I Made Huberman's Morning Routine Work For An Average Person (myself)

Summary

The video script narrates the personal experience of attempting Andrew Huberman's science-backed morning routine and the challenges faced in adherence. The narrator discusses the difficulty of maintaining strict routines, the importance of adapting them to personal needs, and the value of scientific principles in daily life. The script emphasizes the need for a balance between discipline and flexibility, highlighting the importance of considering both physical and emotional well-being in creating a sustainable and productive routine.

Takeaways

• 😌 The speaker initially failed to stick to Huberman's strict routine due to motivational drops and life's interruptions.
• 🍫 The script uses the analogy of a diet being ruined by a single piece of chocolate to illustrate how small indulgences can lead to complete abandonment of discipline.
• 🌅 The speaker adapted the morning routine to fit their lifestyle, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and personalization in adopting health practices.
• ⏰ The original Huberman routine involves waking up at 6:30 AM, drinking salty water, sun exposure, deep work, caffeine, exercise, and cold exposure.
• 💧 Drinking salty water or electrolyte supplements was suggested for rehydration and muscle function, but the speaker found it unpalatable and not beneficial.
• 🌞 Sun exposure was a key part of the routine that the speaker enjoyed and found beneficial for regulating circadian rhythm and mood improvement.
• 📚 The speaker found the 90-minute deep work session effective, especially in the mornings, but noted its suitability for those passionate about their work.
• ☕ Delaying caffeine intake was not a problem for the speaker, but they found consuming coffee on an empty stomach uncomfortable due to stomach sensitivity.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The routine's exercise timing was challenging for the speaker due to office hours and personal preferences for workout timing.
• 🚿 Cold showers were a difficult but rewarding part of the routine for the speaker, who has a background in winter swimming but still found it hard to adopt daily.
• 🍲 The speaker struggled with the routine's delay of food intake until after a series of activities, highlighting the challenge of intermittent fasting.
• 📝 The speaker concluded by creating personalized versions of the routine for work-from-home and work-from-office days, emphasizing the need for a balance between structure and flexibility.
• 🌟 The takeaway emphasizes the importance of adapting scientific principles to individual needs and circumstances, including emotional and physical well-being.
• 📈 The speaker suggests three principles for creating a personalized routine: testing everything to see personal effects, considering changes in seasons and cycles, and combining scientific knowledge with holistic approaches like spirituality and philosophy.

Q & A

What is the main challenge the speaker faced when trying to follow Huberman's routine?

The speaker found it difficult to maintain the strictness of the routine, leading to a drop in motivation and eventually giving up.

How does the speaker describe their experience with the morning routine in the context of their lifestyle?

The speaker identifies as sometimes lazy, unmotivated, or slightly depressed, and always busy and chaotic, and they adapted the routine to fit their lifestyle without losing joy and pleasure.

What time does the speaker plan to wake up to start the Huberman's morning routine?

The speaker plans to wake up at 6:30 am to start the routine.

What is the significance of drinking salty water or electrolyte supplements after waking up according to the routine?

Drinking salty water or electrolyte supplements helps with fluid retention and rehydration, providing essential electrolytes like sodium and potassium for muscle function.

Why does the speaker find it difficult to drink salty water first thing in the morning?

The speaker finds it difficult due to the taste and the physical sensation, suspecting they might already consume enough salt in their diet.

What is the role of sun exposure in the morning routine, and why is it important to the speaker?

Sun exposure helps regulate the circadian rhythm, improving mood and preventing depression. The speaker values it highly and considers it a permanent part of their routine.

How does the speaker feel about the 90 minutes of undisturbed deep work in the morning?

The speaker finds it effective, especially since they are most productive in the mornings, but notes it might be more suitable for those who love their work.

What is the speaker's stance on delaying caffeine intake after waking up?

The speaker supports the idea, as it decreases the chances of an energy slump in the afternoon and reduces caffeine dependency, but personally, they prefer having matcha around lunchtime.

How does the speaker view the timing of the workout in the routine?

The speaker is unsure if the timing works for them, as they sometimes find it inconvenient due to their office hours and the need to wash up afterward.

What is the speaker's experience with cold showers as part of the routine?

