Wellness › Protocols
Inside 176 Hours of Top Wellness Podcasts: The 20 Recommendations That Held Up
Updated May 24, 2026
20 recommendations
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Most wellness advice is one expert with a microphone. We wanted to see what survives when you cross-reference 10 of the most rigorous voices in the field, including Andrew Huberman, Rhonda Patrick, Matthew Walker, Eric Topol, and Tim Spector. Below: the recommendations three or more of them independently endorse, ranked by impact.
Sponsor reads are filtered out. Each recommendation links to the verbatim expert quotes behind it.
Our top pick
fitness
9 of 10 experts agree
Resistance training 2-3+ times per week
Lift weights at least 2-3 times per week using compound movements with progressive overload, taking working sets close to failure (0-2 reps in reserve). The experts converge on this being one of the highest-impact interventions across the lifespan, essential for muscle mass, bone density, metabolic health, glycemic control, and preventing age-related sarcopenia and frailty. Hypertrophy works across a wide rep range (5-30 reps) as long as sets are taken near failure, with 1-2 minutes rest between sets. Even body-weight training works if you can't access a gym, and it's never too late to start, even 90-year-olds respond.
The protocol
- Dose
- 3-5 exercises, 3-5 sets, 5-15 reps near failure; 1-2 min rest between sets
- Duration
- 30-45 min sessions
- Frequency
- 2-3+ times per week minimum
- Conditions
- Progressive overload; compound movements; include lengthened-position work for hypertrophy
Our pick
A single pair replaces 30+ traditional dumbbells, adjust from 5 to 52.5 lbs per hand with the turn of a dial. Amazon's Choice, 4.8 stars, 1K+ buyers monthly. The home-gym dumbbells that eliminate the friction of going to a gym.
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Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #78: What's More Important For The Brain: Diet or Exercise?
“All the evidence that we have for both diet and for physical activity suggests that literally anything you do more than what you're doing right now will be, will be beneficial.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #110 How To Build Lasting Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks
“I do really heavy lifting first thing in the morning. And guess what? The other stuff that's thrown at me isn't as hard.”
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Katie Couric and Eric Topol: On the State of US Life Science and Extending Healthspan
“the big change in recent years is the new data about resistance training and balance training. So as we get older, we lose muscle mass and that's not good for health span... doing that at least two or three times a week is really important to maintain your muscle strength.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Essentials: How to Build Strength, Muscle Size & Endurance | Dr. Andy Galpin
“A really fast answer is what I just call the three to five concept... So three to five exercises, do three to five reps, three to five sets, take three to five minutes rest in between and do it three to five times a week.”
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Glenn McConnellInside Exercise ↗ · #51 - Maximizing muscle hypertrophy with Dr Brad Schoenfeld
“Resistance training is, in my humble opinion, the most important thing that people can do for their physical being and somewhat mental being, but certainly a physical being with aging.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #122 - Exercise vs. Insomnia
“Movement is medicine for sleep. Not movement as punishment or obligation, but movement as a gift to your future resting self.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #592: How Much Protein is Actually Healthy?
“Something that maybe we didn't emphasize enough was that the number one factor is going to be lifting heavy things. Like that is by far number one.”
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Greg NuckolsThe Stronger By Science Podcast ↗ · Weak Muscle Growth Beliefs
“If you take any hypertrophy or strength workout to within 0-2 reps of failure... up until around 12 reps per set, people are pretty accurate.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · Professor Tim Spector: I was wrong about Vitamin D & sunlight!
“I bought a set of weights and I will try at least two or three times a week to have 20 to 30 minutes where I'm using these weights so that I'm trying to build up my lean mass.”
Runner-up
nutrition
8 of 10 experts agree
Eat a plant-rich, minimally-processed diet (avoid ultra-processed foods)
Build your diet around whole, minimally processed foods, vegetables, fruits, berries, legumes, nuts, whole grains, herbs, spices, and quality proteins, and minimize ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Kevin Hall's NIH trial showed people spontaneously eat 500 extra calories/day on UPF diets vs. matched whole-food diets. UPFs drive inflammation, weight gain, microbiome disruption, and are linked to early-onset cancers. Aim for diversity, ZOE recommends 30 different plants per week to feed gut microbiome diversity. Mediterranean/MIND-style eating patterns are the most consistently endorsed framework.
