I usually wake up naturally when the sun rises, although I set a back-up alarm on the app SleepSpace. It stirs me when I’m closest to the top of a sleep cycle, so that I don’t get jolted awake. My average sleep is six hours and 32 minutes a night. My mattress has a built-in tracker which changes the temperature of the bed, sometimes dozens of times a night, to help me get more deep and REM sleep.
Once I’m up I’ll have a glass of water with sea salt and lemon juice. This replenishes lost electrolytes and maintains hydration. Then I’ll have a shot of espresso made with Danger Coffee, which is full of minerals and electrolytes. Then I go outside to get some sunlight in my eyes.
Every morning I schedule at least 45 minutes of biohacking before meetings or calls. I often use my cold plunge or infrared sauna or do some breath work. I might do some cardio powered by AI. I use the Upgrade Labs technology stack, which gives you maximum benefits in a short time. Or I might meditate by connecting my brain to a computer, which is part of my 40 Years of Zen protocol.
The foundation of my diet is animal-based protein. My primary protein is rib steak. I keep half a cow in the fridge or in the freezer, and then I round that out with lamb and some fish, but not too much. It’s full of plastics, heavy metals and PCBs nowadays, as well as Omega-3. My goal is to get two grams per kilo of my ideal body weight every day. In the morning, I often have grass-fed sheep's yogurt.
I cook with grass-fed butter or beef tallow and add olive oil to my food and eat some avocados. I don’t count calories and I eat as much as I want. I avoid beans, almonds and lentils, as they are quite high in plant toxins. Plus, I don't eat rapeseed or canola oil, and I haven't for 17 years now. For dinner last night I had rib eye, sauteed rocket with Manchego cheese and watermelon.
I don’t take my phone out of airplane mode until at least a couple hours after I wake up. That way I get to set my agenda instead of someone else setting it. I’ve maintained this habit since my kids were younger and I didn’t turn it on until I’d dropped them off at school. It’s time to be with my own consciousness.
My primary wearable is the Oura ring. I’ve been tracking my sleep for 18 years. I also use the Ultrahuman ring, but its battery doesn’t last very long. I track heart rate variability, which is your morning recovery score. It helps you to set out your day. The other tech that I use is Neurofeedback, which is what my book Heavily Meditated is based on. It’s training that helps your brain and nervous system to recover and perform at their best.
As soon as the sun goes down I put on my TrueDark glasses for 15 minutes. The most important nutrient that we’re all missing is darkness
Screen time can damage your visual system. So when I’m doing my work, some of it is close in and some of it is two metres away on a different Mac screen. And behind that is a window so I can look out at trees to constantly change the depth of my focus.
I try to read fiction for around 20 minutes a day. It activates the creation parts of the brain and trains them. My favourite author is Neal Stephenson. I’m also listening to audiobooks about Robert Lanza’s work around the realm of biocentrism, which is a fusion of quantum physics and an esoteric belief system.
As soon as the sun goes down I put on my TrueDark glasses for 15 minutes and switch to dim red lighting in the house. The most important nutrient that we’re all missing is darkness. I’ve also changed the colour of my phone screen to be more red, as it doesn’t mess up your circadian timing unless it’s very bright. The right optical filters change your brain state in a similar way to meditating. And the difference in how you sleep and how you wake up when doing this, it changes your whole life and can help you with weight loss.
I also use ZenBud — it’s like a tiny headphone that creates static noise. It’s the world’s first ultrasonic vagal nerve stimulator. The vagus nerve needs to be activated for you to get deep, restful sleep.
I take 150 supplements a day as part of my longevity and cognitive function stack. I take magnesium 3 and 8 for sleep, and Minerals 101, which is one of my formulations. Having inadequate mineral reserves in your body is terrible for brain function and longevity.
Biohacking leads to an incredibly resilient biology and psychology. That’s why I share all my knowledge. I want everyone to have that as I didn’t when I was a young adult. It’s the art and science of changing the environment around you and inside you, so you have full control.
Dave Asprey is a longevity expert, four-time New York Times bestselling author and the creator of biohacking. daveasprey.com
