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.

Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman
Plunge: https://plunge.com/huberman
Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman
Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman
InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman
Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Articles
Day and night light exposure are associated with psychiatric disorders: an objective light study in greater than 85,000 people: https://go.nature.com/47aIZcp
Light exposure during sleep impairs cardiometabolic function: https://bit.ly/47aCNRO
Effect of self-monitoring through experience sampling on emotion differentiation in depression: https://bit.ly/46QNDMP
Emotional Granularity Increases With Intensive Ambulatory Assessment: Methodological and Individual Factors Influence How Much: https://bit.ly/4717EAa
Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal: https://bit.ly/3tKojcM
Cardiac vagal control as a marker of emotion regulation in healthy adults: A review: https://bit.ly/46PCQCO

Huberman Lab Episodes & Resources Mentioned
Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett: How to Understand Emotions: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-lisa-feldman-barrett-how-to-understand-emotions
Guest Series | Dr. Paul Conti: How to Understand & Assess Your Mental Health: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/guest-series-dr-paul-conti-how-to-understand-and-assess-your-mental-health
The Iceberg Model: https://bit.ly/46GNOdH
Guest Series | Dr. Andy Galpin: How to Assess & Improve All Aspects of Your Fitness: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-andy-galpin-how-to-assess-improve-all-aspects-of-your-fitness
Fitness Toolkit: Protocol & Tools to Optimize Physical Health: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/fitness-toolkit-protocol-and-tools-to-optimize-physical-health
Foundational Fitness Protocol: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/foundational-fitness-protocol
Dr. Layne Norton: The Science of Eating for Health, Fat Loss & Lean Muscle: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-layne-norton-the-science-of-eating-for-health-fat-loss-and-lean-muscle
Dr. Alia Crum: Science of Mindsets for Health & Performance: https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/dr-alia-crum-science-of-mindsets-for-health-performance

Other Resources
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) lamp: https://amzn.to/3FCgKYk
Drawing tablet: https://amzn.to/3FzKfdm
The Physiological Sigh: https://youtu.be/rBdhqBGqiMc
Paul Conti, M.D.: How to heal from trauma and break the cycle of shame (The Drive episode): https://peterattiamd.com/paulconti3
“Trauma: The Invisible Epidemic: How Trauma Works and How We Can Heal From It”: https://amzn.to/3GVLHXw

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

Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

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