For adults over 25, brain change is primarily self-directed. Therefore, focus on your own self-improvement and do not expect or try to force others to change, as it is generally ineffective.
Always prioritize behavioral tools (like light exposure and NSDR) as the foundation for improving sleep and wakefulness. These practices rewire your nervous system through neuroplasticity, leading to lasting improvements unlike supplements which only provide temporary effects.
Leverage light as the most powerful stimulus for mental and physical health by using it to control your sleep-wake cycles and directly influence nervous system function.
Upon waking, go outside for 5-20 minutes to get bright light (ideally sunlight, without sunglasses) into your eyes, even on overcast days. This sets your body’s clocks, ensures an early cortisol peak for alertness and mood stability, and prevents mood issues and late-shifted cortisol.
Starting between 8-10 p.m., dim all lights in your environment, including screens, and use low-set lights if possible. This helps signal to your brain that it’s time to transition to sleep by reducing melatonin inhibition.
Aim to get as much bright light into your eyes as safely possible throughout the entire day, taking breaks to go outside or take calls outdoors to increase photon exposure.
Try to get outside in the late afternoon or evening as the sun approaches the horizon to view low solar angle light. This provides an additional signal to your brain’s internal clock, helping it better synchronize with natural rhythms.
If you wake before sunrise, turn on as many bright artificial overhead lights as possible or use a ring light. This helps trigger the morning signal to your brain when natural sunlight isn’t available.
Ensure morning light exposure is direct, not through windows or windshields, as glass filters the specific wavelengths needed to activate the neurons that set your internal clock.
Blue light is beneficial during the day as it sets the brain’s clock, promotes alertness and well-being, and initiates a 16-hour timer for evening sleepiness.
Practice daily morning light exposure, as consistency is key for regulating your internal clocks; missing more than one day can disrupt the slow, integrative system.
Aim for 150-180 minutes per week of Zone 2 cardio and a minimum of six sets of resistance exercise per body part per week. This regimen improves sleep quality, focus, and overall physical and mental health.
Perform load-bearing exercises (e.g., weight training, bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, jump squats) 3-4 days a week. This stimulates bones to release osteocalcin, a hormone that travels to the brain and improves cognitive function and health.
Incorporate resistance exercise into your routine, as it releases micro RNAs from muscles that travel to body fat and facilitate its burning for energy.
Work on improving grip strength, as it’s correlated with cognitive function in aging. Additionally, clenching your opposite fist during unilateral movements can enhance strength and engage your motor neuron system.
Engage in NSDR or Yoga Nidra (10-30 minute guided relaxation scripts, available free online) in the morning if sleep-deprived, in the afternoon, or if you wake up at night. This practice teaches deliberate relaxation, aids in de-stressing, and can make you feel more rested.
Download the Reverie app (Android/Apple) for 15-minute self-hypnosis scripts designed to improve sleep, focus, chronic pain, and anxiety. Use it in the morning, before sleep, or anytime during the day to learn relaxation techniques.
Deliberately practice 20-30 “no-go” behaviors daily, such as resisting the impulse to check your phone or switch tasks during focused work. This reinforces neural circuits for suppressing unwanted actions, improving overall impulse control.
Start your day with immediate “go” behaviors, like making your bed, without overthinking. This sets your nervous system into an action-oriented mode, building momentum for productivity.
Engage in an “hour of pain” by sitting in an uncomfortable position for 60 minutes, resisting the urge to move. This low-cost, challenging practice is an effective way to build and strengthen “no-go” impulse control circuits.
Practice cyclic hyperventilation (25-30 active inhales through the nose, passive exhales through the mouth, followed by a 15-60 second exhale retention, repeated three times, ending with a full inhale retention) for 5 minutes daily or 3 times a week. This builds resilience by training your body to remain calm under high adrenaline, raising your stress threshold and reducing reactivity.
Engage in cyclic hyperventilation breathing to activate your immune system through adrenaline release, which can help counter infections and potentially reduce susceptibility to illness.
Make nasal breathing your default, both awake and asleep, unless speaking or exercising intensely. Nasal breathing filters bacteria and viruses more effectively than mouth breathing and supports better jaw and nasal structure.
To improve nasal breathing, practice it consistently. A practical method is to run or exercise with a sip of water in your mouth, forcing you to breathe through your nose.
Keep your bedroom temperature 1-3 degrees lower than your afternoon body temperature to facilitate falling and staying asleep. Use blankets to adjust comfort while keeping the room cool.
If using a smart mattress, set it to a moderate temperature for the first 2-3 hours of sleep, then make it colder until 3-4 a.m., and finally warm it up around 4:45 a.m. to mimic natural body temperature cycles and optimize sleep.
Avoid sleeping with socks on, as your body needs to dump heat through your feet (and hands/face) to maintain an optimal temperature for continuous sleep. Getting too hot can cause you to wake up.
