The New Science Of Longevity, Resilience & Breaking Bad Habits - Dr Andrew Huberman (4K)
10 Sep 2024 (8 days ago)
Adenosine in the First 90 Minutes of the Day
- Adenosine, found in the brain and body, accumulates the longer a person is awake and contributes to feelings of sleepiness and fatigue.
- Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, preventing drowsiness, but when caffeine wears off, accumulated adenosine can cause a "crash."
- Delaying caffeine intake for 60-90 minutes after waking, while hydrating and getting exposure to bright light, may help clear residual adenosine and promote alertness.
Why Jocko Never Gets Tired
- Jocko Willink participated in a 30-minute sauna session at 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Jocko Willink attended a Cromagnon show after a four-hour podcast, sauna session, and dinner.
- There is a genetic mutation that allows some people to only need 3-5 hours of sleep per night.
How to Become a Morning Person
- It takes approximately three days to shift biological mechanisms to become a morning person.
- The four primary zeitgebers, or timekeepers, that can shift the circadian clock are: viewing bright light in the morning, exercise or movement, caffeine, and social interaction.
- Viewing sunlight in the afternoon, even for five minutes, can adjust the sensitivity of the retina so that bright light at night does not suppress melatonin as much.
Andrew’s New Daily Routine
- The speaker divides their day into three blocks: 6 a.m. to noon, noon to 6 p.m., and 6 p.m. to bedtime.
- The speaker finds that they are most productive when they exercise early in the day, between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m..
- The speaker's ideal schedule involves intense work in the first two blocks of the day, with social time and relaxation in the evening.
Mentally Dealing With a Rapid News Cycle
- People are experiencing exhaustion and feeling overwhelmed due to the intensity of the upcoming election.
- To navigate the election cycle, it is suggested to pay attention to the dominance language used by candidates, specifically focusing on whether they are expressing their true beliefs or telling people what they want to hear.
- It is argued that people are more likely to vote for a candidate who expresses their beliefs with conviction, regardless of whether they agree with those beliefs, as it conveys authenticity and a clear vision for the future.
Why Stories Are More Powerful Than Statistics
- People's beliefs are more strongly influenced by stories than statistics.
- The brain stores memories in a beginning, middle, and end structure, similar to how stories are structured.
- Flashbulb memories, which are vivid and detailed memories of emotionally significant events, are an exception to the beginning, middle, and end memory structure.
The Tim Kennedy Alarm Clock
- Tim Kennedy has acute vision and can spot potential threats from a distance.
- A story is shared about Tim Kennedy making Brian Callen go swimming early in the morning by threatening him.
- Waking up to a troubling text message triggers adrenaline, similar to how a traumatic experience can create a conditioned response to certain stimuli.
Dissecting the Story You Tell Yourself
- Trauma can re-pattern old memories, potentially leading individuals to reinterpret past feelings and experiences.
- It is important to acknowledge emotions, examine personal motivations, and challenge unspoken assumptions about the world.
- Reframing experiences to focus on enjoyment during the process of improvement, rather than postponing happiness for a future outcome, can be a powerful tool.
The Blessing & Curse of Good Memory
- The speaker has a very good memory, being able to recall conversations and events from their early childhood.
- The speaker experienced a shift in their cognition, transitioning from being drawn to past memories to a present-focused mindset.
- The speaker analogizes their current mental state to that of a caterpillar, characterized by a focus on immediate tasks and a sense of moving forward in small increments.
How Andrew Deals With Public Scrutiny
- It was discovered that media often contains falsehoods, including fabricated stories and narratives spun from a lack of context or outright lies.
- It was observed that podcasting, unlike traditional media, allows for authenticity and genuine expression, with podcast hosts like Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, and others being themselves and not conforming to external pressures.
- A parallel was drawn between the evolution of media, from game shows as a means to sell products to reality TV and social media as platforms for self-casting, with podcasts emerging as a space for genuine human connection and interaction.
What it Was Like to Wake Up to the Hit Piece
- A committee of trusted individuals, including family, friends, and colleagues, provided support and guidance during a challenging period.
- Despite personal attacks and attempts to discredit his past, support from individuals familiar with his background, including those from the skateboarding community, reinforced the truthfulness of his experiences.
- Prayer became a source of grounding, clarity, and guidance, helping to navigate the situation and make decisions aligned with personal values.
Advice to People Going Through an Intense Time
- Building a strong support network during good times is crucial, as it will be there for you during challenging times.
- Utilizing tools and strategies for stress management, such as sleep, breathing exercises, and hot-cold therapy, is essential for navigating difficult periods.
- Seeking support from others, whether through personal connections, books, podcasts, or faith, can provide guidance and perspective during times of crisis.
The Lonely Chapter
- The “lonely chapter” is a period of time in which an individual is growing and changing as a person.
- During this period, an individual may feel isolated as they are no longer able to resonate with their old friends, but have not yet developed new friendships.
- The speaker believes that everyone who decides to make a significant change in their life will experience the lonely chapter.
Thoughts on Bryan Johnson
- Bryan Johnson is exploring the field of longevity in a unique way.
- There are many different perspectives on health and science, and it is important to consider all of them.
- It is crucial to be able to filter the vast amount of information available and focus on practices that have stood the test of time and can be enhanced by technology.
Current State of Longevity Research
- Rapamycin (Rapa), a drug that mimics fasting and potentially extends lifespan, has limited human data and may cause side effects like reduced testosterone and libido.
- Sublingual NMN, a precursor to NAD, has been anecdotally linked to hair and nail growth, as well as increased morning energy, but more research is needed.
- Excessive stress, lack of sleep, and a lack of joy can negatively impact longevity, while moderate exercise, a balanced lifestyle, and stress management are beneficial.
Thinking About Your Long Arc
- It is important to develop the skill to say no to things, even things that you may have dreamt of doing, as opportunities arise.
- Avoiding catastrophic events is more beneficial than trying to expedite success.
- It is important to take care of your health and well-being, but even with the best efforts, unforeseen events can happen.
Using BPC-157 to Recover Faster
- BPC-157 should only be obtained through a compounding pharmacy with a doctor's prescription due to the prevalence of contaminated versions.
- BPC-157 can accelerate healing from injuries, but continuous use is not recommended.
- BPC-157's mechanism of action involves detecting injuries and promoting the activity of fibroblasts, cells involved in tissue repair, particularly in tendons.
Why Andrew is Teaching an Undergraduate Course
- The course will have 400-600 students and will include guest lectures.
- The course will be taught in a large lecture format and will involve reading and evaluating papers.
- The course curriculum is being designed with the help of 6-8 student TAs.
Being a Researcher & Influencer
- A shift occurred in 2019 and 2020 towards creating online content and participating in podcasts.
- Currently, research is focused on human clinical trials, including remote studies on stress mitigation and investigations into non-sleep deep rest and visual repair.
- A significant effort is being made to secure funding for research, including raising awareness, obtaining donations, and advocating for increased government support.
How to Follow Your Intuition More
- The nervous system, including the brain and body, plays a crucial role in intuition, acting as a guide in our awareness.
- Engaging in exercises like visualizing extremely positive and negative scenarios can help individuals tap into their intuition and recognize their body's responses to different stimuli.
- Intuition, similar to the rod system in the retina, is highly sensitive but may lack detailed information, while logical thinking, like the cone system, provides more specific details but is less sensitive.