The Real Reason Being Tired Has Nothing to Do With Sleep or Food

0:03Welcome to Super Life with me, Darin Olien, a podcast where we explore, discover, and share solutions that promote a healthier life and a better world. Together, we'll ignite possibilities, inspire change, and build sovereignty, creating a roadmap towards a super life for you and for all. Get ready to start living your super life.

0:32Before we start this podcast today, I want to tell you about my sponsor, Therisage. You know, there's a reason Therisage has become one of the most trusted names in natural healing. Because it's not just a brand, it's a family. Robbie and Melody, who I've known for a very long time, built Therisage from the ground up, driven by love for their family and a belief that nature already gave us everything we need to heal. We just have to activate it. For 25 years, they've led the world in infrared, red light, natural frequency technologies, not by chasing trends, but by standing in truth. Every Therisage product is built with integrity, backed by science, and made with one purpose.

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2:15I'm going to do something I've never done before, but I was so inspired that I had to. Today, we're going to dive into the biology of energy itself, not just how you feel energized or depleted, but what actually creates the capacity for energy at a cellular level. Now, like I said, I've never done this before, but this was inspired by a very important conversation between Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Martin Picard. And it was featured just recently on the Huberman podcast. So a big shout out to them. I'll have that in the show notes. So if you want to dive into a three-hour deep dive on this, please feel free and do that.

3:02Support Dr. Martin's work and certainly support Andrew in this incredible work. They unpacked something about mitochondria that I've never heard before. I never heard in my physiology classes. It is just, I was just struck by how powerful this was. These mitochondria, these tiny structures inside of our cells do far more than what we always say, what we were taught. And that was, well, they generate ATP. It's the powerhouse of the cell. Well, I'm going to largely take what I learned from the podcast and delineate it maybe in a shorter version of three hours into a 30 minute version and you'll get the glimpse of what it is that they were talking about.

3:54Dr. Picard reframes energy not as a simple resource but as a potential for change. This is wild. This might sound abstract but it's critical to understanding what mitochondria actually is and what energy is. Energy isn't just calories you eat or the ATP in the cells, these organelles. It's how your biology and your psychology interact to create the capacity for action, focus, resilience, and adaptation. In this episode with Andrew and Dr. Picard, they note that the mitochondria don't just make energy. This is wild. They translate what you do, how you think, and how you relate into the energy you feel.

4:48So these little mitochondria are listening to thoughts, feelings, emotions. They're listening and reacting to the food, to the environment, to stressors, both good and bad. Some of the big takeaways is energy is not fixed, and it's not a fixed resource. It's dynamic. It's a process. It's influenced by biology, experience, behavior, and meaning. Mitochondria don't just respond to what you eat or how you exercise alone. They respond to the overall of how you live. It's not just one thing that turn on the mitochondria. It's everything. So beyond just the powerhouse of the cell, which it is, the biology classes was simple.

5:40But gosh, when you can have two juggernauts of people and you sit down and listen, certainly the work of Dr. Picard, you realize that, wow, the miracle, the extraordinary orchestration of this body is just mind-boggling. Dr. Picard and Huberman go much further though. They go into the mitochondria and how it acts almost like information processing. Integrating signals from your food, your exercise, your sleep, your stress, psychological stress, your hormones, and purpose and social connection. So these little mitochondria are actually, I don't know, dare I say amuse to the reaction of what's going on.

6:29And these little things are transferring electrons, allowing the energy to flow throughout the body. You know, traditional Chinese medicine calls it qi. And at the gateway of that could be this extraordinary biological process of the mitochondria. This means that the mitochondria behave more like antennas listening, reacting. They're translators from more than just simple energy factories. They don't just access fuel. So we tend to think like calories in, calories out, turn on the Krebs cycle, react from the oxygen, which all of that is true. It goes on and on and on. But moreover, what I was inspired by is they interpret the story of your life into biological signals.

7:25This gets into, you know, the biology of belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton, but it's not esoteric. It's taking energy. It's taking interpretation of life and it's moving it with mitochondria into energy. Picard makes the point that mitochondria connect your psychological experiences with your body's biology. And in doing so, this shapes your sense of energy and aging. So energy is not just directly experienced per se. This fascinating point in this episode is humans never directly sense energy. Of course you go, I feel like I have more energy and that is subjectively true. But what we experience are changes in energy flow.

8:23It increases or decreases. So it's almost like a circuit. When you're able to push more energy through the circuit, you feel like you have more energy. So there's more flow, less resistance. These patterns feel like awakening or fatigue, and our brain senses this relative change rather than an absolute level of ATP. It's just so cool. That's why, for example, you can feel wide awake even after a little sleep. You can feel drained despite eating recently. Movement or purpose can feel energizing even if you're tired. Even when you're focused on something you're completely passionate about, that's allowing energy to flow.

