovascular
disease. Further, the use of sauna has been studied by other clinical groups and
positively correlated with a reduction in “all-cause mortality”—a catchall term
referring to death from any cause.
Heat will trigger some of the same mechanisms in the brain and body as if you were
physically engaged in cardiovascular exercise. While in the sauna, heart rate and blood
flow increase, and blood vessels will vasodilate (expand) as your body works to cool
down in order to regulate body temperature.
Protocol #1—Sauna for Cardiovascular Health

In order to use sauna to benefit cardiovascular health, try the following protocol. Heat
the sauna to a temperature in the range of 80-100 ℃; 176-212 ℉. NOTE: Your
personal heat tolerance should determine the actual temperature. Try to stay in the
sauna anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes per session and repeat the use of the sauna
from 2 to 3x per week, or as often as 7x per week. More often does appear to be
better with respect to cardiovascular health.
Improved Mood
Saunas have traditional roots in Scandinavian cultures. For centuries, many who
regularly use sauna have noticed a correlation between their sauna use and improved
mood. The body responds to heat with a release of dynorphins and endorphins in the
brain; dynorphins at first cause discomfort and agitation but biochemically set the stage
for endorphins to have enhanced effects on our mood and body, which is why after
sauna we feel a mild, happy euphoria.
Improved Stress Response & Overall Health
Hormesis is mild, tolerable stress that stimulates the body and helps it to positively
adapt. Hormesis can take many forms, and heat is one such form. Studies have found
that the regular use of sauna can decrease cortisol levels; enhance the activation of
DNA repair/longevity pathways; and increase the activation of unique heat-dependent
molecular mechanisms, termed Heat Shock Proteins, which help monitor and possibly
repair protein structure within our cells. The integrity of protein structures is vital to our
health and wellbeing.
Protocol #2—Sauna for General Health

In order to gain the benefits of deliberate heat exposure for general health, including
improved mood, stress management, and the enhancement of the body’s hormetic (mild
stress) response pathways, use sauna for a total of 1 hour per week, but not all at once.
Rather, split that into 2 to 3 sessions. (The sauna temperature should be between 80-
100 ℃; 176-212 ℉).
Growth Hormone
Growth Hormone plays a key role in stimulating muscle growth, strengthening bones,
repairing tissue, and increasing metabolism. (Learn more about Growth Hormone in
this episode of the Huberman Lab Podcast). Growth Hormone is released at night while
we sleep. Unfortunately, as we age, there is a decline in the amount of natural Growth
Hormone. Occasional use of specific sauna protocols, however, has been shown to
dramatically boost the amount of Growth Hormone released (up to 16-fold in one
study!).
Protocol #3—Sauna for Growth Hormone Release

To use sauna for improved release of Growth Hormone, use the sauna infrequently
(once per week or less). However, those days you do sauna, you will be in the sauna
for multiple sessions of 30 minutes each with cool down periods in between. Peer-
reviewed research says this protocol works well to increase growth hormone: 30
minutes in sauna, then cool off outside sauna for 5 minutes, then 30 minutes more in
sauna, then cool off. A few hours (or more) later in the day, you repeat that for a total of
four 30-minute sessions of sauna in one day (that’s a lot!)
In order to get maximum Growth Hormone release, use the sauna in a semi-fasted
state (having not ingested food for 2 to 3 hours prior). Lower blood glucose levels
encourage Growth Hormone release—this is also true for daily Growth Hormone
release during sleep. (Listen for more tips to encourage daily Growth Hormone release.)
Again, this protocol works best if only used once every week or so. More frequent
sauna has other effects but will blunt the Growth Hormone-increasing effects.
To further increase metabolic gains, alternate periods of sauna with deliberate cold

