10 biohacks to help you unleash your potential and change your life for the better

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Habits that will benefit your body and mind and help you become more confident and happier.

We love technology, but pay little attention to the capabilities of our body and mind. Maybe that's why we feel unhappy and try to forget ourselves, looking at the screen of an expensive smartphone.

But we already have everything inside us to be happy and healthy, to enjoy every day and feel great. The annual biohacking conferences in Pasadena, California are dedicated to unleashing this inner potential.

What is biohacking

Biohacking is the ability to pump body and mind to achieve goals, gain peace of mind, happiness and satisfaction.

This can be achieved in different ways: with the help of breathing techniques and meditation, training and special poses, laughter and the right attitude. Therefore, the conference of biohackers gathers a variety of specialists: nutritionists, kinesiotherapists and trainers, neuroscientists, psychotherapists, journalists, entrepreneurs and business coaches.

The main direction that all biohackers support and strive for is the achievement of awareness.

This is a state of clarity, presence in the moment, creativity and happiness, in which a person can do the best of what he is capable of.

Eckhart Tolle is a writer and spiritual speaker, author of The Power of the Moment Now.

In you, as in any human being, there is a measure of consciousness deeper than thought. This is the essence of who you are. We can call this presence, attention, unconditional awareness.

It is quite natural to take care of our needs and be afraid of external threats, but our consciousness gets used to this and sees threats constantly, even if there is no real danger. Moreover, memories of past failures are also perceived as threats, and at the same time we experience real stress.

Being immersed in thoughts about the past or the future is not the most productive state, because you cannot really focus on what is happening now. But you can change this: dispel the fog of unnecessary thoughts and constantly be in the present moment.

Awareness can be reached in different ways, and biohackers tell you how to do it. Here are some good ways to increase your awareness and tune your body and mind in the right way.

10 biohacks for mindfulness, strength and happiness

1. Respiratory technique of the "ice man"

The special guest of the conference, Wim Hof, is a unique person who can tolerate extremely low temperatures well. He set 21 records in the Guinness Book of Records, spent almost two hours in an ice bath, in some shorts climbed Mount Everest to an altitude of 6, 7 km and ran a marathon at an air temperature of −20 ° C. Through meditation, Hof learned to regulate immunity, consciously increase cortisol levels and reduce the concentration of cytokines (a marker of inflammation) in the blood.

Wim Hof's breathing exercises allow you to:

• influence Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune responses in humans on the immune system;
• enhance blood circulation and increase muscle endurance, accelerate their recovery;
• increase concentration and awareness.

Warm up

Take a few deep breaths to get started. The air should fill the stomach, stay there for a few moments, and then completely exit. As you exhale, push the air out of your lungs so that nothing remains there.

Step 1: 30 breaths of strength

Inhale forcefully through your mouth so that your lungs are completely filled and your stomach puffs out, then exhale forcefully and briefly through your mouth, as if you are inflating a balloon. Take 30 breaths and breaths.

You may feel a slight dizziness or tingling sensation in your body while doing it. If pain or nausea is present, discontinue the practice.

Step 2: exhale and hold

After the 30th exhalation, hold your breath for as long as you can. At the conference, Hof asked the audience to hold their breath for one minute. Almost everyone coped with this: after the previous exercise, holding the exhale (without air in the lungs) is easy.

When you can no longer hold your breath, move on to the next step.

Step 3: take a deep breath and hold

Just breathe in as deeply as you can and hold your breath for 15 seconds.

All three steps are one round. Perform four rounds of breathing practice each time.

It starts working immediately and you can easily check it. Do as many push-ups as you can before starting, and then repeat after four rounds of practice - you will be pleasantly surprised.

Here is a video of Wim Hof's breathing technique.

Try it: the sensations are incredible!

2. Cold therapy

Here are some examples of the beneficial effects of low temperatures.

• Improving immunity. This is the familiar to all body hardening, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed by Uric acid and glutathione levels during short-term whole body cold exposure by science.
• Release of adiponectin, a hormone that accelerates fat breakdown and muscle recovery.
• Increased cell life.

There are several ways to gradually accustom yourself to the cold. If you have heart problems, consult your doctor first.

Method 1: cold shower

You will be scared to go under cold water because you know it will be very cold. It's okay, just get over the fear. See the cold as your strength.

Method 2: ice bath

Buy two packets of ice, pour it into the tub and fill it with cold water. Wait a few minutes and then immerse yourself in the water. If you're scared, try immersing only your face - it's much easier psychologically, but no less effective.

Method 3: go out into the cold

Dress lightly and go outside in the cold. Just do not start with a long stay in the cold, train your body gradually.

3. Meditation

Meditation is perhaps the main tool for gaining awareness and concentration in the present moment. Meditation helps:

• relieve stress and anxiety;
• improve concentration and memory;
• enhance positive emotions;
• cope with depression and anxiety.

Try the meditation given at the Biohacker Conference by Emily Fletcher, creator of ZivaMeditation.

Part 1: breathing

Find a quiet place where no one will disturb you, and sit in a comfortable position (not necessarily on the floor). If time is limited, set a timer for 5-7 minutes. Close your eyes and relax.

1. Close the right nostril with the thumb of your right hand.
2. Exhale through the left nostril, then inhale through it.
3. Remove your finger from the right nostril and close the left nostril with your ring finger. Exhale through the right nostril and then inhale through it.
4. Continue to inhale through one nostril and exhale through the other.
5. At the top of each inhalation, hold your breath for a moment before exhaling. Do the same as you exhale.
6. As you inhale, imagine how the energy flows through the body: up the spine, from its base to the head. As you exhale, direct this energy to the center of your forehead.
7. After finishing, lower your hands to your knees and move on to the second part.