The protocol
- Dose
- 30+ different plants per week ideally
- Duration
- Lifelong dietary pattern
- Frequency
- Daily
- Conditions
- Minimize packaged foods with long ingredient lists, emulsifiers, additives; include berries, legumes, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, herbs/spices
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Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #78: What's More Important For The Brain: Diet or Exercise?
“Adding a few vegetables, adding some seafood, you know, some, some liver or organ meats to, you know, one or two meals a day.”
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Kevin Hall: What Should We Eat?
“when these folks were exposed to this highly ultra processed food environment, they spontaneously chose to eat about 500 calories per day, more over the two week period.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Essentials: Optimize Your Exercise Program with Science-Based Tools | Jeff Cavaliere
“When you have your plate, you just simply look at it as a clock... the largest portion is going to be your fibrous carbohydrates... the next largest portion... protein... last portion is where I put my starchy carbohydrates.”
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Vinay PrasadPlenary Session ↗ · Longevity Episode 2 - Nutrition science
“I don't think there's anyone who would say eating Chef Boyardee and Otis Spunkmeier cookies is good for you.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #097 The Science of Protein and Its Role in Longevity
“It is ideal to try and distribute your protein intake evenly across the day and aim for around three to four protein-rich meals.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #583: Ultra-Processed Foods & Fixing the Food Environment
“By addressing both the energy density, the non beverage energy density and hyper palatable foods, we're able to more or less normalize the number of calories people choose to eat.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · Professor Tim Spector: I was wrong about Vitamin D & sunlight!
“I haven't changed my mind on ultra processed foods at all. And I think the evidence is getting clearer that they're the most important public health danger out there for the population.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #123 - Sleep & the Microbiome
“What you feed your bacteria matters. Whether you eat enough fiber, actual fiber from whole foods like vegetables, legumes and whole grains, not supplements, matters.”
Number 3
supplement
6 of 10 experts agree
Creatine monohydrate (3-10g daily)
Take 3-5g of creatine monohydrate daily, it's one of the most evidence-based, safest, and cheapest supplements available, with benefits for muscle, strength, bone, and increasingly brain health (particularly under stress or sleep deprivation). 5g/day saturates muscle stores in most people; higher doses (10g) may provide additional cognitive benefit. No loading phase needed. Use plain micronized monohydrate, other forms aren't worth the price.
The protocol
- Dose
- 3-5g/day standard; 10g/day for cognitive benefit; up to 20-25g when sleep-deprived
- Timing
- Any time of day; consistent daily use
- Duration
- Long-term/ongoing
- Frequency
- Daily
- Conditions
- Use monohydrate form specifically; split dose if GI upset
Our pick
NSF Certified for Sport, micronized monohydrate, 5 g per serving, 90 servings.
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Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #79: Does Red Light Therapy Boost Brain Health?
“Why the benefits of Tommy's favorite supplement, creatine, are disproportionately good for the brain, because it specifically helps with energy production.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #110 How To Build Lasting Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks
“I haven't ingested anything except you know, electrolytes and with some creatine monohydrate, 10 grams because... that second 5 grams is really good for your brain.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · The Best Vitality & Health Protocols | Dr. Rhonda Patrick
“I take 10 grams a day, every day... I do it in two doses... There have now been at least one study showing that if you give someone... 0.35 grams per kilogram body weight of creatine... in that sleep deprived state that they're cognitively not only performing normal, but they're performing better than their baseline.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #117 - Can Creatine & Exercise Overcome Sleep Deprivation?
“Both creatine and exercise appear to offer genuine protection against some of sleep deprivation's harmful effects. Creatine seems to support brain energy metabolism and cognitive performance.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #578: Creatine For Brain Health
“We have something that's inexpensive, widely available, has a fantastic safety profile and improves muscular performance.”
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Greg NuckolsThe Stronger By Science Podcast ↗ · Creatine Myths: Hair Loss, Bloating, Dosing, and More
“The 5 gram a day recommendation is already a better safe than sorry recommendation that is already comfortably more than most people actually need.”
Number 4
nutrition
6 of 10 experts agree
Adequate protein intake (1.2-1.6 g/kg/day) distributed across meals
Eat 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight daily, well above the RDA of 0.8 g/kg, distributed across 3-4 meals of roughly 20-30g protein each to optimally stimulate muscle protein synthesis. This supports muscle mass, healthy aging, prevention of sarcopenia, and helps preserve lean mass during weight loss. Older adults need higher per-meal doses (~0.4 g/kg) due to anabolic resistance. Bias toward plant proteins where possible while including quality animal sources. Note: Topol pushes back against the 1g/lb 'bro science' recommendation as overdose.
