Beginner rule: make the easy things consistent before you add complexity.
- A way to record daily notes (phone notes, spreadsheet, or paper).
- A scale (optional but useful).
- Optional: wearable for HR/HRV trends, BP cuff for blood pressure.
| Metric |
Why it matters |
Target behavior |
| Sleep timing |
Big lever for energy, mood, appetite |
Same wake time most days |
| Energy (1–10) |
Your primary “felt” output |
Capture at the same time daily |
| Mood (1–10) |
Often moves before biomarkers do |
Capture at the same time daily |
| Steps (or activity minutes) |
Anchors recovery and metabolism |
Consistent baseline first |
| Caffeine cutoff time |
Common hidden sleep disruptor |
Keep stable |
- Pick one goal (sleep / energy / metabolic / body comp / cognition): Biohacking Goals
- Set your baseline tracking to start Monday: Baseline & Measurement Setup
- Choose a single “non-negotiable” for the month (e.g., fixed wake time).
Focus: consistency, not optimization.
- Fix wake time (±30 minutes).
- Morning outdoor light most days.
- Keep caffeine dose roughly stable; set a cutoff time.
- Add a daily 20–45 minute walk (or equivalent movement).
End of week review
- What broke your sleep schedule?
- Which days had the best energy and why?
Pick one lever based on your goal:
- Sleep goal: optimize bedtime wind-down (screen dimming, earlier last meal, room temp).
- Metabolic goal: implement a consistent eating window (start mild).
- Body comp goal: increase protein consistency (don’t chase perfection).
- Cognition goal: move “deep work” earlier and protect it; keep stimulant use consistent.
Tracking
- Keep everything from Week 1 the same.
- Add one extra metric aligned to your goal (e.g., sleep latency, fasting glucose, training volume).
Choose one low-risk protocol from the library (or repeat Week 2 if adherence is shaky):
Rule: if you can’t describe it in one sentence, it’s too complex for Week 3.
- Look at your baseline weeks vs now (energy, mood, sleep timing, steps).
- Decide one of:
- Keep the intervention (clear benefit, acceptable effort)
- Modify parameters (timing/dose/environment)
- Stop (no benefit or unacceptable downside)
- Pick your next experiment and write a decision rule: N‑of‑1 Experiments
Do not self-experiment with prescription drugs or hormones without medical supervision.
If you develop new concerning symptoms or abnormal results, pause experiments and see Red Flags.