Microdosing psychedelics may assist people in making health-related behavior changes. Digest
Changing everyday health habits plays a major role in long-term health, yet many people struggle to translate intentions into sustained action. In a new study, researchers examined whether people who microdose psychedelics report consistent changes in health behaviors, and which aspects of daily life appear most affected by the practice.
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The study analyzed survey data from 365 adults with current or past experience with microdosing psychedelics. Participants answered detailed questions about their dosing routines, health behaviors, and motivations. They also reported the direction of health behavior changes (increase, decrease, or mixed) and described, in their own words, what they believed helped those changes occur. The substances most commonly reported were psilocybin-containing truffles or mushrooms and, less often, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
- Most participants reported at least one health-related habit change they attributed to microdosing, with sleep, mindfulness-related practices, and physical activity appearing most often.
- Sleep stood out as the single most common change, and among those who rated sleep as a major effect, nearly all described sleeping better.
- Many participants reported spending more time on contemplative practices such as meditation or mindfulness, often alongside greater stress management.
- Physical activity changes tended to involve doing more walking or general exercise, although structured sports showed more mixed patterns.
- Among participants who noticed changes in alcohol use, reduced drinking was far more common than increased consumption.
- Statistical analyses showed that people who began microdosing with a clear intention to improve habits were much more likely to report changes in diet, weight, tobacco use, and physical activity. In contrast, dose size, dosing schedule, supplement combinations, and mental health diagnosis did not reliably predict change.
Participants' explanations point to several psychological factors that may support these shifts. Many described better overall mental well-being, greater psychological flexibility, meaning an improved ability to adapt thoughts and behaviors, and higher self-efficacy, or confidence in following through on goals. They also frequently mentioned clearer thinking, increased self-awareness, and a stronger sense of connection to other people or nature. Taken together, the findings suggest that microdosing may not directly change health behaviors on its own, but could amplify motivation and readiness for change.
The study has important limitations. It relied on self-reported memories, did not include a control group, and cannot determine whether microdosing directly promoted the changes. Still, the results suggest that microdosing may be useful for supporting the adoption of healthier behaviors and lifestyle habits. In this clip, I discuss aspects of the psychedelic experience that make psilocybin potentially therapeutically beneficial for depression.