Using Play to Rewire & Improve Your Brain

In this episode, I discuss the transformative nature of play—how it changes our feelings, thoughts and actions and indeed, how it can rewire our brain to function better in all contexts. I explain the role of play in childhood, as well as adulthood in skill and social development and describe key characteristics of the mind and body during play. Additionally, I explore how play allows the brain to test contingencies in different roles/environments. Throughout, I discuss the underlying neurobiology of play. I also describe how low-stakes play, and tinkering can broaden and shape your future capabilities. Finally, I discuss how our childhood ‘personal play identity’ informs our adult personality. Throughout the episode, I use the science of play to outline recommendations for using play as a means to enhance neuroplasticity and explore novel situations, regardless of age.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) The Power of Play

(00:02:23) Tool: Reading on Smart Phones, Sighing & Learning

(00:09:33) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:13:57) Homeostatic Regulation of Play

(00:23:53) Childhood Play & Mindsets

(00:29:21) Contingency Testing

(00:32:17) The (Power of) Playful Mindset

(00:36:13) Body Postures

(00:44:03) Rule Testing & Breaking

(00:48:24) Role Play

(00:50:39) Neurobiology of Low-stakes Play

(00:54:22) Expanding Capabilities through Tinkering

(01:00:03) Play Is THE Portal to Neuroplasticity

(01:04:44) Adulthood Play

(01:10:14) Fire Together, Wire Together

(01:18:03) Trauma & Play Deficits & Recovery

(01:23:25) Competition & Dynamic Movement

(01:27:36) Chess, Mental Roles, Novelty

(01:32:52) Personal Play Identity

(01:37:24) Play Transforms Your Future Self

(01:40:55) Recommendations for Play

(01:44:25) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify/Apple Reviews, YouTube, Sponsors, Instagram, Twitter, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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Optimizing Workspace for Productivity, Focus, & Creativity

In this episode, I discuss ways to set up your workspace to optimize productivity, focus and creativity. I discuss how to adjust light, physically arrange your work environment, and leverage body posture to enhance productivity. Additionally, I explore how to shift your work environment for particular types of tasks. Moreover, I review the role of body movement in the workspace. I also discuss sound-based tools that can either enhance or diminish cognitive functioning (the ability to focus on deep work). I describe a particular frequency of binaural beats that studies show can be used to enhance memory and recall. This episode covers quality peer-reviewed findings practical tools anyone can use, regardless of budget, in order to optimize their workspace to achieve heightened levels of productivity, increased alertness and focus, and creativity.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) Arranging Environment for Focus

(00:02:44) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:07:55) How to Increase Focus

(00:10:02) Lighting Your Work in Phase 1

(00:16:00) Lighting Your Work in Phase 2

(00:19:45) Lighting Your Work in Phase 3

(00:24:17) Where to Look While You Work

(00:28:02) Arranging Your Environment

(00:31:24) Body Posture

(00:34:22) How Long to Do Deep Work

(00:36:50) Set the Right Visual Window Size

(00:42:15) 45 min / 5 min Rule

(00:44:23) The Cathedral Effect: Analytic vs Creative Work

(00:55:50) Leveraging Background Noise

(01:02:20) Binaural Beats for Work

(01:06:38) The Best Binaural Frequency for Work

(01:11:17) How Binaural Beats Increase Focus

(01:13:56) Minimizing Interruptions

(01:20:01) Sit or Stand, or Both?

(01:25:18) Movement in the Workspace

(01:31:00) Summary & Shifting Work Environments

(01:39:36) Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Instagram, Twitter, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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Dr. Alia Crum: Science of Mindsets for Health & Performance

My guest is Dr. Alia Crum, Associate (tenured) Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Mind & Body Lab. Dr. Crum is a world expert on mindsets and beliefs and how they shape our responses to stress, exercise, and even to the foods we eat. We discuss how our mindset about the nutritional content of food changes whether it is satisfying to us at a physiological (hormonal and metabolic) level. She also tells how mindsets about exercise can dramatically alter the effects of exercise on weight loss, blood pressure, and other health metrics. Dr. Crum teaches us how to think about stress in ways that allow stress to grow us and bring out our best rather than diminish our health and performance. Throughout the episode, Dr. Crum provides descriptions of high-quality peer-reviewed scientific findings that we can all leverage toward better health and performance in our lives.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Introducing Dr. Alia Crum from Stanford University

(00:03:31) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:08:26) What Is a Mindset & What Does It Do? 