Although coming from a background of winter swimming, the speaker finds cold showers challenging but rewarding, and considers incorporating them on good days.

How does the speaker approach the issue of not eating before the second session of deep work?

The speaker finds it very hard to focus due to hunger, suggesting their body might need more time to adjust to intermittent fasting.

What changes did the speaker make to adapt the routine to their own life?

The speaker created their own version of the routine, with different versions for working from home and the office, focusing on a balance between structure and flexibility.

What are the three principles the speaker suggests for creating a personalized routine?

The principles include testing everything to see how it affects you individually, considering changes in seasons and personal cycles, and combining scientific knowledge with holistic approaches like spirituality and philosophy.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of considering both physical and emotional needs in daily life decisions?

The speaker believes that considering both aspects leads to better productivity and happiness, as feeling good emotionally contributes to a positive and productive state of mind.

How does the speaker express gratitude towards Andrew Huberman?

The speaker thanks Andrew Huberman for making knowledge accessible and inspiring them to bring more rigor into their life, while also adapting his approach to their own situation.

Outlines

00:00

😌 Adapting to Huberman's Routine

The speaker begins by sharing their experience with Andrew Huberman's routine, which they found difficult to maintain due to its strictness. They liken the struggle to the common scenario of breaking a diet after a single indulgence. Despite the initial failure, they adapted the routine to suit their lifestyle, focusing on flexibility and maintaining the joy of life. The speaker outlines the original routine, which includes waking up early, drinking salty water, sun exposure, deep work, caffeine intake, exercise, and cold exposure, while also discussing the challenges they faced in adhering to it.

05:01

🌞 Embracing Sun Exposure and Adapting Work Habits

The speaker emphasizes the importance of sun exposure for regulating circadian rhythms and improving mood, which they found to be the most beneficial part of the routine. They discuss the challenges of incorporating deep work into their schedule, especially when their identity is separate from their job. The speaker also touches on the delayed caffeine intake as a means to prevent energy slumps and dependency. They share their preference for working out and the difficulty of fitting it into their daily routine, as well as their experience with cold showers and the potential for intermittent fasting to be challenging.

10:01

🍜 Personalizing the Routine for Long-Term Sustainability

The speaker concludes by reflecting on the need to personalize routines to ensure they are sustainable in the long term. They have created different versions of their routine for working from home and the office, which has been effective for them over the past three weeks. The speaker suggests three principles for creating a personalized routine: testing scientific principles for personal fit, considering changes in seasons and personal cycles, and balancing structure with flexibility. They also advocate for a holistic approach to life that includes spirituality and philosophy, alongside physical and emotional needs.

Keywords

💡Huberman's routine

Huberman's routine refers to a lifestyle regimen advocated by Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist known for his health podcast. In the video, it is presented as a strict morning routine aimed at improving sleep, productivity, and focus. The creator of the video initially fails to adhere to this routine, highlighting the challenge of maintaining strict routines and the importance of adapting them to personal needs.

💡Diet

A diet is a pattern of eating and drinking that is followed to achieve or maintain health, manage a disease, or for weight management. In the script, the concept of a diet is used metaphorically to describe the initial struggle with the strictness of the Huberman's routine, where indulging in a piece of chocolate symbolizes breaking the routine and leading to a cascade of further indulgences.

💡Motivation

Motivation is the psychological drive or desire that encourages individuals to take action toward achieving a goal. The video discusses how motivation plays a critical role in following a routine, with the creator's motivation dropping after a few days, leading to discouragement and eventual abandonment of the routine.

💡Sun exposure

Sun exposure refers to the act of being in sunlight, which is beneficial for regulating circadian rhythms and producing serotonin, a hormone that improves mood. In the video, the creator emphasizes the importance of sun exposure as part of the morning routine and mentions its positive effects on mood and sleep patterns.

💡Deep work

Deep work is a concept that refers to focused, uninterrupted work that is cognitively demanding and results in high levels of productivity. In the script, the creator describes a 90-minute session of deep work as part of the morning routine, highlighting its effectiveness in increasing productivity, especially in the mornings.

