Improve Your Lymphatic System for Overall Health & Appearance

Andrew Huberman

Oct 27, 2025

Episode description

Here I explain the lymphatic system, a crucial bodily network for overall health and appearance. I explain how the lymphatic system works to remove cellular waste and fluid from your organs and combat infections. I provide science-based tools that support your lymphatic system for the sake of health and appearance, including: how to reduce fluid retention in your limbs, trunk or face, how to eliminate 'bags' under your eyes and brain fog, and how to improve cardiac health and longevity. Because your lymphatic system lacks a central pump, it needs the mechanical forces generated by specific types of bodily movement, breathing and pressure to circulate your lymph properly, and I explain how you can activate these. I also explain how to support optimal functioning of your glymphatic system, a brain- and spinal cord waste-clearing system active during sleep that is crucial for brain functioning and longevity, including to prevent dementia.

Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/lBpKwX5

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*Timestamps*
00:00:00 Lymphatic System
00:04:11 Circulatory System, Heart; Oxygen, Nutrient & Waste Transfer
00:11:03 Lymphatic System, Fluid, Lymphedema, Chronic Inflammation; Brain Fog
00:14:52 Sponsor: LMNT & David Protein
00:17:28 Lymphatic Vessels, Tool: Enhance Lymphatic Drainage with Movement
00:26:24 Tools: Jumping (Rebounding), Treading Water, Swimming
00:27:41 Tool: Swelling, Lymphatic Drainage & Diaphragmatic Breathing
00:32:05 Swimming & Lymphatic Flow; Tai Chi
00:34:00 Lymphatic Massage, Cancer & Lymphedema; Jade Roller & Gua Sha
00:37:28 Sponsor: AGZ by AG1
00:38:56 Lymph Flow, Tool: Lymphatic Massage & Manual Lymphatic Drainage
00:45:02 Immune Function of Lymphatic System, Sore Lymph Nodes
00:54:24 Cancer Treatment, Lymph Nodes & Lymphedema
00:57:02 Limb Swelling, Minor Lymphedema & Inflammation, Lymphatic Boots
01:00:09 Sponsors: Eight Sleep
01:01:43 Glymphatic System, Brain & Sleep
01:05:56 Sleep & Brain Waste Recycling; Discovery of the Glymphatic System
01:12:24 Enhance Glymphatic Clearance, Brain Fog, Age, Tool: Side Sleeping Position
01:15:54 Tools: Optimize Sleep, Cardiovascular Exercise, Elevate Feet, Pillow
01:17:29 Puffy Face, Tool: Lymphatic & Facial Massage
01:21:23 Sponsor: Function
01:23:11 Tool: Hydration & Lymphatic Support
01:24:48 Tool: Cardiovascular Exercise & Lymphatic Vessels, Heart, Aging
01:31:06 Tool: Infrared & Red Light, Mitochondria, Lymphedema, Skin Appearance
01:36:08 Key Takeaways
01:37:21 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Activate muscle movement to support lymphatic fluid flow

Unlike the cardiovascular system's heart, the lymphatic system is passive and relies entirely on the movement of your body's muscles to move fluid against gravity.

#muscle

Improve lymphatic clearance to combat brain fog

The cognitive impairment known as brain fog can come on very quickly after just one poor night of sleep due to a lack of lymphatic clearance from brain tissue.

#cognition

#sleep

Promote lymphangiogenesis through cardiovascular exercise for heart health

Many positive effects of cardiovascular exercise on the heart are due to promoting the growth of new lymphatic vessels that remove waste from heart cells, a process called lymphangiogenesis.

#exercise

#heart

Prioritize sleep to support brain's glymphatic system for waste clearance

The brain's lymphatic system, called the glymphatic system, was only scientifically verified to exist in 2012, and it is crucial for clearing out waste products during sleep.

#brain

#sleep

Utilize rebounding for effective lymphatic drainage

Practices like rebounding on a trampoline are effective for lymphatic drainage because the lymphatic vessels are one-way, forcing fluid up toward the heart against gravity with each bounce.

#exercise

#recovery

Utilize diaphragmatic breathing to enhance abdominal lymph drainage

Diaphragmatic breathing creates a pressure differential that specifically encourages drainage from the cisterna chyli, a major lymphatic reservoir located in the abdomen.

#breathing

Avoid massaging swollen lymph nodes to support infection defense

You should avoid massaging or putting pressure on lymph nodes, as they are actively sequestering and fighting infections that you do not want to push back into circulation.

#immune-system

Sleep on your side for optimal brain cleansing

Sleeping on your side is the most efficient position for glymphatic drainage, the process of clearing waste products from your brain while you sleep.

#brain

#sleep

Implement specific facial massage for youthful appearance

A specific protocol for facial and lymphatic massage, such as the one from Anastasia Beauty Fascia, can create striking youthfulness effects by addressing lymph pooling and fascia.