(00:14:45) Mindsets Change Our Biological Responses to Food

(00:22:28) Beliefs About Our Food Matter

(00:25:57) Placebo vs Beliefs vs Nocebo Effects

(00:28:57) Mindset (Dramatically) Impacts the Effects of Exercise

(00:33:44) Motivational Messaging & Mindset About Fitness

(00:39:30) The Power of a ‘Potency & Indulgence’ Mindset

(00:42:03) Mindsets About Sleep, Tracking Sleep 

(00:45:00) Making Stress Work For (or Against) You

(01:01:50) Mindsets Link Our Conscious & Subconscious

(01:04:50) 3 Best Ways to Leverage Stress

(01:10:40) 4 Things That Shape Mindsets, Influencers & Mindsets

(01:19:40) Mindsets About Medicines & Side Effects

(01:26:25) How to Teach Mindsets

(01:31:47) Dr. Crum’s Research, Clinical & Athletic Backgrounds

(01:36:20) The Stanford Mind & Body Lab, Resources for Stress

(01:38:30) Synthesis, Participating in Research

(01:39:04) Subscribe, Sponsors, Instagram, Twitter, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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The Science of Setting & Achieving Goals

In this episode, I discuss the science of setting, assessing, and pursuing goals. I explain the neural (brain) circuits that underlie goal setting and pursuit. Then I describe nine science-supported tools anyone can apply toward their goals. I explain when and how to use goal visualization, when to use multitasking and how to use specific rewards to improve the likelihood of reaching your goals. I also explain why envisioning failures and their consequences are effective and how to set goals of the appropriate level of challenge. I also explain how the molecule dopamine is used to gauge our progress toward milestones and long-term overarching goals and how to leverage dopamine for goal pursuit. Finally, I explain a unique tool called ‘space-time bridging’ that can be used to support all aspects of goal setting, assessment, and pursuit. This episode ought to be useful for anyone seeking to improve their performance in work, school, exercise, athletics, or personal development.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) The Neuroscience of Goals

(00:01:56) Tool 1: Learn Fast(er) by the 85% Rule 

(00:06:18) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:13:55) Brain Circuits for Setting & Pursuing Goals

(00:21:52) Determining the Value of Goals 

(00:24:33) Psychology of Goal Setting: Assessing Value, Action Steps

(00:30:29) Peripersonal Space vs. Extrapersonal Space

(00:35:39) Visually Focusing on a Goal Line Improves Performance

(00:43:50) How Vision Improves Performance: Blood Pressure

(00:51:55) Tool 2: Use Focal Vision to Initiate Goal Pursuit

(00:54:40) Tool 3: Use Aged Self-Images to Self-Motivate 

(00:59:33) Tool 4: Visualization of Goals is Only Helpful at the Start 

(01:02:05) Tool 5: Visualizing Failure is the Best Ongoing Motivator

(01:07:26) Tool 6: Make Goals Moderately Lofty 

(01:13:05) Tool 7: Avoid Goal Distraction; Focus on 1-2 Major Goals Per Year

(01:15:57) Tool 8: Ensure Specificity of Goals, Weekly Assessment

(01:19:57) Dopamine, Motivation & Pleasure in Seeking Goals

(01:22:43) Dopamine Reward Prediction Error, Controlling Dopamine

(01:34:26) How Dopamine Influences Vision & Vice Versa

(01:38:10) Interim Summary of Goal-Pursuit Steps

(01:39:50) Tool 9: Space-Time Bridging 

(01:49:59) Summary

(01:51:50) Subscribe, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter, Newsletter

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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Dr. Jack Feldman: Breathing for Mental & Physical Health & Performance

