State of the Pod

Everyone seems to have some experience with Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), whether that’s through regular yoga practice, daily meditations, or even just deep breathing exercises. It’s become a standard part of western culture, with heavy presences in social media and among certain demographics. But what exactly is this medicine, and what is the extent of its use? How is the western commodification of CAM harmful and problematic? And what are the implications of the expansion of CAM usage to more researched biomedical practices? Listen to our episode to learn all about these topics and gain a better understanding of the enormous breadth of areas that holistic medicine, or CAM, can be applied to.

Produced by Amanda Ng, Charlotte Aspinwall, and Micah Sher.

Art by Savannah Flores.

Citations:

The post 506: Holistic Medicine first appeared on State of the Pod.

Have you ever wondered what happens when you sleep and how dreams come to be? Join us as we explore the science behind sleep, an activity that consumes ⅓ of the average person’s life. Learn about global habits that impact sleep, explore different theories about dreams, and (sleep!) walk away with a better understanding of the concept of sleep hygiene as we talk with Dr. Daniel Barone of the Weill Cornell Medicine Center for Sleep Medicine. It would be a nightmare to miss this episode.

By Evelyn Goldwasser, Gargi Rao, Carlin Reyen, and Isabel Walter

Editor: Isabel Walter

Art By: Savannah Flores

Citations:

Conte, Francesca, et al. “The Effects of Sleep Quality on Dream and Waking Emotions.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 Jan. 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7827529/.

Health, Skorton Center at Cornell. “Sleep and Academic Performance.” Vimeo, 1 Dec. 2022, https://vimeo.com/429631754.

MacMillan, Amanda. “Why Rem Sleep and Dreams Are Important for Health.” Time, 27 Oct. 2017, https://time.com/4970767/rem-sleep-dreams-health/.

Patel, Aakash. “Physiology, Sleep Stages.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 Sept. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526132/.

“Stages of Sleep: Rem and Non-REM Sleep Cycles.” WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-101. 

Andre, Chloe J., et al. “The Effects of Bed Sharing on Sleep: From Partners to Pets.” Sleep Health, vol. 7, no. 3, 2021, pp. 314–323., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2020.11.011.

Bayer, Laurence, et al. “Rocking Synchronizes Brain Waves during a Short Nap.” Current Biology, vol. 21, no. 12, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2011.05.012.

Bell, Katherine. “Kids and Nightmares with Dr. Isaac Taitz.” KSQD Community Radio, 11 Jan. 2021, https://ksqd.org/kids-and-nightmares-with-dr-isaac-taitz/.

Braff, Danielle. “Meet Me at 3 A.m. for a Cup of Coffee.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Feb. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/12/style/segmented-sleep.html.

Deshpande, Abhijit, et al. “A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study to Evaluate the Effects of Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) Extract on Sleep Quality in Healthy Adults.” Sleep Medicine, vol. 72, 2020, pp. 28–36., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2020.03.012.

Duan, Virginia. “11 Tips to Sleep Soundly from around the World.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 28 Feb. 2022, https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/sleep-hacks-from-around-the-world#multicultural.

Ekirch, A. Roger. “Segmented Sleep in Preindustrial Societies.” Sleep, vol. 39, no. 3, 2016, pp. 715–716., https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.5558.

“Healthy Sleep Habits.” Sleep Education, AASM, 2 Apr. 2021, https://sleepeducation.org/healthy-sleep/healthy-sleep-habits/. 

Hussain, Joy N., et al. “A Hot Topic for Health: Results of the Global Sauna Survey.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, vol. 44, 2019, pp. 223–234., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.03.012.

Kluger, Jeffrey. “Scientists Are Learning to Read-and Change-Your Nightmares.” Time, Time, 6 Aug. 2020, https://time.com/5874444/science-of-nightmares/. 

Krahn, Lois E., et al. “Are Pets in the Bedroom a Problem?” Mayo Clinic Proceedings, vol. 90, no. 12, 2015, pp. 1663–1665., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.08.012.

Ohayon, Maurice M. “Nocturnal Awakenings and Difficulty Resuming Sleep: Their Burden in the European General Population.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research, vol. 69, no. 6, 2010, pp. 565–571., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2010.03.010.

Olito, Frank. “8 Sleeping Habits from around the World That Will Have You Rethinking How You Rest.” Insider, Insider, 6 Aug. 2018, https://www.insider.com/sleeping-habits-from-around-the-world-2018-7#in-japan-people-nap-in-public-3.

Parker-Pope, Tara. “How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep.” The New York Times, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-sleep. 

Soundroll. “Stratosphere.” Uppbeat, https://uppbeat.io/track/soundroll/stratosphere.

Taitz, Isaac. “Learning Lucid Dreaming and Its Effect on Depression in Undergraduates.” ECommons | Open Scholarship at Cornell, Cornell University Library, 1 May 2011, https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/23118.

“TV Static 01.” TV Static Sound Effects, SoundJay, https://www.soundjay.com/tv-static-sound-effect.html.

“Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep.” Healthy Sleep, Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, 18 Dec. 2007, https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips.

Zhao H, Li D, Li X. Relationship between Dreaming and Memory Reconsolidation. Brain Science Advances. 2018;4(2):118-130. doi:10.26599/BSA.2018.9050005

The post 505: Dreaming of Better Sleep first appeared on State of the Pod.

Psychedelics: once viewed as emblematic of the countercultural revolution, these drugs may now be crucial to fighting rising mental illness rates. Take a trip with us to learn about both the controversy, and promise, of the growing field of psychedelics research.

Produced/Edited by Mike Solazzo, Ananda Kalukin, and Campbell Key.

Art By: Savannah Flores.

