Biohacking is a collection of "tricks" as well as proven principles that will allow us to increase our energy levels and rest more effectively when we feel that our body is running on reserve. However, not all of them work right away. Some of them take several weeks to appear.

Biohackingare, on the one hand, simple interventions related to the optimization of our he alth, e.g. going to bed at one time, as well as a technical way of changing the functioning of our body, e.g. drinking a drink containing simultaneously caffeine and l-theanine. Thanks to this, the level of energy will increase, but without it dropping as quickly as from caffeine itself.

Biohacking is able to improve our concentration and the ability to remember. We will learn some material faster during studies or we will be more effective at work. He alth tricks use the natural abilities and capabilities of our body and are created respecting its limits. Therefore, biohacking should not be treated as a shortcut to achieving a super body, still living in high gear without he alth consequences or an attempt to cheat nature.

Reduce stress with adaptogens

The use of adaptogens is one of the elements of biohacking. They can reduce stress, reduce tension and have a tonic effect on the nervous system.

What are adaptogens?

As the name suggests ("adaptare" is Latin for "to adapt"), these are substances that enhance adaptability in unfavorable conditions. The term was first used by the Russian scientist Lazarev in 1947, who emphasized that in order for something to be called an adaptogen, it must meet 3 conditions:

  • should have a normalizing effect on the body,
  • must not be toxic,
  • must be of natural origin and have a specific effect on the body (increase resistance to physical, mental, chemical or biological stress factors).

What are the benefits of adaptogens?

First of all, they regulate the stress response. In the 21st century, there is no shortage of stressful stimuli:

  • physical (e.g. excessive, overloading training),
  • chemical (contact with substances harmful to the body contained in cosmetics, receipts, etc.),
  • mental (excessive work, exorbitant goals).

Each of these factors, little by little, weakens our body every day, resulting in constantly elevated levels of cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones). We struggle with oxidative stress (a situation where the body is unable to cope with the excess of free radicals on its own). It leads to the feeling of exhaustion and weakening of the body.

By using adaptogens, we are able to calm down the body when it needs it and make it cope better with stress. This is mainly because these substances act on the hypothalamus and regulate the production of stress hormones, especially cortisol.

In addition to the silencing effect, adaptogens can also:

  • strengthen and modulate the immune system,
  • show antioxidant properties,
  • reduce the negative effects of stress, such as, for example, lowering immunity,
  • increase physical strength and endurance of the body,
  • allow you to recover faster after illnesses,
  • improve concentration and coordination
  • and protect the liver from toxic substances.

The best known adaptogens are:

  • ashwaganda,
  • mountain rosary,
  • Chinese lemon.

Lose body fat and improve insulin metabolism thanks to intermittent fasting (IF)

Biohacking uses intermittent fasting to normalize the insulin metabolism, improve metabolism and make it easier to get rid of adipose tissue.

IF refers to regular periods when we go without food. Typically, such a daily fast consists of 8 hours of eating (this is called the eating window) and 16 hours of no food, or, for example, 6 hours of eating and 18 hours of no food.

It can also take the form of a 24-hour fast every other day. This type of periodic fasting requires making sure that during the hours when we are not to eat, we do not drink any drinks that contain sugar or other sweeteners, read by the body as food. Otherwise, it will raise your insulin levels and nullify the effect you want to achieve with IF.

What are the benefits of intermittent fasting?

The main benefit is the normalization of the insulin economy, thanks to the reduction of the level of:

  • glucose,
  • insulin
  • and IGF-1, i.e. insulin-like growth factor.

Excessive and continuous insulin bursts cause insulin resistance, which is the first step to diabetes.

At the moment we bringinsulin metabolism to homeostasis, we reduce the risk of developing diabetes. When we fast for 16 or 18 hours, the body begins to use body fat for energy.

So we lose excess body weight, and at the same time reduce inflammation caused by an excess of adipocytes (fat cells).

By not eating, we put our body into a mild state of ketosis, which is very beneficial for the brain. Thus, we improve its functioning and we improve the functions of the entire nervous system.

The advantages of IF also include:

  • lowering cholesterol,
  • lowering blood pressure
  • and the overall increase in life force.

Increase the power of your mind and reach for nootropics

Nootropics are substances that improve concentration and memory, improve the functioning of neurotransmitters such as, for example, serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA or dopamine, and contribute to a better mood. They have a positive effect on a number of other he alth aspects, which you can read about here.

The main task of nootropics is to increase the natural abilities of our brain and stimulate the body in such a way that it stimulates us to act when there is such a need, e.g. a study exam is approaching or an important performance at work. Their role, however, is not just to arouse. They can also make the brain calm our emotions just before an important event (so that we do not forget what we have learned from stress).

Skillful selection of nootropics to the state of he alth and mind is a very delicate matter, so it's good to do it under the supervision of a specialist - a doctor or a dietitian.

There are, however, several safe nootropic combinations that can be successfully used in everyday life. Each of us knows well that when we feel sleepy, we should reach for coffee, because the caffeine contained in it will stimulate us.

The problem is that it often only wakes us up for a short time, and then there is an unpleasant drop in energy, which can manifest itself in some caffeine-sensitive people even by trembling hands or palpitations of the heart.

