CAPS LOCK

In this episode, Sam explores the glymphatic system (no, not the lymphatic system!) and how it works to detox our brains after we fall asleep. Inspired by a TikTok video, she deep dives into a recent scientific discovery, is shocked to learn about what the brain does to itself while we're unconscious, and shares strategies for optimizing its performance to protect ourselves from cognitive dysfunction as severe as Alzheimer's and dementia.

Listen to this episode if you want to geek out with Sam, if you want to learn something new about the way your brain and body work together to protect you, or if you need some motivation to improve the length and quality of your sleep at night.

Key moments:

00:33 The importance of sleep and how it gets lost

01:43 Found a benefit of doomscrolling LOL

02:42 The TikTok video that led Sam to this topic

03:15 Brief overview of the glymphatic drainage system and process

04:16 The difference between the LYMphatic system and the GLYMphatic system

04:32 It all starts here, in your circulatory system

05:40 The role of lymph in your body’s waste processing system

06:56 How your body gets rid of toxic waste

07:04 What do lymph nodes actually do?

08:00 How lymphatic drainage massages work (spoiler: they’re not a scam)

08:35 When you should get a lymphatic drainage massage

08:47 What is the glymphatic system?

09:50 How your brain produces metabolic waste

10:35 What’s in metabolic waste, and what does it do to our brains?

11:24 What carbon dioxide buildup does to our brain

11:52 What lactate buildup does to our brain

12:21 Two of the biggest Alzheimer’s contributors/markers

14:19 Why we need waste drainage from the brain

14:38 Your brain does WHAT when you sleep?

15:12 Where does all that toxic waste go?

16:18 Circumstances by which this process could get disturbed (you experience BOTH of them)

17:14 Approaching health by controlling what we can

18:22 What happens when your brain isn’t draining properly

18:48 A groundbreaking case study proving why it’s so important to drain (proving the risk of drainage interruption and the importance of the glymphatic system)

24:09 How we can optimize our glymphatic system to keep our brains healthy

24:34 How sleep impacts the glymphatic system

25:15 Do you sleep on your back or your side?

25:47 Specific types of exercise that help

26:37 An important aspect of your diet that impacts your brain drain

26:53 Why does everything come back to alcohol lol SOS

27:55 Can intermittent fasting help your brain detox?

28:34 Sam’s 26 favorite stress management techniques with no explanation or elaboration lol

30:03 Upcoming episode topics

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam meets with Dr. Jonathan Leary, founder of Remedy Place. They discuss his journey from practicing traditional to alternative medicine, the current state of American healthcare, the rise of holistic and functional medicine, and the future of wellness.

Listen to this episode if you want to feel empowered to learn more about your body and health, if you want to learn how to cut through all the health misinformation online, or if you want to hear some perspective from someone who's pioneering the future of wellness.

Key moments:

02:52 Why Dr. Leary left traditional healthcare and turned to holistic and alternative medicine

05:33 He thinks THIS common healthcare practice should be illegal

05:52 How social media plays a role in alternative medicine

07:55 What’s wrong with the American healthcare system

09:41 How our healthcare system is best used

09:51 “The top 8 chronic conditions in the US last year were the highest they’ve ever been”

11:00 Why are Americans getting sicker?

12:13 One of the biggest problems with Americans’ mental and physical health

13:54 Where to meet your next boyfriend lol

14:11 Social connection and longevity

16:20 The problem all wellness people face (and how he’s solving it)

18:08 New Yorkers are facing THIS major problem

19:34 Social wellness is rising inversely against drinking

21:03 Commentary on drinking culture in the US

21:48 THIS thing you might be experiencing on a daily basis is 6x worse than alcohol

24:12 We need to start thinking about our health in this new way

27:31 How to instantly get an instruction manual for your body

29:02 How to cut through the misinformation about health online

30:22 The biggest red flag in the health and wellness industry

31:36 The foundational pillars of health

32:26 How to have a healthy social life

33:36 Routines turn into habits turn into change

33:49 Stress is NOT always bad for you

37:33 The important realization he had about stress

39:43 Raising awareness about Eastern medicine

44:23 What is within our control when it comes to our health?

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam talks about how she's been feeling kind of flat and stuck in a rut over the past few weeks, even though she can't pinpoint exactly what's wrong. Then, she reflects on some wisdom from her mom, and shares an exhaustive list of tried-and-true things that actually help pull her out of it and make her feel like herself again when she's feeling down.

Listen to this episode if you're just feeling kind of blah and you need a kick in the ass, a bed rot, a bestie day, some indulgent self-care ideas, or a little extra love.

