Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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.
Episode show notes: go.hubermanlab.com/MPalfmV
Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: youtu.be/DtmwtjOoSYU
Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S
*Follow Huberman Lab*
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Website: 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 Testosterone, Motivation, Challenge & Confidence
00:11:01 Dopamine, Testosterone & Motivation
00:13:28 Estrogen, Brain & Health, Replacement Therapies
00:15:21 Stress Mitigation
00:19:17 Cognitive Practices for Stress Mitigation, Individual Variability, Consistency
00:21:36 Stress, Perception & Individual Differences
00:23:58 Context, Stress & Brain
00:27:05 Social Media, Context, Multiple Hierarchies
00:30:15 Acknowledgments
Disclaimer & Disclosures: hubermanlab.com/disclaimer
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.
Episode show notes: go.hubermanlab.com/MPalfmV
Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes. Watch the full-length episode: youtu.be/DtmwtjOoSYU
Watch more Huberman Lab Essentials episodes: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPNW_gerXa4OGNy1yE-W9IX-tPu-tJa7S
*Follow Huberman Lab*
Instagram: instagram.com/hubermanlab
Threads: threads.net/@hubermanlab
X: twitter.com/hubermanlab
Facebook: facebook.com/hubermanlab
TikTok: tiktok.com/@hubermanlab
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman
Website: hubermanlab.com
Newsletter: hubermanlab.com/newsletter
*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Robert Sapolsky
00:00:23 Positive & Negative Stress; Excitement, Amygdala
00:02:47 Testosterone & Brain, Aggression, Hierarchy
00:06:27 Testosterone, Motivation, Challenge & Confidence
00:11:01 Dopamine, Testosterone & Motivation
00:13:28 Estrogen, Brain & Health, Replacement Therapies
00:15:21 Stress Mitigation
00:19:17 Cognitive Practices for Stress Mitigation, Individual Variability, Consistency
00:21:36 Stress, Perception & Individual Differences
00:23:58 Context, Stress & Brain
00:27:05 Social Media, Context, Multiple Hierarchies
00:30:15 Acknowledgments
Disclaimer & Disclosures: hubermanlab.com/disclaimer
