Neuroscience
Racing Thoughts: Attention, Arousal and Getting Support
Understand several routes to racing thoughts, distinguish helpful brain models from diagnoses, and choose practical next steps for persistent problems.
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A Podcast for Your Brain
Get your brain to the top of its game! Browse the site or pop over to YouTube for more. The podcast and conversations on all things brain get deep, with leaders in biohacking and peak performance. Dig in, won't you?
Explore Gifted & Tortured, including reader resources and book details.
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Mindfulness for Brains That Won't Sit Still
A neuroscientist's guide to mindfulness that actually works for restless, high-performance brains, grounded in decades of brain-mapping research.
If meditation hasn't worked for you, it's a mismatch, not a character flaw. This book rewires the approach for how your brain actually operates.
Head First with Dr. Hill
HeadFirst with Dr. Hill is a must-listen podcast for anyone looking to boost their brain power and achieve peak performance. Dr. Hill shares valuable insights and strategies for optimizing brain function and managing stress.
Shinzen Young: Meditation Is Three Trainable Skills | Head First Archive
From the archive: this Head First conversation with Shinzen Young was recorded in 2018. Shinzen breaks meditation into three trainable skills: concentration, sensory clarity, and equanimity. We get into pain and suffering, the structure of attention, long-term practice, consciousness, and the places where contemplative experience reaches beyond the available neuroscience. One dated detail matters. Near the end, Shinzen mentions a first human study planned for a few weeks after this recording. That is a 2018 project update, preserved here as part of the original conversation. Shinzen Young developed the Unified Mindfulness system and wrote The Science of Enlightenment: How Meditation Works. Links from this conversation: Life Practice Program: https://www.lifepracticeprogram.com/ Home Practice Program: https://homepracticeprogram.com/ Unified Mindfulness: https://unifiedmindfulness.com/ Shinzen's website: https://www.shinzen.org/ The Science of Enlightenment: How Meditation Works: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781683642121/thescienceofenlightenment/ Later work on the research Shinzen describes with Jay Sanguinetti: https://semalab.arizona.edu/ Host: Dr. Andrew Hill, cognitive neuroscientist and founder of Peak Brain Institute. Learn about QEEG brain mapping and personalized neurofeedback training: https://www.peakbraininstitute.com/contact-us/locations
Wim Hof: Breath, Cold, and Voluntary Control | Head First Archive
This conversation with Wim Hof was recorded in 2022. I found the original interview video in the Head First archive and wanted to share it. Wim talks about the experiences behind his breathing and cold practice, his twin brother, stress, trauma, and what he thinks we can influence in the body. We get into the physiology too. His claims reflect his perspective at the time of recording. There is evidence of short-term changes in epinephrine and inflammatory responses after combined training. The clinical evidence is still limited, and a 2024 review called for stronger trials. Be careful with breath holds. People can pass out, so never practice them in water or while driving. Cold water can put real strain on the heart, especially if you have a cardiovascular condition. I am Dr. Andrew Hill, cognitive neuroscientist and founder of Peak Brain Institute. Learn about QEEG brain mapping and personalized neurofeedback training: https://www.peakbraininstitute.com/contact-us/locations https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24799686/ https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286933 https://www.wimhofmethod.com/practice-the-method
Ep9 - The Whole Life Challenge and a CrossFit journey with Andy Petranek
Fitness expert Andy Petranek discusses how to build healthy fitness habits, the Whole Life Challenge and his early CrossFit entrepreneur journey. Andy Petranek is an athlete and CrossFit entrepreneur, cofounder of the Whole Life Challenge and the host of the WLC podcast.
“Your Brain is your most valuable asset.Invest in it, optimize it, achieve peak performance.”
Guest Podcasts
Dr. Hill as a guest on other podcasts, exploring the frontiers of neuroscience and biohacking.
About
Dr. Andrew Hill
Dr. Andrew Hill is a neuroscientist and pioneer in the field of brain optimization. With a passion for unlocking human potential, he bridges the gap between cutting-edge neuroscience research and practical, everyday applications.
Expertise & Approach
- •Specializes in neurofeedback and brain training techniques
- •Develops evidence-based guides for cognitive enhancement
- •Focuses on holistic brain health and overall well-being
Dr. Hill's work combines rigorous scientific understanding with a compassionate, personalized approach. He believes that everyone has untapped cognitive potential waiting to be discovered, and that by understanding our own brains we can develop tools to reduce suffering and improve performance.
Latest Biohacking Guides
Evidence-based strategies for optimizing your brain and performance
Neuroscience
Tinnitus, Misophonia and Earworms: Different Sound Problems
Distinguish persistent tinnitus, reactions to specific sounds and musical imagery, with realistic explanations and appropriate routes to support.
Neuroscience
Daylight Saving Time: Sleep, Health and Your Body Clock
How clock changes affect sleep and circadian timing, what health studies can establish, and practical ways to prepare for the transition.
Get Into The Best Brain of Your Life
Use Dr. Hill's functional neuroscience experience to get the most out of your brain. From sport and performance to childhood development to gerontology, Dr. Hill has wide experience working with goals to improve human performance and reduce suffering.
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Questions about neuroscience, biohacking, or peak performance? Reach out!