Part 2: the five senses

1. Pay attention to the most noticeable sound near you: loud neighbors' TV, music from the street, noise of the air conditioner. Concentrate on it for a few breaths. Then pay attention to the quietest sound, such as your breathing, and again observe the sound for a while.
2. Pay attention to what you see with your eyes closed. Maybe flies are flying in front of them, or you can see light passing through the eyelids.
3. Note the most noticeable tactile sensation: pain, pressure, tickling in the throat, or whatever. Then note the weakest tactile sensation, such as air passing through your nostrils or a hair touching your neck.
4. Feel the taste even if you've eaten for a very long time. Maybe you will taste toothpaste or coffee, dry mouth. Then try to find a faint taste. If you don't feel anything, that's okay, just watch it.
5. Concentrate on the smell. Smell the most noticeable first, then the least.
6. Try to feel everything together. Spend some time like this.

Part 3: "ohm"

Repeat the word "om" in your head for three minutes. Let it just ring in your head. Don't try to stop the thoughts, just repeat the word.

Slowly come out of meditation, spend a few seconds awake, but without opening your eyes. Then take a deep breath and slowly open your eyes.

4. Internal generator: technique from the master of productivity

Trainer Brendon Burchard believes that all the qualities you need to be productive are already within you and can be experienced at any time. Just imagine that you are a powerhouse that exudes energy, concentration, courage and clarity.

You can check it out right now. Write on a piece of paper two rows of numbers from 1 to 10 and circle those that represent your energy and concentration levels.

Now consciously raise your energy level by three points. If you felt like a six, now circle the nine. Do the same with the concentration scale. After that, you will feel more energized and alert.

All amulets and talismans work according to this principle. And the fact that you know the mechanism of their action does not diminish the effect in the least.

5. Pose of strength

Our well-being and emotional state directly depends on the posture. Body language expresses emotions, but it can also evoke them. This is why poses of strength and confidence increase Power posing: brief nonverbal displays affect neuroendocrine levels and risk tolerance testosterone levels and lower levels of stress hormone cortisol. As a result, you feel more confident and less worried.

At the biohackers conference, Max Gotzler showed a video in which testosterone levels are simply going through the roof. Watch and repeat the rugby players.

If you don’t want to learn this amazing ritual dance (or don’t have the opportunity to do it), try the poses shown in the top row of the picture.

Hold any position in the top row for two minutes and you will feel a surge in confidence, mood, and energy.

6. Laughter

Laughter is a wonderful ability that:

• reduces the level of stress hormones;
• improves immunity;
• creates a feeling of happiness.

Think about something that scares and upsets you. Maybe this is a deadline at work or some significant event in the future. Now pretend to point your finger at a situation or person and start laughing out loud.

Even if the laugh is not real, it still works. Your physical condition will change your emotions.

Laugh at what scares or upsets you, and you will see the stress disappear.

7. Daily tips

Often we want to become kinder, eat better, be more aware, but forget about it the very next day. Several conference speakers shared a simple and effective way not to forget their aspirations and promises - to put daily reminders on the phone.

Here are three good options.

1. Provide a reminder of the three words that best describe your ideal personality type. For example, "calmness, confidence, happiness" or "strength, wisdom, kindness."
2. Use reminders on your phone to spend more time in the moment. Leave yourself a message: "Close your eyes, take a couple of deep breaths, and remember to be in the moment."
3. Set a reminder “What new things did I learn today?”Since you know that you will be asked this question in the evening, during the day the brain will look for new things to give you something to answer.

8. Avoiding alcohol

Everyone knows that alcohol is a toxin, and toxins are bad for our body. In a talk at the conference, journalist James Swanwick talked about how to stop drinking for 30 days.

1. Reconsider your thoughts. Avoiding alcohol is not a sacrifice, but a gift to your body. Remind yourself of this often (set a reminder).
2. Tell yourself "Today I only drink water and juice", not "Today I do not drink alcohol."
3. Promise yourself to have the most fun at any party.
4. Order ice water and lime wedge.
5. Plan early in the morning so you don't feel like staying late at the party.
6. Use this opportunity to take care of your friends and learn more about them.
7. Never apologize for not drinking, but do not judge drinkers either.
8. Find a friend who will agree not to drink with you.

9. Reading books

Investor and business consultant Tai Lopez believes reading is a real superpower. As you read, you load the knowledge and thoughts of the smartest and most successful people in history into your brain. The books are filled with years of other people's experience packed into hundreds of pages. As you read, ideas are embedded in your picture of the world and complement it.

You become wiser with every book you read.

Start a relationship with a new book today. If you don't have time at all, do it 10 minutes before bed.

10. Acknowledgments

The habit of being grateful will help you:

• focus on positive experiences;
• change your thoughts about your life in general;
• maintain a warm relationship with those who are really dear to you;
• feel more satisfied and happy.

Here are two simple exercises you can do every day.

1. Close your eyes and consider what you are grateful for. Concentrate on gratitude, breathe deeply, and keep those thoughts. Feel your gratitude overflowing.
2. Share this feeling with others. Write or call the person to whom you are grateful for something and tell him about it.

The kindness that you release into the world around you will definitely return to you.

Changes in 21 days

Choose one or more biohacks:

• breathing practice by Wim Hof;
• cold therapy;
• meditation;
• internal generator;
• poses of strength;
• laughter;
• daily reminders;
• refusal from alcohol;
• reading of books;
• gratitude.

Start with one biohack and do it for 21 days, and then, when it gets in the habit, add one or more. If you don't know where to start, choose gratitude.