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

Disclaimer

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

Disclaimer

Dr. David Buss: How Humans Select & Keep Romantic Partners in Short & Long Term

In this episode, my guest is Dr. David Buss, Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, and one of the founding members of the field of evolutionary psychology.

Dr. Buss describes his work on how people select mates for short and long-term relationships, the dynamics of human courtship, and mate value assessment — meaning how people measure up as potential partners. We also discuss the causes of infidelity and differences for infidelity in men and women. He explains how people evaluate and try to alter other people’s mate value as a means to secure and even poach mates. We discuss monogamous and non-monogamous relationships in humans. And we discuss what Dr. Buss calls “the dark triad”— features common in stalkers and narcissists that relate to sexual and psychological violence in relationships.

This episode is sure to be of interest to anyone single or in a relationship who seeks to know how people select mates and anyone who is interested in forming and maintaining healthy romantic partnerships. 

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. David Buss

(00:04:27) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:08:33) Choosing a Mate

(00:13:40) Long Term Mates: Universal Desires

(00:18:31) What Women & Men Seek in Long-Term Mates

(00:25:10) Age Differences & Mating History 

(00:32:20) Deception in Courtship

(00:37:30) Emotional Stability

(00:38:40) Lying About Long-Term Interest

(00:41:56) Short-Term Mating Criteria, Sliding Standards & Context Effects

(00:46:25) Sexual Infidelity: Variety Seeking & (Un)happiness & Mate Switching

(00:54:25) Genetic Cuckolds, How Ovulation Impacts Mate Preference

(00:57:00) Long-Term vs. Short-Term Cheating, Concealment

(00:59:15) Emotional & Financial Infidelity

(01:04:35) Contraception 

(01:06:22) Status & Mating Success

(01:10:10) Jealousy, Mate Value Discrepancies, Vigilance, Violence

(01:24:13) Specificity of Intimate Partner Violence  

(01:25:12) Mate Retention Tactics: Denigration, Guilt, Etc.

(01:27:33) Narcissism, Machiavellianism, Psychopathy

(01:33:25) Stalking

(01:39:15) Influence of Children on Mate Value Assessments 

(01:43:24) Attachment Styles, Mate Choice & Infidelity

(01:46:40) Non-Monogamy, Unconventional Relationships  

(01:54:00) Mate Value Self Evaluation, Anxiety About the Truth

(02:02:12) Self Deception

(02:05:35) The Future of Evolutionary Psychology & Neuroscience  

(02:06:56) Books: When Men Behave Badly; The Evolution of Desire, Textbooks

(02:10:42) Concluding Statements, Zero-Cost Support: Subscribe, Sponsors, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice

In this episode, I discuss the science of gratitude, which has been shown in peer-reviewed studies to have tremendous positive effects on mental and physical health. I explain, however, that most commonly used gratitude practices are ineffective (such as gratitude lists). The key elements of highly effective gratitude practices are described, including the essential need for story (narrative), receiving or perceiving gratitude rather than giving it, and the role that theory of mind plays in this context. I also discuss why we can’t simply make up feelings of gratitude and how reluctance undermines the process. I also explain the neural circuit mechanisms that underlie the reductions in fear and increases in motivation and lowering of inflammatory chemicals that effective narrative-based gratitude can trigger. Throughout the episode, I use the science of gratitude to design a brief but highly effective protocol. 

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) Introduction: Gratitude Science & Surprises

(00:01:50) Controlling Heart Rate with Story

(00:04:48) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:09:11) Major, Long-Lasting Benefits of Gratitude Practice

(00:12:20) Prosocial vs. Defensive Thinking, Behaviors, & Neural Circuits 

(00:17:50) Why We All Need an Effective Gratitude Practice

(00:21:22) Neurochemistry & Neural Circuits of Gratitude

(00:25:10) Prefrontal Cortex Set Context

(00:30:10) Ineffective Gratitude Practices; Autonomic Variables

(00:34:55) Key Features of Effective Gratitude Practices: Receiving Thanks & Story

(00:42:30) Theory of Mind Is Key

(00:45:50) Building Effective Gratitude Practices: Adopting Narratives, Duration

(00:52:28) Narratives That Shift Brain-Body Circuits 

(00:56:150 You Can’t Lie About Liking Something; Reluctance In Giving

(00:59:55) How Gratitude Changes Your Brain: Reduces Anxiety, Increases Motivation

