Google the definition of biohacking and you’ll find practices ranging from sleep-tracking and meditation to pumping young blood into your veins in a bid to fight ageing. Although the world of biohacking can sound somewhat sci-fi, its converts are keen to extol the benefits of what is a simple desire to perform and function at our very best.
“People who think it’s only about cyborgs and chip implants are wrong – biohacking is all about health optimisation,” confirms Tim Gray, founder of the Health Optimisation Summit. “There can be crossover, but the fundamental practices are more basic than that. It’s not about turbocharging yourself so you can perform at a superhuman level, it’s about performing how we should be naturally and restoring homeostasis to the body.”
In other words, to get started on your biohacking journey, address the fundamentals first and you’ll reap the health rewards quickly – no chip required.
1. Prioritise your sleep
“Sleep is the number one tool for everything, whether your goal is more energy, weight loss, improved hair, skin and nails, or better mental health,” says Lee Mullins, founder of Workshop Gymnasium. Maximise your sleep quality by cutting down food and caffeine consumption before bedtime, and reducing your blue-light exposure at least three hours before bed. “Blue light stops us secreting melatonin, which is essential for proper sleep,” says Gray, who champions blue-light blocking glasses. Body warmth can also impact sleep quality, says Mullins. Invest in a temperature-controlled mattress pad that allows you to select your ideal sleeping climate.
Try: Quay Australia Blue Light Glasses, from £29; ChiliSleep Cube Sleep System, from £699.
2. Go with your gut
A healthy gut is a core principle of biohacking as it contributes to a strong immune system, and communicates with the brain to maintain overall wellbeing. “It forms the cornerstone of health and needs to be supported as such,” agrees the founder of Wild Nutrition, Henrietta Norton. Digestive enzymes help your body absorb nutrients from food and can be useful for those with digestion issues. Norton also advocates going back to basics with your diet. “The microbiome is unique in each individual and very sophisticated at correcting itself when given the right fuel, so get as much prebiotic fibre through your diet with vegetables and low fructose fruit such as berries, oats and seeds.”
Try: Workshop Gymnasium Essential Greens, £65.
3. Tweak your daily diet
It’s not just what we eat but when we eat that matters. “Intermittent fasting is an age-old technique,” says nutritionist and naturopath Rosemary Ferguson, who attests to it improving sleep, digestion, gut health, energy and mental clarity. “The simplest way to do it is to extend the natural fast that you’ve had overnight and not eat until 11am, for example. When you do eat, ensure that it is following the perfect plate method: half veggies, quarter protein, quarter carbs and a little good fat.” Also try adding a scoop of reishi or chaga mushroom to your daily smoothie. According to Ferguson, these antioxidant adaptogens offer a different array of phytonutrients from other plant foods and bring balance to the body.
Try: Leaf & Oil Organic Reishi Mushroom Powder, £16.
4. Feel the earth move
Although the science behind it is limited, few would argue the benefits of grounding, a method that sees you physically – and electrically – connect with the earth. This allows its negatively charged antioxidants to counteract the positive free radical charge that builds up inside our bodies. “Grounding is a fantastic anti-inflammatory practice,” notes Gray. “We are electrical creatures and grounding uses that principle to reduce inflammation and maintain balance. Twenty barefoot minutes twice a day enables adequate flow of free electrons, whether it’s on grass, natural rock, soil or sea.” If you can’t get outside, grounding mats that can be plugged into your electrical socket are said to conduct the earth’s energy in a similar way.
Try: Groundology Large Grounding Mat, £49.
5. Stress less for better skin
“Skin has clever ways of showing us what is happening in the body in terms of internal factors, a lot of which can lead to inflammation in the skin,” says Jasmina Vico, a London-based skin health specialist. When we’re stressed, the hormone cortisol is triggered, which can lead to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, structural proteins responsible for springy skin. One way to manage strain is to get adequate vitamin D through exposure to sunlight or a 10mcg daily supplement. Also, although evidence is mostly anecdotal, the gentle heat of infrared saunas is thought to prompt the release of endorphins and lower cortisol with regular use, as well as increase circulation for anti-inflammatory benefits.
Try: Wild Nutrition Food-Grown Vitamin D, £15.