exposure during the rest periods. Read more about specific protocols for cold exposure.
Protocol—Other Tips
Remember to hydrate well before and after you use the sauna. Sweat is made of water
and other important electrolytes. Drink at least 16 ounces of water for every 10
minutes you spend in the sauna.
Throughout the day, body temperature fluctuates in sync with your natural circadian
rhythm. Using the sauna during the afternoon/evening will help match your body’s
natural cooling with the “post-cooling sauna effect” in order to aid in falling asleep at
night.
Tools to Manage Dopamine and Improve
Motivation & Drive
Thank you for joining the Huberman Lab Podcast Neural Network — a once-a-month
newsletter with science and science-supported tools for everyday life. The purpose of
this newsletter is to provide you with actionable information in condensed form.
Dopamine is a molecule in the brain and body that is closely linked to our sense
of motivation. It can also enhance our depth of focus and lower our threshold for
taking action toward specific goals. The simplest way to think about dopamine is that
when our dopamine levels are elevated, we tend to focus our attention on outward goals
— the things we want — and we feel motivated to pursue them. “Dopamine is about
wanting, not about having,” said Dr. Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry and
behavioral sciences and the chief of the Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at
Stanford, on the Huberman Lab Podcast (and she is 100% correct). Contrast that with
serotonin, which is associated not so much with “wanting” but with feelings of well-
being about what we already have. These are generalizations of course — dopamine
and serotonin do other things too, but they are accurate, nonetheless. It is hard to
overstate how much dopamine levels shape our perception of life, our emotions, and
how capable we perceive ourselves to be — when dopamine levels are low, we feel
unmotivated, derive less pleasure from pursuits and feel physically tired. This
newsletter will detail how to manage dopamine levels to enhance motivation.
Part I: Managing Dopamine to Sustain Motivation
We have a baseline of dopamine, and it can spike or drop based on various actions,
compounds we ingest or even our thoughts. Our baseline dopaminelevels are influenced
by many factors, including genetics, behaviors, sleep, nutrition and the level of
dopamine you experienced on previous days. It is critically important to maintain
sufficient levels of baseline dopamine to sustain day-to-day motivation. We don’t want
the baseline too low or too high.
We can establish a healthy level of baseline dopamine by:
1. Viewing early morning sunlight for 10-30 minutes daily. (Don’t wear

sunglasses for this, and don’t stare at the sun; eyeglasses and contacts are
acceptable). This causes the release of dopamine. If done consistently, it will also
increase levels of gene expression for certain dopamine receptors. If you’re up to
it, take a 1-3 minute cold shower, as cold as you can safely tolerate, as well; this
is known to increase baseline dopamine for hours dramatically.
2. Eat tyrosine-rich foods such as red meats, nuts or hard fermented cheese.
Tyrosine is an amino acid and a building block of dopamine — a diet rich in
tyrosine will sustain your body’s natural dopamine production. You’ll need to
consider the caloric and other contents of these foods, of course. It’s easy to find
plant-based sources too. Simply do a web search for them.
3. Avoid melatonin supplements, as these can decrease dopamine levels and can
disrupt your normal sleep patterns. Melatonin is only recommended for jet lag.
There are better options.
4. Avoid viewing bright lights between 10 p.m.-4 a.m. This is essential, as it has
been shown to activate a brain region called the habenula and drastically
reduce the amount of circulating dopamine in your system. If you must view
light at these times, make it very dim. Once in a while is okay, but don’t make it
a habit. (If you are a shift worker or want to know how to deal with jet lag, listen
to this episode.)
5. Ingest caffeine (approximately 100-400mg) in the form of coffee, tea or
whatever form you prefer. This will cause a mild increase in dopamine but also
increases the availability of dopamine receptors, so your body is more sensitive
to circulating dopamine. Don’t do this too close to sleep. I avoid caffeine after 2
p.m., with rare exceptions.
Part II: Managing Dopamine Peaks
“Success breeds success” is true, but if you don’t manage the dopamine associated with
the pursuit and your wins, your dopamine baseline and the dopamine you experience
from reaching milestones will start to diminish over time, and you’ll feel far less
satisfaction from, well, everything. This is a common problem, but there are ways to
overcome or even avoid it altogether.
Leverage the power of dopamine released by reaching milestones to increase ongoing

motivation by:
1. Use (Randomly) an Intermittent Reward Timing (RIRT). This is the most

