The single most important thing for optimizing brain function is sleep.

Get natural light within 1–2 hours of waking. Morning light locks in your circadian rhythm; dim light in the evening prepares your body for sleep.

Light Sets Your Clock

Red light is less disruptive at night. Firelight or moonlight won't mess with sleep cycles—unlike blue light from screens or bulbs.

Red Light & Nighttime

Your body temp follows a daily rhythm—lowest at 4 AM, highest late afternoon. Cold showers in the morning can increase alertness and boost metabolism.

Body Temperature Matters

Working out at the same time each day sharpens your internal schedule. Optimal timing: ~30 mins or 3–4 hours after waking.

Exercise Trains Your Clock

Protein boosts alertness; carbs promote calm and sleep. Big, carb-rich dinners may help you fall asleep more easily.

Food Affects Brain & Sleep

Magnesium, apigenin, passionflower may help sleep, but many "nootropics" lack solid science. Start low, personalize, and proceed with caution.

Supplements: Be Selective

Shorter days affect mood, metabolism, and sleep. Light therapy may help combat winter-related dips in energy or mood.

Seasonal Shifts Are Real

Hormones and cycles affect sleep, mood, and metabolism differently in males vs. females. Understanding this can improve personalized routines.

Sex Differences Matter

Track how changes (like light, food, or exercise) affect your sleep and energy. Start small and stay consistent to see true benefits.

Change One Thing at a Time

Neuroplasticity requires repeated action. The weirder or more unnatural a change feels, the more your brain is learning. Stick with it.

The Power of Consistency

The mental strain you feel when you're learning something is the trigger for neuroplasticity for your brain to change.

Science-based tools for better sleep, energy, and focus.

“Office Hours” — In this episode, I answer your most commonly asked questions about science-supported tools for accessing more alertness, better learning, and quality sleep. I also cover when to exercise, time meals, and how to systematically vary your temperature to achieve specific effects on your nervous system. 

For an updated list of our current sponsors, please visit our website as previous sponsors mentioned in this podcast episode may no longer be affiliated with us: https://www.hubermanlab.com/sponsors

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Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com 
Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter

*Timestamps*
0:00 - Introduction
5:50 - Moonlight & Fire
9:25 - Red Light: Good & Bad
15:45 - Why Blue-Blockers Are Unscientific
19:20 - Eyeglasses, Contact Lenses & Windows
22:05 - Adding Up Your Lights
24:30 - “Netflix Inoculation” With Light
25:25 - How The Planet Controls Your Energy
27:00 - A Season For Breeding (?)
31:15 - Melatonin / Serotonin 
33:50 - Epinephrine vs Adrenaline: Same? Different?
35:00 - Exercise & Your Sleep
40:30 - Neuroplasticity & Food/Chemicals/NSDR
44:10 - Using Sound & Smell To Learn Faster
46:45 - Dream Meaning & Remembering
48:15 - Waking Up Paralyzed 
49:40 - Nap/Focus Ratios For Accelerated Learning
52:45 - Hypnotizing Yourself
54:05 - Smart Drugs
1:01:10 - Magnesium: Yay, Nay, or Meh?
1:02:10 - How Apigenin Works 
1:04:30 - Serotonin: Slippery Slope
1:05:35 - The Frog Experiment
1:08:35 - Temperature
1:10:30 - Morning Chills
1:28:00 - Eating For Heating
1:30:30 - Vagal Pathways For Gut-Brain Dialogue
1:31:50 - Sex Differences
1:33:50 - Self Experimentation

#HubermanLab #Science #Exercise

Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

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Welcome to the official Huberman Lab YouTube channel. 

The Huberman Lab podcast is hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. The podcast discusses neuroscience and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.

Huberman Lab is frequently ranked in the Top 15 of all podcasts globally and is often ranked #1 in the categories of science, education, and health and fitness.


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