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Seasonal Changes
- Melatonin signals night length to our cells and circadian clocks. As days shorten in winter, melatonin levels increase, correlating with lowered mood, metabolism, and fertility in many animals. Light therapy can help counteract this.
- Changes between the seasons significantly impact circadian rhythms, mood, metabolism, and hormone levels in humans. Some people are more strongly affected than others. Among those with notable changes, depression tends to be more common in winter.
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Temperature
- Core body temperature follows an endogenous circadian rhythm that influences wakefulness and sleepiness. It is usually the lowest around 4 AM and peaks 12–16 hours later between 4-6 PM.
- Temperature changes can shift circadian rhythms and wakefulness. Exercise, cold exposure, hot show...
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Supplements
- There is little high-quality evidence for most supplements marketed as “smart drugs” or nootropics. They tend to provide a stimulatory “shotgun approach” rather than specifically targeting learning, memory, creativity, or mood. Use with caution.
- Magnesium, apigenin, and passionflower...
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Exercise
- Exercise provides an opportunity to train your circadian rhythm. Doing so at the same time each day develops an anticipatory response to wake up.
- The type, intensity, and timing of exercise depends on individual needs and schedules. Cardiovascular or resistance exercise can be done w...
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Light
- Consider how much sunlight or bright light exposure you get each day and record the times to identify any patterns. Getting adequate light, especially in the morning, helps entrain circadian rhythms.
- Moonlight and firelight will not disrupt circadian rhythms or wake you up, since the...
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Food
- The foods you eat can influence neurotransmitters and wakefulness or sleepiness. High protein or high carb meals, as well as meal volume and timing, activate changes in body temperature, blood flow, and hormone release that modulate arousal states.
- Foods high in tyrosine (meat, nuts)...
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Using Science to Optimize Sleep, Learning & Metabolism — Key Takeaways, Part 2
- Eat your largest meal earlier in the day. A light dinner helps with sleep. Stay hydrated and avoid excess screen time, caffeine, or sugar at night.
- Start slowly and be consistent when implementing any new tools or protocols. Look for any resulting patterns to determine the right appr...
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Using Science to Optimize Sleep, Learning & Metabolism — Key Takeaways, Part 1
- Your circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle depend greatly on light exposure, temperature, feeding times, and physical activity. Make note of how these factors currently influence you.
- Increase light, especially sunlight, within 1–2 hours of waking. Dim light before bed. These help se...
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The Role of Sex Differences
- Males and females, on average, differ in traits influenced by sex-specific genes, hormones, and biology. However, there is significant overlap between the sexes and diversity within each sex.
- Females experience fluctuations in reproductive hormones, circadian rhythms, body temperatur...
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Considerations
- Choose one or two factors to change at a time and note the effects to determine what works best for you.
- Be cautious with any supplements and check with your doctor, especially if on any medications. Effects of the same compound can vary significantly between individuals.
- ...
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IDEAS CURATED BY
Sharing key insights from top books, podcasts, and beyond. Embrace the path of continuous learning with me.
The podcast discusses many factors that influence sleep, wakefulness, and cognition. It focuses on questions from listeners on a variety of topics related to neuroscience, biology, light, temperature, and behavior. Dr. Huberman highlight some key principles and tools for optimizing alertness, sleep, and learning.
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Biological Clocks
Endogenous rhythms exist because the body has biological clocks that keep time. Biological clocks can be adjusted by environmental cues, such as changes in temperature.
In humans, the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) is the main biological clock that regulates circadian rhythms of sleep. The S...
Our sleep and wake patterns
On its own, the circadian rhythm takes almost 24 hours. Our bodies rely on the Sun to reset this cycle and keep it at 24 hours, the length of our days. Light and the dark are important signals for the cycle.
During the night, body temperature drops, metabolism slows, and the hormone melato...
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