12 March 2018

Life Hacks 102 - #007

0Frameworks

10Insights

Insights & moments

The myth-busts, hot takes, explainers, and tools worth keeping.

Myth Buster· 2

Myth Buster02:30

Moon Phases Don't Actually Affect My Sleep Quality

The guest mentions believing moon phases impacted his sleep, but the host challenges this, noting the correlation is likely coincidental and not actionable. The data may be interesting but doesn't change behavior.

Guest claims sleep improves during 'no moon' periods
Host skeptical of lunar impact on sleep
Correlation doesn't imply causation in sleep data
Little practical value in adjusting routine for moon cycles

“I think the whole light lunar cycle compared to asleep... it's a bit like being told the world's going to end — not much you…”
host · 04:10

#sleep#moon#myth#data

Myth Buster17:00

Meditation Apps Overpromise on Quick Results

The guest criticizes meditation apps like Headspace for implying benefits after just 100 minutes, arguing that real change requires much more time and that early frustration is normal and even a sign to persist.

Apps suggest quick brain changes after minimal practice
Real benefits take hundreds of hours, not days
Feeling no change after 100 minutes is normal
Frustration during early practice may indicate it's working

“I must be doing it wrong because I don't feel any changes... they've underplayed the time it takes to actually get to the point where…”
guest · 17:45

#meditation#myth#expectations#time

Explainer· 1

Explainer04:30

How Sleep Notes Help You Experiment With Sleep

Sleep Cycle allows users to log variables like caffeine, alcohol, stress, or exercise before bed. Over time, these 'sleep notes' reveal patterns and help users test how lifestyle choices affect sleep quality.

Users can log habits like caffeine, alcohol, stress, or meditation
App correlates these notes with sleep quality data
Enables self-experimentation to identify sleep disruptors
Example: caffeine after 4 p.m. reduced sleep quality by 5%

“You could have a sleep note which says had caffeine after 6:00 p.m., spend more than five hours at work, had alcohol, didn't have alcohol,…”
guest · 04:50

#sleep#tracking#habit#experiment

Story· 1

Story07:30

Why I Developed a Negative Relationship With Pieces

The guest shares how using the app 'Pieces'—recommended by Dave Asprey—initially helped him sleep, but eventually created anxiety because he only used it on nights when he struggled, forming a negative association.

App was recommended by Dave Asprey for sleep issues
Voice became associated with difficulty falling asleep
Created a reverse Pavlovian response over time
Eventually stopped using it due to negative conditioning

“The voice is associated with me is with nerving in asleep... I developed a negative relationship with it”
guest · 07:50

#sleep#app#conditioning#anxiety

Tool· 5

Tool00:30

Why I Use Sleep Cycle for Sleep Tracking

The guest explains how Sleep Cycle works as a sleep-tracking app that uses motion or sound to monitor sleep quality and wake you during light sleep. He's used it for over 1,200 nights and values its long-term data collection and correlation features.

App tracks sleep onset and wake time using phone's motion or microphone
Detects sleep depth and calculates a nightly sleep quality percentage
Can wake you during light sleep within a set window
Tracks correlations with weather, moon phase, and location
User has logged over 1,200 nights of data since 2008

“It uses the length of time that you're asleep plus the depth of sleep... and then works out a quality of sleep that's based on…”
guest · 01:50

#sleep#app#tracking#data

Tool13:30

Why Headspace Is a Great Meditation Starter

Headspace is recommended as an accessible, guided meditation app for beginners. It uses progressive cues and themed packs to ease users into practice, with decreasing prompts over time to build independence.

Guided sessions help beginners learn meditation basics
Offers themed packs for anxiety, focus, relationships
Progressively reduces cues to build self-reliance
Free trial available; sessions range from 3 to 20 minutes

“Guided meditation is an easy way to start off that journey... you press a button and you listen to what they say”
guest · 14:45

#meditation#app#mindfulness#beginner

Tool21:30

Best Book for Learning Meditation: Mindfulness in Plain English

The guest recommends 'Mindfulness in Plain English' by Henepin as the most accessible, clear guide to meditation, avoiding esoteric language and focusing on practical method.

Clear, straightforward teaching style
Avoids overly spiritual or complex language
Focuses on core meditation technique
Better than reading monks' esoteric writings

“The most accessible one is Mindfulness in Plain English by Henepin... it's very clearly written, gets by in and teaches you the method very clearly”
guest · 21:50

#meditation#book#mindfulness#learning

Tool26:30

How Muse Tracks Your Meditation with EEG

Muse is a wearable EEG headband that measures brain activity during meditation and translates calmness into ambient sounds—like birds or weather—providing real-time feedback and progress tracking.

Wearable EEG headband measures brain activity
Converts calm states into bird sounds, noise when distracted
Provides score based on calm duration and recovery
Appeals to data-driven users who want progress metrics

“It basically measures your brain activity while you're meditating and translates the electrical signal... into audio in the sound of either like a busy park…”
guest · 27:00

#meditation#tech#EEG#wearable

Tool35:00

Media Monster Lets You Film While Listening to Music

Media Monster is an iPhone app that allows users to record video while playing music—a game-changer for athletes who want to film workouts without interrupting their playlist.

Enables video recording while music plays
No need to buy a separate camera
Recommended by Bryce Lewis
Works with Spotify and other music apps

“Media monster... save them. How long until your music library in media mods know it picks up Spotify? Unbelievable. Game changer”
guest · 35:45

#fitness#app#video#music

Takeaway· 1

Takeaway09:30

Direct Accountability Is the Best Way to Build Habits

The guest explains that apps alone failed him for habit formation, but direct accountability—like shared spreadsheets or financial stakes with a partner—was the only method that worked consistently.

Tried many habit-tracking apps with no success
Found accountability through shared Google Docs
Uses loss aversion (money on the line) to stay consistent
Works for meditation, journaling, and sleep routines

“The only thing that allows me to build any kind of habit or break any kind of habit is direct one-on-one accountability”
guest · 09:50

#habits#accountability#productivity#psychology