10 Easy Biohacking Tips You Can Try Today

These biohacking tips can help you take back control of your health!

By Diane Small

Biohacking tips are in demand these days. We’re learning that we can seriously boost our health with certain hacks. For example, we should all:

go to bed earlier and get up earlier
get at least 15 minutes of bright sunshine a day
give up or at least seriously reduce grains, seed oils and sugar in our diet.

But there’s so much more we can do, too! This new practice of self-control is encouraging people to use combination of biology, technology, and personal experimentation to improve their overall wellbeing.

We asked Sam and Kiel, the two founders of health site SET FOR SET, for 10 easy ways you can biohack your health for more energy, strength and longevity.

10 Ways To Biohack Your Health

easy biohacking tips

1. Take Cold Plunges

Wim Hof speaks so highly of cold plunges, and with good reason! Just a few minutes in cold water can:

reduce inflammation
improve circulation

enhance recovery after exercise
boost the immune system
improve sleep quality

help with stress management.

It’s probably not surprising that top athletes, such as Crisitiano Ronaldo, take ice baths after training. To benefit from cold plunges, you’ll need around 11 minutes of cold-water exposure per week. This can be broken into three minutes per session. Studies suggest 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 15 degrees Celsius) to be an optimal temperature range for cold plunges focused on reducing muscle soreness.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Mainly for improving overall immunity.

2. Optimise Your Sleep

If you are getting around seven to nine hours of sleep a night, you’re doing so much good for your body! It seems basic, but most of us don’t actually get enough sleep. According to Sam, most of us only average around six hours a night. But getting proper sleep can:

encourage muscle growth and repair
help keep your brain alert

improve your blood sugar levels
and even enhance your lifespan!

There are many ways to optimise your sleep. For example:

avoid use of electronic devices for two hours before hitting the sack
go to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends
ensure your room is as dark as can be. Use a sleeping mask if necessary

keep pets off your bed. They’re likely waking you up throughout the night, whether you know it or not
maintain a routine and spending time outdoors during daylight, especially in the morning. (This is because natural light exposure helps regulate your body’s internal clock and promotes alertness during the day).

To measure your sleeping patterns and to see how often you’re waking up, it’s easy. Just use an app or smart watch that can track sleep duration and quality.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Anti-ageing, cellular health.

3. Take Regular Saunas

Taking regular saunas isn’t just pleasant! Doing so has been proven to have cardiovascular health benefits.

When exposed to high temperatures, the body then works to cool itself down by increasing heart rate, blood flow, and cardiac output. This is known to decrease blood pressure, leading to benefits for cardiovascular health and longevity.

Both regular and dry saunas are effective for bringing you the following benefits:

increased relaxation
muscular tension and pain relief

improving immunity
detoxifying the body

And of course, for relaxing! When you’re more relaxed, you’ll probably also sleep better, too.

“Start at around 110 degrees for 5-10 minutes a few times a week,” says Kiel. “Then see how you feel, and go on from there.”

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: General detoxification of the body and longevity.

4. Use Himalayan Salt

Electrolyte levels are important for the body to function properly. They help to balance the amount of water in your body, balance your acid/base (pH) levels and move nutrients into your cells. Your body makes electrolytes naturally, of course. But if you’re sick, sweating a lot, or your levels otherwise are low, no problem!

Mineral-rich Himalayan salt contains lots of electrolytes. It has been proven to help detox the body, supporting kidney and liver functions. Try adding around 1 teaspoon of Himalayan salt to your food daily if you live in a hot climate. Not only will it keep you feeling energised, but it will also help boost your metabolism.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Boosting your metabolism.

5. Try Testosterone Replacement Therapy (for men)

It’s a sad fact that men’s testosterone levels are at a record low. The exact reason for this is unknown, though plastic use and pollution has often been blamed. Therefore, Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is a great biohack for men. Especially since as men get older, their testosterone levels drop.