This episode my guest is Dr. Jack Feldman, Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology at the University of California, Los Angeles and a pioneering world expert in the science of respiration (breathing). We discuss how and why humans breathe the way we do, the function of the diaphragm and how it serves to increase oxygenation of the brain and body. We discuss how breathing influences mental state, fear, memory, reaction time, and more. And we discuss specific breathing protocols such as box-breathing, cyclic hyperventilation (similar to Wim Hof breathing), nasal versus mouth breathing, unilateral breathing, and how these each affect the brain and body. We discuss physiological sighs, peptides expressed by specific neurons controlling breathing, and magnesium compounds that can improve cognitive ability and how they work. This conversation serves as a sort of “Master Class” on the science of breathing and breathing-related tools for health and performance. 

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Our Breath Collective

https://www.ourbreathcollective.com/huberman 

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Introducing Dr. Jack Feldman

(00:03:20) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:10:35) Why We Breathe 

(00:14:35) Neural Control of Breathing: “Pre-Botzinger Complex”

(00:16:20) Nose vs Mouth Breathing

(00:18:18) Skeletal vs. Smooth Muscles: Diaphragm, Intracostals & Airway Muscles

(00:20:11) Two Breathing Oscillators: Pre-Botzinger Complex & Parafacial Nucleus

(00:26:20) How We Breathe Is Special (Compared to Non-Mammals)

(00:33:40) Stomach & Chest Movements During Breathing

(00:36:23) Physiological Sighs, Alveoli Re-Filling, Bombesin

(00:49:39) If We Don’t Sigh, Our Lung (& General) Health Suffers

(01:00:42) Breathing, Brain States & Emotions 

(01:05:34) Meditating Mice, Eliminating Fear 

(01:11:00) Brain States, Amygdala, Locked-In Syndrome, Laughing

(01:16:25) Facial Expressions

(01:19:00) Locus Coeruleus & Alertness

(01:29:40) Breath Holds, Apnea, Episodic Hypoxia, Hypercapnia

(01:35:22) Stroke, Muscle Strength, TBI

(01:38:08) Cyclic Hyperventilation

(01:39:50) Hyperbaric Chambers

(01:40:41) Nasal Breathing, Memory, Right vs. Left Nostril

(01:44:50) Breathing Coordinates Everything: Reaction Time, Fear, etc.

(01:57:13) Dr. Feldman’s Breathwork Protocols, Post-Lunch 

(02:02:05) Deliberately Variable Breathwork: The Feldman Protocol

(02:06:29) Magnesium Threonate & Cognition & Memory 

(02:18:27) Gratitude for Dr. Feldman’s Highly Impactful Work

(02:20:53) Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Instagram, Twitter, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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Dr. David Sinclair: The Biology of Slowing & Reversing Aging

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. David Sinclair, tenured Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and an expert researcher in the field of longevity. Dr. Sinclair is also the author of the book Lifespan: Why We Age & Why We Don’t Have To, and the host of the Lifespan Podcast, which launches January 5, 2022. 

In this interview, we discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging and what we all can do to slow or reverse the aging process. We discuss fasting and supplementation with resveratrol, NAD, metformin, and NMN. We also discuss the use of caffeine, exercise, cold exposure, and why excessive iron load is bad for us. We discuss food choices for offsetting aging and promoting autophagy (clearance of dead cells). And we discuss the key blood markers everyone should monitor to determine your biological versus chronological age. We also discuss the future of longevity research and technology. This episode includes lots of basic science and specific, actionable protocols, right down to the details of what to do and when. By the end, you will have in-depth knowledge of the biology of aging and how to offset it.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. David Sinclair, Harvard Medical School

(00:03:45) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:07:45) “Aging as a Disease” vs. Longevity & Anti-Aging

(00:10:23) What Causes Aging? The Epigenome

(00:15:53) Cosmetic Aging 

(00:17:15) Development Never Stops, Horvath Clock

(00:20:12) Puberty Rate as a Determinant of Aging Rate

(00:23:00) Fasting, Hunger & Food Choices

(00:32:44) Fasting Schedules, Long Fasts, (Macro)Autophagy

(00:34:50) Caffeine, Electrolytes 

(00:35:56) Blood Glucose & the Sirtuins; mTOR

(00:37:55) Amino Acids: Leucine, “Pulsing”

(00:44:35) Metformin, Berberine

(00:50:29) Resveratrol, Wine

(00:53:20) What Breaks a Fast?

