Using Your Mind to Control Your Physical Health & Longevity | Dr. Ellen Langer

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Ellen Langer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Harvard University and the world’s leading researcher on the mind-body connection and the power our thinking has on our physical health. She explains how specific ways of framing and asking questions about the world shape our physical health and rate of aging. Dr. Langer also explains how our perception of time and control significantly impact our rate of physical healing, hormones, immune system, and longevity. She describes mindfulness as a way of framing life, not simply a meditation or other practice, and discusses data showing how to use one’s mind to overcome health challenges and achieve remarkable outcomes. Dr. Langer is a luminary and pioneer in researching the relationship between the mind and body with scientific rigor. Her work and our discussion are applicable to women and men of all ages and walks of life. Read the full episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/nbPy451 *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Our Place: https://fromourplace.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.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 *Dr. Ellen Langer* Website: https://www.ellenlanger.me Harvard academic profile: https://psychology.fas.harvard.edu/people/ellen-langer Books: https://amzlink.to/az0fOvqL588CY Blogs: https://www.ellenlanger.me/blogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenjlanger/ X: https://x.com/ellenjl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellen.langer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenjlanger *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Dr. Ellen Langer 00:02:57 Mindfulness 00:06:53 Mindless, Focus; Being Mindful 00:11:03 Sponsors: BetterHelp & Helix Sleep 00:13:41 Meditation 00:14:47 Choices & Longer Life; Mind & Body Unity, Exercise, Nocebo & Placebo Effect 00:25:39 Self, Mind-Body Interconnectedness 00:32:16 Acupuncture; Cancer & Healing, Probabilities, Tool: Tragedy or Inconvenience? 00:42:18 Sponsors: AG1 & Joovv 00:44:46 Brain & Predictions, Control & Mindlessness; Resolutions 00:48:09 “Should” Thoughts, Multitasking, Making Moments Matter, Work-Life Balance 00:56:55 Sleep, Stress, Tool: Perceived Sleep & Performance 01:01:58 Counterclockwise Study 01:06:15 Pioneering a Field, Change, Decisions & Uncertainty 01:16:47 Sponsor: Function 01:18:35 Making Sense of Behavior, Forgiveness, Blame 01:25:35 Technology, Human Drive; Tool: Noticing & Appreciating New Things 01:32:50 Art, Mindfulness, Education, Awards 01:39:30 Labels, Borderline Effect; Identity, “I Am”, Learning & Age 01:49:44 Sponsor: Our Place 01:50:56 Memory Loss, Vision; Chronic Disease, Symptom Variability 02:01:22 Deadlines, Constraints; Scientific Method & Absolutes 02:06:47 Covid Crisis, Uncertainty, Multiple Answers 02:12:06 Age & Decline?, Experience Levels & “Disinhibited” 02:18:18 Justice, Drama; Life-Changing Events & Perspective 02:25:45 Death, Spontaneous Cancer Remission; Will to Live 02:31:59 Mindful Hospital, Stress, Burnout, Tool: Mindful Checklist 02:36:32 Noticing, Choices 02:41:16 Coddling, Fragility, Social Media, Money 02:48:26 Tool: Playfulness 02:52:08 Nostalgia, Mindfulness; Tool: Gamifying Life; Parenthood & Work 02:59:17 Healing & Time Perception, Awareness & Neuroplasticity, Imagine Possibilities 03:07:12 Reviews & Critical Feedback, Others’ Opinions 03:12:00 Enlightenment, Flexibility, Expansiveness; Everyone Song 03:19:47 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Science #Health Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Andrew HubermanhostEllen Langerguest

