Thomas Dannhauser, PhD, MRCPsych, MBChB, is a popular consulting psychiatrist, neuroscientist and health entrepreneur. From 1990 to 1995, he studied medicine at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Thomas paid for his studies through student work in a large, private medical pathology firm that introduced to him a high-performance business culture where quality, efficiency and customer service were all highly valued. During 1999 to 2007, he trained in psychiatry at the Royal London Hospital and University College London.
Between 2007 to 2016, Thomas served as the Consultant Psychiatrist in the NHS. In 2009, he was also appointed as an Honorary Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at University College London. In 2011, Thomas received his PhD in neuroscience from University College London, during which he studied the functional anatomy of attention and memory in prodromal Alzheimer’s dementia using fMRI.
His first publication was published in Brain, the top neurology journal at the time. He had previously won best presentation for presenting initial findings at the British Neuropsychiatry Association International Conference. Then in 2013, Thomas founded Smart Start Minds, a training program aiming to help aid concentration. He found the commonality of concentration problems and the risks it posed to health and social issues.
Location
London, England.
What’s your favorite vegetable?
Sweet Potatoes.
What’s your motto?
“Start smart; chance only favors the prepared mind.”
What’s your favorite book?
Shooting the Monkey by Colin Turner.
What’s your favorite exercise?
Cycling – any type.
What’s your favorite way to center?
Visualize Success App by Andrew Johnson, at bedtime, with my wife.
Daily Routine:
- 6:00–7:00AM Writing/meditation/yoga,
- 7:00–8:00AM Family breakfast,
- 8:00–9:00AM Fast cycle commute.
- 9:00–12:00PM Creative/solo work,
- 12:00–1:00PM No carb lunch meeting,
- 1:00–5:00PM Team work,
- 5:00–6:00PM Fun with the kids,
- 6:00–8:00PM Family dinner, by candle light,
- 8:00–9:00PM Guitar/singing,
- 9:00–10:00PM Time with my wife,
- 10:00–11:00PM Inspirational reading,
- 11:00PM Sleep.
What gets you out of bed every morning?
I love my life and believe my best days are still ahead.
What is the most important part of your daily routine?
First activity in morning; exercise or meditation.
What about your “O” do you think is unique or special?
I listen to self-talk recordings, in my own voice, of my personal goals, several times during the day, usually when commuting.
What is your #1 wellness habit?
My wife, who is a fantastic GP, cooking and working together to keep our family healthy.
What is the best piece of health advice you’ve ever received?
Reduce carbs. I used to experience pronounced post-lunch blood glucose “dumping” until I learned about this and limited/eliminated refined carbs.
What is your favorite part of living a healthy lifestyle?
Being able to say “Yes” to any invitation to run, cycle, swim, row, ski, paddle, walk or other activity invitation.
Describe your sleep ritual. What time do you go to bed?
I sleep from about 11:00 PM–6:00 AM. With earplugs, in a dark room.
What’s your biggest wellness challenge? How do you address it?
Constantly prioritizing it.
Tell us about a time you were stuck in an unhealthy cycle and how you got out of it. What was the main inspiration for positive change?
Smoking when I was in my 20s. I asked my wife and friends to help, and stopped after reading Alan Carr’s The Easy Way to Stop Smoking and started asking people to hold me accountable.
If you could give one piece of health advice to the next generation, what would it be?
Choose one sport and focus on it as if you are a pro, irrespective of your actual ability. It will generate interest in peak performance and naturally lead to health promoting people, routines, tech, and events. It is a natural vaccination against many ills including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, all types of addictions and association with limiting people. It teaches persistence and resilience. Cycling does it for me.
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Thomas Dannhauser, Ph.D., MRCPsych, MBChB, is a Psychiatrist, Neuroscientist, and Health Entrepreneur. Check out Thomas’s work for Smart Start Minds on their website, and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.