(00:56:45) Resveratrol, NAD, NMN, NR; Dosage, Timing

(01:09:10) Are Artificial Sweeteners Bad for Us?

(01:12:04) Iron Load & Aging

(01:15:05) Blood Work Analysis

(01:19:37) C-Reactive Protein, Cholesterol: Serum & Dietary

(01:26:02) Amino Acids, Plants, Antioxidants

(01:33:45) Behaviors That Extend Lifespan, Testosterone, Estrogen

(01:40:35) Neuroplasticity & Neural Repair

(01:46:19) Ice Baths, Cold Showers, “Metabolic Winter”

(01:48:07) Obesity & How It Accelerates Aging, GnRH 

(01:52:10) Methylation, Methylene Blue, Cigarettes 

(01:56:17) X-Rays  

(01:59:00) Public Science Education, Personal Health

(02:05:40) The Sinclair Test You Can Take: www.doctorsinclair.com

(02:08:13) Zero-Cost Support & Resources, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram 

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Science of Social Bonding in Family, Friendship & Romantic Love

This episode I discuss the science of social bonding- the process by which we form attachments. I explain the neural and hormonal basis for “social homeostasis” (our drive for a given amount of socializing) which reveals why we get lonely, why we seek out connection with others and how power dynamics (hierarchies) shape those connections. I also discuss the neurochemical basis of introversion and extroversion, of trust and how shared experiences that promote similar physiological states in two or more individuals, leads to more rapid bonding. I also discuss how food and oxytocin play key roles in social bonding. This episode covers quality peer-reviewed science and practical tools for anyone seeking to find, build or end relationships.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Social Bonding: Child-Parent, Romantic, Friendship, Breakups

(00:03:10) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:07:08) Social Bonding as a Biological Process

(00:10:03) Social Isolation

(00:13:32) Social Homeostasis & Neural Circuits for Social Drive 

(00:18:55) Brain Areas & (Neuro)Chemistry of Social Drive 

(00:22:48) What is Social Homeostasis & Dopamine

(00:27:00) When We Lack Social Interactions: Short- Versus Long-Term

(00:28:10) Introverts & Extroverts

(00:31:00) “Good” Versus “Bad” Social Interactions & Hierarchies

(00:33:54) Loneliness & Dorsal Raphe Nucleus & Social Hunger 

(00:37:33) Tools

(00:38:05) Socializing & Food Appetite: Crossover Craving

(00:42:45) Falling in Love

(00:45:05) Tools for Social Bonds: Merging Physiologies; Story

(00:53:54) Childhood Attachment Patterns in Adulthood

(01:03:45) Attachment Styles: Autonomic Versus Intellectual Attachment

(01:06:10) Emotional Empathy & Cognitive Empathy, Arguing

(01:09:45) Allan N. Schore & “Right Brain Psychotherapy”

(01:10:40) Oxytocin & Trust, In Males Versus Females, Hormonal Glue

(01:16:10) Repairing Broken Bonds to Self & Others

(01:18:56) Social (Media) Butterflies: Biological Basis

(01:24:08) Key Points for Bonding & Understanding Social Bonds

(01:27:07) Breaking Up

(01:28:36) Synthesis 

(01:31:17) Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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

In this episode, my guest is Dr. David Berson, Professor & Chairman of Neuroscience at Brown University. Dr. Berson discovered the neurons in your eye that set your biological rhythms for sleep, wakefulness, mood and appetite. He is also a world-renowned teacher of basic and advanced neuroscience, having taught thousands of university lectures on this topic. Many of his students have become world-leading neuroscientists and teachers themselves. 

