Credits: Social Media
Neuroscientist’s ‘brain hack’ to stay awake seems ‘silly’ but highly effective
As much as we want to stay alert throughout the day, feeling tired from time to time is inevitable. A neuroscientist recommends a simple brain hack if a power nap isn’t an option when you’re too tired to function.
While lack of sleep can cause several problems, including increased crime in society, feeling sleepy in the middle of the day can be challenging too. So try this exercise when you feel exhausted next time.
‘Brain hack’ may seem ‘silly’, says neuroscientist
American neuroscientist Andrew Huberman’s simple hack to stay awake and alert whenever you’re tired or sleepy has gone viral on TikTok.
In an episode of his popular wellness podcast, Andrew swears by a technique that works every time but may come across as “silly” when heard for the first time.
He says the hack is effective because it triggers certain parts of the brain “involved in wakefulness”. So, the chemical substances produced when performing the technique are beneficial to the neurotransmitter in the brain called noradrenaline.
According to Very Well Health, the chemical influences or controls a range of functions of the mind, including mood, energy, stress, etc.
However, while talking about the hack that activates the hormone, the neuroscientist says: “This might seem like a silly and simple tool that I might ever describe on this podcast.”
How to do the viral hack
As with the breathing techniques that help “unlock trauma” or break panic attacks, Dr. Andrew’s hack only takes a few seconds and you can do it anywhere, anytime.
He says if you’re tired, looking up towards the ceiling and holding the position for a few seconds helps. “You don’t want your chin all the way back, but to look up and to raise your eye towards the ceiling, and hold that for 10 to 15 seconds,” the neuroscientist explains.
He uses the opportunity to bring attention to the common and unhealthy habit of looking at the phone screen or computer for hours. “Many people are looking at their phone all day and their chin is down. And then they are sitting on a computer that’s positioned below them. So they are having trouble staying awake or focusing,” he explains.
Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and tenured professor at Stanford School of Medicine. He runs a podcast called Huberman Lab podcast “ranked #1 in Science, Education, and Health and Fitness,” according to his website. He’s a graduate of the University of California.
