In this episode of the Huberman Lab, Michael Easter explores how modern conveniences have created a mismatch between human evolutionary design and current lifestyles. Easter explains that while humans evolved for constant physical activity and environmental challenges, today's environment promotes avoiding effort, contributing to various health issues. The discussion examines how our ancestors' daily physical demands shaped human biology and how modern comforts affect our well-being.
Easter and Huberman examine the role of dopamine in motivation and how digital stimuli can hijack this system. They discuss the benefits of intentionally introducing discomfort into daily life, from taking the stairs to disconnecting from technology. The conversation covers research on how activities like nature walks and face-to-face socializing can reset neurological states, and how embracing periods of boredom may enhance creativity and problem-solving abilities.
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Michael Easter explains that humans evolved for constant physical activity and exposure to environmental challenges. Our ancestors walked around 20,000 steps daily while carrying heavy loads, and our bodies developed unique adaptations like efficient cooling through sweating and strong gluteal muscles for persistence hunting. However, modern conveniences have created a mismatch between our evolutionary design and current lifestyle.
This evolutionary mismatch has led to significant health challenges. Easter's research shows that our modern environment, which promotes avoiding effort, contributes to obesity and metabolic issues. The Mayo Clinic finds that people with more active lifestyles burn an extra 800 calories daily just through incidental movement. Beyond physical health, the lack of challenge in modern life has led to increased boredom, restlessness, and disconnection.
Easter and Andrew Huberman discuss how embracing discomfort can foster growth and resilience. Easter shares his experience from a 30-day Arctic expedition, where basic tasks were challenging but led to deeper appreciation of life's comforts. They suggest that even small daily choices, like taking stairs instead of elevators, can compound into significant positive changes over time.
Huberman explains [restricted term]'s role as the "currency of motivation," influencing both mental and physical activity. He cautions that digital stimuli can hijack this system, leading to addiction. Easter points out how industries, from gambling to social media, have refined their products to exploit these neurobiological mechanisms, contributing to compulsive behaviors, especially among younger generations.
Easter and Huberman emphasize the value of embracing boredom and disconnecting from technology. They note that mind-wandering during periods of boredom can enhance creativity and problem-solving. According to their discussion, activities like nature walks, exercise, and face-to-face socializing can reset our neurological state and improve overall well-being. They highlight research showing that just a few days of camping can reset circadian rhythms and provide a profound sense of calm.
1-Page Summary
Michael Easter explains that historically, life required constant physical activity and exposure to the elements, like extreme heat and cold. People in the past would walk an average of about 20,000 steps a day, often while carrying weighty objects such as food or tools. The evolutionary advantage of fear suppression during movement, Easter speculates, could be tied to dangerous activities like persistence hunting.
Humans are uniquely adapted for activity and challenge, with bodily traits such as sweat-induced cooling, lack of heavy fur, arched feet, and big butt muscles making them ideal persistence hunters who could outlast other animals in the heat. Additionally, our ability to carry weight over long distances and the functional use of our hands and feet allowed humans to conquer the globe.
Easter discusses that the modern world has dramatically decreased the physical demands on people. Our easily accessible food and conveniences like cars reduce the need for physical exertion. This modern environment, radically different from the one we evolved in, often means that doing the uncomfortable thing can lead to a healthier life. The evolutionarily ingrained desire to avoid hunger and other forms of discomfort that were essential for our ancestor's survival is now less pertinent.
Exercise has become necessary only after modernization led to more sedentary jobs, which has resulted in health problems not commonly seen in more active populations.
Michael Easter's research has found that our modern conveniences undermine our physical and mental health. As we evolved to conserve calories, the ease of modern life, which promotes avoiding effort, can lead to obesity and metabolic issues. Modern diseases often stem from overconsumption and inactivity, problems that a ...
Evolutionary Mismatch: Modern Life vs. Human Biology
Embracing discomfort, both physical and mental, is an essential practice for fostering growth, resilience, and a more profound sense of achievement and fulfilment in life. Michael Easter, Andrew Huberman, and other experts share their insights on how facing challenges can benefit one's health and well-being.
In "The Comfort Crisis," Michael Easter highlights the positive effects of embracing discomfort on focus, creativity, and connection with others. Easter discusses the value of experiential understanding, suggesting first-hand experiences can lead to deeper insights. He shared his 30-day Arctic expedition as an example, where basic tasks like collecting water and firewood were arduous. This experience made him appreciate comforts upon return, providing a new outlook on luxury.