powerful schedule for dopamine release and staying motivated. The casinos use
it to take people’s money. It works 100% of the time. You can use RIRT to your
advantage, to stay motivated in any pursuit. The key is to celebrate your wins,
but do not celebrate every win. When you succeed in reaching a milestone,
sometimes enjoy that; other times (at random), just keep going. Even better,
associate “winning” with the effort process itself. That’s the holy grail of
dopamine management for success. It won’t make you dull or unhappy; it will
make everything easier and more pleasurable, without the peaks and valleys of
dopamine that external-reward-driven people experience, and you’ll obtain all
the external rewards anyway.
2. Remember that Dopamine is Subjective. Remember, the brain does not know
external rewards — no dopamine is dripped in your brain — it only knows the
associations of events with internal chemical (in this case, dopamine) release.
Don’t underestimate the extent to which the dopamine system and the sense of
whether you are on the right track are under your cognitive control. The
prefrontal cortex (the executive control portion of your brain) is part of the
dopamine pathway and provides subjective, top-down control (a “belief effect”)
for motivation levels. These are not placebo or small effects. Telling yourself you
are moving toward your goals is a huge stimulator of dopamine release — and
under your control. Of course, you can’t lie to yourself and say you’ve won when
you lost, but as you progress toward milestones, register it in your mind.
3. Spotlighting. Dopamine interacts with the visual system. Dr. Emily Balcetis, a
professor of psychology at New York University (NYU), discussed on the
Huberman Lab Podcast how physically focusing your visual attention on
a specific point (or “spotlight”) will help maintain focus during bouts of goal
work. When you focus on a particular point, a medley of neurochemicals
(dopamine, epinephrine and others) are recruited and put you into a state of
readiness and clear focus.
4. Don’t Layer Too Many Sources of Dopamine. When we layer too many
sources of dopamine (e.g., preworkout energy drinks, plus music, plus
friends/social connections, plus nootropics also known as “smart drugs,” etc.), it
can increase dopamine and our energy and motivate us to work hard toward a
goal. But stacking all these dopamine-triggering sources causes a crash
afterward, ultimately undermining our longer-term motivation and continued
drive. Instead, try to do some workouts without music or with just caffeine.
Change it up.
5. Supplement to Microspike Dopamine. There are compounds sold over the
counter that potently increase dopamine but not so much that they cause the
problems associated with illicit or prescription (Rx) drugs that do the same. L-
Tyrosine (500-1000mg) taken 30 minutes before a mental or physical work bout
will increase focus and motivation. Some people, including me, will take 500mg
of L-Tyrosine and 300mg of Alpha-GPC (which increases acetylcholine and,
thereby, focus) prior to a hard workout or focused cognitive work. But as
mentioned in #4, I don’t do this every day and sometimes, I use none. My
favorite preworkout or precognitive-work-bout supplement is 300mg Alpha-
GPC, 500mg Phenylethylamine and (sometimes) 500mg L-Tyrosine. (If I really
want to drop into focus and it’s early day, I chase it with espresso!) The
Huberman Lab Podcast is now partnered with Momentous because they have
superb quality and they ship internationally (as of now, they don’t sell
Phenylethylamine but hopefully will soon). Note: Don’t take these after 2-3 p.m.
if you intend to sleep that night. Also, if you have bipolar depression or any other
dopamine-sensitive condition, be very cautious with these dopamine-enhancing
compounds. Those with ADHD may need MD-prescribed Ritalin, Adderall or
other Rx drugs, but those without ADHD should avoid these Rx drugs merely for
“recreational” focus; they are powerful and can lead to dependency.
By understanding and supporting your dopamine baseline and what spikes dopamine,
you can learn to regulate yours for persistent goal-directed motivation. You don’t need
to do all of the above; the list is meant to be a buffet of options. Apply all or some, as
needed.
Foundational Fitness Protocol
Thank you for joining the Huberman Lab Neural Network — a once-a-month
to provide you with actionable information in a condensed form.
In Episode #94, I outline what I call a “foundational fitness protocol” that focuses on
one key aspect of physical fitness critical for health and longevity and aesthetic balance
each day of the week. It is designed to be modified to meet your individual needs, while
still adhering to what the best science tells us we should all do for immediate and long-
term health.
I acknowledge there is a range of best practices regarding exercise and optimal training
(e.g., listen to Dr. Andy Galpin describe the nine physical adaptations from exercise). I
designed this protocol to address all major fitness goals, including strength,
hypertrophy, endurance, and cardiovascular training. Below, I describe the protocol,
include specific exercise suggestions (modifiable examples), and explain ways to
modify this core schedule, should you choose. I also provide tips for integrating a
consistent fitness regimen into your week, but with flexibility.
Resistance Training
Two key principles for resistance training will help you get the most out of the
foundational protocol:
1. Use alternative training schedules (“periodization”) to optimize your strength

