Biohacking on a Budget

In this article we will look at the best ways you can start biohacking today, without spending money or investing a lot of time. 

• How to biohack your body without spending a single cent.
• How you can easily integrate these free biohacks into your life. 
• How easy it is to start feeling better and performing on a higher level

The best thing first: You can start right away to take control over your biology and upgrade your performance, all without a single purchase. Although a some tools and gadgets give you additional advantages, biohacking doesn't require expensive gear or technology. You can start right away to apply a few changes and techniques, which will get you to the next level.

Let's look at the typical day of a high performer and what you can do, to feel just as healthy, energetic and focused. Ready?

In order to function at your highest level and to fully enjoy life, we have to start before your actual day - with proper sleep. Sleep is the key to proper immune function, helps to manage stress, repair the body and to organize all the information we have accumulated in our brains throughout the day. Without proper sleep, your performance will soon reach an upper boundary.

Your bedroom should be for two things only: Sleep and sex. Turn it into your sleep sanctuary with the following guidelines:

• No electronic devices or screens (mobile phone set to flight mode) 
• Dark (block out ALL light from the outside and no LEDs or use a sleeping mask)
• Quiet (make sure there is as little noise as possible or use ear plugs)
• Cool ((keep it at around 18°C and let in fresh air before you hit the pillow)

Following these tips, your sleep will improve and so will your physical and mental performance. 

How you sleep is also determined by your day, so make sure to integrate the following things for maximum recovery during the night:

• Get natural light and fresh air by going outside for at least 15 minutes
• Set your devices to "warm color mode" in the evening (do it NOW)
• Use the time before going to sleep to wind down (no work, no exercise, not too much stimulation)

By being outside and active throughout the day, your body will produce the right hormones to put you to sleep in the evening. 

With proper sleep you won't have a hard time to get out of bed in the morning. To activate the body and mind, the next steps focus on increasing your natural energy levels. It's not that some people are just more energetic than others, it's about the habits and rituals they apply. 

Every morning when I go to the bathroom, I start by moving my body and shaking things up. It literally gets the juices flowing (blood and lymphatic fluid) and invigorates the body and mind. 

• Do a quick Qigong Shake or jump on the spot for 2 minutes
• Stretch your core, neck, legs and arms (pro tip: integrate the spinal wave)
• Alternatively go for a short run, a quick yoga session or any other movement you like

During the night, gravity worked on your body and you might feel a bit stiff. Apply the techniques above to get fluid again. 

Some things deserve the hype around them. One such thing is cold thermogenesis, the way our bodies response to the cold. It speeds up the metabolism and is beneficial for brain health, immunity, sleep and much more. 

• Cold Shower (start by turning your shower to ice old for 30 seconds at the end of your shower)
• Drink ice cold water after waking up (around 300-500ml)
• Take an ice bath (advanced)

You will love the way you feel after stepping out of that ice cold shower! Try to be lazy afterwards. 

Being clear headed, able to focus on the task at hand and memorizing large amounts of information, is a super power we all wish we had. What if there was a magic pill I could give you, that made it possible? Oh and it's free. Would you take it?

That's it, the magic pill for a powerful mind. Meditating has countless proven benefits, among them reduced stress, increased emotional health, self-awareness, clarity of thought, longer attention span, improved focus, faster recovery and many more. It doesn't require a lot of time, either. 

• Take 10 minutes to breathe through your nose, into your stomach, just focusing on your breath
• Don't worry if you drift off, that's normal. Just gently bring your attention back on your breath
• No time for meditation? Just be mindful when eating, doing nothing but enjoying your lunch

The small investment of 10 minutes a day will soon start to provide you with real value in return. You'll find yourself navigating through your day with more ease and mental clarity. Like your normal brain has been supercharged.

We all want to be fast, strong and resilient, right? Besides physical attractiveness, biohacking your body can increase your overall health, mental performance and even longevity. It doesn't require hours in the gym either. You can achieve great results by putting in as little as 15-30 minutes a day as well as some thought when it comes to fueling your body.

In nature, everything that doesn't move and progress, dies. It's somewhat similar with the human body. Everything you don't use will become useless over time. Luckily we can maintain what we have with little time invested and without spending a single cent. 

• Walk for 15 minutes each day, slightly quicker than is comfortable
• Perform bodyweight strength workouts 3 times per week for maintaining muscle
• Go for a run or any other activity that you ENJOY (that is the important part)

Movement is a must, not only for physical but also mental health. It offers a huge return on investment. 

Imagine this: What you eat is what your body will use as fuel and building material. High quality fuel means high quality energy and a high quality cell structure. Low quality fuel means less energy and shitty material for your body to build on. Luckily you can take easy steps to improve your diet:

• Reduce sugar intake (sugar spikes insulin which leaves you crashing plus a lot more downsides)
• Eat less meat (especially industrial meat - imagine you only get what the animal consumed, just in the form of meat)
• Eat more vegetables (aim for 50% vegetables or at least add a salad to your regular meal)
• Consume more healthy fats for energy (olive oil, avocados, fatty fish like salmon, MCT oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter)

If you eat less meat, reduce sweets, drink tap water instead of soft drinks and eat more vegetables, you will have more than enough extra cash for high quality fats. Triple win: More money, better health and energy and it's good for the environment.

After your high performance day, you want to wind down quickly in the evening and get into a relaxed state. That includes driving down the bodily functions as well as calming the mind. 

When you want to relax your system, it's important to reduce the incoming stimuli and to prepare for shutdown. 

• No work 2 hours before bed
• No intense activity 2-3 hours before bed
• No food too close to bed time

Giving your body time to relax just means doing less. Agreed, this is often a challenge when coming from a high energy, high-performance day but the next step will help a lot.

Thoughts spinning through your head, unsolved problems and worries as well as incoming stimuli, will keep you restless and diminish your sleep quality. Getting those thoughts out of your head is a timeless and proven strategy. And it's free.

• Write in a journal (3 things that went well & 3 things that could have been better)
• Perform an awareness meditation to get your mind in the here and now
• Write down whatever is bothering you, fold it up and throw it away

With some weight off your mind, you will find yourself falling asleep faster and more easily. It will setup a good night of sleep before your next day, full of energy and high performance.  

The tried and tested strategies mentioned above will help you to optimize your performance immediately. Plus they are free and can be done anywhere, anytime. 

• Improve your sleep by spending time outdoors and setting up a proper sleep environment
• Upon waking, move, stretch and take a cold shower to activate your body
• Meditate to get your mind focused and sharp 
• Be sure to move every day
• Refuel with high quality food, especially vegetables and healthy fats
• Relax quickly by getting things out of your head

You can start taking at least one of those steps TODAY and will feel the difference immediately. You will be biohacking without spending a single cent on equipment or gadgets and for a start, that's all it needs. Don't let the topic of biohacking intimidate you. We all have the desire and skills in us to improve and optimize, making the most of our potential. Enjoy the process!