Science and Cocktails - Andrew Humberman

Andrew Huberman is a neurobiologist from Stanford University and the host of The Huberman Lab podcast. His ability to distil complex science into practical tools is incredible. If you’re interested in how your brain and body work, his work is a must.

Last night he spoke at DR Koncerthuset. I was asked to distil the key points. Off the top of my head:

1. Your body runs on a 24-hour clock.
Every cell has one. Your eyes — technically part of your brain — help synchronise this clock through light. Morning and evening sunlight (yellow-blue light low in the sky) are crucial.

• 5 minutes on a clear morning

• 15 minutes if cloudy
  Miss more than one day and the whole system starts to unravel. This affects daily energy, hormone balance, and sleep quality.

2. Light = hormones.
Morning light balances dopamine, serotonin, cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. Get it wrong and you’ll feel wired, flat, or emotional.

3. Breathing sets your stress level.
Nose breathing = good. Mouth breathing = bad. Chronic mouth breathing raises CO₂, which drives stress. Switching can even reshape facial structure. (I’ve used mouth taping with clients to great effect.)

4. The fastest way to calm down:

• Long sharp inhale through the nose

• Short sharp inhale through the nose

• Long exhale
  Ratio: 1 - 0.5 - 2.
  This directly engages the parasympathetic nervous system.

5. Stress, cold, and rest.

• 11 minutes per week of cold exposure (cold enough you want to get out, not dangerous).

• Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR): 10–30 minutes daily. Just being, not doing. Restores balance and accelerates learning.

• Even 10-second deep rest pauses during learning trigger the brain to run 20 “mental reps” of what you just studied.

6. Learning works best in 90-minute blocks.
Adults require focus to drive neuroplasticity. Habits form when distractions are neutralised.

• Random rewards help. Constant rewards demotivate.

• Alert state before learning + adrenaline after = stronger results.

7. The brain is a prediction machine.
It runs on past experience to shape present behaviour. Stress happens when we live out of alignment with this system.

8. Belief changes physiology.
Dr Alia Crum’s research shows:

• People who believe stress is good, respond positively to stress.

• People who believe stress is bad, are right too.
  Same drink, labelled differently (high-calorie vs low-calorie), produces different hormonal responses. Belief literally changes the body.

9. Walking down-regulates the amygdala.
Movement helps restore calm and improves the quality of conversations.

There was much more. But the biggest takeaway: if you want health, performance, and calm, get your nervous system working for you, not against you.

Huberman is making science more accessible than ever. His podcast is here: hubermanlab.com.

👉 Question for your audience:
Which of these habits do you already practise — and which one could change everything for you if you committed to it?