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Using Your Mind to Control Your Physical Health & Longevity | Dr. Ellen Langer

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Feb 3, 2025

Guest

Ellen Langer

Dr. Ellen Langer, a Harvard psychology professor and pioneer in mind-body research, discusses the profound link between our thoughts and physical health. She reveals how framing questions and perceptions can shape our longevity and healing processes. The impact of mindfulness versus mindlessness takes center stage, showing how awareness enriches experiences. Langer emphasizes the importance of adapting perspectives on aging, the power of playfulness in life, and how our mindset can dramatically influence overall well-being.

03:22:19

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insights

INSIGHT

Mindfulness Is Noticing

Mindfulness is noticing new things, not meditation.
Everything is always changing, so notice new things in your surroundings or relationships.

insights

INSIGHT

Origins of Mindlessness

Mindlessness stems from rigid thinking and assuming things stay constant.
Schools often teach absolute answers, hindering our natural ability to notice change.

insights

INSIGHT

Mindfulness vs. Focus

Focus is actually mindless; true mindfulness involves active noticing.
Don't hold things still in your mind; let things vary and notice new aspects.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

From Mindlessness to Mindfulness

02:57 • 8min

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The Role of Therapy and Sleep in Overall Health

11:09 • 3min

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Mind-Body Harmony: The Power of Perception

14:26 • 28min

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Sponsorship Highlights: Nutrition and Light Therapy Benefits

42:18 • 3min

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The Illusion of Control and Presence

45:14 • 14min

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The Impact of Sleep Perception on Well-Being

58:58 • 15min

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Adapting Beyond Norms

01:13:52 • 6min

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Understanding Behavior: Culture and Self-Perception

01:19:26 • 6min

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The Dual Edge of Technology and Creativity

01:25:40 • 24min

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The Power of Mindset in Aging and Memory

01:49:44 • 4min

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Perception, Reality, and Innovation

01:54:03 • 13min

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Navigating Health Perspectives

02:06:54 • 25min

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Mindful Healthcare and Perceptions of Choice

02:31:59 • 16min

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The Power of Playfulness in Longevity

02:48:26 • 19min

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Navigating Loss and Embracing Growth

03:07:11 • 13min

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Engagement and Resources for Health Insights

03:19:42 • 3min

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Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker

This book delves into the purpose and power of sleep, explaining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Walker discusses how sleep enriches our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions, recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. He also explores the consequences of sleep deprivation and provides actionable steps to improve sleep quality, including ways to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity.

Mindfulness

How To Live Well By Paying Attention

Louise L. Hay

Ed Halliwell

The Creative Act

A Way of Being

Rick Rubin

In *The Creative Act: A Way of Being*, Rick Rubin distills the wisdom he has gained from a lifetime of working with artists across various genres. The book is not just about music production but about the broader creative process and how it applies to everyone's life. Rubin emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with a state of innocence, being aware of the world, and tapping into what he calls 'Source'—an infinite and constant flow of ideas and inspiration. The book is structured around 78 areas of thought, providing practical wisdom, philosophical insights, and encouragement for anyone seeking to enhance their creative expression.

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Ellen Langer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Harvard University and the world’s leading researcher on the mind-body connection and the power our thinking has on our physical health. She explains how specific ways of framing and asking questions about the world shape our physical health and rate of aging. Dr. Langer also explains how our perception of time and control significantly impact our rate of physical healing, hormones, immune system, and longevity. She describes mindfulness as a way of framing life, not simply a meditation or other practice, and discusses data showing how to use one’s mind to overcome health challenges and achieve remarkable outcomes. Dr. Langer is a luminary and pioneer in researching the relationship between the mind and body with scientific rigor. Her work and our discussion are applicable to women and men of all ages and walks of life.

Read the full episode show notes at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman

BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman

Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman

Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman

Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman

Our Place: https://fromourplace.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Dr. Ellen Langer

00:02:57 Mindfulness

00:06:53 Mindless, Focus; Being Mindful

00:11:03 Sponsors: BetterHelp & Helix Sleep

00:13:41 Meditation

00:14:47 Choices & Longer Life; Mind & Body Unity, Exercise, Nocebo & Placebo Effect

00:25:39 Self, Mind-Body Interconnectedness

00:32:16 Acupuncture; Cancer & Healing, Probabilities, Tool: Tragedy or Inconvenience?

00:42:18 Sponsors: AG1 & Joovv

00:44:46 Brain & Predictions, Control & Mindlessness; Resolutions

00:48:09 “Should” Thoughts, Multitasking, Making Moments Matter, Work-Life Balance

00:56:55 Sleep, Stress, Tool: Perceived Sleep & Performance

01:01:58 Counterclockwise Study

01:06:15 Pioneering a Field, Change, Decisions & Uncertainty

01:16:47 Sponsor: Function

01:18:35 Making Sense of Behavior, Forgiveness, Blame

01:25:35 Technology, Human Drive; Tool: Noticing & Appreciating New Things

01:32:50 Art, Mindfulness, Education, Awards

01:39:30 Labels, Borderline Effect; Identity, “I Am”, Learning & Age

01:49:44 Sponsor: Our Place

01:50:56 Memory Loss, Vision; Chronic Disease, Symptom Variability

02:01:22 Deadlines, Constraints; Scientific Method & Absolutes

02:06:47 Covid Crisis, Vaccines, Uncertainty, Multiple Answers

02:12:06 Age & Decline?, Experience Levels & “Disinhibited”

02:18:18 Justice, Drama; Life-Changing Events & Perspective

02:25:45 Death, Spontaneous Cancer Remission; Will to Live

02:31:59 Mindful Hospital, Stress, Burnout, Tool: Mindful Checklist

02:36:32 Noticing, Choices

02:41:16 Coddling, Fragility, Social Media, Money

02:48:26 Tool: Playfulness

02:52:08 Nostalgia, Mindfulness; Tool: Gamifying Life; Parenthood & Work

02:59:17 Healing & Time Perception, Awareness & Neuroplasticity, Imagine Possibilities

03:07:12 Reviews & Critical Feedback, Others’ Opinions

03:12:00 Enlightenment, Flexibility, Expansiveness; Everyone Song

03:19:47 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

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