Wake-up

Naturally wakes up between 5:30 am and 6:30 am without the use of an alarm.

“Waking up early, usually around 5:00 or 6:00 am helps you feel more energized and focused throughout the day. Additionally,  early mornings are beneficial for regulating circadian rhythms, which can help to improve sleep quality.”

Dr. Huberman

Morning Hydration

• Drinks 2 glasses of water.
• Drinks AG1 by Athletic Greens (Buy here)
• Drinks LMNT (Buy here)

“I’ve been using AG1 since 2012 because it’s the simplest, most straightforward way for me to get my basis of important vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.

Dr. Huberman on Athletic Greens

“I should mention the Athletic Greens is delicious. I love the way it tastes. I mix mine with some water and a little bit of lemon or lime juice.”

“Whenever somebody has asked me what’s the one supplement they should take, I always answer AG1 by Athletic Greens“

Dr. Huberman on electrolytes in the morning

“Your nervous system and your neurons particularly depend on electrolytes because you need the electrolytes, sodium, magnesium, and potassium, in the proper ratios, in order for those nerve cells to fire what are called action potentials”

“Typically, what I do in the morning is I hydrate, I do take an electrolyte drink, which is a salt-heavy electrolyte drink called LMNT “

Yoga Nidra

10-35 min

If you wake up not fully rested, Yoga Nidra can help you achieve a sleep-like state and replenishes dopamine, reduces cortisol, reduces total sleep need.

10 min Yoga Nidra                 35 min Yoga Nidra

Dr. Huberman on Yoga Nidra (Non-Sleep Deep Rest)

“There are some interesting data published showing that these yoga nidra meditations, if you will, can upregulate some of the neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine, that make you prepared for action.”

“There was this lore in the yoga nidra community that 30 minutes of yoga nidra is equivalent to 4 hours of sleep. Frankly, I don’t think there’s any evidence for that specific statement. But when I started doing this practice and exploring it, I found that I would come out of a 30-minute yoga nidra session feeling like I slept 5, 6 hours or longer.”

Read Dr. Huberman’s Extensive coverage of NSDR and sleep optimization here.

Yoga Nidra and it’s benefits

Yoga nidra, also known as “yogic sleep,” is a type of relaxation practice involving guided body scans and visualizations. It aims to bring the mind and body into a deep relaxation state akin to the state between wakefulness and sleep. Some studies suggest that it may improve sleep quality, reduce insomnia symptoms, and alleviate stress and anxiety. Despite its potential benefits, it’s crucial to remember that yoga nidra should not replace medical treatment for sleep disorders.

Morning Sunlight

• 2-10 minutes of sunlight exposure while walking for optic flow
• Optional: Use an artificial light if the sun has not yet arisen. Get sunlight when it is available.

Dr. Andrew Huberman on the Benefits of Morning Sunlight

“View morning sunlight!” is one of my common refrains. Viewing sunlight within the first hours of waking (as soon as you can, even if through cloud cover) increases early-day cortisol release (the ideal time for elevated cortisol) and prepares the body for sleep later that night. A morning spike in cortisol will also positively influence your immune system, metabolism and ability to focus during the day.

“The single best thing you can do for your sleep your energy your mood your wakefulness your metabolism is to get natural light in your eyes early in the day. This is grounded in the core of our physiology. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of quality peer-reviewed papers showing that light viewing early in the day is the most powerful stimulus for wakefulness throughout the day and it has a powerful, positive impact on your ability to fall and stay asleep at night. So this is really the foundational power tool for ensuring a great night’s sleep and for feeling more awake during the day.”

On Alternative Lighting

“If you wake up before the sun rises, flip on as many lights as you can in your space if you want to be awake in your artificial light environment. And then, once the sun is out, go outside.”

On Optic Flow

“There are now at least half a dozen quality papers published in quality peer-reviewed journals that show that forward ambulation — walking or biking or running — and generating optic flow in particular has this incredible property of lowering activity in the amygdala and thereby reducing levels of anxiety.”

Cold Exposure

Cold exposure can be done as an ice bath or a shower. Ice baths have been shown to be more effective but cold showers can work too.

Resilience: 1X weekly, 1-3 min

Metabolism: 2X weekly / 11 min total

Recovery: 3-6 min after training

How cold? “I really want to get out but can stay in safely”. (~45F or ~7C)

Buy -> Cold Pod Ice Tub to cold plunge at home

Benefits of Intentional Cold Exposure: Intentional cold exposure yields numerous advantages for both mental and physical health. By adhering to established guidelines, individuals may notice improvements in their energy levels, concentration, emotional state, adaptability, metabolic rate, recovery from physical exertion, and an enhanced connection between mind and body.

Energy and Focus: The practice initiates the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which boosts alertness and focus while providing an energy surge useful for both cognitive and physical tasks.

Adaptability and Determination: Accepting cold exposure as a voluntary challenge enhances executive control over automatic responses, building adaptability and determination that apply to everyday stress situations.

Emotional Well-Being: The process stimulates dopamine production, which lifts spirits and sharpens focus, attention, and pursuit of objectives, contributing to lasting improvements in mood, vitality, and concentration.

Metabolic Rate: Exposure to cold temporarily boosts metabolic rate as the body expends energy to preserve internal warmth. The transformation of white fat into metabolically active brown fat offers enduring metabolic advantages.

