Optimization of brain and life performance: Striving for playing at the top for the long run

In this essay written with my students and collaborators in mind, I share simple recipes that are easy and often fun to put in practice and that make a big difference in one’s life. The seven guiding principles are: (1) sleep, (2) love and sex, (3) deep breathing and daily exercises, (4) water and chewing, (5) fruits, unrefined products, food combination, vitamin D and no meat, (6) power foods, (7) play, intrinsic motivation, positive psychology and will. These simple laws are based on an integration of evolutionary thinking, personal experimentation, and evidence from experiments reported in the scientific literature. I develop their rationality, expected consequences and describe briefly how to put them in practice. I hope that professionals and the broader public may also find some use for it, as I have seen already the positive impacts on some of my students.

💡 Research Summary

The manuscript, authored by Didier Sornette, a professor with multiple appointments at ETH Zurich, presents a lifestyle “recipe” aimed at sustaining near‑peak brain and body performance over many decades. It is framed as an essay for students and collaborators, but it also seeks relevance for a broader audience. The core of the paper is a list of seven guiding principles: (1) sleep, (2) love and sex, (3) deep breathing and daily exercise, (4) water and chewing, (5) fruits, unrefined foods, food‑combination rules, vitamin D, sunlight, and avoidance of meat and dairy, (6) “power foods” (onion, garlic, lemon, kiwi, nuts, dried fruit), and (7) play, intrinsic motivation, positive psychology and willpower.

Each principle is introduced with a short rationale that draws on evolutionary arguments (humans are adapted to certain environmental cues), personal anecdote, and selective citations from the scientific literature. For sleep, the author cites studies on memory consolidation, cellular repair, and insight generation, arguing that 7–8 h of high‑quality sleep is the single most important performance lever. The love/sex section links romantic attachment, lust, and long‑term bonding to dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin, citing a few psychological and economic studies that associate sexual activity with happiness. The breathing/exercise part emphasizes the massive oxygen demand of the body, recommending 5–10 min of stretching, deep breathing, and brief high‑intensity bursts throughout the day.

Water and chewing are presented as a “drink your food, eat your drinks” concept: at least 2 L of water outside meals, minimal drinking during meals, and thorough mastication to aid digestion. The diet section advocates eating fruits on an empty stomach, avoiding meat and dairy, preferring unrefined cereals, respecting “acid‑alkaline” food combinations, and ensuring adequate vitamin D through sunlight exposure. The power‑food list is a collection of foods with known antioxidant or anti‑inflammatory properties, suggested for “intense demand” periods. Finally, the play/motivation part draws on positive‑psychology literature, urging readers to treat work and life as a large playground, to cultivate intrinsic motivation, and to use short “love‑trigger” breaks to boost mood and focus.

Throughout the paper, the author repeatedly stresses that these habits are “simple, obvious, and almost trivial” yet “life‑changing,” and that they can be implemented with minimal time or willpower. He supports this claim with personal examples (e.g., at age 54 he can still arm‑wrestle his son, ski in 4 °C water after long flights, and sustain 12‑14 h workdays at near‑peak cognition). He also references popular books (Ferriss 2011, de Vany 2010, Robbins 1997) to provide additional reading.

From a critical standpoint, the manuscript lacks the methodological rigor of a scientific study. No experimental design, control groups, or statistical analyses are presented; the evidence is largely anecdotal or based on selective literature that is not systematically reviewed. The evolutionary framing, while appealing, oversimplifies complex gene‑environment interactions and often conflates correlation with causation. The dietary recommendations (e.g., strict avoidance of meat, “acid‑alkaline” food rules) are not universally supported by contemporary nutrition science, and the cited studies are not discussed in terms of sample size, effect magnitude, or external validity. The love/sex section, although referencing a large economic survey, does not address cultural or individual variability, nor does it provide mechanistic data linking sexual activity to cognitive performance.

Moreover, the paper’s tone is promotional, positioning the author’s personal regimen as a blueprint for “100 % performance” without acknowledging potential risks (e.g., over‑training, nutritional deficiencies, sleep disorders) or the need for individualized medical advice. The interdisciplinary background of the author is highlighted, but the expertise does not extend to clinical nutrition, sleep medicine, or exercise physiology, which limits the authority of the health claims.

In summary, the article offers a concise, motivational checklist that could serve as a useful reminder for basic health habits (adequate sleep, regular movement, hydration, balanced diet, social connection, and purposeful play). However, readers should treat the recommendations as general wellness advice rather than evidence‑based prescriptions, and they should seek professional guidance before making substantial lifestyle changes, especially when aiming for the extreme performance levels described.