Control Your Vagus Nerve to Improve Mood, Alertness & Neuroplasticity

In this episode, I explain a specific writing protocol shown in hundreds of scientific studies to significantly improve immediate and long-term health. I explain how to implement this specific protocol, which takes only four days and 15-30 minutes per day. I also explain the mechanism for how the four-day writing protocol affects neuroplasticity (brain rewiring) and brain function in the short and long term. I explain how these brain changes positively impact our physical health, including our system's immune function and thus our ability to combat infections, improve sleep, reduce feelings of physical and emotional pain, lower anxiety, and bring about healing from traumas. This episode ought to be of interest to anyone seeking better mental and/or physical health through the use of brief yet highly effective science-supported protocols. For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com. Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Journaling Protocol for Mental & Physical Health (00:03:022) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:07:16) Journaling & Confronting Traumatic Events (00:11:25) Tool: Expressive Writing (00:14:38) Morning Notes, Gratitude Journaling, Diary Journaling (00:18:00) Tool: Consecutive Writing Bouts; Trauma Definition (00:24:38) Low Expressors vs. High Expressors (00:29:29) Tools: Language, Vocabulary & Emotion; Analyzing Writing (00:35:02) Tool: Writing Session Tips (00:38:20) Sponsor: AG1 (00:41:02) Positive Mental & Physical Benefits (00:46:45) Expressive Writing & Immune Function; Brain-Body Connection  (00:58:10) Neuroplasticity, Prefrontal Cortex & Subcortical Structures (01:05:00) Structured Writing, Trauma & Narratives; Truth-Telling (01:08:56) Neuroplasticity, Truth-Telling & Relief from Trauma (01:15:32) Honesty, Brain Activity & Narratives (01:22:01) Overcoming Trauma & the Brain; Stress, Emotions & Honesty (01:26:41) Expressive Writing Protocol & Benefits (01:36:16) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20 Marras 20231h 33min

Recently I had the pleasure of hosting a live event in Toronto, Ontario. This event was part of a lecture series called The Brain Body Contract. My favorite part of the evening was the question & answer period, where I had the opportunity to answer questions from the attendees of each event. Included here is the Q&A from our event at Meridian Hall. We'll be hosting four live events in Australia in February 2024. Limited tickets remain for our show in Melbourne on February 10, 2024, and Brisbane on February 24, 2024. Our show in Sydney at the Sydney Opera House sold out quickly, so we've added a second show at the Aware Super Theatre on February 18, 2024. For tickets and event details, please visit https://www.hubermanlab.com/events. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Introduction (00:02:41) What Motivated You to Do the Guest Series With Dr. Paul Conti? (00:08:07) Enhancing Emotional Resilience in Triggering Situations: Protocols and Best Practices (00:12:46) Understanding and Fostering Sudden Inspiration in the Brain (00:16:36) How Can Canadians Fight the Season Depression? (00:22:45) How Do You Increase Neuroplasticity After 30? (00:28:46) What Type of Movement Protocol Do You Recommend for Someone Working From Home? (00:33:02) What Does Your Morning Meditation Consist Of? (00:38:05) Conclusion Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Marras 202339min