and muscle hypertrophy. Alternate between Schedule A and B monthly:
1. Schedule A: ~4-8 repetitions (heavier weights) and 3-4 sets per exercise
with 2-4 minutes rest between sets
2. Schedule B: ~8-15 repetitions (moderate-lighter weights) and 2-3 sets per
exercise with ~90 seconds rest between sets
2. Choose two exercises per muscle group. Exercise #1 should focus on bringing
the muscle into a shortened or maximally contracted position at the end of
the range of motion(e.g., leg curl, seated calf raise, bicep preacher curl, leg
extension, chest cable crossover). Exercise #2 should focus on resistance
occurring for the muscle group when it is in a lengthened position (e.g.,
standing calf raises, incline dumbbell curls, deep squats, glute-hamstring raises
or straight legged deadlifts, incline press, etc.).
*Keep weight workouts to 50-60 minutes of hard work after a warmup, 75 minutes
maximum. This assists effectiveness and recovery. The 75 minutes does include rest
between sets and does require not getting stuck waiting for equipment too long,
avoiding texting between sets, etc. Warm up, then get it done.
Foundational Fitness Protocol

I have created the following routine to encompass training for all major physical fitness
goals over the course of a week. This protocol was also designed to target muscle
groups twice per week: one day directly and one other day indirectly.
I start with Day 1 on Sunday and end with Day 7 on Saturday; however, modify the
start day to make sense for your schedule.
View Fitness Protocol PDF

Protocol Modifications & Notes
While I have included exercise suggestions in the PDF, choose the exercise that you can
perform correctly, through a full range of motion and with the proper form. The best
exercise you can do for a body part is one that you can perform safely. Also, adjust
according to your strengths and weaknesses. I confess I never train my chest, but I do
get enough chest training from dips. That’s me. You should train for your needs as they
relate to aesthetic and safety needs.
Adjust the above exercise suggestions based on your fitness level or personal goals,
while keeping the range of physical goals throughout the week. While the specific
days you perform each workout are unimportant, spacing between the days helps to
ensure proper recovery. Also, if you miss a day, you can double up on some workouts
later in the week. I sometimes swap day 4 and 5 if I need to.
If you decide to adjust workout days, note that many studies have found that cold
submersion (i.e., ice baths) will blunt some strength/hypertrophy improvements from
that day’s training session. Therefore, refrain from ice baths immediately
after resistance training. (It is likely that cold showers do not have this same effect.) If
you do ice baths on weight training days, wait 6-8 hours, or do them before training.
Breathing
During resistance training, lower your heart rate between sets using physiological
sighs: take two full inhales through the nose followed by one full exhale through the
mouth – trying to release all the air in your lungs.
After a training session, use 3-5 minutes of deliberate slow breathing to “downshift”
the nervous system, relax the mind and body and aid muscle recovery.
Flexibility
Holding static stretches is the best way to improve your overall flexibility. Hold each
major muscle group in a static stretch for 30-60 seconds and repeat between 3x/week
and daily. I do this at night before sleep or while waiting for dinner to cook or
(confession!) while on work calls. While holding the stretch, long exhales will further
relax muscles and deepen the stretch.
Training Fast vs. Fed
This is up to your personal preference. I like to train fasted and before noon but after
drinking caffeine, water and electrolytes, because I don’t feel sluggish during workouts,
but if you just ate a meal and time is limited, it’s more important to get in the workout
than not to train. Some people prefer to train after eating. It’s very individual. I don’t
weight train at night because it keeps me awake. Cardio does not seem to have the same
effect on me.
Training Obstacles
While consistent training is the goal, there are likely real-world obstacles you will face:
 Illness/Cold: Sometimes, with mild cold symptoms, a short, lighter training

