Summary
Louisa Nicola joins Modern Wisdom to discuss how to maximise your brain's performance. Key topics include sleep optimization techniques and their health impact; brain health optimization and neuroprotective strategies; practical takeaways for health optimization.
Key Points
- Sleep optimization techniques and their health impact
- Brain health optimization and neuroprotective strategies
- Practical takeaways for health optimization
- Expert insights on peak performance
- Actionable protocols for daily implementation
Key Moments
Magnesium L-threonate for deep sleep
Louisa Nicola explains her sleep supplement protocol centered on magnesium L-threonate, the only form that crosses the blood-brain barrier to calm the nervous system and promote deep sleep.
"But there's one magnesium out of those three that crosses the blood-brain barrier, and that is magnesium L3N8."
Zone two training for brain and mitochondria
Discussion of zone two training as the most efficient way to train mitochondrial quality, with recommendations for three hours per week at roughly 65% of maximum heart rate.
"So we do a lot of zone two, and the reason being is that this area of exercise is the most efficient to be training the quality of the mitochondria."
How to raise and stabilize HRV
Discussion of heart rate variability as a measure of health and recovery, with strategies including consistent sleep, hydration, and adequate exercise to raise and stabilize HRV values.
"So, sleeping well, sleeping consistently, hydrating, getting adequate exercise, all of these things are going to eventuate into a higher or more stable HRV."
Sleep deprivation changes 711 genes in one week
Louisa shares a landmark PNAS study showing that just one week of six-hour sleep nights altered 711 genes, downregulating immune function and upregulating tumor production and inflammation genes.
"From getting lack of sleep of six hours a night, resulted in the change of 711 genes. That's around 3% of our entire genome."
Blue light blocking glasses for sleep
Brief discussion of blue light blocking glasses as part of a nighttime routine, noting they do not block all blue light but have some small beneficial effects on sleep preparation.
"So I'm always supplementing with EPA, DHA. I do two milligrams in the morning, two milligrams at night. There's so many benefits. You're not just feeding your brain, but you're also lowering inflammation. We know that inflammation, So, one of the utmost biggest protocols that we do with our athletes is you've got to be having EPA DHA. I would urge everybody out there to be looking at the scientific literature on that. Do you have any brands that you suggest particularly? Because I'm going to guess that there's some changes in the quality. Oh, yeah, I speak about that as well. Manufacturing right now is that it's a scary thing out there. You don't know sometimes what you're buying. You know, some of the some of the drugs that they're selling just at the supermarket, you know, you don't know what they're laced with. So, manufacturers matter. Now, the brand that I use is Thorn, T-H-O-R-N-E."
Caffeine cutoff for protecting sleep
Discussion of caffeine's 12-hour half-life and recommendation to avoid caffeine after noon to protect sleep quality.
"Well, actually, I find the reverse. Okay. I find, and I didn't even think this, I see the sporting world as, you know, I've got some athletes who say to me, well, Louise, I'm number one or I'm in the NBA. What's the, you know, I don't, I don't want to be like LeBron. I'm already in the NBA. I'm doing better than 99% of the world. I don't really need to get better. They're the ones that annoy me. Whereas the traders are the ones who say, well, if I'm not at that state, then I'm going to lose $30 million. So they do everything they can. Actually, they're more coherent and obedient to the method, the neuro athletics method, than the athletes."
