Sleep in midlife can be complicated — shaped by stress, hormone fluctuations, and a lifetime of habits that may not be serving you. Dr. Jade Wu offers a reframe that challenges how many of us approach sleep. It’s not a problem to be solved. Sleep is your friend, one that responds better to patience than control. 

Dr. Wu also explains why the real measure of sleep doesn’t come from a tracker or device but from how alert you feel during the day. We outline the difference between sleep deprivation, insomnia and sleep apnea. And we discuss the potential benefits of CBT-I or cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. 

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

Thrive Sleep Clinic FAQs

Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications

Genome-wide association study identifies genetic loci for self-reported habitual sleep duration supported by accelerometer-derived estimates

Sleep Disturbance and Perimenopause: A Narrative Review

Sleep Apnea

Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI)

To learn more about at-home sleep studies, speak with your doctor and read this

See a breakdown of the evidence for different treatments for sleep

You can find a list of certified CBT-I therapists here

A 2023 paper in JAMA tested 25 over-the-counter melatonin supplements and found that 22 of them contained very different amounts of melatonin and did not match what was on the label: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2804077

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

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Figuring out how to take care of your skin shouldn’t be so hard. Leading dermatologist Dr. Elizabeth Hale joins the show to give us all the crucial information we need to take care of our skin all year around.  Dr. Hale also walks us through the various regenerative treatments that are in high demand, from exosomes and red light therapy to microneedling, to other mainstays like Botox™ and fillers.  Plus, some actionable tips for early skin cancer detection.

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

Skin Cancer Foundation

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What if you could actually delay the process of aging? Dr. Nir Barzilai hopes to identify interventions that could do just that. He believes a class of drugs known as gerotherapeutics could be real game changers.

Dr. Barzilai walks us through his pioneering research and explains why your biological age may actually be different from your chronological age. And we break down the buzziest trends in the longevity space.

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

Cellergy Therapeutics

How to measure biological aging in humans

Rapamycin, But Not Resveratrol or Simvastatin, Extends Life Span of Genetically Heterogeneous Mice

An Updated Prioritization of Geroscience- Guided FDA-Approved Drugs Repurposed to Target Aging

Comparative Effectiveness of Metformin Versus Sulfonylureas on Exceptional Longevity in Women With Type 2 Diabetes: Target Trial Emulation

The Super Ager Family Study

Nir Barziliai, MD, on what we can learn about longevity from SuperAgers and Centenarians

Cardiovascular advantages among the offspring of centenarians 

Lower all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in centenarians' offspring

Reduced Prevalence and Incidence of Cognitive Impairment Among Centenarian Offspring

What You Should Know About NAD+ Supplements

Abstract 4168: NMN supplementation enhances proliferation and aggressiveness in UV-induced skin cancer

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Integrative health expert & naturopathic physician Dr. Robert Kachko shares his powerful framework for better understanding our biology, our ecology and our biography. His holistic approach helps patients navigate PTSD, trauma, and chronic conditions. 

His work centers on some really powerful questions: Why does a body get sick? What are our symptoms trying to tell us? And how can that information be reverse engineered into a treatment plan?

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

American Association of Naturopathic Physicians

Somatic Experiencing

Trauma and Violence

Veterans Administration National Center for PTSD

Remission from post-traumatic stress disorder in the general population 

Remission from post-traumatic stress disorder in the general population

Recovery from DSM-IV post-traumatic stress disorder in the WHO World Mental Health surveys

Assessing Primary Care Contributions to Behavioral Health: A Cross-sectional Study Using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

Clinician's Guide to Medications for PTSD

2023 U.S. Surgeon General - Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

‘Dunbar's number’ deconstructed

Why friendship and loneliness affect our health

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re tackling your questions about midlife hormone support. We’ll debunk common myths, unpack the research, and break down the basics of hormone support. We’ll also discuss some of the systemic benefits that may come with taking hormones, as well as important considerations for people with a history of health conditions, like cancer or stroke. Joining Dr. Elizabeth Poynor for this discussion is Atria Health Institute’s Chief Content Officer Siobhan O’Connor. 

