Frequent travel is hard on the body. Red-eyes, time-zone changes, airport food and long days of sitting all add up. That’s why we picked Andrew Huberman’s new book, Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body, for our first Travel Health story. Huberman is a Stanford neuroscientist and the host of the Huberman Lab podcast. The book came out on September 15, 2026, from Simon & Schuster’s Simon Element imprint.
What the book is
Protocols is a 688-page hardcover (list price $35) built around seven areas: sleep, exercise, stress control, nutrition, light, focus/motivation/learning, and personal growth. According to the publisher, it has two kinds of protocols. Foundational ones are simple daily habits that improve how you feel and function. Targeted ones are science-based tools for specific challenges. Each comes with the science behind it and tips for adjusting it to your own life. It’s also available as an eBook and as an audiobook read by Huberman, which is handy for a long flight.
Examples from the book, and how to use them on the road
1. Get morning sunlight, especially after you land
The book’s best-known sleep protocol is “viewing sunlight as soon as possible after waking.” The official book page suggests “at least 10-15 minutes of sunlight right after waking.” For travelers, this is a simple jet lag tool. On your first morning in a new time zone, skip the hotel gym and take a walk outside in the morning light on local time. It helps tell your body clock where you are.
2. Follow the light schedule all day
The book’s light schedule goes beyond mornings. It recommends spending time outside around midday, getting some light before sunset to help you wind down, and keeping indoor lighting “dim and warm” in the evening. On the road, that means a lunchtime walk instead of eating at your desk during a work trip. In your hotel room at night, turn off the bright overhead lights and use the bedside lamps. And as the book’s page notes, wear sunscreen.
3. Use a breathing pattern for airport stress
The book includes “a unique breathing pattern to reduce stress in the moment.” Missed connections, long security lines and turbulence are exactly the moments for it. On his podcast, Huberman often describes the “physiological sigh”: two inhales through the nose, then one long exhale through the mouth. Read the book for his exact instructions.
4. Take a short walk after meals
One example the book’s site highlights is “how a short walk after a meal can support glucose regulation.” This is easy to do while traveling. Walk the terminal after eating instead of sitting at the gate, or take a lap around the block after a big vacation dinner.
5. Keep up exercise and nutrition on the road
The book has sections on exercise (getting stronger and leaner at any age) and on nutrition for body and brain health. Travel is when most people’s routines fall apart. Having a plan you can do in a small hotel gym, or with no gym at all, makes it much easier to stay on track.
A year of travel, season by season
- Winter (Christmas markets, ski trips): Days are short, so getting outside in the morning and at midday matters even more, even when it’s cloudy.
- Spring break and summer vacations: Use morning light and the evening dim-light routine to adjust quickly on beach or Europe trips. Don’t skip the sunscreen.
- Fall business travel: Lunchtime walks, walks after meals and a few minutes of breathing work help on packed conference days.
Where to buy Protocols
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Simon & Schuster (hardcover, eBook and audiobook)
- Books-A-Million
- Hudson Booksellers, the bookstore chain found in many U.S. airports
- Bookshop.org, which supports independent bookstores
- Target and Walmart
- Your local library may also have it through apps like Libby/OverDrive
Hardcover ISBN: 9781668032145. For more of Huberman’s work, listen to the Huberman Lab podcast and visit the official Protocols book page.
Our take
The best parts of Protocols for travelers are free and take only minutes: morning light, dim evenings, a breathing pattern and a walk after meals. You can use them at any hotel, in any time zone. The book is long and goes deep into the science, so the audiobook may be the easiest way to get through it on your next flight.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing your sleep, exercise, diet or supplement routine, especially if you have a health condition. Book details are as of October 2026. Points Capital does not use affiliate links on this page.
Sources: Simon & Schuster: Protocols; Huberman Lab: Protocols book page.
