What is biohacking (and is it actually good for you)?

Sleep

Nov 24

Written By Calm Editorial Team

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Biohacking is a popular yet controversial trend in wellness. Discover exactly what it is, how it can impact your mental health, and 10 tips to safely try it at home.

It’s easy to feel like with so much information at your fingertips these days, you should be able to perfect how you eat, sleep, and navigate your day-to-day life.

Perhaps that’s why biohacking—experimenting with your biology to feel or function better—has become so popular in recent years. Now more than ever, people are tracking sleep, adjusting their caffeine intake, and timing meals to see what happens. Some take it even further with extreme supplements or untested tech.

And while biohacking has helped some people feel better, its rise has sparked debate, with some clinicians expressing concerns about risks, misinformation, and obsession. When it comes to mental health, the question isn’t just whether biohacking works, but whether it supports stability.

Let’s unpack what biohacking really is, why it’s controversial, and how to explore simple, evidence-informed “hacks” safely at home.

What is biohacking?

Biohacking is a broad term for practices, simple or extreme, that are meant to influence your biology, health, or performance. It often involves tracking, experimenting, and making small tweaks to how your body and brain function.

Trying to improve your sleep or making adjustments to your diet or exercise regimen fall under the “biohacking” label — and so do more experimental methods like using implantable devices or taking high doses of supplements.

People are often drawn to biohacking for its promise of control — the idea that you can fine-tune your system instead of accepting limits. Wearables and apps have strengthened this belief, turning personal data into daily feedback. But this technology can also fuel misinformation and lead to risky experiments, reinforcing the importance of clearly understanding biohacking before you delve into it.

Is biohacking safe?

Most low-risk biohacks mirror what clinicians already recommend, like steady sleep, balanced meals, and regular movement. Anything beyond that, like taking supplements that can interact with medications or creating restrictive routines that can disrupt your mood and energy, is less safe.

It’s also important to consider the effects that biohacking can have on your mental health. If you’re constantly monitoring data, you might feel pressure to optimize everything, which can lead to more stress and burnout. Put simply, if a hack adds anxiety to your life, it’s not helping.

7 potential mental health benefits of biohacking

Biohacking can complement your mental health if you practice it mindfully, in moderation, and with guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

Here are seven ways it can potentially benefit you:

1. Better sleep can improve your mood and focus: Quality sleep can have a big impact on how you feel. By keeping more consistent schedules, cooling your bedroom, and dimming the lights before bedtime, you may be able to improve your sleep, making it easier to regulate your emotions and reduce anxiety, too.

2. Regular movement can boost resilience: Physical activity is one of the most reliable tools for reducing depression and anxiety, but aim for consistency over intensity. Even brief daily movement can make a big difference.

3. Balanced nutrition can keep you energized: Intermittent fasting may help reduce inflammation and improve metabolism, but its effects on mood are mixed. For most people, steady, nutrient-dense meals at regular times keep energy and focus stable.

4. Mindfulness and breathwork can lower stress: Practices like meditation and slow breathing lower your stress hormones and improve focus. They’re also among the safest and most effective biohacks for emotional balance.

5. Safe nootropics may boost your mood: Some nootropic options, like caffeine, L-theanine, omega-3s, or creatine, have been studied for their impact on focus or mood. But it’s best to be guided by a professional in this area.

6. Tracking your stats can build awareness: Wearables may reveal links between habits and mood, like how sleep or diet affects your energy. That said, use this data as insight, and not as judgment.

7. Temperature exposure can keep you grounded: The evidence is mixed, but brief cold showers or saunas may temporarily boost your mood or energy. Plus, many people find the ritual itself grounding.

How to try biohacking safely: 10 tips to optimize your body and brain

You don’t need gadgets or expensive gear to explore biohacking. The most effective “hacks” are simple: sleep well, eat for steady energy, stay active, and notice how small changes affect your mood and focus.

Here are 10 ways to experiment with biohacking safely and strengthen your overall wellbeing.

1. Start small and track one change at a time

The biggest mistake in biohacking is doing everything at once. Instead of overhauling your all routines, choose one and turn it into a small experiment.

Focus on something concrete like improving your focus, and test one adjustment for a few weeks. Jot down quick notes about your sleep, energy, and mood, just to build awareness of how it’s helping (or not). This can help you make adjustments going forward.

2. Prioritize consistent sleep

Sleep is the foundation of every other hack, as a steady circadian rhythm supports hormone balance, emotional stability, and mental clarity.

