Feeling tempted by social media tips to “reset” your vagus nerve, fix your anxiety and banish inflammation? In this episode, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dig into the science behind vagus nerve stimulation. 

With neurosurgeon and researcher Kevin Tracey, they explore how this a modern wellness obsession came about, what FDA‑approved implants can really do for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, and why most DIY hacks may be running ahead of the evidence.

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Find out more about The Vagus Nerve at New Scientist: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2388223-unravelling-the-secrets-of-the-vagus-nerve-will-revolutionise-medicine/ 

Sources: 

The Great Nerve book by Kevin Tracey

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/470370/the-great-nerve-by-tracey-dr-kevin/978140597850

Linda Watkins paper:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7746479/

Kevin’s original paper triggering the discovery of inflammation and vagus nerve: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9361344/

Testing the inflammation-vagus nerve theory:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10839541/

Earlobe experiment:

https://jasontsukahara.com/publications/2021-ijp-vagus-pupil/2021-ijp-vagus-pupil.pdf

Small human study recording non invasive vagus stimulation and brain response

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28648089/

POTS: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37999672/ 

Why do so many of us feel calmer, clearer and more creative by the sea, a river or a lake? In this episode, Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dive into the science of blue spaces. Picking apart the theories behind why water captures our attention and how time spent near water can change how we feel pain, our stress levels and even long-term physical health. 

They’re joined by psychologist Dr Mathew White, whose large-scale studies are revealing why time near water might give our brains an extra boost over green spaces alone, and how much you really need each week to feel the effects. 

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Find out more about Blue Spaces at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2328003-why-spending-time-near-water-gives-us-a-powerful-mental-health-boost/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2272260-green-spaces-arent-just-for-nature-they-boost-our-mental-health-too/

Sources:

https://bluehealth2020.eu/people/mathew-white/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/oct/06/best-walk-hike-for-mental-health-uk

Attention Restoration theory 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10937404.2016.1196155

Wales study:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196%2823%2900212-7/fulltext

Large England study:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024002538?via%3Dihub

Moving urban to rural

http://pubs.acs.org/esthag/article/48/2/1247/1481535/Longitudinal-Effects-on-Mental-Health-of-Moving-to

Lake and electric shocks  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56870-2

Lake and dentist https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0013916517710077 

19 country study of blue spaces:

https://natureandhealth.uw.edu/publications/the-restorative-power-of-blue-spaces-a-19-country-study/ 

If after a record-breaking summer of heatwaves our warming planet is weighing heavily on your mind, you are not alone. Climate anxiety is on the rise, especially among young people, but what makes it different from “ordinary” anxiety, and how should we respond? 

In this episode of Change Your Mind with New Scientist Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson talk to psychotherapist and climate-aware therapy expert Caroline Hickman about why eco anxiety is a rational response to a warming world, how it is reshaping young people’s lives and decisions, and what her global research reveals about sadness, fear and a sense of betrayal. They explore practical ways to live with climate distress without being overwhelmed from reframing anxiety as care, to building resilience, to using imagination to create hopeful visions of the future. 

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠

Find out more about Climate Anxiety at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424806-what-is-eco-anxiety-and-how-can-we-overcome-it/

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/14/four-in-10-young-people-fear-having-children-due-to-climate-crisis

https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/visualizations-data/ycom-us/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2290232-younger-generations-are-the-most-fatalistic-about-climate-change/

https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(24)00100-3

https://imagine5.com/interview/rob-hopkins-the-future-is-beautiful-but-to-get-there-we-have-to-believe-in-it/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23774240607&gbraid=0AAAAA9TOeEgsQNAaHACtVCr7BZGz_jAoM&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm8bTBhDWARIsAC9Hi8lmbg6K7Ou7MYIHqmk2QBhqm52Ggr8V_ffnWSc-RLjqf_flePH7_o8aAhLBEALw_wcB

In this episode of Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange explore the science of cognitive reserve, the brain’s hidden resilience that can help delay the symptoms of dementia. 

They talk to Professor Yaakov Stern, a leading researcher in the field, to uncover what cognitive reserve actually is, how it’s measured, and why some people stay mentally sharp despite significant brain changes. Along the way, they delve into surprising evidence on music, bilingualism, social life, exercise, and even hobbies like quilting and photography to ask how much effort we really need to put in to future‑proof our brains.

