Andrew Huberman is a Stanford neuroscientist and the host of the Huberman Lab podcast, one of the most popular science and health shows in the world. He turns research on the brain and body into simple, zero-cost tools for sleep, focus, stress and motivation, and in 2026 gathered them in his book Protocols. [1] [2]
Who is Andrew Huberman?
Andrew Huberman was born in 1975 at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, California. [2] He earned his BA from UC Santa Barbara in 1998, an MA from UC Berkeley in 2000 and a PhD in neuroscience from UC Davis in 2004, where he received the Allan G. Marr Prize for the best dissertation. He then did postdoctoral research at Stanford. [1]
He ran his first laboratory at UC San Diego from 2011 to 2015 and moved to Stanford School of Medicine in 2016, where he is a tenured professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology. [1] His lab has studied the development, function and repair of the visual system, including work on regenerating damaged visual circuits, as well as stress and non-drug tools for anxiety. [2] He has published more than 75 peer-reviewed papers and received the McKnight and Pew awards in 2013 and the Cogan Award in 2017. [1]
In 2021 he launched the Huberman Lab podcast to share science-based tools with the public. It quickly became one of the most listened-to shows on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and won Best Wellness and Fitness Podcast at the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards. [2] His monthly Neural Network newsletter reaches hundreds of thousands of readers. [3]
In September 2026 he published Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body, which debuted at number one on The New York Times Advice list. [2] [4] The podcast is free on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts, so listeners from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Europe and India can all start today.
His approach in brief
- Start with light. Get outside for daylight soon after waking to set your body clock.
- Rest on purpose. Use non-sleep deep rest to recover, reset and fall back asleep.
- Breathe to calm down. One or two physiological sighs bring stress down fast.
- Set goals the science way. Pick one priority, make it specific and measurable, and track it.
At a glance
Work: neuroscientist, professor and podcaster
Born: 1975, Palo Alto, California
Training: PhD in neuroscience, UC Davis (2004)
Podcast: Huberman Lab, launched 2021
Book: Protocols (September 2026)
Good fit if
You like to know why a tool works before you try it, and you want free, practical habits for sleep, energy, stress and focus that fit into a normal day.Our take
Start with two habits for two weeks: morning daylight within an hour of waking, and a ten-minute NSDR session in the afternoon. They cost nothing and set up the rest of his toolkit.The tools of Andrew Huberman
Andrew shares hundreds of protocols, but a few come up again and again. Tap a card to read more.
The sleep toolkit
Andrew’s most shared post was a short list of tools for better sleep, which he expanded in the first Huberman Lab newsletter. [5] The key steps:
- View sunlight early. Go outside within 30 to 60 minutes of waking, and again in the late afternoon. About 10 minutes on a clear day, 20 on a cloudy day and longer when it is very overcast. Never look at any light that is painful to view.
- Keep a steady wake time. Wake at the same time each day and go to bed when you first feel sleepy.
- Time your caffeine. Avoid it within 8 to 10 hours of bedtime.
- Dim the lights at night. Avoid bright overhead lights late in the evening and use only as much light as you need.
- Keep naps short. Under 90 minutes, or none at all.
- Use NSDR if you wake. If you wake at night and cannot fall back asleep, try an NSDR or yoga nidra session.
- Keep the room cool and dark. Your body temperature needs to drop a little to fall and stay asleep.
[5] Our sleep guide has more ways to build a good night’s rest.
NSDR: non-sleep deep rest
Andrew coined the term non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) for practices that lead to deep relaxation without falling asleep, including yoga nidra and some forms of meditation. [3]
These techniques use the body to calm the mind. Rather than trying to think your way into relaxing, you lie down, follow a guided script and let your nervous system match the physical stillness. [3] Huberman Lab offers free 10, 20 and 30-minute sessions. [3]
How to try it: lie on your back somewhere quiet, play a ten-minute session and follow the voice as it guides your breathing and attention around the body. Many people use NSDR in the early afternoon, after a demanding task, or when they wake in the night. [5] Our relaxation guide covers similar methods.
The physiological sigh
The physiological sigh is a breathing pattern Andrew often recommends for bringing stress down quickly: a deep inhale through the nose, a second short inhale to fill the lungs fully, then a long, slow exhale through the mouth.
