Mental Health Toolkit: Tools to Bolster Your Mood & Mental Health

In this episode, I provide science-based tools and protocols to improve mood and mental health. These tools represent key takeaways from several recently published research studies, as well as from former Huberman Lab guests Lisa Feldman Barrett, Ph.D., an expert in the science of emotions, and Paul Conti, M.D., a psychiatrist with vast clinical expertise in helping people overcome mental health challenges. I explain the first principles of self-care, which include the “Big 6” core pillars for mood and mental health. Those ensure our physiology is primed for our overall feelings of well-being. Then, I explain science-based tools to directly increase confidence, build a stronger concept of self, better understand our unconscious mind, manage stress and improve our emotional tone and processing. I also explain ways to better process negative emotions and traumas. This episode ought to be of interest to anyone wishing to improve their relationship with themselves and others, elevate their mood and mental health, and better contribute to the world in meaningful ways.

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Huberman Lab Episodes & Resources Mentioned

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Mood & Mental Health Toolkit
00:03:10 Sponsors: Plunge, Eight Sleep & Waking Up
00:05:35 First Principles of Self-Care & 6 Pillars of Mental Health
00:13:58 Pillar #1: Sleep & Sleep Routine
00:18:00 Pillar #2: Light, Sunlight
00:24:38 Tool: Nighttime Environment & Darkness
00:28:33 Pillar #3: Movement; Pillar #4: Nutrition
00:33:18 Sponsor: AG1
00:34:51 Pillar #5: Social Connection
00:40:00 Pillar #6: Stress Control; Physiological Sigh
00:45:40 Tool: Raise Stress Threshold, Deliberate Cold Exposure
00:50:00 6 Pillars & Brain Predictability, Affect & Emotion
00:57:58 Pharmacology, Psychedelics, Supplements & Neuroplasticity
01:06:25 Sponsor: InsideTracker
01:07:26 Tool: Emotional Granularity
01:14:39 Tool: Heart Rate Variability & Emotional Graduality; Physiological Sigh
01:23:49 Tool: Unconscious Mind
01:26:54 Tool: Self-Concept, Self-Narrative Exercise
01:34:34 Tool: Unconscious Mind & Dream Analysis; Liminal States
01:42:52 Tool: Journaling; Generative Drive
01:52:43 Tool: Processing Trauma
02:00:43 Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab #MentalHealth

[innadzabelova]

The 7th pillar is indeed listening to your podcasts! Thank you for your hard work👏🏻

[TomiRantanen]

Andrew, please do a 6-part series on metabolism and how to improve it. Not only is the topic incredibly interesting, it would be a tremendous service as metabolic dysfunctions are so ubiquitous and devastating world wide right now. Maybe invite more than one expert for that topic, if there isn't one single guest who could address the complete picture.

[immrtalitypassin]

Dr H, you should also know that not only have these lectures helped me greatly, but they've allowed me to help several friends who aren't into the idea of podcast lectures- but who have still used the tips I've shared with them. Thank you. ❤

[MTCup]

Appreciate everything you do for people like me who love science but were too bogged down with trauma/coping during high school/ college years.

[harjotsingh]

These Toolkit podcast episodes are absolute gems and I come back to them often. As always, thank you for this work and your commitment to helping people live better lives.
A request - It feels like a good time have Dr. Robert Sapolsky back on the podcast again, seeing that his new book was recently released.

[weeqliz]

I had ECT over 2 1/2 years ago for Treatment Resistant Depression. After 13 sessions I was left with amnesia and psychosis. It presented in me thinking I had a job as a paralegal and a full scenario which was simply not true. Prior to this I had no delusions and had never presented like this. The doctor immediately stopped the ECT treatments and I was left to assume the memory would return. It never did. I was put on disability and am considered a TBI victim- But that is where the information has stopped for me. No doctor has been able to explain it to me or give me options or direction on going forward. I am not even aware of what part of my brain is injured.
I realize this subject wouldn’t be of interest to a large audience and I’m not suggesting you do a podcast on it.
But I faithfully listen to your podcast every week and have gotten more help and tips and knowledge from you and your guests especially on navigating mental health than from any doctors I have seen.
So my question is, as a Neuro Scientist who would you recommend I see? Or do you have any information on how my brain was changed and why my memory has never returned. Are my brain pathways destroyed?
This is a big ask, but if anyone would know it seems like you would. I live in Montana and have limited resources- but if you have any thoughts or suggestions I would appreciate it very much. It has changed my life for the worse in ways that I can’t even begin to describe.
Luckily I was able to find a new psychiatrist at a practice that doesn’t do ECT at all and have my symptoms treated with ketamine, TMS.
Thank you for reading my comment. And thank you for all the fantastic information you provide.