Key moments:

01:16 Wisdom from Sam’s mom

04:15 Two different kinds of feeling “down”

05:27 How to get yourself out of a rut

06:17 Three kinds of therapy that you might not have considered

07:40 Intellectualizing your feelings

08:51 EMDR therapy: eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

10:08 Somatic healing therapy

11:10 The first thing you should do if you’re feeling down (especially if you don’t know why you’re sad)

11:37 Something you didn’t know about circadian rhythm

13:42 Easiest and best strategy ever, works every time 99% of the time

13:56 Fun fact about nature and antidepressants

14:32 It’s getting kinda deep lol

18:34 Sam spits bars about how sometimes your best friend is actually the best therapist

20:29 How our friendships extend our lifespans

22:01 You’re not cooking enough

28:35 *Eye roll* but hear me out

29:44 The surprising way eating sugars and fats affects your mental health

33:16 How to actually journal in a way that’s not embarrassing

35:36 Why gratitude lists and journals don’t work and how to fix them

38:11 Advice from Sam’s boyfriend that she hated at first but then it changed her life

42:25 Indulgence can be wellness!!! Sam’s favorite indulgent self-care activities

45:09 Give yourself a break from the pressure of always trying to be your best self

45:39 BARSSS (life is short)

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam explores why it's easier to make new friends as a kid, harder to make new friends as an adult, and necessary to keep trying no matter what part of life we're in. She makes recommendations for not only places and occasions to meet new people and turn them into friends, but also how to approach them in a way that's more likely to result in friendship. Sam drops a couple bars and original theories in this one, so make sure to share it with a friend.

Listen to this episode if you recently moved to a new city, if you're in your splinter era, if you're the "single friend" and you need to make more single friends, or if you just want to start meeting new people.

Key moments:

00:35 Epic storytime

05:14 The kind of person Sam is lol

06:40 Most thoughtful lil gift

07:37 Why it’s harder to make friends as an adult

08:44 Sam’s hot take about WFH

09:21 Why we aren’t making new friends

11:19 If you think you’re too busy

15:53 Sam’s theory about how friendships change as we get older

17:24 The two ingredients required for a good friendship

19:09 The #1 best way to make new friends

20:54 The crazy way Sam met one of her best friends

22:12 How to make friends through fitness

27:00 Non-fitness ideas

31:19 Sam’s favorite tip in the whole episode

31:41 How to execute it

39:21 One thing we don’t do enough

40:40 The most unexpected idea on this list

41:59 The future of CAPS LOCK (community events!)

45:59 Sam spits absolute bars

47:04 How to approach people IRL

52:40 The important key to every new friendship

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam meets with Miranda McKeon. They talk about Miranda's breast cancer journey, from a stage III diagnosis at only 19, to fertility treatments, chemotherapy, unexpected challenges and silver linings, and how it changed her life.

Key moments:

00:33 Introducing Miranda and her cancer story

01:37 How we met (cute, bestie vibes)

07:46 Growing up and being in adult spaces as a young person

11:22 Starting college during COVID

13:07 How she found out she had cancer

14:45 What the lump felt like

15:57 Getting the biopsy results

17:50 Processing the results from an airplane in San Francisco

18:28 Rebranding self breast exams

20:44 Miranda’s fertility journey (at only 22)

26:28 Things that surprised her about fertility treatment

27:35 The most traumatizing part of her cancer treatment

29:28 How Miranda’s cancer journey gave her perspective

31:40 The physical toll of having and treating cancer

32:24 Going through medically-induced menopause at age 22

36:52 What helped the most during treatment

40:37 The emotional rollercoaster of it all

42:53 Who and what got her through it

43:02 How antidepressants played a role

46:31 What she learned about herself

48:53 How Sam found out her mom had cancer

52:00 How beating cancer gave Miranda purpose

53:22 Sharing her story online

54:59 One part of cancer people don’t talk about enough

55:14 Why she worried about finding love after cancer

58:25 What does a cancer-preventative lifestyle look like?

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam explores why we procrastinate, as well as strategies for being productive at work, even when it feels impossible. She draws from science-backed research and personal experience to develop creative, accessible, and actionable techniques for increasing your productivity and output.

Listen to this episode if you're feeling stuck or unmotivated, if you can't seem to stop procrastinating on important tasks, or if you're struggling to cross tasks off your to-do list.

Key moments:

02:42 Do you feel guilty when you procrastinate?