(01:03:00) 5 Minutes (Is More Than Enough), 3X Weekly, Timing Each Day 

(01:05:44) Empathy & Anterior Cingulate Cortex

(01:07:35) Reducing Inflammation & Fear with Gratitude

(01:10:56) Serotonin, Kanna/Zembrin 

(01:16:00) Neuroplasticity, Pharmacology, Brain Machine Interfaces

(01:18:50) The Best Gratitude Practices: & How To, My Protocol

(01:24:25) Subscribe & Feedback, Supporting Sponsors, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Time Perception & Entrainment by Dopamine, Serotonin & Hormones

In this episode, I discuss how our brain and body track time and the role that neurochemicals, in particular dopamine and serotonin, but also hormones such as melatonin, allow us to orient ourselves in time. I review the three types of time perception: of the past, of the present, and the future, and how dopamine and serotonin adjust both our perception of the speed of the passage of time and our memory of how long previous experiences lasted. I also discuss circannual entrainment, which is the process by which our brain and body are matched to the seasons, and circadian (24 hours) entrainment, both of which subconsciously adjust our perceived measurement of time. I explain the mechanisms of that subconscious control. And I cover the ultradian (90 minutes) rhythms that govern our ability to focus, including how to track when these 90-minute rhythms begin and end for the sake of work and productivity. I include ten tools based on the science of time perception that you can apply to enhance productivity, creativity, and relationships in various contexts. 

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 Time Perception, Note on Fasting & Supplements

(00:05:28) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:09:25) Entrainment, Circannual Entrainment, Melatonin

(00:13:20) Seasonal Oscillations in Testosterone & Estrogen, Tool 1

(00:16:06) Circadian Timing, Tools 1, 2, 3 (for Circadian Entrainment)

(00:21:13) Tool 4: Timing Physical Activity; Tool 5: Timing Eating Window

(00:23:00) When Circadian Entrainment is Disrupted, Time Perception Suffers

(00:25:00) Tool 6: Ultradian (90min) Cycles & Focus

(00:31:42) Our Sense of the Passage of Time: Present, Prospective, Retrospective

(00:34:40) Dopamine (& Nor/epinephrine) Lead to Time Overestimation; Frame Rate 

(00:37:18) Serotonin & Time Underestimation; Decreased Frame Rate

(00:39:10) Dopamine vs. Serotonin Across the Day; Tool 7: When to Do Rigid vs. Creative Work

(00:42:38) Example of Tool 7

(00:43:38) How Sleep Deprivation Degrades Performance

(00:44:38) Trauma, “Over-clocking” & Memories; Adjusting Rates of Experience

(00:50:04) Why Trauma Involves Dopamine & Epinephrine, Arousal

(00:51:03) Dopamine, Spontaneous Blinking & Time Perception; Tool 8

(00:53:38) Deliberate Cold Exposure, Dopamine, Tool 9: Adjusting Frame Rate in Discomfort

(00:56:30) Fun “Feels Fast” BUT Is Remembered as Slow; Boring Stuff “Feels Slow,” Recall As Fast

(01:00:54) Retrospective Time, Context Variation & Enhanced Bonding with Places & People

(01:03:00) Dopamine Release Resets the Start of Each Time Bin on Our Experience

(01:07:40) Habits & Time Perception; Tool 10 (Setting Functional Units of Each Day)

(01:11:58) Synthesis & Book Suggestion (Your Brain Is a Time Machine by D. Buonomano)

(01:12:27) Supporting the HLP: Subscribe, Instagram, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Dr. Duncan French: How to Exercise for Strength Gains & Hormone Optimization

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Duncan French, Ph.D., the Vice President of Performance at the UFC Performance Institute and a world-class performance specialist. We discuss specific resistance (weight) training regimens for increasing testosterone in men and women and how to vary mechanical loads and rest between sets and workouts to optimize hormone output and training results. We also discuss how stress-induced “catecholamines” can increase testosterone or decrease it, depending on duration and mindset. And we discuss specific cold- and heat- therapies for increasing resilience, reducing inflammation, heat shock proteins and more. We discuss nutrition for training and how to match nutrition to training goals and metabolic flexibility. We discuss mental focus and how long to train for skill development. Finally, we discuss how mixed martial arts and the UFC Performance Institute are a template for exploring human performance more generally. This episode is intended for anyone interested in athletic and mental performance: athletes, students, and recreational exercisers and includes both science and many practical tools people can apply in their own training. 

