FSpS:CORE058 BIOHACKING - Course Information

CORE058 BIOHACKING - a lifestyle upgrade

Extent and Intensity

0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Martina Bernaciková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Marta Gimunová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Michal Kumstát, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Ivan Struhár, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lenka Svobodová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Michaela Beníčková (assistant)
Mgr. Vojtěch Grün, Ph.D. (assistant)
Mgr. Tomáš Vespalec, Ph.D. (assistant)
Mgr. Adam Wagner (assistant)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Martina Bernaciková, Ph.D.
Department of Physical Activities and Health Sciences – Faculty of Sports Studies
Supplier department: Department of Physical Activities and Health Sciences – Faculty of Sports Studies

Prerequisites

TYP_STUDIA(BM) && FORMA(P)
Interested in changing your lifestyle or wanting to learn up-to-date information on improving your lifestyle using modern methods and techniques. To root out what BIOHACKING is and to include it in your daily life as part of health prevention.

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 1/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30

Course objectives

Biohacking is a direction that helps optimize human potential, health and well-being. Typical of biohacking is the use of science, technology and understanding of human physiology and nutritional principles. This direction presents certain principles and suggests programs that help us control our biological settings and therefore our mood (emotions), performance and overall our life. The aim of the subject is to familiarize yourself with strategies for improving your lifestyle within the framework of health prevention. The questions we will ask ourselves and answer together will relate to our current lifestyle and how we can change it.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- identify and summarize the important features of BIOHACKING
- describe the factors threatening our health
- determine and describe basic strategies leading to lifestyle improvement (in the area of: nutrition, movement, sleep, behavioral changes, mindfulness, etc.)
- analyze your current lifestyle
- propose and apply the principles of BIOHACKING to your lifestyle in order to prevent civilization diseases and optimize your potential
- monitor and evaluate parameters controlling the state of our health (e.g. sleep, stress, ratio of macronutrients in nutrition, intensity of load during physical activity, etc.)
- apply acquired knowledge and skills to your field

Syllabus

• Stress and how to resist it: good and bad stress; biology of stress and stressors; how to measure stress levels; health, disease and immunity
• Biohacking: concepts; comprehensive approach; modern technology; an inventory of my body
• Hormones and other important substances of our body: substances affecting processes in our body; happy hormones; stress hormones; weight loss hormones; important enzymes
• Be in motion: assessment of my condition, effect of movement on health, favorite PA, how to stay fit, how to start regular PA, monitoring of movement
• Ergonomics: how to improve the learning space
• Sleep, circadian rhythm and other strategies for strengthening the organism: why sleep is so important, description of the sleep cycle, rules for quality sleep, sleep monitoring, circadian rhythm in our life, cold therapy, sauna, massage, digital hygiene
• Nutrition and drinking regime - energy for the body: optimal weight and how to achieve it, healthy nutrition in   a few corks - what to eat/when to eat, it is necessary to count calories (energy intake/output), fasting will help me, nutrition myths, menu in the exam period
• The gut microbiome: the gut as a second brain, the microorganisms in our body and their potential, what affects the gut microbiome, the effect of the microorganism on our mood, behavior and decision making
• Mental health: mental health and well-being, brain and stress, emotional energy, breathing for relaxation, yoga, meditation, mindfulness
• Monitoring + applications for health and wellness: monitoring using smart watches and fitness bracelets, advantages and disadvantages of monitoring, fitness diaries, training diaries, mobile applications in the field of health prevention (eHealth applications)
• Biohacker's day (male/female): physiological differences between women and men, why it's good to have a regular menstrual cycle, how to increase and not increase testosterone concentration, biohacker's day

Literature

recommended literature
• NESTOR, James. Dech : nové poznatky o ztraceném umění. Translated by Alžběta Vargová. První vydání. Brno: Host, 2021, 379 stran. ISBN 9788027507085. info
• WALKER, Matthew P. Proč spíme : odhalte sílu spánku a snění. Druhé, aktualizované vydá. Brno: Jan Melvil Publishing, 2021, 408 stran. ISBN 9788075551221. info
• PLOMIN, Robert. Kód života : jak z nás DNA dělá to, kým jsme. Translated by Filip Drlík. Vydání první. V Brně: Jan Melvil Publishing, 2020, 312 stran. ISBN 9788075550927. URL info
• SONNENBURG, Justin and Erica SONNENBURG. Zdravá střeva : poznejte tajemství mikrobioty a získejte dlouhodobou kontrolu nad svou váhou, náladou a zdravím. Translated by Filip Drlík. Vydání první. V Brně: Jan Melvil Publishing, 2016, 279 stran. ISBN 9788075559999. URL info
• VOLLMER, Joachim B. Zdravá střeva, zdravý život : chraňte si centrum svého zdraví. Translated by Štěpánka Syrová. První vydání. Praha: Grada, 2016, 192 stran. ISBN 9788027100613. URL info

Teaching methods

Interactive forms of teaching (e.g. brainstorming, work in pairs/groups) will be included in the lectures. Lectures will include examples from practice, students will receive specific instructions and recommendations on how to improve their lifestyle. During the semester, students will be motivated with optional challenges.

Assessment methods

Oral colloquium in groups that will take place during the last lecture. Students will share experiences and impressions from completing the challenges. In addition to the individual lecturers (depending on the topic), other present students will give them feedback.

Language of instruction

Czech

• Enrolment Statistics (spring 2025, recent)
  
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