(decreasing duration and/or intensity of the workout by 50% or more) will help
you feel better. However, skipping training and allowing yourself time to
recover, if you are truly sick, is better. Once recovered, slowly ramp back up to
your training program over 3-7 days.
 Poor Sleep/Stressful Events: Consider skipping your workout if you are under
chronic stress unless you think it can help you reset. Focus on getting a good
night’s sleep or relaxing, and double up on workouts later in the week.
o Also, try 10-30 minutes of Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) to feel more
refreshed. Afterward, you might feel up for the scheduled workout.
o For additional tools for stress, see this episode.
Hopefully, this foundational fitness protocol will provide you with a framework for
physical goals that you can modify based on your schedule, fitness level and personal
goals.
Using Light for Health
In Episode #68, I discuss how light directs a number of key aspects of our physiology
to strongly impact our overall health and well-being. Light directly impacts our mood,
our sleep, our ability to wake up and focus, our hormone levels, our immune system
and our ability to cope with stress. Given that light has tremendous positive effects,
this newsletter aims to outline zero-cost tools to harness the power of light to improve
mental and physical health.
Morning Sunlight to Set Your Mind and Body Correctly

I consider viewing morning sunlight in the top five of all actions that support mental
health, physical health and performance.
These are:
1. Sleep
2. Movement
3. Nutrients (Macro and Micro)
4. (Sun)Light
5. Relationships
As regular listeners of Huberman Lab can attest, “View morning sunlight!” is one of
my common refrains. Viewing sunlight within the first hours of waking (as soon as you
can, even if through cloud cover) increases early-day cortisol release (the ideal time
for elevated cortisol) and prepares the body for sleep later that night. A morning spike
in cortisol will also positively influence your immune system, metabolism and ability to
focus during the day.
Further, morning sunlight helps regulate your “circadian clock” — the body’s
mechanism for anticipating when to wake up and go to sleep — and it manages other
biological processes like hunger and body temperature.
On a sunny morning, get outside for 5-10 minutes. You can do more if you have time,
and feel free to use the time outside to exercise, walk, eat a light breakfast or journal in
the sunlight. Even on overcast days, there is still enough sunlight to trigger positive
effects, but you’ll need to increase the time outside to at least 15-20 minutes. If it’s
dark when you wake up or if the weather prevents you from going outside, flip on as
many bright indoor artificial lights as possible — then get outside as soon as the sun is
out.
Contacts and eyeglasses (even those with UV protection) are fine to wear when viewing
morning sunlight. However, don’t use sunglasses or blue blockers during morning
sunlight-viewing — you won’t get the maximum effects from the morning sunlight.
Face toward the sun. As always, never look directly at the sun or view the sun (or
any light) in a way that causes pain; just close your eyes and blink as needed to
protect your eyes. Note: trying to do all this through a windshield or window
won’t work; too many of the relevant wavelengths are filtered out.
Afternoon Sunlight to Reinforce Your Sleep
Later in the day, try to get outside in the afternoon. The particular wavelengths of the
sun when it is low in the sky (yellows and oranges, in contrast with blue) come through
even if it’s overcast. Sunlight viewed in the late afternoon/evening communicates to the
brain’s circadian clock that it is evening and time to begin the process of
transitioning to sleep that night.
Also, on the occasional day you miss getting outside early in the morning, the afternoon
sunlight serves as a second “anchor point” for your brain and body to know the
time/season, in order to maintain the consistency of your circadian clock.
Note: Afternoon sunlight is known to reduce some (not all!) of the ill effects of late-
night brightness from artificial sources.
Using Light to Improve Daytime Energy & Focus

In the morning and until the midafternoon, use bright overhead lights to facilitate the
release of dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine (molecules associated with
motivation, attention and drive) and optimal amounts of cortisol to maximize your
alertness and focus for work or other activities. Increase the ambient light of your
workspace rather than increasing the brightness of the computer screen. Ideally, also
place your desk near a window, as the natural sunlight signals the brain to stay alert
and focused.
In the late afternoon, follow the natural rhythm of the sun and start to dim the work
environment. Try to reduce blue light exposure to aid the transition to sleep later.
Turn off overhead lights; use lamps or softer lighting and dim the computer screen.
Avoid Bright Lights at Night to Protect Mood & Neurotransmitters