9:13You're in the flow. And that literally is translating to the action and the listening of the mitochondria. Energy is an emergent property, a pattern arising from many systems interacting all together. Another really cool theme from the episode, mitochondria are not all the same. Different tissues and organs have mitochondria with different functions. So like they said, the heart mitochondria specializes for consistent ATP production because the heart obviously always has to go whether you're sleeping or awake, whether you're exercising or at rest. And the liver mitochondria is involved in obviously largely the metabolism and detoxification.

10:05And the brain can integrate stress signals and into cognition. So it starts to, on a biological level, explain how energy flows. So it certainly shows that the energy needs processes different throughout the entire body. It also means that one size does not fit all of a approach in terms of energy optimization. What fuels one system might not directly fuel another. A very important core idea that Dr. Picard discusses, and it certainly reverberates in the mitochondria science, is that what we might call energy resistance. When the mitochondria can't efficiently transform the green leaves of the plant and the energy that it's receiving from the photons of the sun, if we consume food and your mitochondria can't properly break that down and efficiently transform that energy into usable capacity, the result can feel like fatigue, stress, and decreased vitality.

11:20And this is widespread. So it starts taking a meaning, which I'll get into of things that you can do, which gets into what kind of food are you consuming, dead or alive? This is what I think. This is what I go to. Because the parallels of the metabolic concept, like insulin resistance, but applied to this energy production signaling works at a cellular level. Things that increase energy resistance include chronic stress, doesn't allow for the energy to flow, poor sleep, ultra processed dead food, constant stimulation without rest, resistance, pushing stress without recovery is a metabolic mitochondria nightmare.

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13:55The more you spend, it's the perfect time to grab gifts or treat yourself to the skin that looks the best and healthiest. Go to calderalab.com forward slash Darren and use the code Darren, D-A-R-I-N. And go get your products to make your skin the best ever. We can't just go, go, go, go, go, produce, produce, produce. We end up burning out. At the same time, short-term challenges followed by recovery build mitochondria resistance, a concept known as mitohormesis. This is so freaking cool. I don't know about you, but this blew my mind. So let's talk about sleep as a reset. Sleep isn't just rest.

14:49What they talked about is a mitochondrial reset where damaged mitochondria are repaired or recycled, where energy resistance decreases so that there's more flow, there's more recovery. And sleep also has this massive restorative process. Without good sleep, mitochondria interprets the body stress as persistent and a deep stress. That shifts them into conserving, survival-oriented energy. And it uses, instead of regenerative, it creates depletion when we don't sleep, when we don't recover, which is why everything sleeps. Every mammal sleeps on some level. They're acting as a result of what the mitochondria need.

15:39So they also got into exercise and movement. So Picard and Andrew linked the physical activity directly to mitochondrial adaptation. Aerobic movement increases mitochondrial density. Strength training expands mitochondrial function in the muscle, and intermittent intensity builds adaptability. And what's crucial is exercise signals the mitochondria to improve performance, but only when it's paired with recovery. I know some of it sounds like common sense, but through the lens of what these mitochondria are doing and listening to is profound. And not all stress, of course, is bad. Intentional stress, like exercise, like saunas, maybe a little cold exposure, is a purposeful challenge that triggers the adaptability of the mitochondria.

16:37Responding for sure and has to be in a recovery zone. Like just today, with all my buddies, We had an intense back and chest resistance exercise of about 40 minutes, quickly followed by breathing and shifting down. Of course, then it's also supported by, you know, eat good food and rest. But I knew on a deep level why I love breathing right after an intense bout of exercise and resistance training is on some level, I knew we had to shift as powerfully as possible through breath, through consciousness into recovery. And from what I can gather, that's a really powerful tool to increase the adaptability of mitochondria.

17:29And also what you eat is more than just fuel. It's information to the mitochondria. Whole foods rich in nutrients and fresh help the mitochondria operate more efficiently. Overeating and frequent ultra-processed food overwhelms the mitochondrial process and the capacity and it increases the resistance of the circuit of energy that the mitochondria is behind. So some of the patterns discussed in this episode included time-restricted eating. So it's good to fast for periods of time, 12, 16-hour windows that you're not eating. So intermittent fasting for sure, conscious macronutrient balance, fresh food.

18:20And then the other amazing thing is they started to get into the mind and the meaning. Perhaps some of the most revolutionary pieces of this episode is your psychological states that matter on a cellular level. Even your purpose. When you're in purpose, when you're on purpose, you are moving more energy. You are eliminating the resistance and stepping into the flow, the connection, the positive emotions. So it doesn't just feel good to do those things. they actually affect your mitochondria signaling and energy transformation. This aligns with emerging work showing that mitochondria act as a link between the mind and body.

19:08And I have a bunch of notes in the show notes, but Dr. Picard has some of this research on a website called MitoLab. So you can check that out. The other really cool stuff is lifespan implications. So Dr. Picard also discusses how lifestyle and the mitochondria function are tied to aging and longevity, suggesting that the process like hair graying are not only stress-linked, but potentially reversible. Wow. So it could be through aging that there's a buildup of resistance of the ability to flow from the mitochondria. Integrative mitochondrial health, balancing stress, recovery, movement, nutrition, sleep, is the meaning.

