Using Your Mind to Control Your Physical Health & Longevity | Dr. Ellen Langer

Ellen Langer and Andrew Huberman discuss the intricate relationship between mindfulness and physical health, emphasizing that noticing changes in the environment can have profound effects on one's health.

Mindfulness Is Noticing Changes in Environment and Experiences

Langer speaks about the transition from researching mindlessness to studying mindfulness, which involved learning about meditation and Buddhism. She emphasizes living in the moment rather than just recording it, suggesting that any activity can be engaging if done mindfully. Langer defines mindfulness as actively noticing new aspects of familiar situations, revealing that one may not know something as well as they thought. Mindfulness, according to Langer, is more about this state of active notice than a practice like meditation.

Meditation Fosters Non-judgmental, Curious Mindfulness

While discussing the idea of focus, Langer describes how focusing on a single element, like one's finger, and observing its details and changes is a form of mindfulness. She acknowledges the benefits of meditation and proposes that the commitment to the practice could make someone more intentional about being kinder and nicer due to the effort involved.

Huberman stresses that separating the mind and body is a mistake, advocating for awareness of the bidirectional connection between the brain and bodily systems. Langer concurs, humorously referencing Descartes, as she speaks on the interplay of different parts of the self and the unnecessary distinction between mind and body.

Mindfulness Affects Health; Langer's Studies Show Mindset Changes Can Reverse Aging Markers

Ellen Langer suggests that negative thoughts and self-evaluation about memory loss can exacerbate the issue. She argues that what is perceived as memory loss might often be a lack of initial learning due to evolved interests.

Langer's Study: Living In a Youthful Environment Improves Elderly Health and Abilities

Langer describes an experiment with an inverted eye chart that begins with smaller letters, leading to improved vision tests and illustrating how expectations can influence one's vision. She mentions that standard vision tests ignore factors such as color or personal relevance, which affect actual vision.

She posits that stress, which she considers a major killer, can be managed by the mind, linking back to the principle of mindfulness. In a wo ...

Ellen Langer and Andrew Huberman engage in a profound discussion on the influence that perception and beliefs exert on our reality, steering not only personal outcomes but also those that are seemingly grounded in objective science.

Beliefs on World Stability Can Limit Perception and Adaptability

Langer posits that most scientific findings are probabilistic and contextual, rather than being universal truths. She notes that treating scientific findings as absolutes can lead us to relinquish a great degree of control and narrow our perception and adaptability. She places importance on recognizing that everything is mutable and that past decisions were made by people with various motives, challenging the belief in the permanence of such decisions.

Langer: Most Scientific Findings Are Probabilistic, Contextual, Not Universal Truths

In her conversation, Langer recounts being taken aback at a conference after speaking candidly about the medical field and realizing many physicians were in attendance. The physicians’ positive response underscored their awareness of the uncertainties in their field. Langer's insights expose the limitations of rigid beliefs, as she argues that what is often accepted as the scientific norm might not be applicable to every individual or remain relevant over time. She uses everyday examples, like how people use anti-lock brakes compared to traditional brakes, to illustrate the danger of mindlessly continuing behaviors without assessing current relevance.

Event Framing Impacts Experience and Response

Langer and Huberman discuss the importance of framing when it comes to experiences and beliefs. Langer emphasizes that events are neither inherently good nor bad; our perception renders them positive or negative. She argues that how violence on television is framed to a child by a parent's reaction, for instance, is more influential than the content itself. In the same vein, Langer suggests that how an activity like walking is framed—whether as a leisurely stroll through Paris or a mundane exercise task—impacts its enjoyment and benefits.

Langer's Research on Sleep and Healing Highlights Belief-Driven Biological Outcomes

Langer's research highlights the power of belief on biological outcomes, noting that simply asking people about changes in their symptoms can lead to improved health and a less helpless demeanor. Her study on sleep in a lab demonstrated that participants' beliefs about the amount of sleep they received significantly influenced their biological and cognitive functions. Similarly, the belief in the need for a certain amount of sleep can cause anxiety and sleeplessness, which in turn leads to undue ...

The importance of adaptability, flexibility, and openness to change in achieving well-being is the focus of the dialogue presented, with Huberman and Langer highlighting the limitations of rigid thinking and behavior and the benefits of embracing variability and uncertainty.

Rigid Thinking and Behavior Limit Growth and Fulfillment

Langer criticizes the tendency for individuals to learn something at a young age and continue doing it the same way throughout life. She suggests that as we age, we should adapt our actions to align with our changing capabilities. For instance, playing tennis at different ages requires evolving one's approach and abilities. She critiques traditional instructions to "focus," which she equates to mindlessness, as they attempt to hold things still, contrasting this with the idea of actively noticing changes, which is associated with mindfulness and optimum performance. Langer further challenges the convention of separating the mind from the body, suggesting a need for a more integrated approach, as demonstrated by her questioning of treating physical and mental changes differently. She also questions the societal cues that tell individuals how old they are, suggesting these can have negative effects on well-being.

Langer Promotes Playfulness, Curiosity, and Challenging Conventional Wisdom

Langer encourages playfulness, curiosity, and challenge to established norms and knowledge. She questions why we adhere to rigid rules, sharing an anecdote about the popular comedian Seinfeld, who humorously points out the futility of being too concerned with something as trivial as spoiling one’s appetite. Langer shares her own approach to age, noting she does not consider it a relevant factor for herself. She urges not to follow rules mindlessly, particularly when they do not align with personal circumstances, and explains how writing one's own rules can improve thinking and self-perception.

Embracing Variability and Uncertainty Leads To Greater Happiness, Health, and Authentic Living

Langer suggests that by looking mindfully at things, with an active noticing of changes—akin to when entering a new environment—one can experience better quality of life. She explains that being open to multiple ways of doing things can be more enjoyable and that even traits perceived negatively should be respected for contributing to a positive self-concept. Langer advocates seeing positive outcomes from seemingly negative events, stressing the importance of recognizing change, rather than assuming stability and constancy. By embracing the ever-changing nature of people and the world, individuals can alleviate the stress of assuming things shou ...