💡Caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant that can temporarily ward off drowsiness and restore alertness. The video mentions delaying caffeine intake for at least 90 minutes after waking up to rely on the body's natural wakefulness mechanisms and to reduce the risk of energy slumps and caffeine dependency.

💡Cold exposure

Cold exposure involves subjecting oneself to cold temperatures, which can have health benefits such as increased alertness and potential longevity. The creator of the video discusses incorporating cold showers into the routine, noting the difficulty and eventual satisfaction derived from this practice.

💡Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. The video describes the challenge of delaying food intake until after a workout and a cold shower, which is part of the routine's intermittent fasting approach, and the creator's struggle with this aspect.

💡Personalization

Personalization refers to the process of adapting or tailoring something to suit an individual's needs or preferences. The video's creator discusses the importance of personalizing the routine to fit their lifestyle, energy levels, and mood, which includes creating different versions of the routine for working from home or the office.

💡Productivity

Productivity is the efficiency of productive activity, or the rate at which goods and services are produced. The video's main theme revolves around enhancing productivity through a morning routine. The creator explores various aspects of the routine and how they can be adapted to improve daily productivity while maintaining a balance with personal well-being.

💡Wellness

Wellness is a concept that encompasses a holistic approach to health and well-being, including physical, mental, and emotional aspects. The video touches on the idea of a wellness routine, which includes elements like sun exposure, deep work, and cold exposure, aiming to improve overall well-being and productivity.

Highlights

Failed to adhere to Huberman's strict routine due to motivational drop and life interferences.

Struggled with the 'piece of chocolate' effect, where small indulgences led to abandoning the diet.

Adapted the routine to personal needs and lifestyle, rather than giving up entirely.

Described the challenge of waking up early for the Huberman routine, especially in winter.

Mentioned the difficulty of going to bed early enough to accommodate the early wake-up.

Discussed the benefits of drinking salty water or electrolytes for rehydration and muscle function.

Expressed personal dislike for the taste of salty water first thing in the morning.

Highlighted the importance of sun exposure for regulating circadian rhythm and mood improvement.

Shared the effectiveness of 90 minutes of undisturbed deep work in the morning.

Explained the rationale behind delaying caffeine intake to avoid energy slumps and dependency.

Questioned the timing of the workout within the routine and its fit with personal and work schedules.

Described the positive but challenging experience of taking cold showers for health benefits.

Discussed the difficulty of focusing without eating during the intermittent fasting part of the routine.

Reflected on the challenges of implementing the routine on work-from-office days.

Created personalized versions of the morning routine for working from home and the office.

Emphasized the importance of balancing structure with flexibility to accommodate mood and energy levels.

Outlined three principles for creating a personalized routine based on scientific principles, individual needs, and holistic approaches.

Acknowledged the role of emotional and physical needs in daily life decisions and their impact on productivity.

Expressed gratitude to Andrew Huberman for making knowledge accessible and inspiring a more rigorous lifestyle.

Transcripts

Like countless others, I tried

Huberman's routine.

And I failed.

So, where did I go wrong?

You're on a diet and a friend offers you

a piece of chocolate.

It's just a piece of

chocolate, you think.

Suddenly, we're in the...

Well, today's diet is kind of done.

Might as well eat some

crisps kind of logic.

This is what happened with me and all

those strict routines.

After a while, it turns out I can't do it

all, I get discouraged

and eventually I give up.

This is exactly what happened when I

tried the Huberman's routine.

After a few days, my motivation was

dropping low, life got in the way.

But the same, I was smarter.

Instead of dropping it all together, I

made it work for me.

As a sometimes lazy, unmotivated or

slightly depressed,

always busy, chaotic person,

I found a way to get all the benefits of

science-backed approaches.

But without losing all the

fun, joy and pleasure in life.

But wait, let's start from the beginning.

It's 10.30 pm, I'm

supposed to go to sleep.

I honestly don't recall

being in a band this early,

but tomorrow I'm starting the Huberman's

morning routine at 6.30 am.

And you probably know,

but in case you don't,

here's a Stanford based

neuroscientist and the

creator of the Huberman lab,

which is currently the world's most

well-known health podcast, I think.

And his morning routine is supposed to be

the best for your sleep,

productivity and focus

according to science.

So the plan for

tomorrow is wake up at 6.30.