The protocol
- Dose
- 1.2-1.6 g/kg/day; 20-30g per meal; up to 2 g/kg during fat-loss phases or for serious athletes
- Timing
- Distribute across 3-4 meals; some pre-sleep protein can help overnight synthesis
- Duration
- Daily, lifelong
- Frequency
- Every meal
- Conditions
- Pair with resistance training; older adults need higher per-meal dose; don't exceed ~1.6 g/kg without specific reason
Our pick
100% whey isolate from grass-fed cows, 28 g protein per scoop, milk chocolate.
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #097 The Science of Protein and Its Role in Longevity
“The optimal range for daily protein intake is closer to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight per day... This is based on alternative methods like stable isotope studies.”
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Katie Couric and Eric Topol: On the State of US Life Science and Extending Healthspan
“this is that bro science... that 1 gram per pound per day, which is an overdose. There's no data to support that.”
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Glenn McConnellInside Exercise ↗ · #73 - Protein and muscle adaptations with Professor Luc van Loon
“What we do know from the literature is that you actually lose more muscle when you reduce protein intake. So in a lot of the clinical work that we do, we advocate a more protein dense diet.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #592: How Much Protein is Actually Healthy?
“I'll just say probably in the 1.2 to 1.6 gram per kg range is probably a good range to recommend.”
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Greg NuckolsThe Stronger By Science Podcast ↗ · All About Sleep (Part 1)
“In that study participants were having about 65 grams of protein a day on average. So their optimal protein intake according to the Morton meta analysis on protein intake would be around 130.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Essentials: Optimize Your Exercise Program with Science-Based Tools | Jeff Cavaliere
“I take the next largest portion of that and I devote that towards protein... aim for around three to four protein-rich meals.”
Number 5
sleep
6 of 10 experts agree
Adequate, regular sleep with consistent schedule
Sleep 7-9 hours per night with a consistent bedtime and wake time (ideally within a 1-hour window) including weekends. Sleep regularity may matter as much as duration, Topol's biggest personal improvement came from anchoring his schedule, which dramatically increased deep sleep. Consistency reinforces circadian rhythms, supports glymphatic brain clearance, consolidates memory, and is foundational for nearly every health outcome. If forced to choose between exercise and sleep when below 6 hours, prioritize sleep.
The protocol
- Dose
- 7-9 hours
- Timing
- Consistent bedtime and wake time daily, including weekends
- Frequency
- Nightly
- Conditions
- Wake time is the body clock's anchor; aim for <1 hour variation in timing
Our picks
Reusable silicone earplugs with 17 dB noise reduction, comfortable for all-night wear.
Contoured eye cups block light completely without pressure on the eyes.
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Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #77: Why Does Sleep Quality Decline as We Age
“Having a consistent bedtime I think considered to be kind of, probably the cornerstone of, of good sleep.”
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · How Our Brain Drains Its Waste Products
“when I was writing, doing the research for the book Superagers, this is where it came alive about how important deep sleep is... for me the biggest thing... was just getting on a very regular schedule made a huge difference in getting into that deep sleep.”
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Glenn McConnellInside Exercise ↗ · #70 - Sleep, recovery and fatigue in athletes
“I just explain it to athletes like, you know, we need to, you know, the body likes to know, you know, what, what it's going to expect... if you're bed at 10 and awake at 7, you want to do that regularly.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #121 - A Practical Guide To Insomnia
“wake up at the same time every day. Yes, even on weekends, that regular wake up time is your body clock's anchor.”
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Vinay PrasadPlenary Session ↗ · Longevity Lecture series Introduction and Lecture 1
“Short, less than six hours of disrupted and poor sleep may increase untimely death and is a sign of a chronic health issue.”
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Greg NuckolsThe Stronger By Science Podcast ↗ · All About Sleep (Part 1)
“Sleep duration anywhere between seven to eight hours seems to be a solid sweet spot. However, sleep regularity... having like an hour window that is consistent as far as sleep wake times go. Also solid when trying to optimize sleep for health related outcomes.”
Also worth knowing
15 more consensus recommendations
#6
fitness
Aerobic exercise (150+ min/week with intensity variety)
Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity (or 75+ vigorous), ideally combining zone 2 work with some higher-intensity intervals. Walking, cycling, brisk walking 8,000 steps/day, and the Norwegian 4x4 protocol (4 min at 95% max HR x 4 reps) all work. VO2 max is one of the strongest predictors of longevity, and even brief 'exercise snacks', three 1-3 minute vigorous bouts daily totaling 9 minutes, are associated with ~40% lower all-cause mortality.