In my conversation with Dr. Samer Hattar, a senior investigator and chief of the section
on Light and Circadian Rhythms at the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), he
discussed the importance of viewing morning sunlight, specifically UVB rays, blue
light, to improve mood, increase energy, regulate appetite and increase dopamine
release. He also warned that UVB light exposure from artificial sources/screens at night
(10 p.m.-4 a.m.) decreases dopamine levels and negatively impacts feelings of
depression and anxiety. Once in a while is fine, but if you are looking at your phone or
turning on bright lights, especially overhead lights, between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on a
regular basis, your health will suffer.
Inexpensive Red Lights to Keep Nighttime Cortisol Low & Melatonin High
Keeping your cortisol low at night is essential for sleep and immune system health.
Also, the hormone melatonin naturally rises in the late evening to produce feelings of
sleepiness and stays elevated through the beginning of the night. However, bright light
powerfully inhibits melatonin. So, if you need to get up in the middle of the night (to
use the bathroom or check on children, etc.), try using no light or very dim light. Or
you could try to use amber or red light (longer wavelengths), as this type of light more
minimally impacts melatonin levels. Inexpensive red “party light” bulbs work fine. I
shift to using red lights around 9 p.m., and it has greatly improved my sleep. Of course,
turn them off at bedtime.
In fact, for high-quality, deep sleep, ensure that your room is very dark while you
sleep. Mason et al. demonstrated that even dim light exposure during sleep impairs
cardiometabolic function and increases insulin resistance.
Bright Red Light
“Red-light therapy” is becoming more common. It has, indeed, been shown to improve
eyesightin individuals older than 40, but it must be done in the early daytime. It can
also assist with acne, wound healing and more, but for all those effects one needs a
special red light. They are commercially available but carry some cost (hundreds to
thousands of dollars). That said, if you want to learn more, I discuss these and the
science and tools in our episode titled “Using Light (Sunlight, Blue Light & Red Light)
to Optimize Health.”
Shift Work
Avoid looking at bright light in the middle of your individual sleep cycle. Use dark
window shades and dim lighting to get good quality sleep. Ideally, try to stay on the
same schedule for a minimum of two weeks at a time, so your circadian clock can better
predict your sleep cycle. Those with young children or those working night shifts
should see our episode on jet lag and shift work for science-supported tools that help.
Hormones
Thus far, all these tips are focused on viewing sunlight, but there is also an advantage to
getting sunlight on your skin. Parikh et al. found that skin exposure to afternoon
sunlight for about 30minutes (such as by wearing shorts and short-sleeved t-shirts)
increased testosterone, estrogen, mood and libido in both men and women. To
follow their protocol, get outside in shorts/t-shirts for ~20-30 minutes in the
afternoon, 2-3x per week minimum. Don’t sunburn!
There are other light-based tools in Episode #68, but the above eight tips are the
biggies. #1 and #4 are the most important.
Optimize Your Water Quality and Intake for
Health
Water is a vital nutrient, making up approximately 60-80% of human cells and tissues.
In Episode #114, I explain the physical and chemical properties of water and describe
the foundational role that water plays in cellular function, mental and physical
performance and our overall health. This newsletter explains how to optimize your
hydration, clean your tap water and adjust the type of water you consume, but only if
necessary.
Cells and Water

Water is key to maintaining healthy cellular function, including the buildup and
breakdown of cellular components, chemical reactions, and protein structure and
function, and it acts as a solvent (dissolving agent) and can even function as an
antioxidant — protecting cells from damage by free radicals.
Optimize Hydration
Dehydration (even mild dehydration) negatively impacts physical performance,
alertness and cognitive focus, and thereby can cause “brain fog.” To ensure proper
hydration, aim to consume 8 oz (237 mL) of fluid per hour for the first 10 hours of
your day. Note: these are averages! You do not need to neurotically consume 8 oz
every hour but rather 16 oz on waking, then 8 oz a few hours later, 32 oz later, 4 oz, etc.
Eighty ounces in the first 10 hours of your day, spread out as is practical, is just fine.
The issue is simply that most people do not drink enough water volume in the waking
hours of their day. Drinking ~80 oz in the first 10 hours after waking can help most
people offset dehydration.
Why the first 10 hours? The body’s circadian clock (i.e., sleep and wakefulness pattern)
strongly regulates the cells within the kidney and gut via the hormone vasopressin.
Within the first 10 hours after waking, the kidney works efficiently to filter fluid, then
output reduces (so hopefully, you do not frequently wake up during the night to
urinate!). Yes, drinking more water in the daytime will have you going to the restroom
more often, but that is not a bad thing.
Waking 1-2 x per night to urinate is not an indication of pathology, but if you struggle
with more frequent nighttime urination, try to:
1. Sufficiently hydrate during the day.

