Biohacking : Here are the best tips you need to know

You don’t know anything about biohacking? Are you sure of that? Maybe you have a fitness watch that monitors your activity or sleep? Do you run or do yoga to relieve stress? Or maybe you eat a certain way because you’ve discovered that it makes you feel good?

So you are already applying the basic techniques of biohacking and bodyhacking – activities and hacks that positively influence your daily life and well-being.

It turns out there are plenty of other ways to optimize your performance outside of standard health advice. Thanks to biohackers, learn how to make your daily life even healthier and more focused on well-being – here we present the best methods and tips and spare you the pointless hacks.

Biohacking – a centuries-old technique

In recent years, the term and sphere of biohacking have expanded from the United States to Europe and France. The composition of the word from « bio » (meaning: life) and « hacking » (meaning: decode and control) already gives an indication of what it is about: biohackers aim to know their body best possible and want to take responsibility for their health and well-being. 

Personal effectiveness is the focus – for a long, healthy life and maximally optimized performance and well-being . Initially this may seem like pressure to increase performance and more stress, but upon closer inspection it is exactly the opposite that is sought. If you give your body what it needs and exercise it to do what it was made to do, you will gain energy and stamina.

There are many methods and tips, they can and should be used flexibly and individually. Tech tools are popular tools, but deep down, it’s about living in harmony with nature. This implies a certain return to an original and natural way of life, as well as an awareness of one’s own body .

Dave Asprey – the father of the modern concept

The pioneer of biohacking is the American Dave Asprey, who set the goal of living to be 180 years old. For more than 20 years, he has been trying to master his body’s processes using various techniques. Asprey compares aging to death by a thousand pinpricks, which he wants to fix or prevent from happening using biohacks. In his books, the inventor of Bulletproof Coffee and the Bulletproof Diet reports on his experiences and habits. He also uses fitness trackers, blue light filtering glasses and expensive treatments like ozone therapy. In addition, various dietary supplements are part of his daily routine – just like meditation and cold showers.

What biohacking can do for you

Even if you don’t have the goal of living to be 180, it would be good to stay healthy and, above all, happy into old age . Biohacking techniques can help you with this. Used regularly and correctly, hacks can:

• Provide more energy, productivity and focus
• Improve your performance – in training and in everyday life
• Strengthen your resistance
• Reduce stress and promote good sleep
• Increase self-awareness
• Helping you achieve your personal and professional goals

You don’t need to change your entire lifestyle right away. The best thing to do is to gradually test different measures and try to integrate them into your daily life step by step. Find out what suits you and makes you feel good. Sometimes it takes a while to see or feel results. Therefore, you should use these tips regularly for at least four weeks .

The pillars of biohacking

Your diet affects your sleep, your sleep affects your performance, your performance affects your productivity and so on – biohacking is about thinking holistically .

However, biohacking techniques can be classified into broad categories:

• Nutrition​
• The sport
• Regeneration
• State of mind

What biohackers eat

Diet plays an important role in health and performance, perhaps even more than we realize. Your diet should be tailored to your needs and personalized (for example, if you have intolerances). However, most biohackers agree that an optimized diet:

• Consists of consuming regional, seasonal and quality foods
• Includes regular fasting phases (intermittent fasting)
• Takes gut health into account

Biohackers ensure that they have an optimal diet that includes all the necessary nutrients. Most follow a paleo, low-carb or ketogenic diet – the body learns to get its energy from fat over the long term. Unlike proteins and fats or certain fatty acids, carbohydrates are not essential nutrients.

Additionally, unprocessed foods are on the menu as much as possible, including:

• Lots of fresh vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Pasture-raised animal products
• Fatty seafood

When consuming animal products such as meat, eggs or dairy, organic food lovers pay attention to quality and opt for meat from pasture-raised livestock. Traditional breeding offers animals the best living conditions:  plenty of space, a diet adapted to the species and exercise in the fresh air . This not only improves the quality of the meat, but also the welfare of the animals.

But even when it comes to supplements and protein products (e.g. for muscle building), biohackers look at the label very closely. Purity and the most natural origin possible, without additives, are at the top of the list.