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. Duncan French 

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

(00:05:44) Duncan’s Background in Exercise Science

(00:11:45) How Certain Exercises Increase Testosterone

(00:16:22) What Kind of Training Increases Testosterone & Growth Hormone?

(00:20:19) Intensity: Mechanical Load; Volume: Metabolic Load; Inter-set Rest Periods

(00:25:25) Training Frequency & Combining Workout Goals  

(00:29:35) How Stress Can Increase or Decrease Testosterone 

(00:36:55) Using Cold Exposure for Mindset, Anti-Inflammation, Muscle-Growth

(00:46:55) Skill Development

(00:50:05) Why Hard Exercise Creates Brain Fog: Role of Nutrition 

(00:53:55) Low-Carbohydrate Versus All-Macronutrient Diets on Performance

(00:56:15) Ketones & Brain Energy, Offsetting Brain Injury; Spiking Glucose During Ketosis

(00:59:13) Metabolic Efficiency, Matching Nutrition to Training, “Needs Based Eating”

(01:05:00) Duncan’s Work with Olympic Athletes, NCAA, UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)

(01:08:00) Why UFC & MMA (Mixed-Martial Arts) Are So Valuable for Advancing Performance

(01:12:40) Voluntarily Switching Between Different States of Arousal

(01:14:30) Heat, Getting Better at Sweating, Heat Shock Proteins, Sauna

(01:20:12) Using Rotating 12-Week Training Programs; Logging Objective & Subjective Data

(01:24:07) Surprising & Unknown Aspects of The UFC and UFC Performance Institute

(01:27:45) Conclusions, Zero-Cost Support, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Using Your Nervous System to Enhance Your Immune System

This episode teaches you a lot about the immune system, immune-brain interactions and offers 12 potential tools for enhancing immune system function. I discuss how our immune system works and science-supported tools we can use to enhance our immune system.

I discuss the innate and adaptive immune systems and our various microbiomes– not just in our gut but also in our nose, eyes and mouth and how to keep them healthy. And I review how specific patterns of breathing and foods maintain a healthy mucosal barrier that is crucial for fighting infections. I discuss how certain neurochemicals called catecholamines enhance our immune system function and how to use specific breathing protocols, types and timing of heat and cold exposure, and, if appropriate, supplementation to activate catecholamines. I also discuss the role and use of serotonin for the sake of accessing the specific types of sleep for recovering from illness, and I discuss how to increase glymphatic “washout” of brain debris during sleep. I also review fever, the vagus nerve and the use of atypical yet highly effective compounds for rhinitis (nasal inflammation).

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 Mind & Immune System, New Findings: Acupuncture & Fascia

(00:03:16) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:07:41) Foundational Tools & Practices for a Healthy Immune System

(00:11:20) Immune System Basics: Skin/Mucous, Innate & Adaptive Immune System

(00:17:08) Killer Cells, Complement Proteins (“Eat Me!” Signals), Cytokines (“Help Me!” Signals)

(00:21:06) The Adaptive Immune System: Antibodies

(00:28:00) Tool 1: Nasal Microbiome and “Scrubbing” Bacteria & Viruses; Nasal Breathing

(00:30:33) Tools 2 & 3: (Not) Touching Your Eyes; Gut Microbiome & Fermented Foods

(00:34:20) Some Interleukins Are Anti-Inflammatory

(00:34:56) Sickness Behavior

(00:39:08) Some People Seek Care When Sick, Others Want to be Alone

(00:42:00) Sickness Behavior & Depression: Cytokines

(00:43:40) Reduced Appetites When Sick: Protein, Iron, Libido

(00:46:45) Vagus-Nerve Stimulation: Fever, Photophobia, Sleepiness

(00:53:03) Humoral (Blood-Borne) Factors, & Choroid Change Your Brain State

(00:55:04) Tools 4, 5: Reducing Sickness: Glymphatic Clearance, Pre-Sleep Serotonin, 5HTP