In this episode, my guest is Natalie Crawford, MD, a double board-certified physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, fertility and reproductive health and host of the “As a Woman” podcast. We discuss female hormones, nutrition, supplementation, reproductive health, and fertility, including how the timing and duration of puberty impact a woman’s long-term hormone cycles and menopause. We also discuss the pros and cons of various birth control methods and how hormonal vs. non-hormonal birth control each affects fertility. We cover the factors that impact egg and sperm quality and how to leverage timing for conception. We also discuss procedures to assess female fertility, including egg count and hormone testing, the process of egg freezing, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other reproductive options. This episode represents fairly comprehensive coverage of female hormones and reproductive health, highlighting important tests and screening, behavioral, nutritional, supplement and prescription-based tools that women of any age can use to improve their fertility, hormone function and overall health.  For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Natalie Crawford (00:01:52) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:04:59) Female Puberty & Growth Characteristics, Height (00:13:27) Eggs & Ovulation, Harvesting Eggs, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) (00:17:31) Endocrine Disruptors, Fetal Development (00:21:39) Lavender, Tea Tree & Evening Primrose Oils, Scents, Diapers (00:25:13) Breast Milk vs. Formula & Fertility (00:26:04) Menstruation Cycle & Hormones, Timing (00:33:47) Sponsor: AG1 (00:35:59) Estrogen, Progesterone & Menstrual Cycle (00:38:08) Hormonal Birth Control & Ovarian Reserve, AMH Testing, Fertility (00:42:42) Spermatogenesis & Testosterone; Heat: Ovaries vs Testes (00:46:11) Period & Pregnancy, Conception Window (00:48:56) Estrogen, Libido & Ovulation; Mittelschmerz (00:51:33) Tool: Intercourse Timing & Conception; Artificial Insemination, IVF (00:55:03) Egg/Sperm Quality, Cigarettes, Vaping, Cannabis & Alcohol  (01:03:29) Intrauterine Device (IUD), Depo-Provera & Fertility (01:10:00) Birth Control Risks & Benefits, Cancers, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) (01:19:39) Blood Clotting & Birth Control Pill; Health Screening  (01:24:50) Tool: AMH Testing, Ovarian Reserve, Antral Follicle Count Ultrasound (01:29:55) IVF, In Vitro Maturation (IVM); Early Ovarian Reserve Screening (01:35:40) Tools: Egg Freezing, IVF; Age & Egg Quality (01:43:37) Egg Freezing & IVF Procedures, Maternal Age, Success Rates (01:51:30) Tool: Sperm Freezing & Paternal Age, Vasectomy (01:55:01) Hormones, Egg Freezing & IVF (02:00:42) Three-Parent IVF, Mitochondrial DNA (02:05:21) IVF Embryo Storage & Donation; Donor Education & Consent (02:14:29) Autism, Developmental Disorders, IVF Babies, Age  (02:20:36) Tools: Sleep, Nutrition & Fertility; Dietary Fat (02:27:32) Protein, Meat, Tofu, Fish; Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners; Weight & Miscarriage (02:37:38) Tools: Supplements; Prenatal Vitamins, Omega 3s, Vitamin D, Coenzyme Q10 (02:42:26) L-Carnitine & Male Fertility; PCOS & Myo-inositol; Metformin (02:47:11) Egg Retrieval, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, Minimal Stimulation (02:57:56) INVOcell (03:03:12) Egg Freezing, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Sperm Fragmentation (03:11:45) Genetic Testing, IVF Transfer & Success Rate, Embryo Banking (03:15:10) Menopause (03:19:47) Hormone Replacement Therapy & Menopause (03:22:25) Early-signs of Menopause (03:25:18) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Marras 20233h 23min

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Michael Eisenberg, MD, a urologist and professor specializing in male sexual function and fertility at Stanford University. Based on his clinical work and research, he is considered a top world expert on male sexual and reproductive health. We discuss testosterone levels and what really impacts them, testosterone therapy, sperm quality and counts, penile and testicular health and function, pelvic floor and prostate and urinary tract health, erectile function and dysfunction and the various causes and treatments for common male sexual, hormonal and reproductive challenges. We also address post-finasteride syndrome and trends in penile length. This episode is rich in actionable information about men’s sexual and reproductive health, including key tests and at-home evaluations, and the behavioral, nutritional, exercise and prescription-based tools that can support male sexual and reproductive health. For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com. Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Michael Eisenberg (00:02:05) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:04:20) Sperm Quality, Geographic & Environmental Factors  (00:12:00) Fertility & Sperm Quality; Testosterone, Cell Phones & Heat (00:19:26) Testosterone, Age, Obesity (00:26:49) Tool: Optimize Sperm Quality, Exogenous Testosterone, hCG (00:35:56) Sponsor: AG1 (00:36:57) Tool: Lifestyle Factors & Sperm Quality, Alcohol (00:43:27) Sperm Quality, Recreational & Over-the-Counter Drugs, Cannabis (00:46:56) High-Impact Sports, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Pituitary & Testosterone (00:49:55) Bicycling, Numbness & Sexual Dysfunction; Walking & Testosterone (00:55:39) Exogenous Testosterone Therapy & Cancer (00:59:57) Sexual & Urinary Health, Nighttime Urination (01:03:12) Sleep & Semen Quality; Overall Health (01:09:19) Tool: Sperm Analysis & Overall Health; Sperm Banking (01:13:21) Paternal Age & Puberty Trends; Older Fathers & Child Health Risk (01:26:42) Tool: Prostate Health, Urination; Tadalafil (Cialis) (01:33:02) Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs); Erectile Dysfunction Causes (01:38:21) Blood Flow & Erectile Dysfunction, Medication; Cardiovascular Health (01:44:30) Mechanical Erectile Dysfunction Treatments; Peptides; Delayed Ejaculation (01:52:36) Pelvic Floor Health, Urology & Physical Therapy; Split-Stream Urination (01:59:03) Penile Length & Trends; Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Puberty (02:09:01) Hair Loss, Dutasteride, Finasteride & Sexual Health; Post-Finasteride Syndrome (02:16:11) Clomiphene, Testosterone & Estrogen Signaling (02:19:31) Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Therapy; Prolactin, Estrogen (02:24:15) Varicocele; Peyronie’s Disease (02:27:26) Testis & Cancer Risk; Insurance, Blood Profiles & Semen Analysis (02:35:03) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Marras 20232h 34min