In a study from his lab with Stanford colleague David Spiegel, people practised five minutes of breathing a day for a month. Breathwork, especially exhale-focused cyclic sighing built around this pattern, produced a greater improvement in mood and a larger drop in breathing rate than mindfulness meditation. [6]
To try it, do one to three slow sighs whenever you feel tense, or set aside five minutes a day for cyclic sighing. Our stress management guide lists more calming tools.
The goals toolkit
In his Goals Toolkit episode, Andrew sets out science-based steps for setting and reaching goals. [7]
- Choose one priority goal rather than spreading effort across many.
- Aim high, with a goal that is challenging but realistic.
- Define it clearly with verb actions, measurability and specific milestones, and write it down.
- Use visualisation wisely, combined with practical tools such as variable rewards and a well-set-up environment.
[7] The episode also looks at popular myths, such as relying on sticky notes or announcing your goals to everyone. [7] Our motivation guide pairs well with this toolkit.
Light through the day
Huberman Lab’s daily light guide sums up a simple rhythm for the whole day. [3]
- Morning: aim for 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight soon after waking, and use bright artificial light if it is still dark.
- Daytime: spend some time outside, ideally around midday. Even a short walk or time near a window helps.
- Evening: catch a little sunlight before sunset to help you wind down.
- Night: keep indoor lighting dim and warm and limit bright screens before bed.
[3] The guide also reminds readers to wear sunscreen or other protection so they do not burn. It is an easy habit wherever you live, from London to Sydney to Mumbai.
Videos with Andrew Huberman
Hand-picked and checked one by one, from Huberman Lab’s official channels.
Rest and sleep
Stress and breathing
Motivation and goals
Articles about Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman’s books
Andrew’s first book gathers his best-known protocols in one place. [4]
Buy Protocols in your country: US · UK · Canada · Australia · India.
Free tools and membership
Prices are in USD and membership works worldwide, so it suits listeners in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Europe and India. [8]
What the Research Shows
Andrew is a working scientist, and several of his best-known tools come straight from research.
- Breathing. His lab’s randomised study compared three five-minute daily breathing exercises with mindfulness meditation over a month. Breathwork, especially cyclic sighing, brought greater improvement in mood and a larger drop in respiratory rate. [6]
- Goals. Decades of goal-setting research found that specific, challenging goals lead to better performance than vague ones, which matches the first steps of his goals toolkit. [9]
- His own lab. His Stanford laboratory studies the visual system, vision repair and tools for stress. [10]
Watch: Andrew Huberman on TikTok
Here is a short clip from Andrew Huberman’s official TikTok account on an idea covered on this page.
See: Andrew Huberman on Instagram
Here is a post from Andrew Huberman’s official Instagram account.
View this post on Instagram
Frequently asked questions
Who is Andrew Huberman?
Andrew Huberman is an American neuroscientist, a professor at Stanford School of Medicine and the host of the Huberman Lab podcast, which he launched in 2021.
What is NSDR?
Non-sleep deep rest: a term Andrew coined for practices such as yoga nidra that bring deep relaxation without falling asleep. Huberman Lab offers free 10, 20 and 30-minute sessions.
What is the physiological sigh?
A breathing pattern of two inhales through the nose, the second one short, followed by a long exhale through the mouth. His lab’s study found daily cyclic sighing helped improve mood.
What is Andrew Huberman’s sleep advice?
View sunlight soon after waking, keep a steady wake time, avoid caffeine 8 to 10 hours before bed, dim the lights at night and keep your bedroom cool and dark.
What is Andrew Huberman’s book?
Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body, released on 15 September 2026, which debuted at number one on The New York Times Advice list.
Is the Huberman Lab podcast free?
Yes. Episodes are free on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. An optional Premium membership was $10 a month or $100 a year at the time of writing.
Where should I start with Andrew Huberman?
Try a ten-minute NSDR session, then listen to his Master Your Sleep episode and add morning daylight to your routine.
Sources
- Huberman Lab: About Dr. Andrew Huberman
- Wikipedia: Andrew D. Huberman
- Huberman Lab: Dr. Andrew Huberman's guide to NSDR
- Huberman Lab: Protocols, An Operating Manual for the Human Body
- Huberman Lab: Toolkit for Sleep
- Balban et al., Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal, Cell Reports Medicine 2023
- Huberman Lab: Goals Toolkit, How to Set and Achieve Your Goals
- Huberman Lab Premium
- Locke and Latham, Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation, American Psychologist 2002
- Stanford Profiles: Andrew Huberman
By Saj Ali. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.