Produced by Emily Bird

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]

Find out more about Cognitive Reserve at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2526727-why-you-need-to-future-proof-your-brain-in-middle-age-and-how-to-start/

Sources:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2490103-steadfast-lifestyle-changes-seem-best-to-improve-cognitive-decline/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2514823-specific-cognitive-training-has-astonishing-effect-on-dementia-risk/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397664-we-may-finally-know-how-cognitive-reserve-protects-against-alzheimers/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25544932/

In this episode of Change Your Mind with New Scientist, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the headline grabbing class of drugs behind the Ozempic boom to ask what these medications are really doing to our brains? Beyond weight loss and diabetes, early evidence hints at wide‑ranging effects on appetite, addiction, mood, and even long‑term brain health. With so many people now taking GLP‑1 agonists, are we unintentionally running the largest brain experiment in history, and what is it starting to reveal?

To find out, they’re joined by Professor Paul Kenny, a leading expert on the brain’s reward and motivation systems. Together, they unpack how these drugs might quiet “food noise”, reshape our cravings, and potentially influence conditions like depression, alcohol use, and Alzheimer’s disease, while also confronting their cultural side effects, from shifting body ideals to questions about who really benefits. 

Produced by Emily Bird

Find out more about Ozempic and other GLP-1 Agonists at New Scientist: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2503480-the-potential-of-glp-1-drugs-to-transform-medicine-exploded-in-2025/

Sources:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456669-why-do-ozempic-and-wegovy-seem-to-treat-everything/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2464829-glp-1-drugs-like-ozempic-and-wegovy-lower-the-risk-of-42-conditions/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2435246-the-surprising-mental-health-and-brain-benefits-of-weight-loss-drugs/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2460806-well-learn-about-ozempics-potential-for-alzheimers-disease-in-2025/#:~:text=Two%20clinical%20trials%20investigating%20semaglutide,in%20treating%20this%20intractable%20condition.&text=Semaglutide%20belongs%20to%20a%20class,a%20hormone%20called%20GLP%2D1

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2025/oct/17/fashion-shows-fewer-plus-size-models-vogue-business

Are you getting enough rest?  In this episode of Change Your Mind, health journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the psychology and neuroscience of rest to find out how we can make the most of our downtime. 

They’re joined by Claudia Hammond, broadcaster, author, and visiting professor at the University of Sussex, to unpack the surprising ways your brain lights up when you switch off.  

If you’ve ever wondered whether scrolling on your sofa really counts as rest, how much rest you actually need, or what kinds of activities are most restorative, this episode might just change how you think about doing nothing.

Produced by Emily Bird 

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find out more about Rest at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2508430-low-on-energy-a-new-understanding-of-rest-could-help-revitalise-you/

Can your daily coffee actually be good for your brain, or should we be listening to the influencers who claim we need to cut it out?

In this episode of Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the science of caffeine: to find out whether we can enjoy our coffee fix guilt free. 

They’re joined by Dr Astrid Nehlig, a leading researcher on caffeine and the brain, to explore everything from the long term effects of caffeine on our aging brains, to the surprising ways coffee may be acting on our Gut Microbiome.

If you’ve ever wondered whether to cut down, quit, or top up your cup, this episode might just change how you think about caffeine.

Produced by Emily Bird 

We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find out more about Caffeine at New Scientist:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2525685-coffees-mood-boosting-effects-arent-just-down-to-caffeine/

Series 2 of Change Your Mind with New Scientist is on it's way! But we couldn't leave you with nothing whilst we put together our next batch of myth-busting interviews with top brain experts. Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson share the very best tips and tricks they've picked up in their decades as Health Journalists.

We learn how texting could be good for your brain health and how a morning walk in the sun could lead to a better night's sleep.

Produced by Emily Bird

Series 2 of Change Your Mind with New Scientist is on it's way! But we couldn't leave you with nothing whilst we put together our next batch of myth-busting interviews with top brain experts. Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson share the very best tips and tricks they've picked up in their decades as Health Journalists.

We learn why coffee could be the surprising secret to a successful nap, and why simple tricks can be the most effective in tackling chronic stress.

Produced by Emily Bird

Does your brain really stop developing at 25? How much damage does a bad night's sleep actually do? And if you stop drinking alcohol, can your brain recover?

In this special listener Q&A, Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson wrap up the first series of Change Your Mind with New Scientist  by tackling your questions. Drawing on the latest neuroscience, they separate fact from fiction on some of the biggest brain health topics we've covered so far.

Along the way, they reflect on the habits that surprised them most this series, from cold-water swimming to spending time alone, before diving into your questions about brain development, memory, emotions, alcohol and even whether ditching your clothes could have unexpected benefits for your mental wellbeing.

Change your mind will be back in three weeks time for series two with brand new expert guests and brain-changing discoveries.

We want to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or send us your ideas and questions for future episodes at [email protected].

Produced by Emily Bird