All protocols

Use physical movement to pull yourself out of depression rather than staying in bed.

Treat visual and auditory inputs as part of your diet; be selective about media, music, and other sensory inputs.

Use calming music rather than aggressive music when you need to enter a room or situation in the right state.

Wear red lens glasses in the evening after the sun goes down, but not while driving for safety reasons.

Use extra morning time to sit in a dark room and tell yourself 10 things you're truly grateful for.

Use a free decibel meter app on your phone to quantify environmental sound intensity and guide safe exposure decisions using the rough formula for safe listening time.

Prefer obtaining magnesium and other nutrients through whole foods rather than supplements; nutrients are described as being better absorbed through diet than supplementation.

Consume magnesium-rich foods such as seeds, nuts, fish—especially salmon—and green leafy vegetables such as spinach to support overall health and hearing.

Tinnitus should be thoroughly evaluated clinically rather than self-treated with supplements; evaluation includes examination of the ears, examination of the whole head and neck, and hearing testing.

Use 80 dB for 8 hours as a rough safe exposure rule, and for every 3 dB increase in sound intensity, halve the duration of safe exposure.

Rule of thumb: if someone standing next to you can hear what you're listening to through your headphones, it's too loud.

If your ears are still ringing or feel clogged after loud noise exposure, be especially careful to avoid another loud exposure soon after; repeated insults can be synergistically damaging.

For hyperacusis, avoid overprotecting with earplugs in normal listening environments; remove them and get used to normal sound input.

When speaking to someone with hearing loss, face them directly, speak slowly rather than yelling, reduce competing sounds like TV or running water, and do not try to communicate from another room.

Do not develop a habit of taking medications regularly unless necessary. Regular NSAID use, including ibuprofen, was linked here to increased likelihood of hearing loss; regular use was defined as at least twice per week. The guest also cautioned against habitual acetaminophen use and relying on Tylenol PM/Benadryl combinations as a sleep habit.

Use auditory enrichment practices such as listening to music, singing, playing an instrument like piano, and formal auditory training. Auditory training is described as clinically helpful, and musical training is associated with better appreciation of music after cochlear implantation and better brain responsiveness when challenged.

Use a chair that is not overly comfortable for writing or focused work so comfort does not become the focus.

Adopt a 5 a.m. wake time; waking up early is described as having a strong antidepressant effect and allowing more to get done.

Body shaking is presented as a legitimate lymph-supportive practice because one-way lymphatic vessels allow fluid to move upward with repeated motion; Tai Chi-type movement patterns that include shaking are also endorsed.

Jumping on a small trampoline, including in the morning, is recommended as fun and effective for lymphatic flow.

Access to a pool for treading water, swimming, and push-off drills from the bottom of the pool to support lymphatic drainage.

Manual lymphatic drainage can be useful, especially in lymphedema, and may be self-administered with proper instruction. Use very light pressure rather than deep tissue massage, avoid massaging lymph nodes directly, and follow a gentle sequence such as starting near the clavicles with light rubbing/shearing, then tapping and padding, while encouraging drainage from the cisterna chyli and using an out-to-in progression for the legs and arms.

If lymph nodes are swollen and you may be at the threshold of getting sick, get extra rest.

If lymph nodes are swollen and you may be getting sick, increase hydration.

If swollen lymph nodes suggest you may be getting sick, avoid exercising too hard on those days.

After heavy lower-body tissue use, walk around a lot to keep lymphatic flow going; if available, also elevate the legs.

Elevate the legs to help clear lower-limb swelling and support lymphatic flow; also mentioned for stage-two lymphedema and after heavy use.

Take photos of yourself after a great night's sleep and after a poor night's sleep, ideally in the same location and lighting, to observe glymphatic-related appearance changes.

Use a pillow that is not super flat so the head is not tilted down or falling back; slight elevation, especially when side sleeping, may help lymphatic clearance.

Under-eye patches may help by providing gentle pressure that encourages lymph out of the area; the pressure itself may matter more than added ingredients.