Welcome to a preview of the 12th Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode, part of Huberman Lab Premium. The Huberman Lab Premium subscription was launched for two main reasons. First, it was launched in order to raise support for the standard Huberman Lab podcast channel — which will continue to come out every Monday at zero-cost. Second, it was launched as a means to raise funds for important scientific research. A significant portion of proceeds from the Huberman Lab Premium subscription will fund human research (not animal models) selected by Dr. Huberman, with a dollar-for-dollar match from the Tiny Foundation. If you're an existing Premium member, you can login to access the full episode. If you're not a member, you can join Huberman Lab Premium to enjoy exclusive content, including monthly Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes, AMA transcripts, podcast episode transcripts, early access to live events and help advance human scientific research. Timestamps (00:00:00) Introduction (00:01:46) Resveratrol and Longevity Supplements (00:26:49) Huberman Lab Premium In the full AMA episode, we discuss: What Is Working Memory and How to Improve It Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

31 Loka 202329min

In this episode, I provide science-based tools and protocols to improve mood and mental health. These tools represent key takeaways from several recently published research studies, as well as from former Huberman Lab guests Lisa Feldman Barrett, Ph.D., an expert in the science of emotions, and Paul Conti, M.D., a psychiatrist with vast clinical expertise in helping people overcome mental health challenges. I explain the first principles of self-care, which include the “Big 6” core pillars for mood and mental health. Those ensure our physiology is primed for our overall feelings of well-being. Then, I explain science-based tools to directly increase confidence, build a stronger concept of self, better understand our unconscious mind, manage stress and improve our emotional tone and processing. I also explain ways to better process negative emotions and traumas. This episode ought to be of interest to anyone wishing to improve their relationship with themselves and others, elevate their mood and mental health, and better contribute to the world in meaningful ways. For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com. Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Mood & Mental Health Toolkit (00:03:27) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:05:35) First Principles of Self-Care & 6 Pillars of Mental Health (00:13:58) Pillar #1: Sleep & Sleep Routine (00:18:00) Pillar #2: Light, Sunlight (00:24:38) Tool: Nighttime Environment & Darkness (00:28:33) Pillar #3: Movement; Pillar #4: Nutrition (00:31:30) Sponsor: AG1 (00:34:51) Pillar #5: Social Connection (00:40:00) Pillar #6: Stress Control; Physiological Sigh (00:45:40) Tool: Raise Stress Threshold, Deliberate Cold Exposure (00:50:00) 6 Pillars & Brain Predictability, Affect & Emotion (00:57:58) Pharmacology, Psychedelics, Supplements & Neuroplasticity (01:07:26) Tool: Emotional Granularity (01:14:39) Tool: Heart Rate Variability & Emotional Graduality; Physiological Sigh (01:23:49) Tool: Unconscious Mind (01:26:54) Tool: Self-Concept, Self-Narrative Exercise (01:34:34) Tool: Unconscious Mind & Dream Analysis; Liminal States (01:42:52) Tool: Journaling; Generative Drive (01:52:43) Tool: Processing Trauma (02:00:43) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