6 experts
150-300 min/week moderate OR 75+ min/week vigorous; ~8,000 steps/day baseline
Most days
6 expert citations
-
Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #090 How Exercise Prevents & Reverses Heart Aging
“When I think about aerobic power, I like to think about Jan Hoff's 4x4... Four minutes at 95% of max followed by three minutes of recovery, repeated four times.”
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Katie Couric and Eric Topol: On the State of US Life Science and Extending Healthspan
“we're talking about at least five times a week, ideally 30 minutes of aerobic activity.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · The Best Vitality & Health Protocols | Dr. Rhonda Patrick
“Individuals that do on the high end, so they're doing, you know, three minutes of this short burst of an unstructured type of exercise snack and they do it three times a day. So it's a total of nine minutes a day... that's associated with a 40% reduction in all cause mortality.”
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Glenn McConnellInside Exercise ↗ · #87 - Exercise and sports cardiology with Professor Paul D. Thompson
“I would recommend you go about 8,000 steps a day, and you try to do it every day and you do it briskly.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #582: GLP-1 Agonists
“Go for walks. I would go for a walk uninterrupted. Enjoy the day, get some activity after a meal ideally.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · 4 lifestyle changes that lower high blood pressure
“Some data indicate that if you do cardiovascular exercise, your blood pressure can come down by an average of 6 millimeters of mercury... It's comparable to some medications.”
#7
nutrition
Caffeine timing: front-load early, cutoff by early afternoon
Consume caffeine in the first half of the day and set a cutoff 8-10 hours before bedtime, for a 10pm bedtime, treat 2pm as last call. Even moderate caffeine 6 hours before bed measurably disrupts sleep without you noticing, and 400mg doses can disrupt sleep 12 hours later. Walker emphasizes that ~55% of people are slow metabolizers especially affected. Coffee itself is fine and even beneficial (polyphenols, lower CV/Alzheimer's mortality) within 1-4 cups/day; the issue is timing.
4 experts
1-4 cups/day acceptable; ≤100mg if consumed after early afternoon
Daily morning use is fine
Before 1-2pm for standard caffeine; high-dose pre-workouts before 10am
4 expert citations
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Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #81: Your Brain on Caffeine: the REAL story
“if you took 400 milligrams of caffeine, whether it was 12 hours, 8 hours, or 4 hours before bed, all of those impacted sleep. And so if you're gonna, like, consume a boatload of caffeine, at least as a one off, it basically has to be first thing in the morning.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #110 How To Build Lasting Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks
“I'll drink 350mg of caffeine and I'll get that in a bolus right after I get back and before I eat anything. But that's two and a half hours after I've gotten up at this point because of all that stuff about adenosine clearing.”
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Glenn McConnellInside Exercise ↗ · #70 - Sleep, recovery and fatigue in athletes
“It was about 1:12 in the afternoon for a cut off for 100 milligrams... if you looked at the data for some of these pre workout supplements that have really high levels of caffeine in them, the cutoff time was before 10 o'clock in the morning.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #126 - The Coffee Paradox
“even caffeine consumed a full six hours before bedtime and objectively disrupted sleep and significantly reduced total sleep time by more than an hour in some participants.”
#8
nutrition
Minimize or avoid alcohol (especially before sleep)
Keep alcohol consumption low, ideally below 1 standard drink/day, and avoid it in the evening. Alcohol fragments sleep, suppresses REM, decreases deep sleep, lowers HRV (not normalizing until next day), and above ~2 units/day produces measurable brain structural changes. If you drink, keep it light, early (finished by dinner), and pair with food. Walker and Topol both stopped evening drinks after seeing the effects on their sleep tracking. Prasad takes a more permissive view but agrees overconsumption is harmful.
5 experts
≤1 drink/day if any; avoid in evening
Finished by dinner; not within hours of bed
5 expert citations
-
Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #58: Can The Brain Recover From Years Of Heavy Drinking?
“once you're drinking that much every day, I think you're starting to see a potential for a detrimental effect, at least on brain structure.”
