What is limbic friction?

Limbic friction refers to the psychological and physiological effort needed to overcome states of anxiousness or lack of motivation, which Andrew Huberman describes as managing the strain of two different states regulated by the autonomic nervous system. He coined the term to describe the challenge of switching from being overly alert or too calm to an appropriate state for desired actions or behaviors, especially in the context of habit formation and managing stress 1. Limbic friction involves controlling the autonomic nervous system, which switches between alertness and calmness, and can affect one's ability to form or break habits 2.

The concept has relevance to neuroplasticity since managing limbic friction and entering the right state is crucial for initiating the learning and adaptation processes in the brain 3. Huberman uses the term to describe the struggle to control our autonomic nervous system when we are either overly stressed, needing to calm down, or too fatigued, needing to engage 3. Overcoming limbic friction is thus a key to establishing new habits and behaviors, and managing it effectively can lead to increased capacity for action and relaxation 4.