30 Loka 20231h 57min

In this episode, my guests are Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook, Inc.), and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, M.D., co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). We discuss how CZI plans to cure all human diseases by the end of this century by funding transformative projects and technologies at the intersection of biology, engineering, and artificial intelligence (AI). They describe their funding and development of Biohubs and the progress already underway to accelerate the understanding of cell function, pathways, and disease. Then, Mark discusses social media, its impact on mental health, and new tools for online experiences. We also discuss Meta’s virtual reality (VR), augmented and mixed reality tech, and how AI will soon completely transform our online and physical life experiences. This episode ought to interest anyone curious about biology, medicine, mental health, AI, and the future of technology and humanity. For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com. Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Mark Zuckerberg & Dr. Priscilla Chan (00:02:31) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:05:35) Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) & Human Disease Research (00:08:51) Innovation & Discovery, Science & Engineering (00:12:53) Funding, Building Tools & Imaging (00:17:57) Healthy vs. Diseased Cells, Human Cell Atlas & AI, Virtual Cells (00:21:59) Single Cell Methods & Disease; CELLxGENE Tool  (00:26:30) Sponsor: AG1 (00:29:53) AI & Hypothesis Generation; Long-term Projects & Collaboration (00:35:14) Large Language Models (LLMs), In Silico Experiments (00:42:11) CZI Biohubs, Chicago, New York (00:50:52) Universities & Biohubs; Therapeutics & Rare Diseases (00:57:23) Optimism; Children & Families (01:07:25) Technology & Health, Positive & Negative Interactions (01:13:17) Algorithms, Clickbait News, Individual Experience (01:19:17) Parental Controls, Meta Social Media Tools & Tailoring Experience (01:24:51) Time, Usage & Technology, Parental Tools (01:28:55) Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality Experiences & Smart Glasses (01:36:09) Physical Exercise & Virtual Product Development (01:44:19) Virtual Futures for Creativity & Social Interactions (01:49:31) Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses: Potential, Privacy & Risks (02:00:20) Visual System & Smart Glasses, Augmented Reality (02:06:42) AI Assistants & Creators, Identity Protection (02:13:26) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

23 Loka 20232h 11min

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, Ph.D., a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University who is a world expert in the science of emotions. She explains what emotions are and how the brain represents and integrates signals from our body and the environment around us to create our unique emotional states. We discuss the relationship between emotions and language, how our specificity of language impacts our emotional processing, the role of facial expressions in emotions, and how emotions relate to sleep, movement, nutrition and the building and reinforcement of social bonds. We also discuss actionable tools for how to regulate feelings of uncertainty and tools to better understand the emotional states of others. This episode ought to be of interest to anyone curious about the neuroscience and psychology underlying emotions and for those who seek to better understand themselves and relate to others and the world in richer, more adaptive ways. For show notes, including referenced articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com. Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary, clips, and insights from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett (00:03:18) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:05:46) Core Components of Emotions (00:10:42) Facial Movement & Interpretation, Emotion (00:19:33) Facial Expressions & Emotion, Individualization (00:31:03) Emotion Categories, Culture & Child Development (00:37:10) Sponsor: AG1 (00:37:50) Legal System, ‘Universal’ Emotions & Caution (00:41:07) Language Descriptions, Differences & Emotion (00:48:18) Questions & Assumptions; Language, Emotions & Nervous System (00:53:40) Brain, Uncertainty & Categories (01:03:57) Brain & Summaries; Emotions as “Multimodal Summaries” (01:14:45) Emotional Granularity, Library Analogy (01:19:40) Brain & Compression, Planning (01:29:04) Labels & Generalization (01:34:29) Movement, Sensation, Prediction & Learning (01:42:44) Feelings of Discomfort & Action (01:50:32) Tool: Feelings of Uncertainty, Emotion, “Affect” (02:01:18) Tool: Experience Dimensions & Attention; Individualization (02:08:36) Affect, Allostasis & Body Budget Analogy (02:15:41) Depression, “Emotional Flu” (02:20:20) Tool: Positively Shift Affect; Alcohol & Drugs; SSRIs (02:27:40) Relationships: Savings or Taxes, Kindness (02:36:50) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

16 Loka 20232h 36min