EPISODE 153 - Sara Mednick is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine and author of The Hidden Power of the Downstate and Take a Nap! Change Your Life. She was awarded the Office Naval Research Young Investigator Award in 2015. Her research findings have been published in such leading scientific journals as Nature Neuroscience and The Proceedings from the National Academy of Science, and covered by all major media outlets. Sara resides in San Diego, CA; you can learn more at her website: saramednick.com. In the episode, she explains what the terms “Upstate” and “Downstate” mean, lifestyle changes we can all make to optimize our time spent in the Downstate, negative health effects that can occur after too much time spent in the Upstate…and more!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/153

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QUESTIONS I ASK SARA IN THE EPISODE:

Can you start off by telling us a bit about your background? (Specifically, why did you want to write The Power Of The Downstate?)

How did you go from writing a book about sleep and naps to writing one that looks at our bodies’ many interconnected systems?

Was there a moment in your own life when this new, bigger topic really clicked for you? Had you been feeling like you were spending too much time in the Upstate?

How did you come up with the terms Upstate and Downstate? Can you tell us what they mean?

What lifestyle changes should everyone make to optimize their Upstate and Downstate?

Do you think most people are spending too much time in the Upstate? If so, why?

What are some common misconceptions people have about sleep?

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Visit Sara's website, connect with her on Twitter, and read her book The Hidden Power of the Downstate

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Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)