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Matthew Walker: Promoting Our Sleep Health
“alcohol does decrease deep sleep. No question... People, if they start tracking it, they will see that.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #121 - A Practical Guide To Insomnia
“Yes, it can help you fall asleep faster, but it fragments your sleep later in the night, suppresses REM, and can lead to more awakenings. So if you do drink, keep it light and early, ideally done with by dinner.”
-
Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · The 5 best foods to fight cancer
“Alcohol itself, the ethanol... is actually a pretty significant cellular toxin. There's no cell that alcohol spares.”
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Vinay PrasadPlenary Session ↗ · Alcohol - Is it healthy?
“Stop if waking with headaches, calling in sick, outbursts at family. Never drink a drink you don't like.”
#9
nutrition
Adequate dietary fiber (25-30+ g/day from diverse plants)
Aim for at least 25-30g of fiber per day from diverse whole plant sources, 95% of Americans don't hit this target. Fiber is the single most consistently endorsed 'supernutrient,' reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and all-cause mortality. It feeds beneficial gut microbes that produce butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids supporting brain health and sleep. Get it from vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds, diversity matters because different fibers feed different microbes.
5 experts
25-30+ g/day (35g for those with diabetes)
Daily
5 expert citations
-
Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Katie Couric and Eric Topol: On the State of US Life Science and Extending Healthspan
“getting 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day is challenging. You gotta go after it. But that is the recommendation and it does help.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #095 What Microplastics Are Doing to Your Brain
“Consuming fiber rich foods can bind to lipophilic chemicals like BPA and phthalates in the GI tract and reduce their absorption.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #123 - Sleep & the Microbiome
“Whether you eat enough fiber, actual fiber from whole foods like vegetables, legumes and whole grains, not supplements, matters.”
-
Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #603: Should Dietary Fiber Be Considered Essential?
“If the population could move to 25 grams, you would see consistent benefits across all those outcomes.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · 5 daily habits of people who live longer
“Fiber is the only supernutrient, if I was to say there was a supernutrient out there. It's protective against many chronic diseases.”
#10
nutrition
Eat oily fish 2-3x/week (or omega-3 supplement)
Eat oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovies) 2-3 times per week for EPA/DHA, which are powerful anti-inflammatory compounds supporting cardiovascular health, brain function, and slowing biological aging. The benefits outweigh concerns about mercury or microplastics. Affordable options like tinned mackerel and sardines work well. For non-fish-eaters or those who test low on omega-3 index, supplement with ~2g/day EPA+DHA (algae-based for vegans). Tim Spector raised his omega-3 index above average just by eating more oily fish.
5 experts
~250g oily fish per week (2-3 servings); or ~2g/day EPA+DHA supplement
2-3 times per week
With food for absorption
Our pick
Wild Planet Wild Sardines in Olive Oil
Wild-caught, BPA-free, lightly smoked sardines in extra virgin olive oil. Pack of 12.
5 expert citations
-
Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #88: Are Microplastics Causing Dementia?
“The benefits of seafood have been shown to outweigh the risks. That's the same for mercury.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #076 Building Muscle with Resistance Exercise
“The women on the Omega 3 supplement saw a really mild disuse atrophy response and then returned to normal much quicker than the other group.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · The Best Vitality & Health Protocols | Dr. Rhonda Patrick
“Omega 3 is very important for cardiovascular. It's one of the most important, I would say the most powerful naturally occurring dietary compounds for suppressing inflammation.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #596: Why Do Omega-3 Trials Show Mixed Results?
“The advice does come back to a kind of food first approach to regular oily fish consumption in the region of maybe two to three servings a week.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · Professor Tim Spector: I was wrong about Vitamin D & sunlight!
“I'm going to try and eat more oily fish. And so for the last year, I've been making sure that every week I'm getting some anchovies and some sardines and some salmon in my diet... I've retested myself and my levels are now above average without having to take an omega 3 supplement.”
#11
light
Morning sunlight exposure to anchor circadian rhythm
Get real outdoor light in your eyes as early as practical after waking, even brief exposure on overcast days exceeds indoor light intensity. This anchors your circadian clock, sets melatonin timing 12-14 hours later, improves sleep that same night, and boosts mood and cognitive performance. Don't try to get it through windows or with sunglasses on. Walker emphasizes the circadian system needs 'one unambiguous gesture at the start' of the day. In winter, a 10,000 lux therapy lamp can substitute.