Feb 3, 20253h 22mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: February 3, 2025
Duration: 3h 22m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Ellen Langer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Harvard University and the world’s leading researcher on the mind-body connection and the power our thinking has on our physical health. She explains how specific ways of framing and asking questions about the world shape our physical health and rate of aging. Dr. Langer also explains how our perception of time and control significantly impact our rate of physical healing, hormones, immune system, and longevity. She describes mindfulness as a way of framing life, not simply a meditation or other practice, and discusses data showing how to use one’s mind to overcome health challenges and achieve remarkable outcomes. Dr. Langer is a luminary and pioneer in researching the relationship between the mind and body with scientific rigor. Her work and our discussion are applicable to women and men of all ages and walks of life. Read the full episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/nbPy451 *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Our Place: https://fromourplace.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.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 *Dr. Ellen Langer* Website: https://www.ellenlanger.me Harvard academic profile: https://psychology.fas.harvard.edu/people/ellen-langer Books: https://amzlink.to/az0fOvqL588CY Blogs: https://www.ellenlanger.me/blogs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenjlanger/ X: https://x.com/ellenjl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellen.langer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenjlanger *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Dr. Ellen Langer 00:02:57 Mindfulness 00:06:53 Mindless, Focus; Being Mindful 00:11:03 Sponsors: BetterHelp & Helix Sleep 00:13:41 Meditation 00:14:47 Choices & Longer Life; Mind & Body Unity, Exercise, Nocebo & Placebo Effect 00:25:39 Self, Mind-Body Interconnectedness 00:32:16 Acupuncture; Cancer & Healing, Probabilities, Tool: Tragedy or Inconvenience? 00:42:18 Sponsors: AG1 & Joovv 00:44:46 Brain & Predictions, Control & Mindlessness; Resolutions 00:48:09 “Should” Thoughts, Multitasking, Making Moments Matter, Work-Life Balance 00:56:55 Sleep, Stress, Tool: Perceived Sleep & Performance 01:01:58 Counterclockwise Study 01:06:15 Pioneering a Field, Change, Decisions & Uncertainty 01:16:47 Sponsor: Function 01:18:35 Making Sense of Behavior, Forgiveness, Blame 01:25:35 Technology, Human Drive; Tool: Noticing & Appreciating New Things 01:32:50 Art, Mindfulness, Education, Awards 01:39:30 Labels, Borderline Effect; Identity, “I Am”, Learning & Age 01:49:44 Sponsor: Our Place 01:50:56 Memory Loss, Vision; Chronic Disease, Symptom Variability 02:01:22 Deadlines, Constraints; Scientific Method & Absolutes 02:06:47 Covid Crisis, Uncertainty, Multiple Answers 02:12:06 Age & Decline?, Experience Levels & “Disinhibited” 02:18:18 Justice, Drama; Life-Changing Events & Perspective 02:25:45 Death, Spontaneous Cancer Remission; Will to Live 02:31:59 Mindful Hospital, Stress, Burnout, Tool: Mindful Checklist 02:36:32 Noticing, Choices 02:41:16 Coddling, Fragility, Social Media, Money 02:48:26 Tool: Playfulness 02:52:08 Nostalgia, Mindfulness; Tool: Gamifying Life; Parenthood & Work 02:59:17 Healing & Time Perception, Awareness & Neuroplasticity, Imagine Possibilities 03:07:12 Reviews & Critical Feedback, Others’ Opinions 03:12:00 Enlightenment, Flexibility, Expansiveness; Everyone Song 03:19:47 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter #HubermanLab #Science #Health Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

Andrew Huberman
host
Ellen Langer
guest
Narrator
other

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman and Ellen Langer, Using Your Mind to Control Your Physical Health & Longevity | Dr. Ellen Langer explores redefining Mindfulness: How Thought Shapes Health, Aging, And Life Andrew Huberman and Harvard psychologist Dr. Ellen Langer explore how our assumptions, language, and moment‑to‑moment awareness directly shape physical health, aging, and behavior. Langer rejects the classic mind–body ‘connection’ in favor of mind–body unity, arguing that thoughts and physiology are one system. Through decades of experiments—from nursing homes to hotel maids, sleep labs, and “time‑travel” retreats—she shows that expectations about exercise, sleep, illness, and age can measurably alter biomarkers, function, and even recovery from disease.

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