2. Reduce fluid intake in the evening and in the 2-3 hrs before sleep.
3. If you need to drink at night, sip water slowly; the rate of fluid consumption
impacts the need to urinate, as does the volume you consume, of course.
Exercise, Heat and Hydration

Above meeting your baseline hydration requirements (80 oz/10 hrs of waking), other
factors such as exercise, sweating, excess heat, dry environments and caffeine intake
affect your hydration requirements. When exercising, follow the Galpin Equation as a
guideline for the amount of additional fluid you should consume (again, on average —
no need to be neurotically obsessed with consuming exact amounts at exact times
during exercise, unless you prefer to.
The Galpin Equation:
 Body weight (in lbs.) divided by 30 = number of ounces to consume every 15-20
minutes
 Body weight (in kg.) × 2 = number of mL to consume every 15-20 minutes
If you are in hot temperatures or sweating, increase the Galpin Equation guidelines
by an additional 50-100%. For every 20-30 minutes in the sauna, consume an extra 8-
16 oz of fluid.
Also, be mindful of how caffeine consumption increases your overall water intake

needs, as it is a diuretic. If you drink caffeine, increase fluid intake (ideally
with electrolytes like sodium, potassium and magnesium) by 2:1 to offset dehydration.
In other words, if you drink an 8-ounce coffee with caffeine, ingest 16 oz of water,
ideally with low/no-sugar electrolytes like LMNT, or simply a pinch of salt.
Thirst is a good indicator that you are not sufficiently hydrated, but your perception of
thirst lags behind the body’s true hydration status. So not being thirsty does not
mean you don’t need more fluid. Therefore, preemptively plan your hydration strategy,
especially in extreme weather or high-intensity activities.
Tap Water
Due to the scale and limitations of standard municipal filtration systems, most tap water
does contain contaminants, which, in high concentrations, negatively affect health.
These can include:
 Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) — the remnants of municipal water

disinfection treatment
 Some DBPs are endocrine disruptors that negatively impact fertility in males and
females.
 High fluoride negatively impacts thyroid health (fluoride at ≥0.5 mg/L can
disrupt thyroid function).
 Lead in the pipes going into your house/building; this is rarer in developed
countries but still exists some places.
For a water analysis of your tap water, Google your zip code for a water quality report,
or contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline. You can find additional resourcesfrom the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Note: In the U.S., water reports should be provided for free by the city, and you should
not have to pay for results. However, if you choose, you can also test tap water at
home (approximately $25) or send a water sample for independent laboratory analysis
(approximately $100+).
Filtering Tap Water

For most people, it will be healthier to filter their tap water. Many pitcher filters
(e.g., Brita) can filter some disinfectant byproducts but do not trap smaller particles,
notably fluoride. Based on your budget, consider these options for filtering tap water,
which vary by cost:
Note: The Huberman Lab podcast and I have no affiliation with any brands, companies
or Amazon vendors related to water filters or tests and do not receive any monetary
compensation from them.
 < $100: pitcher filters that include fluoride filtration (e.g., ClearlyFiltered
Pitcher)
 $400: countertop filters for larger water volumes (e.g., Berkey Filters)
 $800+: whole house water filters (e.g., Aquasana Filters)
 Zero-cost option: rest 1-5 gallons of water, uncapped, at room temperature for ~1
day. Sediment will fall to the bottom, so you can pour off the top two-thirds for
drinking.
o Note: do not opt for boiling tap water as a filtration method because high
heat can actually make contaminants worse.
Water Types
Tap water with higher magnesium concentrations (ideally: 8.3-19.4 mg/L) is more
alkaline and, therefore, improves absorption. This has nothing to do with adjusting
the pH of your body as some water brands suggest! That is pure falsehood. The pH
of your tissues is regulated tightly to remain in a given range.
Water’s ion concentration profile and filtration processes produce different types of
water:
 Hard water: has higher magnesium and calcium concentrations, which increase
the pH (and thus can improve absorption, but again it does NOT change the pH
of your tissues ).
o There is evidence that more alkaline water can reduce inflammation and
blood pressure and lower risks of cardiovascular disease.
 Distilled or double-distilled water: removes calcium and magnesium. Due to
the health benefits of these ions, do not regularly drink this type of water.
 Reverse osmosis water: repeated filtration traps many contaminants to more
thoroughly clean water. This type of water is safe to drink. However, it’s quite
expensive and can lack certain key minerals.
 Hydrogen-enriched, electrolyzed-reduced, deuterium-depleted water: has
higher pH than normal tap water. This type of water has not been studied
extensively. However, at least one study has shown inflammation reductionand
improvement in other health metrics, likely due to improved hydration of cells.
o If you choose, you can make this type of water at home by dissolving
a molecular hydrogen tablet (which contains a specific type of
magnesium) in a glass of water for 5-15 minutes.
o Note: If your tap water has a high magnesium concentration, the water
is already sufficiently alkaline.
 Structured water: in the presence of some solids or liquids, the configuration of
water can change, causing the “like” charges (i.e., positive/positive) to attract and
form stronger bonds. There is currently no scientific evidence supporting the
health benefits of structured water. However, some theorize that water is
structured in cells and has additional health benefits. This is actually a
controversial area with strong opinions (!) and a growing body of science so stay
tuned.
In just a few steps, and for low/no cost (I cover the zero-cost options for those that can’t
afford any of the options above on the podcast), you can adjust your tap water, making
it cleaner, healthier and more rapidly absorbable to improve your overall health and aid
high levels of performance each day.

