Essentials: Science of Stress, Testosterone, Aggression & Motivation | Dr. Robert Sapolsky

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode my guest is Dr. Robert Sapolsky, PhD, a professor of biology, neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University.  

We discuss different types of stress and how our perception of stress as harmful or beneficial largely depends on context. He also explains how testosterone amplifies pre-existing behaviors and tendencies, and he highlights the crucial role of estrogen in supporting brain and body health. We also discuss daily cognitive practices for stress mitigation and how modern life, influenced by social media and complex social hierarchies, shapes our responses to stress.

Read the episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

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Timestamps

00:00:00 Robert Sapolsky

00:00:23 Positive & Negative Stress; Excitement, Amygdala

00:02:47 Testosterone & Brain, Aggression, Hierarchy

00:06:27 Sponsors: Function & LMNT

00:09:18 Testosterone, Motivation, Challenge & Confidence

00:13:52 Dopamine, Testosterone & Motivation

00:16:20 Estrogen, Brain & Health, Replacement Therapies

00:18:12 Stress Mitigation

00:22:09 Sponsors: AG1 & David

00:24:59 Cognitive Practices for Stress Mitigation, Individual Variability, Consistency

00:27:18 Stress, Perception & Individual Differences

00:29:39 Context, Stress & Brain

00:32:47 Social Media, Context, Multiple Hierarchies

00:35:57 Acknowledgments

Disclaimer & Disclosures

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