03:48 Sam says it’ll be a quick episode and then proceeds to talk for 49 minutes

04:15 The science behind why we procrastinate

04:29 The role of your limbic system

05:21 The role of your amygdala

06:22 Temporal discounting (so real and so interesting)

07:33 The role of your prefrontal cortex

09:05 The reasons we procrastinate

09:29 Listen here if you need a boost of good luck lol

09:54 Lack of motivation? Try these hacks

10:16 Body doubling (most fun tip IMO)

14:01 The bribe/threat method

14:55 Overwhelmed? Too much to do? Here’s how to overcome that

15:11 Amazing tip for nailing a job interview

15:52 Wisdom from my mom that changed my life

16:22 Step-by-step process for being productive when you’re overwhelmed

17:10 This is the best motivation I’ve ever heard dead serious

18:06 The best planner/agenda on earth (linked below)

18:39 How to mobilize yourself to start working

18:50 Friction auditing (identifying friction in your workflow)

19:06 How to remove the friction from your workday

19:41 The unexpected power of journaling (from someone who thinks journaling is cringe)

23:10 When the task feels daunting or intimidating

23:30 The most important thing when the task feels intimidating

25:48 The task never takes as long as you think it will

26:58 Hacks for getting you to start in the first place

27:10 The 5-minute rule (not 5-second) ((Mel Robbins approved))

28:25 The Pomodoro Method (Sam’s version)

28:46 Break snacks!!! (Not food-related lol)

31:58 We are so back—fear of failure vs. judgment

32:34 How to get over fear of judgment

32:38 Who should we be taking feedback from?

33:49 Who we should NOT take feedback from

36:05 Sam goes on a rare Bravo rant

39:02 Perfectionism, self-doubt, and procrastination

41:24 The power of the mini deadline

43:54 Procrastination and ADD or ADHD

44:04 ADD and ADHD brains are literally structured differently

45:34 ADD or ADHD paralysis

45:55 Symptoms of ADHD paralysis

46:06 Time blindness (SOOO real)

47:30 Reinforcement of avoidant behaviors

50:16 Upcoming CAPS LOCK episode topics (new!)

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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Sam's "break snack"/manic episode playlist: https://rb.gy/giw7lc

Intelligent Change Productivity Planner: https://bit.ly/42AB3Cp

Resources for this episode can be found here.

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In this episode, Sam meets with Caroline Vasquez Huber and Hilary Dubin, the founders of Quit With Jones: a company designed to help you quit vaping by way of nicotine replacement therapy and cognitive behavioral support. They discuss what's actually inside a vape, how (in some ways) vaping can be worse than smoking cigarettes, and what's in it for you if you manage to quit. They also get to the root of nicotine itself—is it dangerous? How should it be used? What's up with ZYN?

Listen to this episode if you vape, or also if you don't (Sam has never touched one, but had the time of her life making this episode lol).

Key moments:

00:35 About the guests (our first duo!)

02:16 The current stats on vaping are SHOCKING

03:06 People are using cigarettes to quit vaping

04:57 How people get into vaping in the first place (+ personal stories)

07:00 Quick history lesson on vapes and vaping

07:52 Do vapes actually help you quit smoking?

09:33 The FDA’s stance on vapes and e-cigarettes

09:47 Which carcinogens are in your vape (terrifying!)

10:04 Scary fact about vaping vs. smoking cigarettes

10:38 Vape juice includes ingredients that are banned from cleaning products lol

12:34 The worst chemicals in vape juice

14:51 The actual (financial) cost of vaping

15:53 The impact of vaping on sexual and reproductive health (insane)

17:22 The impact of vaping on your skin and hair

18:56 Is nicotine dangerous on its own?

20:36 What nicotine does to your brain

21:47 Nicotine and the reward center in your brain (origin of tolerance and addiction)

23:33 The dangers of ZYN and other nicotine pouches

24:40 Why they decided to quit vaping (personal stories, so good)

25:20 How Caroline found out she was vaping the equivalent of 2 packs of cigarettes per day

30:33 The vaping fact that made Hilary quit for good

31:13 How to calculate how much nicotine you’re vaping

33:01 Why the existing cessation options weren’t working

35:25 Smoking, vaping, nicotine, and diet culture/weight loss

38:08 Why they started Quit With Jones

38:44 The psychological side of quitting or recovering from addiction

40:20 The Quit With Jones app (listen if you want to quit vaping)

42:01 How much money Hilary has saved this year by quitting vaping

43:18 Sam has a genius business idea (brag)

43:58 Data on how well Quit With Jones works

44:50 Eliminating the stigma around “relapsing” in smoking and vaping

47:39 The future of smoking, vaping, and nicotine use

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam goes on a caffeine deep dive after traumatizing herself with an energy drink on an empty stomach (lol). She explores the physical and mental effects of drinking caffeine, plus how much you should be having, when you should be having it, and what types you should look for. She shares some shocking findings about synthetic caffeine (BAD), as well as the possibility of using caffeine as a preventative tool to protect against Alzheimer's, dementia, and Parkinson's (GOOD).

Listen to this episode if you want to optimize the way you use caffeine, or if you just want to feel and perform better at work or in the gym.