Here Dr. Berson takes us on a structured journey into and around the nervous system, explaining: how we perceive the world and our internal landscape, how we balance, see, and remember. Also, how we learn and perform reflexive and deliberate actions, how we visualize and imagine in our mind, and how the various circuits of the brain coordinate all these incredible feats. 

We discuss practical and real-life examples of neural circuit function across the lifespan. Dr. Berson gives us a masterclass in the nervous system—one that, in just less than two hours, will teach you an entire course’s worth about the brain and how yours works.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. David Berson 

(00:03:11) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:08:02) How We See 

(00:10:02) Color Vision 

(00:13:47) “Strange” Vision

(00:16:56) How You Orient In Time

(00:25:45) Body Rhythms, Pineal function, Light & Melatonin, Blueblockers

(00:34:45) Spending Times Outdoors Improves Eyesight 

(00:36:20) Sensation, Mood, & Self-Image

(00:41:03) Sense of Balance

(00:50:43) Why Pigeons Bob Their Heads, Motion Sickness 

(01:00:03) Popping Ears

(01:02:35) Midbrain & Blindsight 

(01:10:44) Why Tilted Motion Feels Good 

(01:13:24) Reflexes vs. Deliberate Actions

(01:16:35) Basal Ganglia & the “2 Marshmallow Test”

(01:24:40) Suppressing Reflexes: Cortex 

(01:33:33) Neuroplasticity 

(01:36:27) What is a Connectome?

(01:45:20) How to Learn (More About the Brain)

(01:49:04) Book Suggestion, my Berson Appreciation

(01:50:20) Zero-Cost ways to Support the HLP, Guest Suggestions, Sponsors, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Erasing Fears & Traumas Based on the Modern Neuroscience of Fear

In this episode, I discuss fear and trauma, including the neural circuits involved in the “threat reflex” and how specific experiences and memories come to activate that system. I also discuss how our body is involved in trauma and fear. First, I describe the logic of fear mechanisms and how “top-down” processing– meaning connections from the parts of the brain that assign meaning to our feelings, are involved in fear and erasing fears and traumas. Then I discuss what successful fear and trauma treatment must include and consider various treatments for whether they meet that standard, such as EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Ketamine, other drug-assisted therapies, and more. I also review new data on how 5 minutes per day of deliberate, self-imposed stress can erase fear and depression. And I review the role that social connection plays in erasing or maintaining fears by activating specific molecular pathways in the brain and body. Finally, I review supplementation with over-the-counter compounds for their effects on anxiety and fear and when to take them, if at all. 

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Introducing Fear, Trauma & Trauma 

(00:02:31) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:06:49) What is Fear? 

(00:11:45) Autonomic Arousal: “Alertness” vs. “Calmness”

(00:13:44) Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA axis)

(00:17:36) “The Threat Reflex”: Neural Circuits for Fear

(00:28:24) Controlling Fear: Top-Down Processing

(00:32:27) Narratives: “Protective or Dangerous”

(00:35:58) Attaching Fear to Events: Classical Conditioning & Memory

(00:41:45) How Fear Learning Occurs: Long Term Potentiation, NMDA

(00:46:10) Extinguishing (Reducing) Fears

(00:50:25) Cognitive (Narrative) Therapies for Fear

(00:57:56) Repetition of Narrative, Overwriting Bad Experiences with Good

(01:05:28) EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing

(01:14:00) Social Connection & Isolation Are Chemically Powerful

(01:18:23) Trans-Generational Trauma

(01:25:00) PTSD Treatments: Ketamine, MDMA, oxytocin

(01:39:25) How Do You Know If You Are Traumatized? 

(01:46:16) Deliberate Brief Stress Can Erase Fears & Trauma

(01:49:50) Erasing Fears & Traumas In 5 Minutes Per Day

(01:59:42) Nutrition, Sleep, & Other General Support Erasing Fear & Trauma

(02:02:30) Supplements for Anxiety, Fear: Saffron, Inositol, Kava

(02:10:00) Synthesis 

(02:11:46) Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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