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How to Use Exercise to Improve Your Brain’s Health, Longevity & Performance

In this episode, I discuss how different forms of exercise impact brain health and performance in both the short and long term. I explain how many of the positive effects of exercise on brain function occur through the action of specific neurochemicals that increase alertness. I also cover how to best time exercise and which specific types of exercise to include in your weekly routine to maximize benefits for your brain. Additionally, I explain how certain types of exercise trigger the release of a hormone from your bones called osteocalcin, as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Together, these substances increase neuroplasticity and enhance learning. The positive effects of exercise on brain oxygenation, blood supply, and fuel utilization are also discussed. Listeners will learn how to design a weekly exercise program that optimizes physical fitness, brain health, longevity, and performance, along with the mechanistic logic behind those recommendations. Find show notes with articles, resources and more: https://go.hubermanlab.com/MNDX54b Pre-order Andrew's upcoming book, Protocols: https://go.hubermanlab.com/protocols *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Maui Nui: https://mauinui.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://x.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *More Huberman Lab* Huberman Lab Premium: https://go.hubermanlab.com/premium Huberman Lab Merch: https://go.hubermanlab.com/merch *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Exercise, Brain Health & Performance; Protocols Book 00:04:03 Sponsors: BetterHelp & Helix Sleep 00:06:55 Brain Health, Cardiovascular & Resistance Training 00:11:51 Exercise & Positive Impact on Brain Performance; Arousal 00:18:20 Learning & Arousal 00:23:18 Sponsors: AG1 & David 00:26:01 Exercise & Acute Learning 00:29:16 Tool: High-Intensity Training & Cognitive Flexibility; Over-Training 00:33:32 Long-Term Brain Health; Tool: Exercise “Snacks”, Cognitive Performance 00:36:57 Exercise, Brain & Body Energy, Adrenaline, Norepinephrine 00:44:08 Adrenal “Burnout”?; Exercise to Increase Energy, Adrenaline 00:48:20 Tool: Core, Compound Movements; Mind-Body Connection 00:53:58 Sponsor: Function 00:55:45 Bones, Osteocalcin, BDNF & Hippocampus; Tool: Jump Training 01:01:30 Exercise, Fuel, Multifactorial Pathways; BDNF & Activity 01:05:06 Lactate, Astrocytes & Brain Function; VEGF & Brain Health 01:11:17 Tools: Zone 2, High-Intensity Training, Time Under Tension Training 01:19:54 Sponsor: Maui Nui 01:21:37 Tools: Time Under Tension; Explosive Jumping, Eccentric Control Training 01:25:30 Injury & Exercise, Illness 01:28:09 Sleep; Injury, Sleep-Deprivation & Exercise 01:33:51 SuperAgers, Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex, Grit & Persistence 01:42:04 Tool: Embrace Challenges; Deliberate Cold Exposure, Rope Flow 01:47:39 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Science #Exercise Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Andrew Hubermanhost
Jan 6, 20251h 49mWatch on YouTube ↗

Episode Details

EPISODE INFO

Released
January 6, 2025
Duration
1h 49m
Channel
Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube
▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode, I discuss how different forms of exercise impact brain health and performance in both the short and long term. I explain how many of the positive effects of exercise on brain function occur through the action of specific neurochemicals that increase alertness. I also cover how to best time exercise and which specific types of exercise to include in your weekly routine to maximize benefits for your brain. Additionally, I explain how certain types of exercise trigger the release of a hormone from your bones called osteocalcin, as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Together, these substances increase neuroplasticity and enhance learning. The positive effects of exercise on brain oxygenation, blood supply, and fuel utilization are also discussed. Listeners will learn how to design a weekly exercise program that optimizes physical fitness, brain health, longevity, and performance, along with the mechanistic logic behind those recommendations. Find show notes with articles, resources and more: https://go.hubermanlab.com/MNDX54b Pre-order Andrew's upcoming book, Protocols: https://go.hubermanlab.com/protocols *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman David: https://davidprotein.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Maui Nui: https://mauinui.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://x.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *More Huberman Lab* Huberman Lab Premium: https://go.hubermanlab.com/premium Huberman Lab Merch: https://go.hubermanlab.com/merch *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Exercise, Brain Health & Performance; Protocols Book 00:04:03 Sponsors: BetterHelp & Helix Sleep 00:06:55 Brain Health, Cardiovascular & Resistance Training 00:11:51 Exercise & Positive Impact on Brain Performance; Arousal 00:18:20 Learning & Arousal 00:23:18 Sponsors: AG1 & David 00:26:01 Exercise & Acute Learning 00:29:16 Tool: High-Intensity Training & Cognitive Flexibility; Over-Training 00:33:32 Long-Term Brain Health; Tool: Exercise “Snacks”, Cognitive Performance 00:36:57 Exercise, Brain & Body Energy, Adrenaline, Norepinephrine 00:44:08 Adrenal “Burnout”?; Exercise to Increase Energy, Adrenaline 00:48:20 Tool: Core, Compound Movements; Mind-Body Connection 00:53:58 Sponsor: Function 00:55:45 Bones, Osteocalcin, BDNF & Hippocampus; Tool: Jump Training 01:01:30 Exercise, Fuel, Multifactorial Pathways; BDNF & Activity 01:05:06 Lactate, Astrocytes & Brain Function; VEGF & Brain Health 01:11:17 Tools: Zone 2, High-Intensity Training, Time Under Tension Training 01:19:54 Sponsor: Maui Nui 01:21:37 Tools: Time Under Tension; Explosive Jumping, Eccentric Control Training 01:25:30 Injury & Exercise, Illness 01:28:09 Sleep; Injury, Sleep-Deprivation & Exercise 01:33:51 SuperAgers, Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex, Grit & Persistence 01:42:04 Tool: Embrace Challenges; Deliberate Cold Exposure, Rope Flow 01:47:39 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Science #Exercise Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

  • Andrew Huberman

    host

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman, How to Use Exercise to Improve Your Brain’s Health, Longevity & Performance explores harness Exercise To Supercharge Learning, Memory, Sleep, And Longevity Andrew Huberman explains how different types of exercise—cardio, resistance training, sprints, and impact work—directly enhance brain health, learning, memory, and cognitive longevity.

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