In order to prevent this type of energy drop and to make the stimulating effect after coffee more stable, it is worth combining it with l-theanine. L-Theanine is a substance that occurs naturally in green tea.

We can also find it in the form of supplements that can be combined with the coffee we drink to get the effect of activation to action, but without the unpleasant consequences described above.

When we need to strengthen the ability to remember, let's reach for acetylcholine. Yet stilla better effect than the supplementation of acetylcholine alone will bring us the set: Ah and hupercine.

Hupercine will make acetylcholine decompose more slowly, so it will stay longer in our body and will improve the absorption of new material.

And how to deal with a situation when we have to give back a project, time is running out and we lack the so-called creative inspiration? Here, acetylcholine will also help us, but in combination with Yerba Mate, which will increase the level of dopamine - the neurotransmitter responsible for motivation.

Improve sleep quality with special glasses

When you can't fall asleep in the evening and then roll over from side to side in bed, it's not necessarily a latent illness or excess stress to blame. Increasingly, the main reason for problems falling asleep is blue light emitted by the screens of phones or laptops. Why? Because light awakens the body.

It is a type of light that is emitted by the sun. When we look at the phone before going to bed, sit in front of the computer until 10 p.m., our body thinks it's noon. So it starts to inhibit the sleep hormone - melatonin, which should be produced in the evening (in the dark), and instead increases the cortisol that wakes us up. This is why we cannot fall asleep for long afterwards.

Biohacking has found a solution to reconcile our desire to use electronics in the late hours and the recognition of our body's needs. Special glasses were created, which, when worn in the evening, are supposed to inhibit blue light and prevent it from reaching our retina.

Thanks to them, the circadian rhythm is regulated and the quality of sleep improves. However, despite their existence, it is not worth sitting at night working or even checking innocent messages.

You never know what information we read on the Internet will wake us up, make us furious or move us so that we will not be able to sleep with emotions.

Get in the circadian rhythm and improve your he alth parameters

You can use various tricks, mix nootropics, reach for adaptogens, or wear special glasses that block blue light, but nothing will strengthen and regulate our body as much as living in accordance with the natural circadian rhythm.

How important this is for our body is evidenced by the fact that in 1997, three French researchers were awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering the period gene responsible for controlling the PER protein that influences the functioning of our body according to a certain rhythm.

Moreover, these researchers found that mutations of this gene lead to numerous disorders,incl. to an increased risk of cancer formation. It turned out then that not only melatonin controls our rhythm of functioning, but also many other proteins and hormones.

Many factors can disturb our circadian rhythm - the mentioned use of electronics emitting blue light, long travels and the phenomenon of jet lag, or shift work.

As it turns out, shift workers are much more likely to be obese or diabetic than those who work during the day.

This is due to the natural functioning of our body, which secretes less digestive enzymes at night, and has slower intestinal peristalsis. Besides, eating after 6 p.m. has a big influence on leptin - the satiety hormone. It turns out that people who eat after 6 p.m. and eat e.g. 2000 kcal a day are thicker than those who eat the same amount of calories but finish their meal before 6 p.m.

The biological clock cannot be fooled. So if we eat nights, eat late, do not count on super strength, energy or he alth.

Melatonin produced at night is one of the strongest antioxidants. It is she who supports the body in removing free radicals responsible, among others, for the development of numerous diseases, including cancer. If we do not get enough sleep, we cannot expect good concentration or memory, because the regeneration of nerve cells, including in the brain, takes place at night.

In addition, good-quality sleep allows us to clean "waste" in the brain that may contribute to, for example, Alzheimer's disease. This cleaning is made possible by the rinsing of the cerebrospinal fluid which takes place in the NREM deep sleep state. Therefore, a light sleep with numerous wake-ups will not provide us with this.

How to live according to the circadian rhythm?

First of all, go to bed at the same time, preferably before 10 p.m. Two hours before going to bed, avoid reaching for the phone, laptop and other devices that emit blue light. 3 hours before going to bed, have a light supper with a predominance of carbohydrates and a small amount of protein.

Why? Because the amino acid tryptophan is needed to produce serotonin, which puts us in a good mood and relaxes us, and melatonin - which ensures good sleep. It is a component of proteins.

However, eating a lot of meat before bed is not a guarantee of a good night's sleep. Quite the opposite. Not only will we feel sluggish, but in addition to serotonin, we will also produce another neurotransmitter - dopamine.

Without serotonin, it will not be converted into melatonin and our circadian rhythm may be disturbed.So the best dinner supporting the production of melatonin is one that will contain a bit of vegetable protein found in, for example, buckwheat, with the addition of olive oil and lots of vegetables.

Locating physical exercise also has a significant impact on not disturbing the circadian rhythm. Intensive physical activity raises the level of cortisol. At night we have the lowest level of this hormone, and in the morning the highest.

Cortisol stimulates us to fight, gives us strength to act. If we perform a strenuous workout in the evening, we increase the level of cortisol unnaturally and we cannot fall asleep when awake. For this reason, if we have a choice, we should train in the morning or until noon.

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Category:

Psychology