It’s no secret Heather and I are big fans of the Huberman Lab podcast. His podcasts can be intimidating due to the heavy science talk and length of the episodes. I did write up a while back on one his best episodes with Dr. Layne Norton , but I thought it could be helpful to write up some of his tips and tricks I’ve found most helpful (and a few that just aren’t for me).
Morning sunlight
I like to walk Daisy in the morning, drink coffee on the deck, or just open the garage door during my workouts and look outside while working out in the morning. Getting sun light first thing in the morning wakes your body up naturally and sets your internal timer to be ready for bed later. It elevates cortisol (which we want to happen in the morning) which improves mood, immune function, and better focus during the day.
Become an early riser
My alarm goes off most mornings at 5:30am. Waking up early helps you maximize early sunlight. He also says to not having caffeine after 3pm (I stop around 12pm), no naps past 3pm, exercise within 2 hours of waking, go to bed 2-3 hours earlier and all this will help you be able to wake up earlier.
Fiber longevity hack
I’ve written about ways to increase fiber and diversify your diet here and it’s really an underrated health hack. Are you consuming at least 30 different plants a week?? That’s the goal 😉
Exercise Protocol
I wrote up his exercise protocol and the adapted protocol I created for myself I try to follow most weeks. I love mixing it up with strength training, cardio/endurance, HIIT, and recovery days.
Nutrition
His nutrition recommendations are nothing new….just sticking to the basics which I appreciate. Aim for meals that focus on high protein and and include fresh produce and some carbs.
Night time routine
He is big on dimming lights in the evening and recommends taking a hot shower, bath, or sauna before bed. The heat helps your body transition to sleep better.
Same bedtime every day
Having a consistent sleep schedule helps your body feel tired at the right times every day and helps with insomnia. Irregular sleep schedules are tired to many health risks like obesity, hypertension and poor blood sugar regulation. I’m in bed around 8:45-9:00 pm most night and try to fall asleep by 9:30 (sometimes later if I’m into a good book) and I’m up at 5:30am. Even on the weekends this is usually my sleep schedule if we are home.
3 tips I’ve tried, but not realistic for me
This is your reminder to just do your best and you don’t have to do all the things all time to be healthy.
Delay coffee
He says to delay coffee 90-120 minutes upon waking. I’ve tried this and I just can’t. I wake up early and I’m craving my cup of happiness. Why does he say to delay? It’s all about stress hormones of course. Our cortisol naturally begins to rise in the morning and by adding caffeine into the mix you’re disrupting your body’s natural cortisol flow. By waiting for cortisol levels to decrease you can potentially enhance the energizing effects of coffee/caffeine. You likely can do without the caffeine those first 30-60 minutes during your peak cortisol production phase, but most days I just can’t.
Fast 16 hours a day (delay eating till noon)
I’m just not a fan of IF for women >12 hour windows. From everything I’ve read and learned most if not all IF studies are done on men and we are just completely different on a hormonal level. The science doesn’t;’t translate for women. For some women in a peri or post menopausal phase IF >12 hours may have some benefits, but I’m not there yet. Going >12 hour fast isn’t for me.
Avoid all processed foods
I’m a Registered Dietitian and I do consume some processed foods and I live to tell the tale. I do avoid HIGHLY processed foods as much as possible, but I’m not perfect. I have bites of my kids snacks or junk foods at times. I do try and find healthier alternatives to my fave junk food, but sometimes I just need a redvine OK?! Putting the pressure on myself to avoid all processed foods all the time isn’t realistic. Just do your best 😉
xx, Alix
