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

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.

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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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