Essentials: Using Hypnosis to Enhance Mental & Physical Health & Performance | Dr. David Spiegel
Andrew Huberman interviews Dr. David Spiegel about hypnosis as a state of highly focused attention that can enhance control over mind and body rather than diminish it. They discuss the underlying brain networks involved in hypnosis, including changes in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, insula, and posterior cingulate cortex, and how these changes support dissociation, cognitive flexibility, and altered bodily control. The conversation covers clinical applications such as stress reduction, sleep, pain management, phobias, trauma and PTSD treatment, hypnotizability assessment, the eye‑roll test, the role of breathing, and how hypnotic-like states show up in performance, children, and group settings.
INTRODUCING: I Need You Guys with Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate and Max Silvestri (w/ Sean Hayes)
Sean Hayes joins Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and Max Silvestri for a loose, comedic conversation about their early experiences making jokes, physical comedy bits, and nostalgia for old commercials and landlines. They discuss Jenny's discomfort with the White House using her Parks and Rec character in a political meme, how to handle online nastiness without engaging, and the challenges of keeping long-term friendships strong while turning them into a professional podcast. The group also fields an etiquette question about nose-picking in public, swaps stories about sleep struggles, ADHD, and old-school phone and internet habits, and ends by reflecting on Sean's "Olympic level" comedy on Will & Grace.
#2402 - Miranda Lambert
Joe Rogan speaks with a touring musician about hearing protection, life on the road, and the role of hobbies like mounted shooting, golf, archery, and pool in maintaining focus and mental balance. They discuss her animal rescue nonprofit work, experiences with allergies and moving between cities, and how the COVID shutdown changed her relationship to touring. The conversation also explores fate, early stage experiences, education, ADHD-like traits, impactful teachers, and the mental challenges of high-pressure performance and skill-based pursuits.
12 Minutes to a Better Brain: Neuroscientist Reveals the #1 Habit for Clarity & Focus
Mel Robbins talks with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Amishi Jha about how attention works in the brain and why it is both powerful and fragile. They break down the three systems of attention (selective "flashlight," alerting "floodlight," and executive "juggler"), how stress and chronic demand degrade these systems, and how neuroplasticity allows them to be trained. Drawing on decades of research with military service members, first responders, athletes, and others, Dr. Jha explains why a minimum of 12 minutes of mindfulness practice, four days a week, can stabilize and improve attention, mood, and stress, and she demonstrates practical exercises listeners can start immediately.
#2388 - Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie discusses his new memoir, using the writing process to look back at a life and career he usually only approaches with a "race car driver" focus on the road ahead. He reflects on surviving the brutal music industry, his formative years with the Commodores and Motown, mentorship from legends like Marvin Gaye and Berry Gordy, and how he gradually discovered his own creative voice and unique sound. Richie also talks about navigating extreme fame, the impact of organized crime and corporate consolidation on the music business, the tension between creatives and executives, and the importance of humor, resilience, and authenticity in both art and life.
#829: James Nestor - Breathing Protocols to Reboot Your Health, Fix Your Sleep, and Boost Performance
Tim Ferriss interviews science journalist James Nestor about how everyday breathing habits profoundly affect health, sleep, mental performance, and athletic capacity. They discuss historical and modern breathwork practices, the dangers of mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing (especially in kids), and simple, low-cost ways to improve nasal breathing, sleep quality, and CO2 tolerance. Nestor also explores indoor CO2 levels and cognition, the emerging field of bioelectric medicine, breathing for athletes, and how he approached structuring and writing his bestselling book "Breath."