4 experts
Brief outdoor exposure; intensity matters more than duration
Daily
As early as practical after waking, ideally before 10am
4 expert citations
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #110 How To Build Lasting Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks
“There is a lot of research that shows that if you get up before dawn and you're conscious and awake while the sun is rising and has strong neurochemical immunity... you're more productive, you're more effective, you're more creative, you're more focused.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Essentials: Using Light to Optimize Health
“In terms of thinking about a protocol to increase testosterone and estrogen mood and feelings of passion, the idea is that you would want to get this two to three exposures per week, minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of sunlight exposure.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #135 - Two Windows: How Light Shapes your Sleep
“The circadian system, it turns out, isn't charging like a battery. It's listening for a signal. One clear cue early in the day. That morning has arrived.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · 4 foods that heal your gut and reduce inflammation
“If you step outside in the morning, get that exposure to light, or this time of year, you can get a lamp that provides 10,000 lux. If you do that, then you will notice from the very beginning increased energy.”
#12
other
Reduce microplastic and plastic chemical exposure
Take practical steps to reduce exposure to microplastics, BPA/BPS, and PFAS forever chemicals: install a water filter (reverse osmosis ideal, but any filter helps), use glass or metal containers instead of plastic, never heat food in plastic, choose glass over canned foods, avoid 'BPA-free' as a green light (often just BPS with similar effects), and minimize ultra-processed food (chicken nuggets have ~30x more microplastics than chicken breast). Consider HEPA air filtration in main rooms, linked to reduced blood pressure in trials.
5 experts
Ongoing
5 expert citations
-
Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #88: Are Microplastics Causing Dementia?
“Not heating food in plastic. We know that leeches foods into the, I mean leaches plastic into the foods a fairly significant amount... All of our Tupperware is glass.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #095 What Microplastics Are Doing to Your Brain
“Reverse osmosis filters can remove up to 99.9% of microplastic particles from water. It's really one of the best solutions for obtaining clean drinking water.”
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Katie Couric and Eric Topol: On the State of US Life Science and Extending Healthspan
“our environmental toxins like ultra processed foods and microplastic nanoplastics forever chemicals, our exposure to that is just keeps growing.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · The Best Vitality & Health Protocols | Dr. Rhonda Patrick
“These PFAS or forever chemicals like Teflon have been linked to major health issues such as hormone disruption, gut microbiome disruption, fertility issues and many other health problems.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · Professor Tim Spector: I was wrong about Vitamin D & sunlight!
“It made me always be more determined to use my Zoe metal water bottle rather than a plastic one and try not to use glass rather than plastic. And I even changed my toothpaste.”
#13
sauna
Regular sauna or deliberate heat exposure
Use a sauna 2-7 times per week at 80-100°C for 15-20+ minutes per session for substantial cardiovascular, mortality, and brain benefits, Finnish data shows 4-7 sessions/week reduces cardiovascular mortality by 50% versus once weekly. Sauna mimics moderate aerobic exercise via heat shock proteins. If you don't have sauna access, a hot tub or hot bath (~104°F for 20-30 minutes) 1-2 hours before bed works similarly and promotes slow-wave deep sleep. Stay hydrated with electrolytes, avoid with alcohol.
3 experts
80-100°C sauna (or ~104°F hot tub)
2-7 times per week; 4+ for maximal longevity benefit
Anytime; for sleep benefit, 1-2 hours before bed
Our pick
Dynamic Saunas Barcelona Infrared
1-2 person FAR infrared sauna with red light therapy and low-EMF heaters. Canadian Hemlock build, no plumbing required.
3 expert citations
-
Dr. Tommy Wood & Dr. Josh TurknettBetter Brain Fitness ↗ · #88: Are Microplastics Causing Dementia?
“There's some suggestion that sweat can get rid of BPA... So sweating from exercise or sauna might be... Or a hot bath.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #073 Sauna Benefits Deep Dive
“People that use the sauna four to seven times a week have a 40% lower risk of dying from all causes of death than people that use the sauna one time a week.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Essentials: Benefits of Sauna & Deliberate Heat Exposure
“What they observed was that people who went into the sauna two or three times per week were 27% less likely to die of a cardiovascular event than people that went into the sauna just once a week... the benefits were even greater for people that were going into the sauna four to seven times per week.”
#14
light
Dim evening light and avoid screens/bright light before bed
In the 3 hours before sleep, keep indoor light dim (ideally below 10 lux, a single low-wattage lamp) and avoid bright overhead lighting. Walker cites data showing room light suppresses pre-sleep melatonin by 71% and delays melatonin onset by 90 minutes in 99% of people. Huberman specifically warns against UVB/bright short-wavelength light between 10pm-4am, which activates a brain pathway that suppresses dopamine and triggers depression. Position artificial lights low rather than overhead; use red lights if you need to be awake at night.
