On Purpose with Jay Shetty
On Purpose with Jay Shetty

Andrew Huberman: The Simple Habits That Will Transform Your Health

September 7, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Morning Cortisol Spike Is the Master Lever

Andrew Huberman's new book Protocols is not, he insists, another optimization checklist. The title is "both accurate and a little misleading," he tells Jay Shetty. The real goal is to give people "simple frameworks that allow them to be healthier mentally and physically, but also live their life with more ease and peace." The single most important thing most people can do—the first page of the instruction manual for the human body—is to get sunlight in their eyes first thing in the morning. But the reason why opens up a deeper physiological principle that ties together energy, stress resilience, and sleep quality.

Why You Want to Spike Your Morning Cortisol

Cortisol has an unfair reputation. People hear "stress hormone" and assume it should be minimized. Huberman argues the opposite: "Do things in the first hour of your day to deliberately elevate your cortisol. It will give you elevated mood, focus, and alertness all day, improved cognition, and it sets you up for low cortisol and great sleep at night."

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:13) **Guest Introduction: Dr. Andrew Huberman** - Jay Shetty introduces neuroscientist and Stanford professor Andrew Huberman for his third appearance, to discuss his new book *Protocols*.
  • 2 (03:00) **The First Page of the Human Body Manual** - Huberman identifies the single most important health practice: getting sunlight first thing in the morning.
  • 3 (07:14) **Andrew’s Morning Routine: Spiking Cortisol** - Huberman details his 30-minute morning routine, centered on deliberately elevating cortisol for energy and resilience.
  • 4 (09:31) **Why Spike Morning Cortisol? The Negative Feedback Loop** - Huberman explains the mechanism behind why a high morning cortisol is beneficial for the entire day's energy and stress regulation.
  • 5 (16:57) **Combating the 2-3 PM Crash** - Huberman explains the biological reason for the afternoon energy dip and offers non-caffeine solutions to navigate it.
  • 6 (24:51) **The Gift of Circadian Rhythm** - The discussion returns to the importance of aligning daily habits with the body's natural 24-hour cycle for cognition, mood, and sleep.
  • 7 (27:14) **Huberman’s Prayer Practice & The Role of Faith** - Huberman opens up about his personal nightly prayer practice and how it has fundamentally changed his ability to find peace and make better decisions.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Andrew Huberman Jay Shetty

Show Notes

Jay welcomes neuroscientist Andrew Huberman back for his third appearance to dive into his new book, Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body. Andrew breaks down what’s really happening in your body from the moment you wake up, from morning cortisol and better sleep to the science behind that afternoon energy crash. Then the conversation goes beyond physical health, exploring prayer, surrender, and how to better manage your energy.

With Love and Gratitude,

Jay Shetty

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What We Discuss:

00:00 Introduction

01:07 The Core Philosophy: Finding Ease, Peace, and Alignment

05:21 Optimal Morning Habits: The First Hour Of The Day

08:13 The Biology Of The Cortisol Awakening Response

13:31 Restoring Circadian Balance

15:19 Navigating The “Afternoon Crash”

21:15 Simplifying Fitness: Accessible Movement

24:13 The Science of Sleep and the Power of Prayer

26:35 Leaning Into Faith: Turning Willpower Over To God

28:30 The Scientific Mystery Of Surrender

32:54 Moving Beyond Binaries: Science And Faith

40:11 Jay’s Reflections On Grace And Compassion

44:46 James Hollis’s Four Rules For A Good Life

50:28 The Science Behind Recurring Thought Patterns

55:05 The Eastern Metaphor Of The Chariot

01:01:00 Breaking Out of Your Default Morning Mindset

01:03:30 The Pillars of Wellness And Impulse Control

01:06:00 The Ethical Burden of Animal Research

01:09:37 Prefrontal Strategy: Humans vs. Dogs and Cats

01:10:47 Brain-Machine Interfaces for Paralyzed Patients

01:11:54 The Future of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation

01:15:00 Willpower, Stress, And Directing Energy

01:16:37 The 27 Club Vs. Blue Zone Longevity

01:17:25 The Drive to Stand Out and Succeed

01:19:18 Nolan Williams And High-Output Healers

01:20:44 Rick Rubin’s Riddles On Balancing Energy

01:24:34 The Flow Of Energy Exchange

01:27:24 Hard-Earned Positivity

01:29:27 The Injured Bird

01:31:38 Achieving Scientific Consensus Over Time

01:34:09 Andrew Huberman On Final Five

Episode Resources:

Pre-order Andrew's new book Protocols: https://www.hubermanlab.com/protocols-book

Website | https://www.hubermanlab.com/

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