Go grab a glass of salty water, walk

outside to get some sun,

90 minutes of undisturbed deep work,

followed by some caffeine,

a workout I usually do running, followed

by deliberate cold exposure,

another session of deep

work and finally some food.

Good morning.

For the past week I've

been waking up around 6.30.

Not the hardest thing to do, as long as

there is sun I can wake up early.

But I know it will get a lot harder in

winter months when it's dark and cold

and I feel like it's not a

good time for humans to be awake.

Also the tricky thing for me was getting

in bed early enough to get enough sleep.

Sometimes I just had to work late or I

was meeting friends

who were working late.

So yeah, I feel like I just may need a

tiny bit more flexibility to

make it work into long term.

First thing we do after waking up is

drinking either water with salt

or water with electrolytes such as

elements or AG1 supplements.

But these were like $100 a month and this

is a low budget production so

water with salt it is.

Salt helps with fluid retention in the

body which helps rehydrate.

It also has electrolytes such as sodium,

potassium which are

important for muscle function.

So overall it's very good for you.

But for me, somehow emotionally it's

difficult to drink first

thing in the morning something

that I don't like the taste of.

And also physically I did not feel like

it made me feel better.

Maybe overall I'm

consuming much salt in my diet.

I know I used to have problems with water

retention in the body.

So maybe I'm just a bad case for it.

The second thing to do is sun exposure.

10 minutes on a sunny day,

20 minutes on a cloudy day.

Facing the sun, no sunglasses.

No complaints here.

If I were to keep one thing from this

entire routine forever

and ever, which I will,

it would be sun exposure.

It helps you regulate your circadian

rhythm which is your

sleep-wake cycle which means

you wake up more easily in the morning,

you fall asleep more easily at night.

Also sun helps you with serotonin

production which improves your mood,

prevents depression.

So if like me you live somewhere that's

not sunny all your own

you may need a light therapy

lamp in winter months.

But for now we're good.

Okay first session of deep work.

90 minutes of undisturbed work where you

leave your phone in another room.

Which works really well for me.

I'm most productive in the mornings.

But I would say I think it makes total

sense if you're a scientist

or writer artist and you're

working on your passion

projects and you love what you do.

But if like me you had your office job

for years and you keep it

separate from your identity,

I think for us it makes sense that before

our 9 to 5, our

precious hours in the

morning we devote to something we also

find meaningful and that we love.

For me today I'm reading about

storytelling and I'm learning French so I

hope it counts as deep work.

The routine on purpose delays caffeine

intake for at least 90

minutes after you wake up.

To put it very simply, if you allow your

body to rely on its natural

mechanisms for wakefulness,

you decrease the chances of having this

energy slump in the

afternoon and also you decrease

the chances of having

a caffeine dependency.

For me delaying caffeine intake wasn't an

issue because normally I just have my

matcha around lunchtime.

But having coffee on an

empty stomach did not feel great.

I guess I have a bit of a sensitive

stomach and some acidity issues and it

just did not feel great.

I think at this point one workout a day

is something that's

quite hard to argue with.

I think we all know it would be good for

us if we worked at once a day.

It's the timing but I

don't know if it works for me.

Sometimes I just get so sweaty I need to

wash my hair and everything.

I feel like I would much prefer to do it

first thing in the morning

or at the end of the day.

Also the days that I go into the office

there's no gym nearby and

sometimes I'm in meetings

from 9 till lunch so I just can't do it

and I didn't on those

days to be honest with you.

But yeah otherwise I feel like whether

you do it in the

morning, afternoon or evening

it's just so good to do some sports.

I've just taken my cold shower and I'm

proud to say that this

is the part of the routine

that I've been properly trained for.

I come from the north-eastern part of

Poland and my parents do

winter swimming all year round

including the days when they have to

smash the frozen lake with an axe.

Still taking the cold shower wasn't easy

or pleasurable but it

feels really good afterwards

which is why I know that this is the

level of discomfort that I

want to be comfortable with.

But there's always a "but" with me.

I'm also worried that if I have to do it

every day I'll start dreading it.

So very likely I'll keep it as part of

the routine for the days when I'm feeling

really good and up for it.