Science proves that TRT improves:

energy levels
sex drive

bone density
muscle mass
insulin sensitivity

mood.

To check if you require TRT, a medical professional can measure your testosterone levels. This should normally range between 300 to 1,000 ng/dL.

Note: It’s is vital to be aware of the potential risks of TRT, too. This can include rash, itching, or irritation where the testosterone is applied.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Male sexual and physical health.

6. Do Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an easy biohacking tip you can try! And you don’t need to starve! Simply stop eating at around 6, and have breakfast at around 10. That’s 16 full hours without food – in other words, a fast. Too challenging? Fourteen hours will do.

Several changes occur to the body when fasting. These include:

a decrease in blood insulin level (which promotes fat burning)
an increase in human growth hormone (again promotes fat burning and muscle gain)
cellular repair where the body removes waste from its cells.

These changes are scientifically proven to help you lose weight and visceral fat, reduce your insulin resistance, oxidative stress and inflammation.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Weight loss, cellular repair.

7. Drink A Bit Of Coffee

Sure, low to moderate coffee intake is proven to cause increased alertness, energy, and ability to concentrate. Moderate coffee drinking also helps ward off heart disease and even Alzheimers. Additionally, both regular and decaf coffee have a protective effect on the liver. Research shows that coffee drinkers are more likely to have liver enzyme levels within a healthy range than people who don’t drink coffee.

But the truth is, many of us are ingesting way more than ‘moderate’ amounts. This is defined as up to 2 cups of Americano coffee per day. And I’m not talking about huge, American-sized cups, either! Your intake should be no more than 500ml daily.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Keeping the brain and heart strong.

8. Undertake Regular Blood Testing

Blood tests can be used for many things, including checking levels of blood glucose, calcium, cholesterol, and electrolytes, as well as blood tests that measure kidney function.

These indications help monitor your risk of heart and circulatory diseases and diabetes or how your condition is being managed.

Blood tests for different chemicals and proteins can also indicate how your liver or kidneys are working. And if you have a bit more money to spend, you can also check your hormone levels, and even look for certain cancer markers.

Sam says: “At least once a year, everyone over 40 should do a full blood panel.”

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Catching illness or disease early.

9. Try Breath Work

We mentioned Wim Hof at the beginning of this article. Because he’s the master of the cold plunge. But Wim also does some great videos on breath work!

As you probably know, in times of stress, our breath automatically responds by shortening and speeding up and this can cause further strain on the body. But with breath work practice, the body can be trained to automatically control breathing and use the breath as a calming tool during times of stress.

Breathing also directly affects how much oxygen our cells are getting. So when we deepen and slow down the breath from its usual pattern, we allow more oxygen to enter each cell.

It’s really easy to do breath work! Just inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. Too hard? Try 3 in and 6 out. Repeat this for around 10 minutes per session. For best results, do this once in the morning and once in the evening.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Calming down the central nervous system immediately.

10. Do Red Light Therapy (RLT)

Red light therapy (RLT) is increasing in popularity for boosting skin health. And with good reason! Research shows RLT may smooth your skin and help with wrinkles. RLT is also known to help with acne scars, burns, and signs of UV sun damage.

But did you know that RLT also helps to:

boost muscle recovery

reduce pain and inflammation
support nervous system health,
generally increase energy levels?

To complete a treatment, lie in a full-body LED red light bed or pod or be treated by a professional with a device that’s outfitted with panels of red lights.

Professionals recommend trying red light therapy three times per week for 10 minutes each time for a minimum of one month.

One of the best easy biohacking tips for: Improving the state of your skin.

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Diane Small

Senior Features Writer at Eluxe Magazine

A University of Texas journalism graduate and serious chocolate enthusiast, Diane was a sub-editor at the Houston Chronicle before falling pregnant. Today, she is the proud mom of two kids under the age of three, and freelances for Eluxe in between nappy changes and feedings.