Dave Asprey and other well-known biohackers, like Tim Ferris or Max Gotzlar, swear by dietary supplements . There are several reasons for this. They claim, for example, that our needs are higher than the recommended daily intakes and that, on the other hand, the nutrient content of foods and their bioavailability are lower than we think. Minerals like magnesium and zinc, vitamin D, omega 3 and adaptogens like cordyceps and ashwagandha are particularly popular with biohackers

The trap to avoid : trying to replace a healthy diet with food supplements.

How biohackers stay fit

Physical exercise in all its forms is an essential part of everyday biohacking.

• Regular training to strengthen muscles,
• Endurance training for the cardiovascular system
• Mobility  & stretching for more flexibility,

Also :

• Sufficient breaks to stretch while working (or standing desks)
• Walks (or exercise in the fresh air).

Intensive HIIT units or Crossfit combine strength and endurance training. These types of training are considered particularly effective, meaning that improving endurance and muscle performance can be achieved in a short time. Is it too much for you at first? No problem, all daily movements such as climbing stairs, cycling to work or walking during lunch break will also make a difference. Biohackers know that the human body needs a lot of movement during the day and that sitting at the office, on the couch or in the car for hours every day is against its nature.

Hack not to do : push your limits every day.

What role does a good night’s sleep play?

It is undeniable that diet and exercise have a considerable influence on health and well-being. With this third pillar of body hacking, holistic thinking is evident: good sleep is essential to being healthy and productive in the long term. The way you behave during the day and in the evening has a considerable influence on your sleep.

This is why biohackers mainly focus on stress reduction and circadian rhythm . This describes the natural rhythm of 24 hours a day. During the day, many bodily functions and parameters change, such as blood pressure, body temperature and hormone release. These make us particularly efficient, insensitive to pain or even tired, depending on the time of day. However, modern life, with artificial light, work and other environmental influences, can disrupt this rhythm.

Do you want an example ? As soon as it gets dark, your body normally begins to release the sleep hormone melatonin. Light with a high blue light content (lamp, smartphone, laptop) interferes with melatonin production – making it harder for you to sleep. Do you fall asleep particularly well while watching Netflix in the evening? Maybe yes, but your sleep is then less restorative and may cause you to wake up more often during the night.

Biohackers therefore try to adapt their daily routine to the circadian rhythm as much as possible and, for example, avoid blue light in the evening. Blue light filtering glasses are a common aid for those evenings when you can’t do without light and screens.

Other tips for good sleep:

• Cold thermogenesis
• Meditation
• Breathing exercises
• A good dose of sun and daylight
• Light therapy lamps and red light lamps
• Digital detoxification
• Oil extraction
• Create routines
• For women: diets and exercises based on the menstrual cycle

Have you been wanting to improve your sleep for a long time? In our article how to sleep well , you will find a wealth of information and advice for restful nights.

Hack not to do : Perfectionism – you should not integrate everything immediately and turn your daily life upside down. This will only put you under pressure and cause stress.

How biohackers use the power of thought

A healthy body also needs a healthy mind. With the right attitude and mindset, you can achieve anything. You can use the following mind hacks:

• Journaling isn’t just loved by biohackers: writing down your goals, thoughts , and to-do lists helps you get your mind in order. Especially if you are often kept awake by your thoughts. It also helps you track your progress and visualize your goals.
• Keep a gratitude journal and write down three things each day that you are grateful for – this can also be combined with journaling.
• Socialization , belonging to a community or physical contact are often underestimated when it comes to health.

Biohacking routines

Biohacking enthusiasts like to talk about routines, especially morning and evening routines . This seems a bit old fashioned at first, but it is justified. Once you have developed a certain routine, it will not only help you to keep up and integrate your biohacking tools into your daily life, but also to break bad habits. At crucial times, you will make the right choice and recognize what is good for you, what is not, and where your priorities lie.

To illustrate, we’ll show you an example of a morning routine that many biohackers follow in a similar way. If you are one of those who like to experiment, you can start by doing it in the morning.