[danielamestanek]

FINALLY someone actually starts the theme of socialisation with: "we all need to strive to LIMIT the number of social interactions that we feel tax or even vex us, that cause us stress." and not something like "if you are not socialising enough you will die earlier." both are true but one needs to be put in front of the other. every time.

[sinegugundlovu]

Thanks Dr Huberman for your commitment to helping us live better lives.

[TheMentalLevel]

Excellent Dr. Huberman! Also it can be helpful for people to be aware that longer meditation sessions (30-60 minutes) can be a useful tool for improving mental health as shorter sessions in the western world are often the norm but people struggle to find a meditative state of stable awareness that translates into their lives in shorter sessions, often giving up on meditation entirely because they don't see significant benefits. The longer session gives the brain a runway to re-focus enough times to find that space and stabilize the benefits in daily experience, thus often being the crucial X-factor.

[kristian.sacco.]

Hey Dr. Huberman, no idea if you'll actually see this but I'm an absolute massive fan and have been for a few years now. I never comment or really visit the youtube (i listen on spotify) but i wanted to drop a comment. Without getting too far into it I just wanted to say your work has without a doubt improved/helped rescue my life in ways I could never explain or even really fully comprehend myself, and for that I would like to thank you 100 times over

I attended your show in Toronto which was such a huge highlight of my year, I went solo and so thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the improv bits you did on human body parts from the crowd (i still tell people about the bit you did with semi circular canals and our affinity for accelerated angle states like surfing). Also when you came out on stage the emotion and energy in the theatre was unbelievable

I also wanted to say that if you did another show in Toronto I would be there in a heartbeat, and I would gladly bring friends this time, especially with the interest after I've been telling friends & family how great of a night I had at your talk

Take care of yourself as I know you usually do!!! I will be following every episode, and I plan to subscribe to your membership as soon as I get a little more off the ground, things are improving all the time for me and I have you to thank for so much of it

[drwnwatr]

Andrew, your contribution to humanity and our wellbeing is just so appreciated. Your drive to help people is an immeasurable virtue. This episode will help so many! Thank you brother 🙏🏼

[nqolak]

Mr. Huberman, I respect all the work you've been doing for us, your viewers, in terms of providing us with such great toolkits and overall knowledge. I wanted to express my gratitude for your existence and thank you for all the help you give out when it comes to health optimisation.

[franciscocabrera]

I'm so grateful that there are people like you, Doc. You're a blessing to all of us!!

[rajeshwarijotawar]

Hi Andrew, not sure if you see the comments. But I wanted to take this moment to thank you! I am going through a tough time in life right now- grieving from my brother’s death, going through a break up, trying to survive each day with all the overthinking and anxiety

I have been watching/listening to your podcasts recently and implemented some of the things you suggested to regulate my emotions and well being. This has helped me a lot to cope up with all the things happening around me
So thank you so much 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[sonals]

I run a Mental health and well-being charity- this is going to be brilliant as I plan to share these tools to our audience.

[bleuballsdp]

This is a very noble endevour that you invested into a zero-cost education program for the public, I belive everyone should have access to the same knowledge regardless of financial status. Thank you for your time and effort., I tune in every Monday

[taherapatel]

I laughed hard when you said if you live on planet earth there is always sunlight😂

[arjunks]

00:01 Tools and resources for improving mood and mental health

02:12 Darkness at night for 6-8 hours is correlated with improved mental health outcomes.

06:11 Waking Up app offers various meditation programs and Yoga Nidra sessions to improve mood and mental health.

08:07 Taking excellent care of one's biology is fundamental for enhancing mood and mental health.