Engage in cold water exposure (e.g., cold showers, ice baths) for 1-3 minutes, totaling 11 minutes per week, ensuring the cold is uncomfortably intense but safe. This significantly increases dopamine release, boosts metabolism, and raises body temperature.
To maximize metabolic increase and fat loss benefits from cold exposure, end your session with cold water. This forces your body to use its natural mechanisms to heat up, further boosting metabolism.
For heat-cold contrast therapy, alternate 15-20 minutes of heat (sauna/hot bath) with 3 minutes of cold exposure. This can be done for various health benefits.
Take a hot bath or use a sauna for 10-20 minutes in the evening. This triggers a ‘cool off’ signal from your brain, helping to lower your core body temperature and facilitate sleep.
Fast until late morning (e.g., 11 AM) and consume low-carbohydrate meals during the day to promote alertness and focus. For dinner, eat carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta or rice to reduce cortisol levels and facilitate sleepiness.
Cease caffeine consumption by 2-3 p.m. to avoid disrupting sleep quality, and always hydrate with water and a pinch of salt for every caffeinated beverage to counteract dehydration and sodium excretion.
To prevent an afternoon energy crash, delay your first caffeine intake by 90-120 minutes after waking. This allows your natural cortisol peak to clear residual adenosine, leading to sustained alertness throughout the day.
To maintain caffeine’s effectiveness and avoid over-adaptation, try intermittent use, such as skipping it for a morning or a full day occasionally. This also serves as a resilience exercise.
If caffeine causes jitters, combine it with 100mg of theanine to achieve a state of “alert but calm” focus, reducing overstimulation while maintaining alertness.
Take 100-200mg of magnesium threonate or bisglycinate 30-60 minutes before sleep to induce drowsiness and significantly increase deep sleep. Consult your doctor, especially if you have a heart condition, as it’s an electrolyte.
Consider taking 50mg of apigenin (a chamomile derivative) 30-60 minutes before sleep. It’s a powerful supplement that can improve sleep quality, especially when combined with magnesium.
Add 100-400mg of theanine to your evening supplement stack 30-60 minutes before sleep to activate GABA and enhance sleep. However, avoid if you experience night terrors or sleepwalking, as it can cause vivid dreams.
Consider supplementing with 200mg of GABA and 1-2 grams of glycine to further improve sleep quality and depth.
Avoid regular melatonin supplementation due to typically high dosages and its interaction with other hormone systems, including those that suppress puberty. Use only occasionally for jet lag, if at all.
If consuming alcohol, avoid it too close to bedtime and ensure adequate hydration with electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) to counteract dehydration and sodium loss, which can disrupt sleep.
Ensure sufficient intake of sodium, potassium, and magnesium, as these electrolytes are crucial for neuron function, blood volume, and alertness. A pinch of salt in water can alleviate jitters or low focus due to low sodium.
To quickly reduce stress, consciously dilate your gaze to perceive the periphery of your visual field, including the ceiling and your own body. This shifts your nervous system into a more relaxed state, improving situational awareness and time perception.
When stressed, focus on exhaling, as it naturally slows your heart rate. This simple technique can help you calm down by leveraging the direct link between breathing and heart rate.
To rapidly de-stress, perform a physiological sigh: a double inhale through the nose (a full inhale followed by a short, sharp second inhale) immediately followed by a long, complete exhale through the mouth. Repeat 1-3 times to quickly shift from anxiety to calm.
If you experience a side stitch while running, perform a physiological sigh (double inhale through the nose, long exhale through the mouth) two or three times. This relaxes the diaphragm and typically relieves the cramp.
Keep your phone out of the bedroom or on airplane mode if used as an alarm, to minimize distractions and avoid light exposure that can disrupt sleep.
Designate your bedroom exclusively for sleep and intimacy, avoiding work or other stimulating activities to strengthen the association between the room and rest.
Be aware that a natural peak in alertness occurs about 90 minutes before your ideal bedtime. If you feel wide awake during this time, remember it’s normal and will naturally subside, helping you avoid anxiety about not falling asleep.
Take naps shorter than 90 minutes, ensuring they don’t disrupt nighttime sleep. Short naps and NSDR can accelerate neuroplasticity and learning, especially if taken 4-6 hours after intense learning.
Elevate your feet 10-15 degrees (e.g., with a pillow under your ankles) during sleep or naps to enhance lymphatic clearance in the brain, which is crucial for cognitive function and health.
Recognize the prevalence of regressive behavior in adults, where people act like children with reactive responses. This awareness can motivate personal efforts to build resilience and avoid contributing to collective regression.
Embrace personal responsibility for physical and mental well-being, continuously seeking to improve yourself through self-reflection, utilizing tools, and adhering to protocols. This ongoing developmental process is crucial for a fulfilling life.
Actively invest in and nurture friendships, as they can serve as a bedrock for well-being and provide a sense of life moving forward. Quality over quantity is key.
Use a free “Light Meter” app to approximate the lux (light energy) from various sources, helping you understand and optimize your light environment.