Physical Recuperation: Utilizing cold water immersion post intense workouts or endurance training serves as an efficient recuperation method, aiding in muscle strength, diminishing muscle soreness, and improving overall recovery perception.

Connection Between Mind and Body: Purposeful cold exposure strengthens the mind-body bond by overcoming mental obstacles, enhancing resilience, and fostering a greater sense of mastery over instinctive reactions.

‍Dr. Andrew Huberman on Deliberate Cold Exposure

“Personally get tremendous benefit from doing deliberate cold exposure three times a week and using the walls method”

“I’m staying in for anywhere from two minutes to six minutes per session and that averages out to about 11 to 15 minutes total per week.”

“You’re getting better perfusion and blood flow. The biggest effect is a big increase of 2.5 times in dopamine that lasts for several hours. You know it’s a significant increase when you feel mentally clear and alert. It increases metabolism. Additionally, there’s the process of getting into this cold water when you didn’t want to, which overrides limbic friction and helps build resilience.”

Cold plunge at home with a compact, portable Ice Tub

Workout

Sunday: Endurance
Monday: Legs
Tuesday: Heat/cold cycling
Wednesday: Torso push/pull
Thursday: High effort, short cardio
Friday: High-intensity interval training

While it’s essential to tailor the routine to suit your individual requirements, it’s crucial to keep the overarching objectives of the schedule intact. You can modify the exact days for each workout, but ensuring appropriate intervals between exercises is important.

Dr. Huberman’s workout supplement recommendations

Official supplements by Momentous Supplements as Endorsed by Dr. Huberman

Use promocode Routines15 for 15% off on the Momentous Website.

Alpha-GPC by Momentous (buy)

Tyrosine by Momentous (buy)

Creatine by Momentous (buy)

Grass-fed Whey Protein by Momentous (buy)

Dr. Huberman’s Fitness Toolkit

For Huberman’s hypertrophy protocol, perform 3-4 sets of 5-8 reps with heavy weight for 3-4 weeks, resting for 2-4 minutes between sets.

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The next month, switch to lighter weight and do 8-15 reps with 2-3 sets per exercise, resting for 90 seconds between sets. To optimize your resistance training, choose two exercises for each muscle group – one that involves maximal contraction at the end of the movement (e.g., bent row) and another that involves a stretch or full range of motion at the beginning of the movement (e.g., pull up).

To lower your heart rate between sets, practice physiologic sighs by taking two full inhales through your nose followed by one full exhale of all the air through your mouth. Keep in mind that the mind-muscle connection is important – certain muscles will grow bigger and stronger based on your ability to contract them without any load.

After each training session, take 3-5 minutes to do some deliberately slow breathing to relax your mind and body and downshift your nervous system.

Find detailed information on Dr. Huberman’s podcast on his Fitness Toolkit.

Dr. Huberman’s Fitness Routine

Sunday: Cardio Endurance – Aim for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 60-75 minutes of low-intensity Zone 2 cardio such as jogging or hiking. For an added challenge in shorter sessions, consider wearing a weight vest.

Monday: Leg Day – Focus on Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves. Starting the week with legs, the largest muscle group, when energy levels are higher, initiates metabolic boosts and hormonal benefits. Completing the most demanding workout first allows for a smoother week.

Tuesday: Thermal Contrast Therapy – Opt for a cycle of hot sauna sessions (20 minutes) followed by ice baths (5 minutes) for 5 rounds. Refer to additional guidelines for optimal practices and the advantages of thermal therapy.

Wednesday: Upper Body – Push/Pull Exercises. This combination promotes strength, enhances joint health, and has hormonal benefits. Examples include shoulder presses and chin-ups. A key piece of advice: include safe neck exercises to minimize the risk of shoulder injuries and discomfort.

Thursday: Moderate-Intensity Cardio – Spend 35 minutes on activities like running, rowing, cycling, stair climbing, or jumping rope, aiming for a 75-80% effort level, which is above zone 2 but not maximal effort.

Friday: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – The objective is to significantly increase heart rate and engage in leg strength and hypertrophy training without weights. Example: bike intervals of 20-30 second full-effort sprints followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8-12 rounds. Remember, the maximum heart rate formula is 220 minus your age, and ensure all movements are performed with impeccable form.

Saturday: Arms, Calves, Neck – This session indirectly supports torso training. Example exercises include triceps dips, chin-ups, dumbbell curls, incline curls, and triceps kickbacks. While personal adjustments to the routine are encouraged, maintaining the overall objectives and proper exercise spacing is crucial.

Note on Huberman’s Approach: Huberman incorporates exercises like hack squats, leg extensions, seated calf raises, leg curls, and glute-hamstring raises, avoiding squats and deadlifts.

First Meal

Yoga Nidra

10 min Yoga Nidra     35 min Yoga Nidra

Evening Cardio

Dr. Huberman suggests that scheduling cardio sessions in the evening could offer greater benefits compared to weight training. Yet, he underscores the significance of prioritizing personal comfort. Additionally, he highlights potential advantages in opting for a morning workout routine while reserving cardio for later in the day.

Evening Meal

Dim Lights

Reads

Andrew Huberman’s Reading List.

Notable Mentions:

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity (Get)

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (Get)

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (Get)

Goes to Sleep