Toolkit For Sleep

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Toolkit for Sleep

Recently, I posted this to Twitter & Instagram:

Best nootropic: sleep

So here is my list for how to get better at sleeping:

5) Avoid viewing bright lights—especially bright overhead lights between 10 pm

8) You might consider taking (30-60 min before bed):

 145mg Magnesium Threonate or 200mg Magnesium Bisglycinate

Don’t freak out if it happens. It will pass!

11) Drinking alcohol messes up your sleep. As do most sleep medications.

There were two goals of the lecture:

1. Provide an overview of the major discoveries on neuroplasticity and learning.

I’ll be posting more on tools for neuroplasticity in the near future.

5 Steps to Enhance Quality of Connection

3. Observe/Recall Others Giving & Receiving Genuine Thanks

Regardless of where we work—at home, in an office, in cafes, or elsewhere—we can

1. Maintain alertness and focus longer.

3. Place Your Screen (and Vision) in the Right Location

4. Get the Background (Sounds) Right for Optimal Work Output

5. Get the Room Right

6 Key Tools to Improve Your Gut Microbiome

Microbiota diversity is a measurement of the number of different species of

#1 Eat Fermented Foods

#2: Prebiotics and Probiotics

Synbiotics: mixtures of prebiotics and probiotics

#5: Artificial Sweeteners

An interesting finding from the Human Microbiome Project is the high degree of

#6: Don’t Over-Sanitize Your Environment

Ice bath, cold shower, or cryo?

Building Resilience & Grit

Enhancing Your Mood

Of course, calories in (consumed) versus calories out (metabolized) or “CICO” governs

A Solid Basic, Science-Supported Protocol

Protocol #1—Sauna for Cardiovascular Health

Protocol #2—Sauna for General Health

Protocol #3—Sauna for Growth Hormone Release

To further increase metabolic gains, alternate periods of sauna with deliberate cold

We can establish a healthy level of baseline dopamine by:

1. Viewing early morning sunlight for 10-30 minutes daily. (Don’t wear

Leverage the power of dopamine released by reaching milestones to increase ongoing

1. Use (Randomly) an Intermittent Reward Timing (RIRT). This is the most

1. Use alternative training schedules (“periodization”) to optimize your strength

Foundational Fitness Protocol

View Fitness Protocol PDF

 Illness/Cold: Sometimes, with mild cold symptoms, a short, lighter training

Morning Sunlight to Set Your Mind and Body Correctly

Using Light to Improve Daytime Energy & Focus

Avoid Bright Lights at Night to Protect Mood & Neurotransmitters

Cells and Water

1. Sufficiently hydrate during the day.

Exercise, Heat and Hydration

The Galpin Equation:

Also, be mindful of how caffeine consumption increases your overall water intake

 Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) — the remnants of municipal water

Filtering Tap Water

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