To activate and potentially increase the size of your anterior mid cingulate cortex (linked to grit, persistence, and ‘super aging’), commit to doing a safe, physically and psychologically challenging exercise you genuinely dislike at least once per week.
Ensure adequate sleep, as it mediates many positive effects of exercise on brain health. Exercise, especially high-intensity training early in the day combined with bright light exposure, can improve sleep quality and quantity.
To maximize arousal, focus, and brain health benefits from exercise, prioritize compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, dips, pull-ups, and rows.
Incorporate jumping exercises (e.g., jump rope, box jumps) into your weekly routine to load the skeleton, promoting osteocalcin release from bones, which enhances hippocampus function for learning and memory.
Include at least one 45-75 minute session of long slow distance (Zone 2) cardiovascular training per week (e.g., jogging, swimming, rowing) to benefit cerebral blood flow and overall brain function.
Incorporate at least one high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session per week, choosing a form that can be done safely and intensely (e.g., 4x4 protocol, 1-minute all-out sprints with 30-second rest).
Integrate time under tension (TUT) into resistance training by emphasizing slow, controlled movements and continuous muscle contraction throughout sets to enhance nerve-to-muscle pathways and promote brain-benefiting molecular release.
Prioritize injury prevention in your exercise routine, as not training for 10 days or more can lead to significant decrements in brain oxygenation and overall brain health.
Significantly improve learning and memory by increasing autonomic arousal (e.g., through exercise or cold exposure) either during or, especially, after being exposed to new material.
To enhance brain health and performance for learning, schedule exercise either before, during, or after periods when you are trying to learn new information.
When feeling tired, engage in exercise to naturally boost energy and focus by deploying adrenaline and norepinephrine through specific neural pathways.
For immediate improvements in brain performance (e.g., memory, cognitive flexibility), perform six 6-second max sprints on a stationary bike with 1-minute rest between, or do 20-30 minutes of steady-state cardiovascular exercise.
Be cautious not to overdo high-intensity interval training or intense resistance training, especially if you need to perform demanding cognitive tasks afterward, as multiple sessions can diminish cognitive performance.
Engage in regular therapy, considering it as important as physical exercise, to gain emotional support, directed guidance, and useful insights for personal and professional life.
Improve sleep quality by using a mattress customized to your unique sleep needs, considering factors like softness, firmness, and breathability.
Use Function Health for comprehensive lab testing (blood, urine, saliva) of over 100 biomarkers to gain insights into heart health, hormone status, metabolic function, and more, with doctor-informed analysis.
Use David protein bars as a convenient, high-quality snack to meet daily protein goals (28g protein, 150 calories, 0g sugar) without excess calories, especially between meals or when in a rush.
Incorporate Maui Nui Venison, a nutrient-dense, wild-harvested red meat, into your diet to easily meet daily high-quality protein goals without excess calories, supporting muscle and overall health.
Take AG1 daily, a vitamin, mineral, and probiotic drink, to support mental and physical health and performance, especially considering its latest formula upgrade for digestive and immune system health.
Utilize the free Foundational Fitness Protocol available at hubermanlab.com/newsletter for a general template of a weekly exercise program, including cardiovascular and resistance training, to guide your fitness journey.
Subscribe to the free monthly Neural Network newsletter at hubermanlab.com for podcast summaries and actionable protocols on topics like sleep, dopamine regulation, and deliberate cold/heat exposure.
Pre-order ‘Protocols, An Operating Manual for the Human Body’ at protocolsbook.com to access actionable steps for improving sleep, motivation, creativity, gut microbiome, nutrition, exercise, and stress modulation.