What health metrics can oneself measure?

Based on the Huberman Lab, there are various health metrics that individuals can measure to assess their health and fitness, recovery, and emotional well-being:

1. Fitness & Capability Metrics:

   • Ability to go on a long hike (5 to 10 miles with hills)
   • Ability to sprint without injury or health issues
   • Ability to carry heavy items safely
   • Agility and coordination
   • Perform a deadlift with body weight ten times in a set
   • Hang from a bar for at least a minute
   • Cardiovascular training sessions of varying intensity and duration 1.

2. Recovery Metrics:

   • At least one subjective measure, e.g., mood or how you feel today
   • At least one objective measure, e.g., heart rate variability (HRV) or resting heart rate
   • Periodic measures like blood or urine tests
   • Daily, quarterly, monthly, and semiannual assessments
   • CO2 tolerance test, mood, and libido as indicators 2 3.

     Annual Fitness Check

     Andrew Huberman

     As the new year approaches, it's essential to assess your health and fitness metrics. Key recommendations include deadlifting your body weight, hanging from a bar, and maintaining overall agility for daily activities. Emphasizing a balanced routine, incorporating long cardiovascular sessions like weighted hikes or slow jogs is crucial for sustained fitness.

     

     Huberman Lab

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3. Emotional Health:

   • Difficult to quantify but includes maintaining healthy relationships, having a sense of purpose, regulating emotions, experiencing fulfillment and satisfaction 4.

4. Well-being and Disease Prevention:

   • Regular eye exams, including tests for glaucoma, which is a leading cause of blindness 5.
   • Regular checking of biomarkers that influence cognitive and physical health, such as dexa and CPET testing 6.

When evaluating one's own health metrics, it's important to be honest and realistic about your baseline and changes over time. You can also set up reward schedules for consistent progress and adjustments according to the observed metrics 7. These metrics can help track improvements, maintain fitness and capability, and modify training or lifestyle choices for better health outcomes.