3 experts
Below 10 lux indoor light
Every evening
3 hours before intended sleep; especially 10pm-4am
3 expert citations
-
Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Essentials: Using Light to Optimize Health
“Avoid exposure to UVB light from artificial sources between the hours of 10pm and 4am if you view UVB light, you activate those neurons in your eye very potently.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #135 - Two Windows: How Light Shapes your Sleep
“Room light delayed melatonin onset in 99% of people tested. Not most, not the majority. Effectively everyone... In the three hours before intended sleep, keep indoor light at or below 10 lux.”
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Vinay PrasadPlenary Session ↗ · Longevity Lecture series Introduction and Lecture 1
“Take a little bit of black tape, black electrical tape, and cover up all those little tiny light emitting diodes and all of your electronic equipment in your bedroom.”
#15
nutrition
Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed
Stop eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime, which both promotes a 12-14 hour overnight fast and improves cardiovascular reset, sleep quality, and metabolic health. Huberman cites studies showing ~20% reduction in cardiovascular events with this practice (parasympathetic activation and blood pressure dipping). Late-night eating is associated with higher belly fat, inflammation, and poorer metabolic markers even with healthy foods. ZOE recommends an eating window finishing by 8-9pm and combining with consistent meal timing.
3 experts
Daily
Last meal 2-3 hours before bed; eating window roughly 10 hours
3 expert citations
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · The Best Vitality & Health Protocols | Dr. Rhonda Patrick
“If you stop eating three hours before bed... during sleep, if they had stopped eating three hours before bed versus the group that did not stop eating three hours before bed, their blood pressure dipped, like, lower... translated to, like, 20% lower risk of cardiovascular events.”
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #088 The Science of Optimizing Sleep
“A low carbohydrate diet... ranging between 0 to 47 grams carbohydrate... increased the slow wave sleep stage by about 8.5 minutes or 3.2% compared to a high carbohydrate meal before bed.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · Professor Tim Spector: I was wrong about Vitamin D & sunlight!
“I try not to eat or drink within two hours of going to bed... There's some evidence that that reduces your sleep quality if your body's too busy still digesting your meal.”
#16
fitness
Post-meal walking for glycemic control
Take a 10-30 minute walk within 30 minutes of finishing meals, especially larger or carb-heavy meals, to significantly reduce postprandial blood glucose excursions. Three 10-minute post-meal walks beat one 30-minute walk for glycemic control. This is one of the lowest-barrier, highest-leverage habits, especially valuable for people with insulin resistance, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes.
3 experts
10-30 minutes of walking
After each main meal ideally
Within ~30 minutes after meals
3 expert citations
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · A Look Into the Blue Zones
“the biggest bump in life Expectancy is from 0 to 20 minutes. Three years of life expectancy if you can just get people walking.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #598: How Do Exercise & Diet Interact to Improve Glycaemic Control?
“One of the most digestible strategies that we have is post meal walking... Instead of doing one 30 minute walk at one time point per day, maybe aim for three 10 minute walks, one after each of the main meals.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · The first 1000 days
“Post meal movement after a meal really helps your body to remove that glucose from the blood because it goes straight to the muscles that are helping you to go for a walk.”
#17
mental
Daily meditation/mindfulness practice (5-15 minutes)
Practice 5-15 minutes of daily meditation, mindfulness, or stress-management. Just 5 minutes/day for 30 days produces measurable reductions in depression, anxiety, stress, and IL-6 inflammation. 13 minutes/day for 8+ weeks enhances attention, memory, and emotional regulation. Walker notes a structured wind-down ritual, evening relaxation, breathwork, journaling, gentle yoga, accelerates REM sleep onset and reduces nighttime rumination. Consistency matters more than form; can be done while walking or commuting if not seated.
3 experts
5-15 minutes
Daily
Daily, often morning or before bed
Our pick
Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts, Lightly Salted
Cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios, and pecans in a 15.25 oz canister. Amazon's Choice with 17K+ reviews, the daily-handful pantry staple longevity researchers eat themselves.
