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Hard science meets no-BS advice in this deep dive on health optimization for high performers.
Dr. Andre Heeg cuts through industry hype with evidence-backed strategies using his straightforward Upward ARC framework: Activate, Recover, Capacity.
Unlike generic wellness content, each episode translates complex research into actionable protocols used by professionals worldwide. No fluff, no filler. Just practical insights on extending both lifespan and healthspan without sacrificing performance.
For professionals seeking the truth about longevity without pseudoscience.
Andre: Emergency room coffee at 3:00 AM.
Tastes like liquid desperation.
Black, bitter, strong enough
to dissolve dental enamel.
During med school rotations, that stuff
kept me alive through 36 hour shifts.
What started as a lifeline became a habit.
Eventually, I needed coffee just
to feel normal if I skipped it,
the headaches were brutal.
I didn't notice the dependency at first.
I just thought I was tired.
Later in consulting and
startups, I realized how tame
that coffee habit really was.
People were casually using Adderall
to push through projects, some
microdosed mushrooms to stay creative.
I saw nicotine pouches
being used in meetings.
Productivity hacks became chemical hacks.
Everyone was trying to optimize,
but they were frying the same brain
systems that made performance possible.
Most people have no idea how
fragile their dopamine system is.
They think being wired and on edge means
they're sharp, but what they're actually
doing is chasing stimulation until
their focus and motivation collapse.
Hey, Clara, you still with me?
Clara: Still here.
This one's hitting close to home.
I'm definitely guilty on this one.
I need to check my phone when
I see a banner pop up or a
notification makes it vibrating.
It's bad.
I know.
Andre: Let me spell it out.
Professionals today are
stuck in a stimulation loop.
We confuse activity with achievement.
Caffeine, social media, even email.
They all spike dopamine.
At first it helps, then
it becomes the problem.
You need more just to feel okay.
Let me give you a quick example.
Picture two professionals, same
age, same job, same education.
One of them keeps her focus steady.
She shows up, solves hard
problems, leads with calm.
The other one starts out
strong, but slowly falls apart.
He gets distracted, makes quick
decisions that later backfire.
Same hours.
Same effort.
But different outcomes.
The difference?
Not talent.
Dopamine.
One manages it, the other abuses it.
Now, this might sound over the
top, but I've seen it up close.
People burn out and they
don't even know why.
They think they're working hard, but
they're really just overstimulating
themselves until the system breaks.
Here's the science.
Dopamine evolved for things like hunting,
finding food, making social bonds.
Now it gets hijacked by
likes, alerts, headlines.
Research shows that too much
stimulation reshapes your brain.
You lose sensitivity to normal rewards.
You crave more and feel less.
It's not a metaphor.
You can see the change on brain scans.
Clara, anything you want to add?
Clara: I mean, I just checked my
phone twice while you were talking.
Andre: Exactly.
Even behavioral stuff, like checking
your phone can mirror addiction patterns.
Social media, porn, news apps.
They hit the same brain circuits
as cocaine, not figuratively.
Literally.
And here's the twist.
High performers, the ambitious
types, are more at risk.
They tend to have more
sensitive dopamine systems.
They crash harder.
So the same traits that drive
their success also make them
vulnerable to burning out.
Let's stop pretending we
can run full speed forever.
Elite athletes don't go hard every day.
They rest.
Cycle intensity.
Plan recovery.
We need to do the same thing
for our nervous system.
Otherwise, we're just setting
ourselves up for decline.
And no, being always online
doesn't prove you care.
It proves you've lost control.
Studies show that constant connection
raises stress hormones, worsens decisions,
and makes you enjoy success less.
It's a trap.
Clara: Alright, fine.
Then what do we do about it?
Andre: First, track your inputs.
Notice what you're consuming.
When do you reach for your phone?
When do you need that coffee?
Start seeing the patterns.
Second, take breaks.
Do a dopamine fast now and then.
Cut the stimulants.
Caffeine, social media,
processed food, headlines.
Even a day can reset your system.
You'll feel worse before you feel better.
That's normal.
That's your brain recalibrating.
Third, fix your space.
Keep screens out of the bedroom.
Don't eat with your phone.
Create places for rest that feel
different than your workspace.
Your environment shapes your brain
more than willpower ever could.
Fourth, upgrade your stimulation.
Some dopamine is good, but
not all dopamine is equal.
Consider high value activities
like exercise, making progress on
work, having real conversations
and working on creative projects.
The opposite are low value activities
like doom scrolling, reacting to
notifications, and engaging in clickbait.
Clara, question for you.
When was the last time you finished a
deep task and actually felt good about it?
Clara: Honestly, it's been a while.
Feels easier to just
chip away at small stuff.
Also, I constantly jump between things.
I'm not sure my brain can even
focus on a single task for
more than 10 minutes anymore.
Andre: That's the problem.
We've trained ourselves to
live on surface level hits.
But the deeper stuff?
That's where real satisfaction comes from.
It just takes longer to feel.
Fifth and final, add recovery.
Block time for deep work.
Then follow it with real rest.
No screens, no inputs.
Let your brain breathe.
Even a walk without a
podcast can work wonders.
I know all this sounds simple,
but it's hard because the
default is stacked against you.
You have to design for
dopamine or it will design you.
Here's the story.
I quit coffee, cold turkey
when I started consulting.
It was awful.
Headaches.
Shakes.
Two weeks of misery.
But when I came out the other
side, I felt clear again.
Now, I still drink coffee.
Just two shots in the morning.
I run it.
It doesn't run me anymore.
Same thing with news.
I used to check headlines 20 times a day.
Thought I needed to stay informed.
I quit that too.
I switched to newsletters.
These are slower, more thoughtful.
I didn't miss anything really,
and conversations got better.
I started asking people:
what's your take on that?
Instead of reacting.
The point is this is all fixable, but
only if you admit what's happening.
The goal isn't to eliminate stimulation.
It's to manage it.
Sustainably.
You want to be sharp for
decades, not just this quarter.
Your dopamine system sets the ceiling
for what you can do, take care
of it, and it takes care of you.
OK Clara, we covered a lot.
Anything you'd change?
Clara: Nope, I needed to hear that.
I've got work to do.
Andre: Alright, that's it for today.
Be kind to your brain.
Stop chasing hits and give
yourself the space to focus.
Stay healthy.