Start your day with an oil mouthwash . This Ayurvedic tradition is said to whiten teeth, improve mouth feel, and rid the mouth of plaque and bacteria ^[1] . The mouth is rinsed with a teaspoon of coconut or sesame oil for about 15 to 20 minutes. The oil should be moved back and forth in the mouth as continuously as possible and spit into a tissue at the end. Then rinse your mouth with warm water and brush your teeth as usual.

Did you know that a water loss of 2% of your weight already limits your performance? First drink two glasses of water – possibly with the juice of a fresh lemon and half a teaspoon of salt. This way you replenish your water and electrolyte balance directly after sleeping. This is a great time to do exercise , meditation, or breathing exercises . You can vary (daily) depending on your mood. The goal is to listen to your body, feel like yourself and start the day with awareness.

Take a cold shower ! Every morning if possible. It gives you energy and power – we promise! If you have no experience with cold training, or cold showers, get used to it slowly by taking a hot shower first and only switching to cold water. at the end. Start with the legs and arms before moving on to the cold shower on the upper body and head. Gradually increase from 20 seconds to three minutes, or until you are using cold water exclusively.

If you’re not the breakfast type, try intermittent fasting , many biohackers swear by it. If you’re in desperate need of energy or have a busy morning ahead, try a Bulletproof coffee with grassfed butter and coconut or MCT oil. When fasting or on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, the fat you put in your coffee (or even tea) can help your body switch to fat metabolism and get energy from fat. or ketone bodies. You can learn more about this on our ketogenic diet page.

Take five minutes and a notebook and write down three things you’re looking forward to and grateful for that day. You can also make a list of the most important tasks you want to accomplish. Make sure your to-do list is realistic and doesn’t overwhelm you.

Of course, you don’t and shouldn’t necessarily adopt this routine as is, you can adapt it to your needs. Whatever your morning routine, set your alarm so that you have enough time and don’t stress yourself out.

Hack not to do : avoid the “snooze” function of your alarm clock at all costs. This can cause you to fall back into a deep sleep phase and make you feel even more tired.

Pro tip : Leave your smartphone, tablet, or laptop behind for the first hour after you wake up and only worry about yourself . We also recommend taking advantage of daylight in the morning – whether that’s a morning walk with your dog, a short HIIT session in the park or a bike ride to work, it’s up to you. Daylight signals to your body that night is over and helps you start the day with energy. The fresh morning air also helps.

Do you want more ?

If you’re a big fan of order and routines, you can create an extra routine in the evening . This will help you calm down and reduce stress, which manifests itself in the form of noise, environmental toxins and many sensory impressions.

It’s a good idea to replace old routines with:

Instead of :	Prefer :
✗ Intensive sport in the evening	✓ Meditation or breathing exercises
✗ A beer or glass of wine after work	✓ Warm foot baths and a cup of herbal tea
✗ Netflix, Instagram & Co.	✓ Read or listen to stories
✗ Chips and chocolate as an evening snack	✓ Light meal at least four hours before bedtime

For notable success – here are our 5 best biohacks

You have now received a lot of information. But which of these techniques are the most effective? It wasn’t easy for us to choose, but concentration is key. Here are our top 5 which, in addition to taking your health and well-being to the next level, are free and require little investment of time . We’ve already mentioned some of them several times – now find out why you should definitely try them!

#1: Cold Thermogenesis

Cold showers, ice baths or short winter walks in light clothing are among the best hacks in the world of biohacking for several reasons. Perhaps you know Wim Hof, who has already proven several times with his world records that the cold does not make you sick (viruses and bacteria are responsible), but can even protect you from illness. Cold thermogenesis:

• Strengthens the immune system ^[2]
• Improves resistance and
• Increases performance ^[3]

As in the case of intensive training, the cold temporarily puts your body in a stressful situation, thanks to which it adapts and becomes stronger . You also need to consider the mental aspect. Imagine how proud you will be of yourself after your first cold shower.

Hack not to do : go from 0 to 100%. Prepare slowly! By taking regular cold showers, for example. Refrain from cold training if you are sick or have a cold and never take an ice bath alone, to be safe.

