April 19, 2024 • 52min

LIVE EVENT Q&A: Dr. Andrew Huberman at the Sydney Opera House

Huberman Lab

This episode features the Q&A portion of a live event Andrew Huberman hosted at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The event was part of a lecture series called "The Brain Body Contract." Huberman answers audience questions on a wide range of neuroscience and health topics, providing insights into circadian rhythms, psychedelics, stress, finding one's passion, and more.

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Key Takeaways

Our perception of time and "frame rate" is set by our visual system. Looking at things up close increases our frame rate and makes time seem to pass more slowly, while looking at distant or unpredictable things slows our frame rate.
To adjust to jet lag, expose your eyes to bright light in the 2-3 hours after your "temperature minimum" (typically 2 hours before you normally wake up) to advance your circadian clock. Viewing light before your temperature minimum delays your clock.
Psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA are being studied for treating depression, PTSD, and other conditions. They may allow people to experience the full emotionality of past events while also gaining cognitive insights.
Using a sauna or taking a warm bath 2 hours before bed can improve sleep by allowing your core body temperature to drop, which is necessary for falling asleep.
Repeated exposure to the same stressor typically results in less adrenaline release over time as we habituate, unless the stressor remains psychologically stressful.
Finding your passion involves reconnecting with feeling states of genuine interest and excitement you've experienced in the past, rather than just following external advice.

Introduction

This episode features the Q&A portion of a live event Andrew Huberman hosted at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The event was part of a lecture series called "The Brain Body Contract." Huberman answers audience questions on a wide range of neuroscience and health topics, providing insights into circadian rhythms, psychedelics, stress, finding one's passion, and more.

Topics Discussed

The Power of Mindset on Stress (2:50)

Huberman discusses recent findings on how our mindset about stress impacts its physiological effects:

Studies show that believing stress is enhancing vs. harmful actually changes how our body responds to it physiologically
Learning about the potential benefits of stress can help shift our mindset and response
What we believe about a phenomenon strongly impacts how it shapes our response

David Goggins: A Case Study in Resilience (5:23)

Huberman shares an anecdote about meeting David Goggins:

Describes Goggins as genuinely intense and committed to his extreme lifestyle
Admires how Goggins and others like Rick Rubin simply do what they believe is right without concern for others' opinions

Exploring Time Perception & Frame Rate (9:59)

Huberman explains how our visual system impacts our perception of time:

Looking at things up close increases our "frame rate" and makes time seem to pass more slowly
Viewing distant or unpredictable things slows our frame rate and makes time seem to pass more quickly
Our level of autonomic arousal also impacts frame rate - higher arousal increases frame rate
Activities like viewing aquariums can slow frame rate and be relaxing

Jet Lag Protocol: Adjusting to New Time Zones (18:20)

Huberman outlines his approach to managing jet lag:

Determine your "temperature minimum" - typically 2 hours before you normally wake up
Expose eyes to bright light 2-3 hours after temperature minimum to advance your clock
Viewing light before temperature minimum delays your clock
Eat on local schedule and get social interaction to help adjust
Use red light in evenings to reduce cortisol and prepare for sleep

The Science of Neuroplasticity (26:44)

Huberman briefly touches on neuroplasticity:

The brain remains plastic and capable of change throughout the lifespan
Introspection and sensing into our experiences can tap into neuroplasticity

The Transformative Power of Psychedelics (26:49)

Huberman discusses the renewed scientific interest in psychedelics:

Compounds like psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA are being studied for depression, PTSD, etc.
Federal funding is now supporting psychedelic research at major institutions
Psychedelics are no longer as associated with counterculture as in the past

Exploring Psilocybin & MDMA: Personal Experiences & Insights (29:26)

Huberman shares his experiences participating in clinical trials:

Psilocybin journeys can be terrifying but often lead to valuable insights
MDMA tends to be less scary and promotes self-empathy
Psychedelics may allow experiencing full emotionality of past events while gaining cognitive insights
Proper support and setting are crucial for safe, beneficial experiences

The Science of Sleep: How Temperature Affects It (36:12)

Huberman explains the relationship between temperature and sleep:

Core body temperature needs to drop 1-3 degrees to fall asleep
Sauna or warm bath 2 hours before bed can paradoxically help cool core temperature
The brain's thermostat (medial preoptic area) works to cool core temp after external warming
"Warm up to cool down to fall asleep, stay cool to stay asleep, warm up to wake up"

Understanding Stress Response & Habituation (39:38)

Huberman discusses how we adapt to repeated stressors:

Typically less adrenaline is released with repeated exposure as we habituate
The amygdala acts more as a novelty detector than pure threat detector
If a stressor remains psychologically stressful, adrenaline release may increase over time

Personal Anecdotes (41:20)

Huberman shares some personal stories and observations:

Describes an interesting fan interaction where someone just said "Hey Andrew" and walked away
Discusses how he managed excess energy during delicate microsurgeries by tapping his foot
Reflects on changing norms of formality between professors and students

Finding Your Passion: Advice for the Youth (47:00)

Huberman offers guidance on discovering one's passion:

Passion is rooted in feeling states of genuine interest/excitement experienced in the past
Introspect to remember or sense into what truly excites and interests you
Use feedback from others as calibration points, not definitive direction
Trust your unique wiring and what makes you say "yum" or "behold"

Conclusion

Huberman closes by thanking the audience and expressing appreciation for their interest in science. He encourages everyone to engage in introspection and to share the science-based protocols he discusses, emphasizing that he mostly curates existing research rather than developing novel approaches. Huberman expresses gratitude to the Sydney Opera House for hosting and reiterates the importance of scientific inquiry and understanding.