Endurance training should work the same for everyone doing identical workouts, right? You're putting in the miles, tracking your heart rate, building muscle, and somehow still hitting a wall that other people breeze past. Turns out there's a group of neurons in your hypothalamus that activates after you exercise, and whether those fire correctly has nothing to do with how hard you're trying.

A mouse study proved it by using light to turn specific brain cells on and off. Two mice train identically. One has these neurons working, one has them turned off. The mouse with neurons firing builds better endurance despite doing the exact same workout. When researchers gave mice a boost by turning the neurons on stronger, those mice performed better without changing their training at all. The neurons are in the hypothalamus, the part of your brain that normally regulates hunger, not movement. They activate after exercise, not during, which nobody expected. Dr. Samantha Yammine points out this isn't about willpower or mental fortitude to push through a marathon. It's a biological component you can't control through effort alone.

You have biological advantages that make you better at one kind of fitness versus another. When you plateau, maybe it's not about trying harder. Maybe it's just about what your neurons are doing after you stop.

Topics: endurance training, fitness plateau, exercise neuroscience, hypothalamus neurons, building endurance

GUEST: Dr. Samantha Yammine | http://samanthayammine.com , @‌science.sam

Originally aired on 2026-02-20

Endurance training should work the same for everyone doing identical workouts, right? You're putting in the miles, tracking your heart rate, building muscle, and somehow still hitting a wall that other people breeze past. Turns out there's a group of neurons in your hypothalamus that activates after you exercise, and whether those fire correctly has nothing to do with how hard you're trying.
A mouse study proved it by using light to turn specific brain cells on and off. Two mice train identically. One has these neurons working, one has them turned off. The mouse with neurons firing builds better endurance despite doing the exact same workout. When researchers gave mice a boost by turning the neurons on stronger, those mice performed better without changing their training at all. The neurons are in the hypothalamus, the part of your brain that normally regulates hunger, not movement. They activate after exercise, not during, which nobody expected. Dr. Samantha Yammine points out this isn't about willpower or mental fortitude to push through a marathon. It's a biological component you can't control through effort alone.
You have biological advantages that make you better at one kind of fitness versus another. When you plateau, maybe it's not about trying harder. Maybe it's just about what your neurons are doing after you stop.
Topics: endurance training, fitness plateau, exercise neuroscience, hypothalamus neurons, building endurance
GUEST: Dr. Samantha Yammine |<a href="http://samanthayammine.com"> http://samanthayammine.com</a> , @&zwnj;science.sam
Originally aired on&nbsp;2026-02-20

Shane Hewitt & The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world—always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.

From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane’s signature style—thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.

If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt &amp; The Nightshift is your late-night companion for real talk, bold ideas, and unfiltered conversations that matter. Hosted by Canadian radio veteran Shane Hewitt, each episode dives into the headlines, human stories, and hidden truths shaping our world&mdash;always with curiosity, compassion, and a sharp edge.
From politics and pop culture to mental health, technology, and everyday life, this podcast is where night owls, deep thinkers, and curious minds come to connect. Featuring expert guests, passionate callers, and Shane&rsquo;s signature style&mdash;thoughtful, fearless, and refreshingly real.
If you crave meaningful dialogue, smart perspectives, and late-night radio energy in podcast form, subscribe now and join The Nightshift.

Shane Hewitt and The Nightshift

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.

Shane Hewitt is known for his engaging and relatable on-air personality, which captivates listeners. His ability to blend insightful commentary with humour and empathy creates a genuine connection with listeners.  Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift provides relatable content, informative discussions and expert insights – along with a balance of anecdotes and entertainment.