(01:07:03) Tool 6: Hot Showers, Saunas, Baths & Cortisol, Heath-Cold Contrast

(01:10:53) Feed a Fever & Starve a Cold (?), Adrenaline

(01:12:36) Tool 7: Activating Your Immune System w/Cyclic-Hyperventilation, Alkalinity

(01:29:10) Brain Chemicals & Cyclic-Hyperventilation; Catecholamines, Dopamine

(01:32:10) Mindsets & Immune Function; Yes, You Can Worry Yourself Sick

(01:37:00) Tool 8: Healthy Mindsets, Hope, Dopamine; Tool 9: Tyrosine; Tool 10: Cold Exposure

(01:42:05) Once You’re Already Sick: Accelerating Recovery; Tool 11: Spirulina, Rhinitis

(01:46:09) Histamines, Mast Cells

(01:49:22) Tool 12: Acupuncture: Mechanism for How It Reduces Inflammation; Fascia, Rolfing 

(01:53:40) Mechanistic Science & Ancient Practices

(01:58:00) Synthesis, Ways to Support Us (Zero-Cost), Sponsors, Supplements, Social Media

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Dr. Samer Hattar: Timing Your Light, Food, & Exercise for Optimal Sleep, Energy & Mood

In this episode, I host Dr. Samer Hattar, Chief of the Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms at the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Hattar is a world-renowned expert on how viewing light at particular times adjusts our mood, ability to learn, stress and hormone levels, appetite, and mental health. We discuss how to determine and use your individual light sensitivity to determine the optimal sleep-wake cycle for you. We also discuss how to combine your light viewing and waking time with the timing of your food intake and exercise in order to maximize mental and physical functioning. Dr. Hattar is credited with co-discovering the neurons in the eye that set our circadian clocks and regulate mood and appetite. He explains why even a small shift in daylight savings leads to outsized effects on our biking because of the way that our cells and circadian clocks integrate across many days. And he offers precise tools to rapidly adjust to jetlag, shift work, and reset your clock after a late night of work or socializing. This episode is filled with cutting-edge data on the biological mechanisms of human physiology and practical tools for people of all ages. 

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. Samer Hattar, Ph.D.

(00:02:33) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:06:15) Light, Circadian (24 hour) & Circannual (365 day) “Photoentrainment” 

(00:14:30) Neurons in Our Eyes That Set Our Body Clocks: Similar to Frog Skin

(00:18:55) What Blind People See 

(00:20:15) When, How & How Long to View Light for Optimal Sleep & Wakefulness

(00:30:20) Sunlight Simulators, Afternoon Light Viewing, Naps

(00:33:48) Are You Jetlagged at Home? Chronotypes & Why Early Risers Succeed 

(00:38:33) How to Decide Your Best Sleep-Wake Schedule; Minimal Light Test

(00:42:16) Viewing Light in Middle of Day: Mood & “Light Hunger”

(00:44:55) Evening Sunlight; Blueblocker Warning

(00:48:57) Blue Light Is Not the Issue; Samer’s Cave; Complete Darkness

(00:53:58) Screens at Night

(00:56:03) Dangers of Bright Light Between 10 pm and 4 am: Mood & Learning

(01:01:05) The Tripartite Model: Circadian, Sleep Drive, Feeding Schedules

(01:05:05) Using Light to Enhance Your Mood; & The Hattar-Hernandez Nucleus

(01:07:19) Why Do We Sleep?

(01:08:17) Effects of Light on Appetite; Regular Light & Meal Times

(01:18:08) Samer’s Experience with Adjusting Meal Timing

(01:22:51) Using Light to Align Sleep, Mood, Feeding, Exercise & Cognition

(01:30:15) Age-Related Changes in Timing of Mental & Physical Vigor  

(01:31:44) “Chrono-Attraction” in Relationships; Social-Rhythms

(01:33:40) Re-setting Our Clock Schedule; Screen Devices Revisited

(01:37:50) How Samer Got into the Study of Light 

(01:39:33) Clock Gene mRNAs & More Accurate Biomarkers

(01:41:08) Light as Medicine

(01:42:48) ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) 

(01:43:35) How to Beat Jetlag: Light, Temperature, Eating

(01:50:44) Vigor: The Consequence of Proper Timing 

(01:52:15) Waking in the Middle of the Night: When Your Nightly Sleep Becomes a Nap