19:57This may be one of the key systems connecting daily health to long-term resistance and longevity. So I kind of put it from a super life supportive framework. The mitochondria thrive when the environment of your life supports them in all ways. So super life is not about optimizing per se. Super life is about alignment and about supporting your overall environment so that you can have the life you want. And in this case, supports you on a cellular level because those cells, those mitochondria are listening. Discipline, consistency over intensity, being consistent towards what you want. The mitochondria adapt to your patterns.

20:47It's not about perfection. It's about consistency. So consistency within like a one hour period, go to sleep at about the same time. Also, the wake up times, regular movement, not just work out, get a bunch of soreness and then forget about it. And then stable nourishment rhythms, eating consistently, preparing meals, knowing what you're going to eat throughout the day, hydration, consistency reduces the energy resistance, and real food and hydration, real clean water, mineral rich water, whole foods, plant diversity, and of course, adequate protein comes with plant diversity. These provide the raw materials that the mitochondria require to function efficiently and move that energy.

21:44And of course, movement, walking. Walk every day. Do something. Move. Walk your dogs. Get outside. Get some photons. Strength train. Breathe deeply. Move that energy. Use your body. Movement is how mitochondria know they're needed, right? Sleep and stillness. Darkness. Turn off the lights. I wear eye mask every night. Sometimes if it's loud, if it's raining, I put earplugs on, quiet. Parasympathetic activation, meditation, working in that stillness, that quiet of everyday practice, two 20-minute sessions. Hell, start with two five-minute sessions throughout the day. Stillness is not laziness. It's cellular repair.

22:31You must have resistance and you must have recovery. They have to go together. So learn the difference between growth stress, intended stress, moving, resistance training, and then shifting down. Chronic stress, when you're not resting, you're not recovering, is wearing your mitochondria and creating too much energy resistance through that cable of your life. The goal is not... Okay, everybody, are you ready to upgrade your operating system? I know I am. I'm always game to do that. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. That's what we're doing over at Super Life Patreon.

23:20This isn't just behind-the-scenes membership. It's a global experiment in conscious living that I am connected to, committed with, in every cell of my body. Each week, you'll get exclusive access to deeper podcast conversations, extended interviews, voice notes from the road of me personally, Personal reflections, behind-the-scenes footage, community wellness challenges, and even surprise drop-ins that I no longer do on social media. Because I don't really dig it anymore. We're talking decentralized healing, reclaiming sovereignty, ancient wisdom meets future tech, and a tribe of people with you walking the path.

24:07If you love this podcast, the Patreon is where we go deeper, get more real, and reclaim our power together. Join us at patreon.com forward slash Darren Olean. That's Patreon, P-A-T-R-E-O-N dot com forward slash Darren Olean, D-A-R-I-N-O-L-I-E-N. Join the movement, support the mission, let's rise together. The goal is not no stress. It's meaningful stress and recovery. The other cool thing is, through the Super Life lens, connection and community. Humans are social animals. You know that I've talked about that a lot. All of the research shows that loneliness is a biological stressor that increases mitochondrial dysfunction.

24:59Connection signals safety, purpose and meaning. purpose changes biology. When life feels meaningful, mitochondria shift towards growth and repair. This is one of the most underappreciated longevity tools we have. And of course, reduce the fatal convenience stress, its resistance to your physiology. Ultra comfort, overstimulation, and constant ease creates biological fragility. Eliminate the fatal conveniences. Eliminate the stressors of the chemicals and the EMFs and all of those consistent stressors and not allowing your body to rest and recover. Jump into that sauna. Have a meaningful conversation with a friend.

25:53heart-centered, connected, listen. This is also being listened to by yourselves. Your mitochondria are not broken. They are responding exactly to the design of what you are signaling to them. Change the signals. Sleep, good food, movement, good stress, all increase the energy flow. This was so powerful. I just want to give a powerful shout out to Dr. Picard and more importantly, Dr. Andrew Huberman as a friend and as a badass person who's dedicated to getting on some of the greatest experts of our time to translate things that are intense biochemically, metabolically, you name it. But this episode for me as a student of physiology and exercise physiology as a kid, it started to translate more to listening to this podcast into it's not just over here that the biology and chemistry exist, that it's actually representative of this listening, this dynamic transmutation of our lives into real energy flow.

27:12So increase that energy flow in all ways and you will have incredible support from your mitochondria to move energy and to create your super life. Again, thanks to Dr. Huberman and Dr. Picard for this inspired three-hour podcast that I listened to intensely and I translated that to you. I have all of the links in the show notes to their episode and many links that they talked about in the episode in my show notes. So thanks for tuning in as we dove into an incredible interpretation of an incredible podcast that I listened to and translating back to you in a loop of inspired energy flow that I got from talking about the energy flow from the mitochondria and I'm flowing it back to you and let's keep flowing.

28:06Take this information, apply this information, especially as we're coming up on the new year and have an incredible super life. Peace.