We're back for the second session of Deep

Work and mind you I

woke up at 6 30, I worked,

I ran, I took a cold shower, still

haven't eaten a thing.

And I'm a bit of a hobbit, I

eat not one breakfast but two.

So this is hard for me.

It's very hard to focus

because I keep thinking about food

and even though it's been seven days it's

still not getting easier.

So maybe my body needs a bit longer to

adjust this intermittent fasting thing

but I just feel like

I don't have it in me.

It's so hard.

We finally got to lunch and

I'm so happy, no complaints here.

So as you can see most things in the

routine proved to be, well problematic.

I started off this video as an attempt to

do what all other

wellness youtubers were doing

which is just doing the routine.

And very quickly I realized that most

things were either hard

or impossible for me to do.

And I think very importantly that does

not mean that the routine sucks.

I do.

I'm quite aware of this.

And normally at this point I would just

go back to living my

life of beautiful chaos

and self-indulgence and just

accept a bit a taste of failure.

But this time I actually did a proper

deep dive and summarized

what worked and what did not.

I'm keeping three things

that worked really well for me.

I'm letting go of the things

that were my biggest pain points

and there are things that I want to do

but maybe not every day.

Maybe depending on how I'm feeling that

day, my energy level, my health,

my biggest challenge turned out to be the

days that I work from the office.

Because those days I want

to be at my desk around nine

which means I need to leave in the

morning, catch the tube and so on.

So I just can't follow the routine.

So I took everything

that I've just summarized

and created my own version of the human

man's morning routine.

But then I had to create yet two

different versions of that.

One for the days that

I'm working from home

and one for the days that

I'm working from the office.

And I've been following

that for about three weeks now.

And it does feel like something that I

could do in the long term.

I think it's this perfect balance between

structure and discipline

but also leave space for spontaneity

and adjusting to my mood

and my energy level every day.

So obviously this is what works for me.

So it won't necessarily work for you.

I'm average but I'm still quite weird.

But I think the entire experience allowed

me to come up with three principles

that might be helpful if you want to

create your own version of it.

I wholeheartedly believe in scientific

principle and universal laws.

I also think there will be exceptions

and important behavioral, psychological

and physical

peculiarities between us all.

So you should always test everything and

see how it affects you.

Genetic variation can cause

people to respond differently

to different elements of routines

even when those routines are based on

very sound scientific evidence.

So for example, cold showers could

increase blood pressure and heart rate

which could be problematic if

you had any harder disorders.

Or intermittent

fasting could be triggering

if you struggled with

eating disorders in the past.

So just see what works and how it makes

you feel emotionally and physically.

Also I think even though

we want a consistent routine

it's important to consider

changes in seasons and climate

and as women in our menstrual cycle.

It affects our energy levels, how we

should work out and lots of other things.

Science is just one of many ways to

understand how to live life.

While important, it's not the

only answer or complete answer.

At least in my opinion.

There are many alternative or

complementary approaches.

Spirituality, philosophy are holistic

approaches that combine them all.

Much as your brain may need water or

electrolytes in the morning

your spiritual side may

have its needs as well.

For instance, the need

of beauty or reflection.

And I think the scientific research on

meditation or journaling

is so vast at this point that it

perfectly shows how

complementary these two are

which brings me to my final point.

I think it's important to consider both

your physical and emotional needs

when making decisions

on how to live your life.

Especially on a daily basis.

For me, first thing in the morning I need

something to calm down my anxiety

and something to put me in a good mood.

So I enjoy journaling to order my

thoughts and make sense of my emotions.

I enjoy herbal tea because

it smells and tastes good.

And I enjoy reading for pleasure.

I think to put it simply I need to

consider more aspects than

just fuelling the machine.

And I believe that by including those

elements and honouring these needs

I get the best output also

in terms of productivity.

When we're happy, we're productive.

I feel extremely grateful to Andrew

Huberman for making knowledge accessible

and for inspiring me to bring a tiny bit

more rigour into my life.

And I also hope that the way I try to

adapt his approach to my life

will encourage you to start your own

journey to build a routine

that makes you both happy and productive.

Thank you so much for watching.

Okay, can I finally cook?

Are you gonna eat noodles with me?

Yes?