(01:54:10) Melatonin, Pineal Calcification

(01:55:25) Our Seasonal Rhythms: Mood, Depression, Lethargy & Reproduction

(01:59:08) Daylight Savings: Much Worse Than It Might Seem 

(02:05:27) Eye Color & Sensitivity to Light, Bipolar Disorder

(02:09:28) Spicy Food, Genetic Variations in Sensory Sensitivity 

(02:10:52) Synthesizing This Information, Samer on Twitter, Instagram

(02:13:00) Conclusions, Ways To Support the Huberman Lab Podcast & Research

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Nutrients For Brain Health & Performance

This episode I describe science-supported nutrients for brain and performance (cognition) and for nervous system health generally.

I describe 10 tools for this purpose, including specific amounts and sources for Omega-3 fatty acids which make up the “structural fat” of neurons (nerve cells) and allow them to function across our lifespan. I also review data on creatine, phosphatidylserine, anthocyanins, choline, glutamine and how they each impact brain function in healthy people seeking to reinforce and improve their cognition and in those combatting cognitive decline. I describe both food-based and supplement-based sources for these compounds, and their effective dose ranges based on peer-reviewed literature.

Then I review the 3 factors: gut-brain signaling, perceived taste, and learned associations that combine with the metabolic and blood-sugar-elevating effects of food to determine what foods we seek and prefer. Amazingly, it’s not just about what tastes good to us. Next, I explore how we can leverage the neural circuits of learned food preference toward seeking and enjoying the right foods for brain health and performance. I also review new data on non-caloric sweeteners and why consuming them with glucose-elevating foods can be detrimental, in some cases rapidly leading to insulin dysregulation. This episode covers more than 10 actionable tools for those seeking to improve and/or maintain brain function, and it explains modern neuroscience underlying of our sense of taste, our food seeking preferences and brain metabolism.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

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

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Supplements from Momentous

https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Food & Brain Function Introduction

(00:02:08) Summary: Critical Aspects of Time Restricted Feeding/Fasting

(00:04:36) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT

(00:08:24) Neuroplasticity Super Protocol (Zero-Cost Tools) Online

(00:09:22) Eating to Enhance Brain Function & Foundational Aspects of Brain Health 

(00:13:00) Eating Fats for Brain Health, EFAs Phospholipids (Tool 1: 1-3g EPA Omega-3/day) 

(00:20:35) Phosphatidylserine (Tool 2: 300mg/day)

(00:22:15) Choline, Egg Yolks (Tool 3: 1-2g/day Threshold)

(00:28:26) Hydration & Electrolytes (Tool 4)

(00:29:50) Liquid Fish Oil/Capsules (2-3g EPA per day; 300mg Alpha GPC 2-4X/week)

(00:32:22) Creatine for Cognition (Tool 5: 5g/day) 

(00:36:28) Anthocyanins, Dark Skin Berries (Tool 6-10mg/day (Extract), 1-2 cups Berries) 

(00:41:19) L-Glutamine (Tool: 1-10g/day) & Offsetting Apnea & Inflammation

(00:49:23) Neural Basis of Food Preference, Yum, Yuck, Meh; Taste, Guts, & Beliefs

(00:55:25) Taste is 100% In your Head

(00:59:50) Gut Neurons Controlling Food Preference: Neuropod Cells; (Tool 7: Fermented Foods) 

(01:06:14) Capsule Probiotics, Brain Fog 

(01:07:16) Learning to Like Specific Tastes: Sweetness & Brain Metabolism

(01:12:11) Hard-Wiring & Soft-Wiring

(01:13:25) Artificial & Non-Caloric Sweeteners: Safe or Harmful Depends on (Glucose) Context

(01:18:15) Non-Caloric Sweetener & Insulin; (Tool 8: Don’t Have w/Glucose Elevating Foods)

(01:22:17) Beliefs & Thoughts; The Insula; (Tool 9: Pairing-Based Reshaping Food Preferences) 

(01:30:42) Liking Neuro-Healthy Foods & Bettering Brain Metabolism (Tool 10); Food Wars

(01:36:05) Food Reward & Diabetes, Obesity; Important Review Article (See Caption)

(01:38:28) Synthesis, Zero-Cost Support, Future Topic Suggestions, Sponsors, Supplements

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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