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

(00:25:29) - Decoding Happiness in Midlife with Dr. Laurie Santos

(00:27:27) - Decoding Brain Fog with Dr. Caroline Gurvich

(00:48:00) - Decoding Partnership in Midlife with Dr. Richard Shapiro

Vaginal estrogen use in breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of recurrence and mortality risks

Oral micronized progesterone for perimenopausal night sweats and hot flushes a Phase III Canada-wide randomized placebo-controlled 4 month trial

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of menopause hormone therapy on risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Risk of Endometrial Cancer

Allopregnanolone and Reproductive Psychiatry: An Overview

Adverse Changes in Body Composition During the Menopausal Transition and Relation to Cardiovascular Risk: A Contemporary Review

The role of lifestyle medicine in menopausal health: a review of non-pharmacologic interventions

Skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ: PGC-1α, myokines and exercise

ADHD and Sex Hormones in Females: A Systematic Review

The range and variation in serum estradiol concentration in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women treated with transdermal estradiol in a real-world setting: a cross-sectional study

The use of HRT containing transdermal estradiol in women with a personal history of venous or arterial thromboembolism: A consecutive series of 115 cases

Recurrent Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections in Women: AUA/CUA/SUFU Guideline (2025)

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leading preventive neurologist Dr. David Dodick joins the show to unpack what alcohol is really doing inside the body. We dive into how it affects the brain, why it’s linked to an increased cancer risk, how it influences the immune system, and what makes alcohol especially impactful for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

If you’ve ever wondered what alcohol use might mean for your long-term health, this conversation is for you.

Special thanks to Antonia Lyons

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

Office of the Surgeon General: Alcohol and Cancer Risk 

Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission 

Women's alcohol use in mid-life: Identifying associations between menopause symptoms, drinking behavior, and mental health 

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve talked a lot on this show about health issues midlife women face. But what about the other people who often have a front-row seat to these changes, and can play a key supporting role? This week, a conversation about supporting a partner who’s going through menopause—with none other than Elizabeth’s own partner: Dr. Richard Shapiro (who also happens to be a pioneering breast cancer and melanoma researcher and surgeon). They talk about the ways they’ve navigated midlife changes in their relationship, common misconceptions about taking hormones, and impacts menopause can have on relationships, as well as give advice for how both partners and clinicians can better support women experiencing menopause. 

Links to resources mentioned in this episode: 

(00:01:38) Dr. Elizabeth Poynor on Rich Roll’s podcast

Menopausal Hormone Therapy and the Risk of Breast Cancer in Women with a Pathogenic Variant in BRCA1 or BRCA2

The Menopause Society

8 facts about divorce in the United States

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if psychedelics could transform the way we treat trauma, chronic pain, and insomnia? This week, neuroscientist and psychedelic researcher Grace Blest-Hopley joins the show to break down the research on psychedelics and female biology. She discusses how psychedelics work in the brain, and the ways that psychedelic-assisted therapies might be beneficial for women in midlife.

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

Hystelica’s resources on psychedelic retreats

The Heroic Hearts Project

Psychedelics and Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review Unraveling the Biological Underpinnings of Psychedelics

Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Psychedelics Administered to Military Veterans in Naturalistic Retreat Settings

The acute effects of classic psychedelics on memory in humans

Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up

Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression

Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial

Johns Hopkins study on psychedelics and Alzheimer’s

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if we reframed the way we approach exercise? On today’s show, Dr. Elizabeth Poynor is joined by Robert Brace - founder of Brace Life Studios. He’s also Elizabeth’s trainer. They discuss how he tailors his workouts to women in midlife, the benefits of exercising in a group and how movement and exercise connect to our mental and spiritual well-being. Robert also gives advice about how to approach training at different hormonal cycle phases, and ways to get started, even when it feels tough. 

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

Robert Brace’s Studio

Martial arts increase oxytocin production

Systematic review: pain, cognition, and cardioprotection—unpacking oxytocin’s contributions in a sport context

Bidirectional Association between Physical Activity and Dopamine Across Adulthood—A Systematic Review

Embodied mood regulation: the impact of body posture on mood recovery, negative thoughts, and mood-congruent recall

Bone mineral density loss in relation to the final menstrual period in a multiethnic cohort: results from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)

American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise

Menstrual cycle tracker apps – Natural Cycles, Flo and Apple Health 

Exercise platforms/apps – Nike Training, TheBraceLife.com 

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Midlife can be a period of immense change and, sometimes, challenging emotions. But it’s also an opportunity to cultivate deeper, more lasting happiness. In today’s episode, Dr. Laurie Santos — renowned psychologist, happiness expert, and host of The Happiness Lab — shares insights on how midlife women can thrive. She breaks down the components of happiness, explains why we’re often mistaken about what makes us happy, and provides practical tools and habits to boost wellbeing, manage negative emotions, and navigate burnout.

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

World Happiness Report

University of Michigan’s Healthy Minds Study

Is happiness U-shaped everywhere? Age and subjective well-being in 145 countries

A Global Flourishing Study Finds That Young Adults, Well, Aren’t

Signature Strengths Test

RAIN: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.