Published Oct 30, 2023

Mental Health Toolkit: Tools to Bolster Your Mood & Mental Health

Andrew Huberman delves into the critical role of light exposure, emotional granularity, and unconscious mind exploration as essential tools for enhancing mood and mental health, offering practical strategies to harness the power of circadian rhythms, refined emotional understanding, and subconscious insights.
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  • Morning Sunlight

    Morning sunlight plays a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms and enhancing mood. emphasizes the importance of exposing your eyes to natural light soon after waking to boost mental health and well-being. He suggests that while sunlight is ideal, alternatives like SAD lamps can be used when natural light is unavailable 1.

    Your mood and your mental health will benefit tremendously from getting morning sunlight in your eyes.

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    Huberman advises facing east and spending about 10 minutes outdoors on clear days, extending to 30 minutes on overcast days, to maximize the benefits of sunlight exposure 2.

       

    Nighttime Darkness

    The significance of darkness during nighttime is equally vital for mental health. Huberman highlights a study showing that spending six to eight hours in dim or dark environments each night correlates with improved mood and mental health outcomes 3. This practice is independent of the benefits gained from daytime light exposure.

    Making sure that you are in very dim to completely dark environments for a continuous six to 8 hours within every 24 hours circadian cycle is correlated with much better mental health outcomes.

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    He explains that maintaining a dark environment at night supports neuroplasticity and emotional regulation, contributing to a balanced "brain-body budget" 4.

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