Essentials: Timing Light for Better Sleep, Energy & Mood | Dr. Samer Hattar
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In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, my guest is Dr. Samer Hattar, PhD, the Chief of the Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms at the National Institute of Mental Health.
We discuss how light powerfully shapes mood, sleep, appetite, learning and overall mental health by aligning—or misaligning—our internal circadian clock. We explain practical protocols to support your circadian rhythm, including morning sunlight exposure, dim evening lighting and regular mealtimes. We also discuss strategies to manage jet lag, limit evening screen use, ease seasonal depression and improve focus by syncing light, sleep and food with natural biological rhythms.
Articles
- Aberrant light directly impairs mood and learning through melanopsin-expressing neurons (Nature)
- Light as a central modulator of circadian rhythms, sleep and affect (Nature Reviews Neuroscience)
People Mentioned
- David Berson: professor of ophthalmology and visual science, Brown University
- Ignacio Provencio: professor of biology, University of Virginia
- Charles Czeisler: professor of sleep medicine, Harvard Medical School
- Satchin Panda: professor, regulatory biology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies
- Diego Fernandez: professor of ophthalmology, Cincinnati Children’s
This transcript is currently under human review and may contain errors. The fully reviewed version will be posted as soon as it is available.
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Dr. Samer Hattar: Timing Light, Food, & Exercise for Better Sleep, Energy & Mood
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