Key moments:

01:10 What inspired this episode

01:45 Sam's mantra about symptoms

02:24 Storytime

10:15 Sam's exact caffeine routine

12:35 What actually...is...caffeine?

13:13 The difference between natural and artificial caffeine

14:01 How natural caffeine is processed for consumption (also fun nerd moment!)

15:41 How synthetic caffeine is made (INSANE)

16:51 Craziest thing Sam has ever heard about caffeine

17:25 Somehow it gets worse

19:25 What does caffeine do in your body?

20:00 Caffeine and the brain

20:15 How caffeine impacts your sleep

21:50 How caffeine impacts your cognition

22:53 Yerkes-Dodson law broken down (important)

23:56 How caffeine impacts your memory

25:30 Caffeine and your mental health

25:44 Caffeine and anxiety

26:35 How caffeine affects your emotional state

27:14 Caffeine and depression (unexpected)

28:21 Long-term impacts of caffeine on your brain

28:28 Caffeine’s role in preventing Alzheimer’s and dementia (this is bananas)

29:55 Caffeine’s role in preventing Parkinson’s

31:10 The short-term physical effects of caffeine on your body

32:07 Caffeine overdose

32:20 How caffeine helps us in exercise/at the gym

33:26 The long-term physical effects of caffeine on your body

34:39 The most popular caffeinated products and their pros/cons

34:47 The benefits of drinking coffee (and the best way to drink it)

35:55 The benefits of drinking tea (and what kind is best)

36:57 The truth about energy drinks

39:03 Caffeine pills

39:49 Yerbamate

40:56 Can you become addicted to caffeine?

42:24 Upcoming episode topics

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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In this episode, Sam (who has been a night owl her entire life) explains why she decided to try being a morning person, how she fell in love with it, and why being a morning person is kind of amazing. Then, she offers 20 tips, strategies, and life hacks for making yourself a morning person when you're not naturally inclined.

Listen to this episode if you want to start waking up earlier, develop healthier habits, stop staying up too late, and feel less tired throughout the day.

Key moments:

00:35 Some quick pod updates

02:13 Small but exciting CAPS LOCK milestones!

02:45 Prenuvo scan updates and $300 discount code

04:56 An amazing motivational quote

05:38 Intro to becoming a morning person

06:40 Sam’s morning person origin story

14:10 Sam’s wellness routine in 2025

15:41 Is being a morning person genetic?

17:23 Why is it better to be a morning person?

22:51 Sam’s experience becoming a morning person

28:09 The only drawback so far

28:48 Potential future episode topic? DM me your thoughts!

33:25 20 tips for becoming a morning person!

33:52 What is circadian rhythm?

35:43 The real reason blue light is bad for you

37:53 Sam makes a confession lol

40:04 2 things to do immediately when you wake up

42:43 A funny tip but one of the most motivating ones

44:09 Sam shares a surprising fact about caffeine

46:24 One of Sam’s favorite productivity life hacks

48:27 Hilarious morning person tip that Sam invented

50:07 Sam’s hot take on a common morning person tip

51:19 Sam’s exact sleep schedule for 2025

56:09 How what (and when) you eat affects your sleep

59:14 Sam spits absolute bars

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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$300 off your full-body Prenuvo scan: www.prenuvo.com/SAMANTHAFEHER

Resources for this episode can be found here.

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In this episode, Sam meets with celebrity astrologer Aliza Kelly. They discuss astrology for skeptics, what's going on in the stars right now (plus what it means for us all), and how the stars impact you at all different times throughout your life.

Listen to this episode if you're not sure you believe in astrology, if you want to learn how to better understand and apply it to your life, or if you want to know more about the astrological significance of different times in your life.

Key moments:

04:30 For people who don’t believe in astrology...

05:05 A shocking fact about astrology

11:55 The surprisingly short history of psychology and mental health

12:49 The biggest misconceptions about astrology

14:17 Why Aliza became an astrologer

19:04 How to use astrology as a tool and apply it to your life

19:53 Astrology and manifestation

21:54 Astrology as a wellness practice

24:45 Turning your passion into a business

28:00 What’s going on in the stars right now

28:33 Jupiter in Gemini and what it means for us

31:03 What Jupiter in Gemini did to Sam in 2024 lol

36:04 When your Saturn return really happens (it's not when you think)

37:15 Misconceptions about Saturn return

37:36 Astrological events we all experience (and when we'll experience them)

38:01 Why your late 20s are such an important time

38:55 What is your progressed lunar return? (Lesser known but important)

41:05 What is your nodal opposition? (Lesser known but important)

43:28 What does Saturn return mean for you?

45:53 This VERY popular astrology app is a scam

48:17 What apps you should use instead of that one

49:06 How to interpret your own chart

Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!

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