Are four hours of sleep enough to function well? How about six? In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we'll dig into how much sleep most folks need, and the importance of sleep with a focus on 'short sleepers.' We'll laser in on the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on mental health, particularly in late teens and twenties, and explore some of the research. If you need some sleep support, be sure to check out our sleep workshop to help you get the hours you need.

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: This is where our sleep workshop lives! You'll also gain access to lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Stellar, J. E., Gordon, A., Anderson, C. L., Piff, P. K., McNeil, G. D., & Keltner, D. (2018). Awe and humility. Journal of personality and social psychology, 114(2), 258–269. Access.
• Hicklin, T. (2019, September 17). Gene identified in people who need little sleep. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Access.
• Shi, G., et al. (2019). A rare mutation of β1-adrenergic receptor affects sleep/wake behaviors. Neuron, 103(6), 1044–1055.e7. Access.
• Pellegrino, R., et al. (2014). A novel BHLHE41 variant is associated with short sleep and resistance to sleep deprivation in humans. Sleep, 37(8), 1327–1336. Access.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

"I don't know." Do those three words make you feel a bit uncomfortable? Yeah, you're not alone. In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we highlight the concepts of awe and intellectual humility and how they can help us embrace more curiosity, avoid rigid thinking, and help us to stay more connected to the world around us (yes, even amidst political and social challenges). We've got some practical tips to take quick action so you can tap into the surprising freedom that sits within "not knowing."

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources & Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Stellar, J. E., Gordon, A., Anderson, C. L., Piff, P. K., McNeil, G. D., & Keltner, D. (2018). Awe and humility. Journal of personality and social psychology, 114(2), 258–269. Access.
• More episodes like this:
• Mental Health & The Male Hubris, Female Humility Effect (ep. 157)
• Seeing the Goodness in Others, Yourself, & The World (ep. 66)
• You Are That Vast Thing You See with Great Telescopes (ep. 18)
• The Surprising Benefits of Not Knowing (ep. 16)
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we talk about the use of magnesium for anxiety and depression. There's good evidence to support its use, but it can be confusing. We get into the overall power of magnesium (its importance for nerve and muscle function, gut health, and neurotransmitter production) and why it's vital for mental health, particularly how it can support mood. We'll touch on the different types of magnesium supplements, their uses, and some best practices to consider. Of course, be sure to check with your doctor before taking any new supplement.

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we explore a powerful quote by Virginia Woolf: "No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but one's self." It's radically simple wisdom that can be hard in practice. We'll talk about the societal pressures of striving for greatness and the importance of embracing one's authentic self while also exploring the mental health benefits of releasing these pressures and the roles of authenticity and self-compassion in fostering joy and resilience.

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

In this episode of the Joy Lab podcast, we explore the phenomenon of dissociation or what is sometimes called "going offline." We want to highlight that this can be a very natural survival mechanism in response to stress and trauma. It's not all bad. We'll talk about the pros and cons of going offline; share some personal experiences of how dissociation can show up; and provide strategies for grounding, skill building, and reconnecting.

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Clarissa Pinkola Estés' website.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Awe is a powerful element of joy and a powerful contributor to good mental health. And it isn't just something to experience when magical, mysterious, or rare events surprise us. Awe is something we can practice daily. But... how?! We'll talk about some cognitive barriers that may hinder it, such as overgeneralization and filtering. We'll also offer some practical steps to welcome more awe into our lives and uncover more of the joy that resides within us.

Joy Lab & Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources & Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.

Full transcript here

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. See our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

There's something called the "male hubris, female humility effect." And it's really a thing. It means that men tend to rate themselves higher on self-reported intelligence compared to women. How does this impact mental health? There's a lot to consider here. We'll talk about this effect and its relationship to intellectual humility and imposter syndrome. We highlight the importance of intellectual humility when it comes to wellbeing and how balancing humility and hubris can prevent rigidity and promote emotional flexibility. Tune in to find out where you might sit on this continuum and how you can cultivate balance to feed your wellbeing.

Joy Lab & Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources & Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

How do you know if you're thriving? That's a question we received from one of our NMH Community members. We'll talk about this concept of thriving through the lens of positive psychology, leaning on Dr. Martin Seligman's PERMA model which includes Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Most of all, we'll focus on thriving as a practice rather than a fixed state and highlight the learnable skills we can all integrate to go beyond our baseline. Stay as well for the guided practice to help you tune into your own states of openness or constriction, inviting a more holistic understanding of your emotional and mental wellbeing.

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.

Full transcript here

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Does sad music make you feel a little better? You're not alone. In this episode, we're exploring the intriguing topic of how sad music can influence mood and foster resilience. A recent study revealed some reason why we are drawn to sad music and the diverse emotions it evokes, including nostalgia, peacefulness, and empathy. The study also found four dimensions or rewards of listening to sad music: imagination, emotional regulation, empathy, and experiencing emotions without real-life implications. Long song short, there's a real therapeutic and connecting power of sad music and it can be a valuable mindfulness practice for emotional processing.

Joy Lab & Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources & Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.
• Studies & articles referenced:
• The Paradox of Music-Evoked Sadness: An Online Survey
• "Hurt": That Time When Johnny Cash Stole Trent Reznor's Best Song

Full transcript here

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

We're talking about the concept of 'flow' and how to tap into that state of deep absorption in our activities. Interestingly, flow usually requires a bit of prep work. We have to feel comfortable with the challenge and have some confidence in our abilities before the art of letting go can occur. Tune in for some tips on how to shake overthinking so you can tap into more flow.

Joy Lab and Natural Mental Health are community-supported. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a commission. That support helps keep the Joy Lab podcast free for all!

Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Your Joy Lab membership also includes our NMH Community!
• NMH Community: Access lots of extra resilience-boosting resources AND join a group of inspiring folks who play an integral role in keeping this podcast going.
• Where to shop:
• Our partner store, Fullscript: Here you can find high-quality supplements and wellness products. Except for our CBD Gummies, any product links mentioned in the show notes will require an account. Sign up for free.
• Resilient Remedies: Shop our line of trusted, high-quality CBD gummies.
• Subscribe to our Newsletter: Join us over at NaturalMentalHealth.com for exclusive emails, updates, and additional strategies.
• Check out our favorite resilience-boosting reads at Bookshop.org.
• Studies referenced:
• Creative flow as optimized processing: Evidence from brain oscillations during jazz improvisations by expert and non-expert musicians
• Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [email protected]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.