Why are podcast so popular? What's so special about listening to another human talk vs. reading text with the same information?
Reading a transcript (or a blog post) is much more efficient than listening. Text is much easier to share and search through. There's no need to repeat the same thing many times – you could just include a link to a previous post. For example, one canonical post about morning exposure to light and the benefits of avoiding bright light between 10 pm and 4 am could be referenced again and again. But clearly podcasts are much more popular than blogs, at least for the most part. So what's so special about listening to another human talk vs. reading text which contains the same information?
Improving Vagal Tone/polyvagal theory
There is so much talk about the vagus nerve and it’s role. Would love to hear your thoughts on improving vagal tone - can it be done, is it helpful, what would a good protocol be? Also your thoughts on the polyvagal theory - the science behind it? (Maybe having Steve Porges on as a guest?) Thank you!!
One more thing about transcripts
Would it be possible to include timestamps and descriptions at the beginning of each transcript? And could each timestamp link to where that segment begins? Right now, if I want to jump to a specific part, I have to look at show notes in podcast app and then try to find the relevant in the transcript. Usually it's not a big deal. But, for example, in the Sam Harris episode the words like "meditation", "consciousness", "mindfulness" etc. are everywhere in both segment descriptions and the whole transcript.
What are the cons of Caffeine and who should avoid it?
Hi Dr Huberman! I would like to ask what are the cons of caffeine usage? Who should avoid it? And what are the usage recommendations in terms of drinking (or even consuming in form of eg. capsules)? I recall the caffeine episode, but one thing that was missing for me was the one chapter about warnings and borders according to it. Origin of my question is that in my opinion many people tend to overuse it, and current culture of caffeine consumption tends to encourage and support it. Eg.: working overtime, social meetings, and growing market of energy drinks, and popular soda beverages including it. My doubts are associated with that, as far as i understand, that caffeine as a compound is in fact one of physically addictive substation (as a psychoactive stimulant). Some of my colleagues cant limit themselves to just one coffee per day and as far as i can see they are struggling with managing day/night cycle and as one form of trying to balance and improve sleep they really suffer or fail to put away coffee for some time. Besides that i'm not using caffeine at all due to being oversensitive to it and found myself way better sleeping and functioning without it at all, as well as i feel more peaceful, and managing to tackle stressful situations way better and with lot less anxiety than before. Thank you for the great job you have been doing! And all the best for this newly came year 2023. Tom
Sleep
Often when I weak up, I weak up with headaches. It’s not every day happens. And I don’t have strong headaches, only that I feel I have a little pain, after weak up I take a cold shower and the pain it’s goes way. I have read try different sleep supplements I have try different methods but I could not solved till today. When you could give me some advice I will so grateful, thanks 🙏🏻. And I so grateful and thankful what you and all the Huberman team do for us thanks for everything, please keep doing I learn so much from you.