Show notes
Dr. Michael Leon on Smell Training, Memory, Sleep, Alzheimer’s Risk, and Brain Longevity Your sense of smell may reveal more about your brain health than you realize, and stimulating it while you sleep may improve memory, sleep quality, and cognitive function. **Visit https://memoryair.com/ and use code DAVE15 for 15% off. **Host Dave Asprey sits down with Dr. Michael Leon, Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology and Behavior at UC Irvine and one of the world’s most cited scientists, to explore why smell may be one of the most overlooked tools for brain health and longevity. Dr. Leon explains why the olfactory system has unusually direct access to the brain’s memory and emotional centers, why smell often declines alongside memory after age 60, and why reduced olfactory function has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, depression, and increased all-cause mortality. They also discuss how COVID, chronic congestion, pollution, stress, and aging can impair smell without people realizing it. The conversation dives into olfactory enrichment, including research showing major improvements in memory when older adults were exposed to multiple scents during sleep. Dr. Leon explains why novelty matters, how nighttime scent exposure may increase deep sleep and reduce nightmares, and why olfactory stimulation is being studied in dementia, PTSD, depression, and autism. Dave also explores connections between smell, GLP-1 drugs, exercise, rapamycin, spermidine, oxytocin, hormones, mitochondrial function, and other longevity interventions. This is essential listening for anyone interested in memory, sleep, Alzheimer’s prevention, brain aging, smell training, dementia, PTSD, autism, longevity, neuroplasticity, biohacking, and protecting cognitive function as you age. You’ll Learn: -Why your sense of smell often declines alongside memory -How smell connects directly to the brain’s memory and emotional centers -Why poor olfactory function is associated with Alzheimer’s risk and mortality -How chronic congestion may affect memory and brain health -What COVID-related smell loss may mean for long-term cognitive health -How olfactory enrichment can stimulate memory centers while you sleep -Why one study reported a 226% improvement in memory in healthy older adults -How scent exposure may increase deep sleep and reduce nightmares -Why novelty and rotating scents appear to matter for neuroplasticity -How smell training is being studied in dementia, depression, PTSD, and autism -Why several longevity interventions are also associated with improved olfaction -How GLP-1 drugs may affect smell, food enjoyment, memory, and emotion -Why professional wine tasters may offer clues about protecting the aging brain Thank you to our sponsors! - KILLSwitch | If you’re ready for the best sleep of your life, order now at https://www.switchsupplements.com/ and use code DAVE for 20% off - PredictiveMind™ | Get your Brain Pattern Mapping report at predictivemind.io/dave and use code DAVE for 10% off. - Fatty15 is on a mission to support Healthy Aging for All, including all ages and stages of life. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.comDAVE and using code DAVE at checkout. - LMNT | Right now, grab any LMNT drink mix and they'll throw in a free sample pack. Go to drinklmnt.com/dave to get yours. Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: Michael Leon, smell training, olfactory enrichment, sense of smell, memory improvement, brain aging, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, deep sleep, nightmares, PTSD, autism, depression, COVID smell loss, olfactory system, neuroplasticity, MemoryAir, essential oils, cognitive decline, all-cause mortality, GLP-1, rapamycin, spermidine, oxytocin, longevity, brain health, sleep optimization, memory loss, olfactory stimulation Resources: • Visit https://memoryair.com/ and use code DAVE15 for 15% off. • Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/davetube • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) Timestamps: 00:00 — Smell and Your Brain 01:25 — Intro 06:52 — Why Smell Goes Unnoticed 10:59 — Making MemoryAir 15:46 — Smell and Dementia 20:00 — Smell Predicts Lifespan 25:32 — Testing Your Sense of Smell 28:33 — Autism and Olfactory Therapy 36:23 — Biohacking Your Nose 42:50 — GLP-1 and Olfaction 45:55 — PTSD, Nightmares, and Sleep See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.