Behaviors

After a late workout, avoid getting on the phone or computer right before bed because cortisol is already elevated and bright light can worsen it.

If the sun is still out in the evening, take a relaxing walk and watch the sunset to help reduce autonomic activation and support winding down.

Favor real, interactive, natural-world experiences over artificial or purely screen-based ones during development. Examples given include looking out at nature, bedtime stories, songs, walks in the park, outdoor play, social interaction, ball play, dexterity-building, and sunlight exposure.

Try to avoid television exposure in children to reduce artificial sensory environments during development.

Keep online time to a relatively small proportion of the day; 20% is suggested as possibly reasonable, while 5% may be better when used only as needed to reach out or do things.

Reflect on experiences afterward because thinking about them later also rewires the brain; this can include mentally replaying events or reviewing photos to reorganize and reframe the experience.

For severe maladaptive fear of heights, use cognitive behavioral therapy; the guest says psychologist colleagues claim a 100% cure rate for severe fear of heights.

Use sensory therapy to activate neurons and support recovery; in the guest's work it can be paired with vagus nerve stimulation.

After an injured eye recovers, patch the healthy eye to rebalance the eyes and restore function.

If a child has a lazy eye or one eye that does not align properly, get evaluation early by a pediatric ophthalmologist because early intervention can save vision.

Combine regular meal timing with bright light exposure during the day to provide multiple reinforcing signals to the circadian clock; the example given was having lunch at the correct time every day while also getting bright light.

Avoid or minimize daylight saving time shifts when possible because they disrupt circadian rhythm and seasonal alignment.

Recommended as a practice people can embrace; discussed as reducing stress and buffering anxiety/depression. Includes private prayer, listening prayer, and formalized prayer practices.

Actively engaging with religious practices rather than merely believing in God; described as linked to lower all-cause mortality, lower cancer/cardiovascular death, reduced anxiety/depression, and greater meaning/flourishing.

Reciting formal prayers rather than only having a conversation with God; examples include saying the rosary or reciting Hindu sutras. Said to reduce respiration rate, lengthen exhalations, increase vagal tone, reduce heart rate and cortisol, and lower stress.

Mourning practice described as helping consolidate positive memories of the deceased and supporting successful movement through grief.

During grief/mourning, cover mirrors because looking into a mirror can intensify the emotion you are feeling; covering mirrors during intense sadness/grief is described as reducing that sadness.

During mourning, reduce self-focus because reductions in self-focus are said to reduce grief; examples given include not shaving and not wearing your best clothes.

During Shiva, community members come to the mourner's house every day for seven days; presented as part of an effective grief-support ritual.

Saying prayers together in synchrony; described as motor synchrony that increases empathy, compassion, and connection. Includes swaying in unison while saying the same words together.

Chanting meaningful faith-based chants together rather than merely moving together; described as producing a greater effect than motor synchrony alone.

Meditation done in a sangha/community rather than alone with apps; described as the traditional way and as allowing breathing/respiration to entrain with others and build synchrony/community.

Think about your own death for a short period of time, not in a morbid way but regularly/daily; described as reorienting values toward loved ones, service, and what truly brings happiness. Includes Buddhist death meditation; more extreme corpse meditation is mentioned as an intense variant.

In the context of addiction/recovery and religious practice, do the best you can and then give over what you cannot control to God/higher power; described as reducing stress and anxiety and helping avoid addiction.

Host endorses rock climbing as a fitness modality and specifically notes it is great for mobility and healthy aging.

Beginner climbing cue: think of climbing like a very steep staircase. Drive with the legs, prioritize technique and mobility, and use handholds like a handrail for balance rather than pulling yourself up with the arms.

Recommended as part of staying supple and recovery.

Host has kept a climbing journal since 2005 or 2006, logging climbs with metrics such as difficulty and times.

Host says he does one very long run per week, typically 60-90 minutes, often with an 8-10 pound weight vest to strengthen small stabilizing muscles and maintain readiness.

Host recommends spinal extension work, such as bridge pose, as useful for posture and balance.