How Humans Communicate Through Chemical Signals & 3 Unconventional Sleep Hacks

Science-backed insights on chemical communication, practical sleep improvement techniques, and the surprising truth about how taste buds really work

May 6, 2025

64% of the best health hacks shared on podcasts go ignored

Each week, I pull the most important protocols and supplement recommendations from Huberman, Attia, and other experts and share what you missed in a 3-minute letter.

TLDR:

• Only use your bed for sleep and sex to maintain strong sleep associations

• Your taste buds all work together and each serves a survival purpose beyond just pleasure

• Humans communicate via chemical signals, affecting trust and attraction (shown through tears, sweat, and handshakes)

• Break insomnia by leaving bed for 20-30 mins instead of tossing and turning

UNCOMMON ADVICE TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP

WHAT I LEARNED FROM PETER ATTIA

Some sleep insights I hadn't heard before (or at least, not explained this way):

✓

Your bed should be for two things only: sleep and sex. Why? Associating bed time with active mental tasks will hit you back when it's time to sleep.

Sex is an exception because we need to keep the human production going but also since it promotes relaxation through hormones that support sleep. 🔗

✓

You might want to get out of bed to break insomnia. Can't sleep? Instead of lying there thinking, go do something trivial for 20-30 minutes (like reading a magazine or that article about JJ Redick messing up the Lakers). Come back when you're sleepy.

Breaking the association between being awake and being in bed helps reduce insomnia. 🔗

🎧 FULL EPISODE

HUMANS COMMUNICATE THROUGH CHEMICALS?

WHAT I LEARNED FROM HUBS

A lot, this week. His latest episode of the 'Essentials' series covered smell and taste, plus how humans communicate through chemical signals.

It sounds weird, I know. But these signals influence who we trust, who we're attracted to, and how we interact. Our bodies are constantly 'reading' others through chemicals in their breath, skin, and other secretions.

Here's what you should know about it:

RESEARCH FINDINGS

• Significant reductions in men's testosterone levels when smelling tears from women who cried due to sadness

• Sweat samples match facial expressions and physiological responses during fear or disgust

• People evaluate others' chemicals after handshakes, often unconsciously (why? Check the deep dive below ↓) 🔗

✓

ACTIONABLE SMELL INSIGHTS

• Specific smells can increase attention and alertness. Ammonia is one. But it's not very safe. Peppermint is another, and it's much safer. 🔗

• The more times you sniff an object, the richer your perception of its smell. Sniffing a fruit for 10-15 times will lead to a much more intense perception. 🔗

✦

WHAT TASTE SENSORS TRY TO TELL YOU

Each taste receptor serves a specific survival purpose, not just pleasure. Our taste system helps us approach beneficial substances and avoid harmful ones.

Sweet receptors → Help identify foods with rapid energy (sugars)

Salty receptors → Detect electrolytes essential for nervous system and body function

Bitter receptors → Protection against poisons

Umami receptors → Signal presence of amino acids (not just "savory" for pleasure)

Sour receptors → Detect spoiled food to avoid toxins

Possible fat receptors → May detect essential fats needed for nervous system function (still being researched)

⛔ MYTH BUSTED

Different tongue regions detect specific tastes?

FALSE. All taste receptors are intermixed and function together.

PERSONAL DEEP DIVE

The study mentioned by Huberman found out how humans unconsciously touched their eyes or sniffed their hands after shaking hands with another person.

Ok. But why?

Chemicals and social information exchanged are still being studied, but potential cues include:

• Hormonal status: traces of chemicals that reveal gender and reproductive state

• Health status: our skin bacteria and chemistry create unique odour profiles that hint at our immune system's condition

• Emotional cues: just like with sweat, our hands might carry chemical traces of stress or calmness

• Family ties: we might unconsciously pick up on genetic similarities

Evidence is still emerging but early studies indicate that nonverbal cues in human interactions are not limited to visual and auditory inputs.

🎧 FULL EPISODE

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UNCOMMON ADVICE TO IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP

HUMANS COMMUNICATE THROUGH CHEMICALS?

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