Health podcasts are too long. Here's how people keep up

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Andrew Huberman: The Real Reason You Can't Get Deep Sleep & Wake Up ExhaustedThe Diary Of A CEO
Uploaded Sep 3, 2026 · 8.4M views (as of Oct 30, 2026)

Quick answer

Health shows like Huberman Lab, The Drive and The Diary of a CEO put out episodes that run two, three, sometimes four hours. One listener summed up the problem in five words: the podcast is too long, we have jobs. People who keep up mostly stopped trying to hear every episode, and started picking.

What 125x is: 125x is a web app at 125x.app. You connect your YouTube subscriptions, and it gives you a feed of the latest videos from the channels you follow, each with a summary: a verdict, the 5 key takeaways, and the spoiler, plus Actionable and Lessons tabs with more tips. You read that and decide what's actually worth opening.

Open 125x

What listeners say works

Go by topic instead of by week. One longtime listener grabs every episode on the one subject they care about right now, works through those, then moves to the next topic.
Use the chapters. Most of these shows post on YouTube with timestamps in the description. his book launch interview on The Diary of a CEO lists more than a dozen chapters, so you can jump straight to the part you came for.
Split it up. A lot of people stop around the two hour mark and finish another day, on walks, at the gym or doing chores.
Speed up the familiar parts, like the intro and the ad reads, and slow down when they get into the specifics.
Read the key points first, then decide. One listener said they pull the transcript, get the main points and action steps, and only listen to the full thing when it's worth it.
Write one thing down. People who remember these episodes keep a single line per episode: what they'll try, or what changed their mind.

Agree or disagree: the long format is the point

Some fans say the length is the whole appeal, since a three hour talk gets into detail a ten minute clip can't. We partly agree.

Long form is great when the topic is the one you care about this month. When it isn't, you don't owe a show three hours.

Skip it with no guilt and come back if the topic ever matters to you. Another listener said they'd rather watch or listen than read a written recap, because reading isn't how they take things in.

Fair enough. Use the recap to decide which episode deserves your ears, then listen to that one.

Our own tips

Keep a topic list. Write the three health topics you actually care about right now on your phone, and only play episodes that match one.
Our unusual tip: write one question before you press play, like 'what does he say about morning light?'. Scrub the chapters for it, and stop the episode once it's answered. You'll finish more episodes in a week than most people finish in a month, and you'll know exactly why you listened.
Keep a tried-it column next to your one-line notes, with the date you'll check whether you kept it. If an episode gives you nothing to write, that tells you which shows to drop.
Skip the reruns. Many big shows repeat the same core advice across episodes. If you've heard a guest's main points twice, the third episode can wait.

Where 125x fits

On 125x, every video in your subscriptions feed comes with a summary: a verdict, 5 takeaways and the spoiler, plus an Actionable tab with steps and a Lessons tab with the bigger ideas. Most big health shows also post full episodes on YouTube. If you subscribe to them there, 125x shows each new episode with a verdict and the 5 takeaways, so you can tell which three hour episode deserves your evening.

FAQ: questions people ask

Why are health podcasts so long?

They're interview shows that go deep on one topic with a guest, and the hosts like the room to explain the science. That's great for fans and a lot to ask when you're busy.

Do I need to listen to every episode?

No. Most listeners who keep up pick episodes by topic and skip the rest. Pick the subjects you care about right now.

Is it OK to listen at 2x?

Plenty of people do for intros and ads, then slow down for the detailed parts. Use whatever speed lets you still follow along.

How do I find the useful part of a long episode?

Check the chapter timestamps in the YouTube description, or read the key points first and jump to the part you want.

How do I remember what I heard?

Write one line per episode: the one thing you'll try or the idea that stuck. One line is easy to keep up with and easy to review.