To improve your rest, wake up at the same time every day, even on the weekends. Also, try to wind down an hour before bed by dimming the lights, avoiding screens, and doing something relaxing like reading.

3. Use light wisely

Morning sunlight tells your body to wake up and make serotonin, and evening darkness triggers melatonin for sleep.

If you can, go outside for a few minutes to get some natural light within an hour of waking. This can boost your mood and your alertness. At night, use warmer toned lights, and turn on blue-light filters on your screens.

4. Eat for stable energy

Blood sugar spikes and dips can cause you to feel anxious or irritable, so eat mindfully.

Start your day with some protein and fiber, like yogurt with berries or eggs with veggies. Also, aim to eat at regular times instead of grazing or skipping meals.

💙 Improve your relationship with food by listening to Tamara Levitt’s Mindful Eating Series in the Calm app.

5. Move your body regularly

Movement is one of the most reliable mood boosters. It can help shift your brain chemistry almost instantly and raise your endorphins, dopamine, and BDNF — a compound that supports learning and resilience.

Try going on a short walk or doing a few stretches on a regular basis. It doesn’t even have to be intense or long. Consistency matters most.

6. Practice conscious breathing

Slow and steady breathing activates your vagus nerve and tells your body that you’re safe.

Try “physiological sigh”: Inhale deeply through your nose, take a short extra sip of air, and exhale slowly through your mouth.

💙 Want to feel less anxious? Listen to Calm’s Breathing Room session with Prof. Megan Reitz.

7. Anchor your mind with short mindfulness sessions

Mindfulness is about noticing what’s happening without judgment. And practicing five minutes of quiet mindful breathing can improve focus and emotional balance over time.

To bring yourself back into the present, do a guided meditation or a slow body scan by moving your attention from your toes to your head.

8. Cultivate connection intentionally

Talking and connecting with someone supportive can lower your stress hormones, quiet rumination, and steady your heartbeat.

Take time to send a genuine check-in text, go for a walk with a friend, or keep a weekly call on your calendar with your sibling.

9. Guard your attention

Your brain isn’t designed for nonstop alerts and information. Constant pings trigger stress responses and sap focus.

Set boundaries by muting nonessential notifications, checking messages only a few times a day, and keeping your phone out of reach during deep work or rest.

10. Give recovery the same respect as productivity

Rest is part of how you stay stable enough to keep going.

To make sure you don’t burn out, carve out downtime as deliberately as you schedule meetings. Take a short nap, go on a quiet walk at lunch time, or spend 20 minutes reading in the evening. You deserve rest — you don’t have to earn it.

What is biohacking FAQs

What’s the definition of biohacking?

Biohacking means intentionally adjusting your biology, through habits, nutrition, or technology, to improve your health, performance, or mood.

It’s also about understanding how your body works and experimenting with small and supportive changes. Biohacking sounds intense, but it’s often pretty simple: tracking sleep, managing caffeine, and timing meals.

What are DIY biohacking techniques?

DIY biohacking involves using low-risk, self-directed methods to improve wellbeing. It might include better sleep, light exposure, consistent exercise, mindful eating, or relaxation practices that support focus and mood. Some people track sleep or heart rate with wearables, but data should inform awareness, not replace medical guidance.

It’s important to note that risky activities, like self-injecting substances or gene editing, don’t qualify as safe DIY biohacking.

What’s the difference between biohacking and neurohacking?

Neurohacking focuses on the brain—mood, focus, and emotional regulation—while biohacking targets your body more broadly. It includes practices like meditation, breathwork, focus training, cold exposure, and mild nootropics like caffeine.

But claims about it “rewiring the brain” are often exaggerated. Your nervous system is delicate, so effective neurohacking balances stimulation with rest, recovery, and sleep.

What are some easy cognitive biohacks for focus and brain function?

Working in short, focused blocks with movement or breathing breaks to reset your attention is a good cognitive biohack.

Two other good options are having caffeine mid-morning to avoid crashes, and eating balanced meals with protein and healthy fats to steady energy. Sleep is also non-negotiable.

Does biohacking improve mood and cognition?

Sometimes it can, but within limits. Lifestyle-based biohacks like getting quality sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a balanced diet can help improve your mood and your stress resilience. But other hacks, like fasting, cold exposure, and supplements, have mixed evidence.

Overall, most biohacks create small and cumulative effects. They work best alongside therapy, medication, and rest.

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Calm Editorial Team