#2: Intermittent Fasting

By fasting regularly, ideally at least 16 hours a day, you not only take the strain off your digestive tract. Intermittent fasting improves cell regeneration and turnover ^[4] and increases the release of growth hormones, which is important for muscle building and fat loss. It also reduces the risk of type II diabetes, especially when combined with a diet low in sugars or carbohydrates. Many biohackers also report being more focused and productive in the morning if they skip breakfast, or sleeping better if they eat their last meal early in the afternoon.

#3: Breathing

There is more and more interest in good breathing and working on breathing. This is understandable, since we breathe without thinking about it. Factors such as stress, poor posture, and chronically blocked sinuses (for example, due to allergies) cause us to breathe more through our mouths. On the other hand, it causes us to breathe more quickly and shallowly than our ancestors. Your nose filters, warms and humidifies the air before it reaches your lungs. In addition, breathing through the mouth does not provide enough oxygen to the body. The consequences can be a reduction in performance and immune defenses, nocturnal breathing pauses (sleep apnea) and snoring.

So always try to breathe through your nose (preferably also when exercising) and incorporate breathing exercises into your daily routine. They have been shown to have a positive impact on your stress levels ^[5] . Exhaling longer than inhaling activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is part of your autonomic nervous system. It is responsible for your recovery, the constitution of your reserves and has an influence on your internal balance (homeostasis). Try the following exercise: Slowly count to four as you inhale and slowly count to five as you exhale. If this is easy for you, you can extend the exhale and count to six, seven, or eight.

nu3 tip: Many breathing exercises can be integrated discreetly into everyday life – while driving to work, going shopping or cleaning.

#4: Meditation

Breathing also plays an important role in meditation. But these age-old exercises of mindfulness and spirituality are about more than just sitting, breathing, and thinking about nothing. Rather, the goal is to perceive feelings and thoughts without judging them and to be completely in the present moment . Meditation helps you concentrate easier and longer in everyday life and at work, to be more attentive to the here and now and to reduce stress.

If you’ve never meditated before, guided meditations with an app or video can help. You can also do the following:

• Sit comfortably and upright on a chair or cushion.
• Inhale and exhale deeply.
• Focus on your breathing and try to imagine it moving in and out of your lungs and body.
• When you feel your thoughts drifting, let them pass like clouds and focus again on your breathing.

Hack not to do : Long meditations that you can only manage sporadically. Instead, incorporate a short meditation practice into your morning routine. Five to ten minutes a day is enough to get started.

#5: Digital Detox

What may not seem difficult at first can be a real challenge, as we often reach for our smartphone or turn on the television out of habit. In our modern world, we are exposed to media influence and a flood of information every day. Yet much of this information has absolutely no relevance to us as individuals and is of no use. Going without digital media for a period of time is not only a completely free hack, you’ll also be rewarded with lots of extra free time. You can spend it with friends and family, in nature, or trying other biohacks . Incorporate digital detox into your daily routine as often as possible. If you are a real smartphone addict, here are some tips:

• First, banish your smartphone from your environment for hours – ideally first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
• Put your smartphone in airplane mode during these times.
• Leave it at home when you go jogging, walk the dog or just go for a walk – you’ll be much more aware of your surroundings.
• Give up the influence of digital media for a whole day , a whole weekend or even a whole week.

One-week program for beginners

Now is the time to get started! With our instructions and techniques for biohacking, you can integrate hacks into your daily life in a sustainable way.

• ^[1] See Sezgin, Y. et al. (2019): “ Efficacy of oil pulling therapy with coconut oil on four-day supragingival plaque growth: A randomized crossover clinical trial ”, accessed November 1.
• ^[2] See Jansky, L. et al. (1996): « Immune system of cold-exposed and cold-adapted humans. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology » 72.5-6, p. 445-450
• ^[3] Cf. Papenfuß (2015): « Die Kraft der Kälte – Ganzkörperkältetherapie bei -110 °C ». Verloag Edition k, Regensburg 
• ^[4] See Martinez-Lopez, N. et al. (2017): “ System-wide Benefits of Intermeal Fasting by Autophagy ”, accessed November 1, 2021.
• ^[5] See Hopper, S. et al. (2019): “ Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: a quantitative systematic review ” accessed November 1, 2021.