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    Huberman Lab

    AMA #16: Sleep, Vertigo, TBI, OCD, Tips for Travelers, Gut-Brain Axis & More

    Thu Feb 29 2024
    healthsleepbalancebrain functioncircadian rhythmhormonesgut healthoral health

    Description

    The episode covers various topics including maintaining health while traveling, assessing sleep needs, understanding vertigo and balance, alleviating dizziness and recovering from brain injuries, enhancing brain function and treating depression, adjusting circadian clock and omega-3 benefits, hormone levels and gut-brain axis, and probiotics and oral health.

    Insights

    Creatine monohydrate can enhance brain function under certain conditions

    Creatine monohydrate can enhance brain function under certain conditions like high altitude or TBI with a daily dosage of 5 to 10 grams.

    Effective treatments for depression and OCD focus on neuroplasticity

    Effective treatments for depression and OCD focus on neuroplasticity rather than solely on neurotransmitters like serotonin, by changing neural networks through neuromodulators.

    Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are essential for nerve cell and brain health

    Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are essential for nerve cell and brain health.

    Timing blood tests with the hormone cycle is important for women

    Timing blood tests with the hormone cycle is important for women.

    Probiotics are recommended for gut health

    Probiotics are recommended for gut health, with one to four servings of low sugar fermented foods per day suggested.

    Chapters

    1. Maintaining Health Pillars While Traveling
    2. Assessing Sleep Needs and Improving Restfulness
    3. Understanding Vertigo and Balance
    4. Alleviating Dizziness and Recovery from Brain Injuries
    5. Enhancing Brain Function and Treating Depression
    6. Adjusting Circadian Clock and Omega-3 Benefits
    7. Hormone Levels and Gut-Brain Axis
    8. Probiotics and Oral Health
    Summary
    Transcript

    Maintaining Health Pillars While Traveling

    00:00 - 07:05

    • The podcast is being recorded live from Sydney, Australia after doing live shows in Melbourne and Sydney.
    • Premium subscribers' contributions have supported important projects on humans at various universities and research institutions.
    • The host discusses maintaining health pillars while traveling, emphasizing the importance of morning sunlight, exercise, social engagement, and stress control.
    • Utilizing tools like red lights in the evening can help reduce cortisol levels and improve sleep quality at a low cost.
    • Practicing non-sleep deep rest or yoga nidra can aid in stress reduction and mental rejuvenation with zero cost involved.

    Assessing Sleep Needs and Improving Restfulness

    06:38 - 13:26

    • Consideration of releasing a Spotify album with science-based meditations
    • Quality, quantity, regularity, and timing (QQRT) are crucial factors in assessing sleep needs
    • Importance of assessing the quality of sleep including deep sleep and REM sleep for emotional well-being
    • Caution against relying too heavily on sleep trackers for evaluating sleep quality
    • Recommendation of non-sleep deep-rest protocol (NSDR) to recover missed sleep and improve overall restfulness

    Understanding Vertigo and Balance

    13:01 - 19:46

    • Vertigo, a sensation of falling or dizziness, needs to be distinguished from light-headedness by asking if you feel like you're ready to fall straight down or spin and fall down.
    • Vertigo is often caused by issues in the visual system or inner ear, which play crucial roles in balance.
    • The vestibular ocular reflex helps stabilize images as you move through space and can be recalibrated by fixating on a point to override incorrect error signals.

    Alleviating Dizziness and Recovery from Brain Injuries

    19:29 - 25:56

    • Walking and focusing on distant fixation points can help alleviate feelings of dizziness or nausea by anchoring the vestibular ocular reflex.
    • Improving brain function for those impacted by poor sleep, diet, and TBI early in life is possible through practices like adequate sleep, reducing brain inflammation, and taking care of biological systems.
    • Hyperbaric chamber treatments, elevating feet during sleep, and avoiding excessive anti-inflammatory supplements are some strategies that may aid in recovery from traumatic brain injuries.

    Enhancing Brain Function and Treating Depression

    25:37 - 32:29

    • Creatine monohydrate can enhance brain function under certain conditions like high altitude or TBI with a daily dosage of 5 to 10 grams.
    • There is no significant difference in effectiveness between different forms of creatine, and creatine monohydrate is the least expensive option.
    • OCD involves miswiring in the basal ganglia and malwiring to the dopamine reward system, requiring adjustments in neural circuits through pharmacological interventions like SSRIs for severe cases.
    • Effective treatments for depression and OCD focus on neuroplasticity rather than solely on neurotransmitters like serotonin, by changing neural networks through neuromodulators.
    • Shifting circadian rhythm when traveling from San Francisco to New York City can be facilitated by gradually adjusting wake-up times with exposure to bright light between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. before the trip.

    Adjusting Circadian Clock and Omega-3 Benefits

    32:12 - 38:14

    • Exposure to bright light before 6 a.m. can help adjust the circadian clock for waking up earlier.
    • Travelers can use light exposure and caffeine to combat jet lag, but may need a nap later in the morning.
    • Fish oil is recommended for its omega-3 benefits, especially for brain and body health.
    • Taking high-quality fish oil supplements can provide necessary omega-3 fatty acids without contaminants like mercury.
    • Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are essential for nerve cell and brain health.

    Hormone Levels and Gut-Brain Axis

    44:02 - 50:29

    • Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can have a mild to moderate antidepressant effect at dosages of 1 to 3 grams of EPA per day.
    • It is recommended to monitor hormone levels starting in the late teens, then in the mid-20s, and once a year after age 40.
    • The ratio of testosterone to estrogen or free testosterone levels is crucial in interpreting hormone level results.
    • Getting hormone levels checked can be done through various clinics as part of a comprehensive package.
    • Key hormones to check include IGF-1, testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, creatinine, LDL cholesterol, APOB, SHBG, progesterone, and prolactin.
    • Timing blood tests with the hormone cycle is important for women.
    • NSDR can help with post-workout recovery by avoiding excessive fatigue from intense workouts.
    • Consistently working out at 80-90% intensity can lead to increased energy and vigor.
    • Balancing work or study hours consistently is more beneficial than overworking oneself.
    • Optimizing gut-brain axis involves getting enough sleep, avoiding excessive antibiotics but using probiotics like fermented foods.

    Probiotics and Oral Health

    50:03 - 56:43

    • Probiotics are recommended for gut health, with one to four servings of low sugar fermented foods per day suggested.
    • Avoid overusing antiseptics like mouthwashes and hand rinses to maintain a diverse microbiome.
    • Eating low sugar fermented foods and consuming enough fiber is important for gut health and cancer prevention.
    • Dentists recommend brushing teeth before sleep for optimal oral health, using a separate soft brush for tongue cleaning.
    • Tongue scraping can help remove bad bacteria if done correctly, but it's advised to brush the tongue gently with a soft toothbrush instead.
    • Oil pulling for oral health is not strongly recommended by dentists, though it may work for some individuals.
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