Easter's outdoor adventures, such as long hikes where he ate calorie-dense, processed foods, pushed his limits and maintained his resilience. He survived on 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day but still lost weight, proving the intensity of his activity. Andrew Huberman points out that these types of experiences maintain brain circuitry and improve cognitive vigor.
Easter speaks to the mental challenge of writing. He acknowledges that there will be difficult moments, but the successful days are made sweeter by the struggle that precedes them. Similarly, overcoming the challenge of reading a difficult book can mimic the rewarding experience, likening the task to his time as a PhD student. Easter also talks about rites of passage, where struggling and solving problems in nature leads to growth, framing it positively for better mental health.
Easter and Huberman affirm that engaging in challenging activities—even something as small as taking stairs over elevators—can inspire significant change in one's life. Easter's Substack, "The 2% newsletter," references a study showing only 2% of people choose stairs when an escalator is available, urging people to take on these daily challenges.
Easter promotes choosing slightly harder options that offer long-term benefits, citing examples like walking during phone calls or carrying groceries to improve strength. He believes that ...
The Value Of Intentionally Introducing Discomfort and Challenge
The podcast features discussions between Michael Easter and Andrew Huberman on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying motivation, the ominous implications of modern comforts in fostering addictive behaviors, and how the industries exploit these mechanisms to keep consumers engaged.
Every activity can be viewed through the lens of spending or investing [restricted term] reserves, as Easter discusses. Huberman delves into [restricted term]'s role as the "currency of motivation," influential in both mental movement and physical activity. He explains that completing tasks like mowing the lawn or passionate activities both work on the neural circuitry that leads to a sense of a job well done and the consequent [restricted term] release. He further expounds on the nature of [restricted term] release, indicating that effort and obtaining rewards from that effort lead to a continual release of happiness.
Huberman is interested in how investment of [restricted term] in efforts, like physical activity, ties to the brain's health and may relate to neurotransmitter activity. He discusses the catecholamines, which are released in greater amounts during the morning, driving the motivation to engage in effortful tasks. He introduces the concept of effort as investment when talking about enriching experiences, like spending time with loved ones—a process which releases [restricted term] through work and effort.
Huberman also cautions about the digital rewards that can lead to a drop in the baseline levels of [restricted term], such as social media, which he likens to "leaking" [restricted term]. Activities that promise [restricted term] rewards without substantial effort may lead to addiction, a fact evidenced in the way modern technology exploits the principles of [restricted term] release.
The discussion raises concerns about how industries harness our neurobiology for addiction. Easter refers to the evolution of slot machines, noting how the gambling industry refined reward schedules to keep people engaged. This has been paralleled in other sectors such as social media, online shopping, and sports betting, through elements that maximize stimulus and rewards with minimal effort.
Neurobiology of Motivation, Addiction, and Modern Comforts
Michael Easter and Andrew Huberman explore how boredom can open the door to creativity and the pursuit of meaningful activities.
Easter has found that embracing boredom and allowing his mind to wander free of outside stimuli enables him to come up with his best ideas, highlighting how boredom can foster creativity and problem-solving. Huberman and Easter discuss that when people are away from hyper-stimulating activities, such as standing in a grocery line without looking at their phones, their minds can go to interesting and productive places.
The disconnection from technology in the Arctic without movies, music, or other digital entertainment forced Easter to engage with his physical environment and his thoughts. This indicates that reducing digital stimuli creates space for self-reflection and self-awareness. Easter also contemplates the benefits of not being on a screen and how using that time for personal thought can lead to significant insights or the generation of big ideas. He further talks about creating one's narrative and finding moments that provide lasting memories, suggesting that experiences away from screens are valuable and contribute to happiness.
Easter and Huberman emphasize the benefits of disengaging from digital distractions and engaging more with the physical and social world.
Easter mentions enjoying long walks without his cell phone and highlights their mental health benefits. Huberman suggests that getting out into nature and shifting mental direction are fundamental to our well-being, akin to principles of resistance training or cardiovascular exercise. He also notes research demonstrating that camping in nature can reset individuals' circadian rhythms after just a few days. Easter advocates for activities such as trail running and weighted walking, which provide the dual benefits of exercise and outdoor experiences. Easter reports better sleep while outdoors, indicating a reset for those who disconnect from modern comforts and technology. Huberman and Easter recognize the "three-day effect," which refers to the profound sense of calm and alignment people experience after spending time in nature.
Importance of Boredom, Reflection, and Disconnection From Technology
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