3 expert citations
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Rhonda PatrickFoundMyFitness ↗ · #110 How To Build Lasting Happiness | Dr. Arthur Brooks
“On average, the average person, after 10 weeks will be 12% happier.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Science-Based Meditation Tools to Improve Your Brain & Health
“If you do it for 30 days and you do it just five minutes a day, you will see a significant reduction in symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety and symptoms of stress.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #109 - How to Get More REM Sleep
“Evening relaxation rituals, whatever it is that works for you, whether it's reading or having a hot bath or a shower, gentle yoga or journaling, anything that tries to de stress your mind is, is ultimately going to allow you to get into REM sleep faster.”
#18
mental
Social connection and purpose
Invest in strong social connections, family ties, and a sense of purpose with regular outlets for it, these are consistently observed in Blue Zone centenarians and have measurable biological effects. Topol notes loneliness can shave up to 7 years off life expectancy. Microbiome research shows we share gut bacteria with people we interact with closely. Find ways to engage with others (shared meals, walkable neighborhoods, community groups) and identify how you can use your strengths to help others, not just pursue solo hobbies.
3 experts
3 expert citations
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Katie Couric and Eric Topol: On the State of US Life Science and Extending Healthspan
“it's also social engagement. It's. It's time in nature. Lifestyle is expanded, too. Not just the big three.”
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · How to Overcome Social Anxiety | Dr. Nick Epley
“The research that I've done here on social connections fundamentally changed the way that I live my life. I take an interest in other people so I notice stuff that I didn't used to notice.”
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Tim SpectorZOE Science & Nutrition ↗ · 5 daily habits of people who live longer
“True purpose almost always has an altruistic element to it... knowing what their values are, what their passions are, what they're good at, what they like to do. And then the most important is an outlet. If you don't have an outlet, it ain't purpose.”
#19
mental
Be skeptical of supplements, hype, and influencer health claims
Apply critical thinking to nutrition and longevity claims. Get information from credentialed research experts rather than influencers, and read primary sources rather than press releases. Prasad, Topol, and others strongly warn that most anti-aging supplements (NAD+, resveratrol, taurine) lack evidence in healthy people and 'enrich your urine.' Most nutritional epidemiology has so much analytic flexibility that food headlines flip-flop, don't change your diet based on one observational study. The boring truth is that most things you eat probably don't matter much for longevity.
4 experts
4 expert citations
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Eric TopolGround Truths ↗ · Katie Couric and Eric Topol: On the State of US Life Science and Extending Healthspan
“My patients, they often come in and they have a long list of supplements... I say, you know, that's really good to enrich your urine, but you don't need these things because you have a very healthy diet.”
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Glenn McConnellInside Exercise ↗ · #80 - Epigenetics of exercise adaptation
“What I'm really wanting is for you to get your exercise information from the research experts rather than from influencers.”
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Vinay PrasadPlenary Session ↗ · Advice Pre-Med Students | Lecture at UC Berkeley
“The boring truth of life that most of what you eat or drink just doesn't matter that much. No one is writing that up or publishing it or covering it because we don't think that's sexy or interesting.”
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Danny LennonSigma Nutrition Radio ↗ · #604: How To Interpret Nutrition Research
“Question Everything”
#20
sleep
Cool, dark, quiet bedroom for sleep
Keep your bedroom cool (~65°F/18°C), dark, and quiet, 'like a cave.' Use blackout curtains, earplugs or white noise (45-55 dB) for noise, and consider a temperature-regulating mattress cover. Body temperature needs to drop 1-3°F to fall asleep. The combination of earplugs and eye mask has some of the most consistent evidence in sleep aid literature, especially in hospitals or while traveling.
3 experts
~65°F (18°C)
Every night
Throughout sleep
Our pick
Loop Experience 2 Ear Plugs
Reusable silicone earplugs with 17 dB noise reduction, comfortable for all-night wear.
3 expert citations
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Andrew HubermanHuberman Lab ↗ · Essentials: Understand & Improve Memory Using Science-Based Tools
“I've been sleeping on an eight sleep mattress cover for nearly five years now, and it has completely transformed and improved the quality of my sleep.”
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Matthew WalkerThe Matt Walker Podcast ↗ · #121 - A Practical Guide To Insomnia
“Keep your bedroom cool, quiet and dark. Around 65 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal... Your bedroom should feel like a cave. Cool, dark, quiet and safe.”
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Vinay PrasadPlenary Session ↗ · Longevity Lecture series Introduction and Lecture 1
“Take a little bit of black tape, black electrical tape, and cover up all those little tiny light emitting diodes and all of your electronic equipment in your bedroom.”