12:22 The video discusses the six pillars of self-care and mental health.

14:27 Sleep is a constant investment, just like physical fitness

17:56 Getting sunlight early in the day has positive effects on mood, focus, and alertness.

19:41 Exposure to morning sunlight benefits mood and mental health.

22:50 Exposing your eyes to bright light, preferably sunlight, throughout the day improves mood and mental health.

24:31 Darkness during a particular stage of your 24-hour cycle is beneficial for mood and mental health

28:19 Maintain a dim or dark nighttime environment for improved mood and mental health.

30:05 Foundation of mental health includes movement, fitness, and nutrition.

33:30 High-quality nutrition is crucial for mental health

35:21 Our nervous system is regulated through our own actions and interactions with others.

39:03 Social connection is vital to mood and mental health

40:45 Having readily accessible stress management tools is extremely important.

44:15 Using physiological sigh as a tool to regulate stress

46:04 Deliberate cold exposure can help induce adrenaline and noradrenaline elevation and practice staying calm in stressful situations.

49:29 Adopt real-time and offline tools to improve mood and mental health.

51:19 The major takeaway is that the brain's key function is to generate predictions about what's going to happen next and regulate mood in the moment.

55:08 By tending to the six core pillars, you can shift your likely emotions towards more positive affect.

56:47 Dr. Lisa Feldin Barrett's brain-body budget theory can improve mental health.

1:00:45 Certain drugs have the potential to enhance mood and mental health through neuroplasticity.

1:02:31 Work with an expert to ensure long-standing improvements in mood and mental health over time.

1:06:11 The core six pillars of mental health are essential and cannot be replaced by drugs.

1:07:57 Adding specificity to our emotions improves overall mental health.

1:11:57 Increasing emotional granularity through self-assessment improves mood and mental health.

1:13:44 Increasing emotional granularity improves mood and mental health.

1:17:36 Your heart rate is influenced by your breathing. Inhaling speeds up your heart, while exhaling slows it down.

1:19:34 Five minutes of cyclic physiological sighing per day improves mood and mental health.

1:23:20 Tools and protocols for enhancing mood and mental health

1:25:13 The unconscious mind plays a significant role in our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

1:28:59 Organize your memories into folders based on different phases of your life and add key milestones as bullet points.

1:30:45 Create a historical sense of yourself through key life events

1:34:16 Manageable increments across lifespan help build self-concept and improve mental health.

1:35:58 Explore the unconscious mind by recording and thinking about your dreams.

1:39:38 Explore recurring themes in your dreams and unconscious mind.

1:41:21 Pay attention to the contents of your thinking during the first few minutes after waking up.

1:44:46 Journaling can be helpful for mental clarity and goal-setting.

1:46:35 Mental health is about having a sense of agency and gratitude in our waking life.

1:50:10 Thinking and writing about goals and aspirations is a key first step towards actualizing them.

1:51:50 Journaling and dream analysis can positively enrich mood and mental health.

1:55:36 Unprocessed trauma can negatively impact mental health

1:57:32 Verbal and emotional processing of trauma is crucial for healing.

2:01:10 Tools to enhance mood and mental health

2:02:52 Subscribe to the Huberman Lab podcast and newsletter for science-based tools to enhance mood and mental health.

[toskamarie]

I mainly came here to say that I realize I listen to you way too much. I'm a barber, and I had a dream that I was your barber and you were in my kitchen getting your haircut. While you were there you got some news from your lab that something wasn't quite right, gave me a big hug, I flirted with you and then you left your hoodie here LOLOL

For real though, your podcasts are my fav thing to listen to, and watch 🤣❤️
Ps, do you need a new barber?! Hahahaha

[OmriC]

Andrew, you absolutely need to have John Vervaeke on the Podcast, and here's why: Your show excels in bridging gaps between neuroscience and practical applications for mental well-being. Vervaeke is a giant in the realm of cognitive science and philosophy, and his work on 'meaning crisis' and 'relevance realization' could deepen the scope of your podcast. Imagine a dialogue that not only elucidates the biological mechanisms of the brain but also delves into how people can derive meaningful experiences in their lives. This collaboration would be a groundbreaking episode that your audience shouldn't miss. Make it happen!