Our sources are:

https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/10/microscopy-reveals-how-psychedelics-light-brains-neuropathways

https://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20220218/magic-mushrooms-depression-relief-study

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/psychedelic-treatment-with-psilocybin-relieves-major-depression-study-shows

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/11/health/psilocybin-depression.html

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/PREVENTIONWELLNESS/Documents/Psilocybin%20evidence%20report%20to%20OHA%206-30-21_Submitted.pdf

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31132970/#:~:text=Psychedelic%20plants%20and%20fungi%20have,first%20person%20to%20ingest%20LSD.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/neurophilosophy/2014/sep/02/psychedelic-psychiatry

https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling#:~:text=Schedule%20I%20drugs%2C%20substances%2C%20or,)%2C%20methaqualone%2C%20and%20peyote.

The post 504: Psyched on Psychedelics first appeared on State of the Pod.

In recent years, an app called TikTok, intended for sharing 15-second dance videos, has diversified considerably. This episode delves into the new development on TikTok that is involved with mental health and self-diagnosis. Videos like “Put a finger down ADHD edition” present viewers with example symptoms of mental health conditions, and the number of symptoms the viewer relates to dictates the likelihood that the viewer has that mental illness. While this may prove a useful diagnostic tool, it has also led to surges of physical and verbal tics in teenage children, which is a symptom of Tourette, after popular influencers started posting videos showcasing their tics to raise awareness. Luckily the symptoms in the teens subsided after taking a break from the app, but it still begs the question: Does TikTok do more harm than help when it comes to mental health? Find out on this episode!

Produced by Alice Lidman and Josh Martin.

Art By: Savannah Flores

The post 503: TikTok Doc first appeared on State of the Pod.

Media conglomerates play a crucial role in shaping how we view, interpret, and navigate the world we live in. So, what happens when these depictions are violent or negative? We bring you an episode on Mean World Syndrome, which describes a cognitive bias in which the media leads people to perceive the world as more dangerous than it is in reality. Further, we take a look at the intersection of this bias and the largely inaccurate depiction of minorities in media which influences how we treat one another.

Brought to you by your hosts Irisa Dong (writer), Rma Polce (producer), and Sasha Smalls (executive producer and editor).

Art By: Savannah Flores

Music from Wave Saver, FLYIN, From Now On @ Epidemic Sound, and Creative Commons

Special thanks to Banseok Heo, the Milstein Program, and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell for our recording equipment and software!

Sources:

The Mean World Syndrome (2010)

https://hbr.org/2015/09/consuming-negative-news-can-make-you-less-effective-at-work

https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2020/october/study-medias-reportin g-on-gun-violence-does-not-reflect-reality

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/05/local-news-media-trust-americans/61 8895/

https://www.simplypsychology.org/cultivation-theory.html

The post 502: Mean Media, Mean World, Mean People first appeared on State of the Pod.

Has someone ever whispered in your ear, and it sent chills down your back? Did you like it? This sensation is known as ASMR, the snazzy new phenomenon that has swept over contemporary media platforms. In this episode, State of the Pod explores the breadth and depth of this emerging field as well as its intersections with society, the global economy, science, and the history of the internet as we know it today.

ASMR Segment: https://youtu.be/6zx4DAUAbaA

Produced by Adele Williams, Isa Ciocca, Tiffany Adjei-Opong

Edited by Adele Williams & Isa Ciocca

Art by Savannah Flores

Music: Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology lab at Cornell for our recording equipment and software!

Sources:

https://asmruniversity.com/history-of-asmr/

https://peerj.com/articles/851/

Functional connectivity associated with five different categories of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) triggers

https://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/weird-sensation-feels-good

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/magazine/how-asmr-videos-became-a-sensation-youtube.html

https://theconversation.com/asmr-is-linked-to-anxiety-and-neuroticism-our-new-research-finds-175903

https://hypeauditor.com/top-youtube-asmr/

https://mint.intuit.com/blog/relationships/how-much-do-youtubers-make/

https://netinfluencer.com/most-popular-asmr-influencers/

Top ASMR Influencers- Statista

Why Certain People Are More Likely to Experience and Benefit From ASMR

The post 501: ASMR, A Modern Sensation first appeared on State of the Pod.

The healthcare industry has evolved immensely over the years, and much of that change has been driven by technology and future technological innovations are going to keep transforming healthcare. 

Specifically, wearable fitness technology has weaved itself into society so much so that FitBits and smartwatches are seen as mainstream now; and the future of wearable devices shows no sign of slowing down. However, there are concerns with the data these devices collect and what companies do with this data.

Produced by Shiveen Kumar, Isabel O’Connell, and Yubin Cho.

Executive Produced by Tina Yu and Adele Williams.

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology Lab at Cornell for supporting our podcast!

The post 408: HealthIT Unplugged first appeared on State of the Pod.

This episode features Jeffrey Li and Chad Rubin discussing the concept of working from home. In this podcast, Jeffrey and Chad hear thoughts from professor Dave Roberts at Cornell University and discuss the implications and effects of working from home.

Produced by Jeffrey Li and Chad Rubin.

Executive Produced by Adele Williams.

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology Lab at Cornell for supporting our podcast!

The post 407: Investigating Work From Home first appeared on State of the Pod.

In today’s food market, we are offered more options than ever. However, not all foods are created equal. When faced with the choice of a bag of potato chips or carrots, which one would you choose? And is the choice really yours? Marketing, varying prices, our household eating habits, and more all inform the snacks and foods we consume. In this episode, we explore why food policy, advertising, and production processes have made eating right so difficult and how systemic inequalities have led to nutritional inequality.

Produced by Catherine Paik and Alec Purcell.

Written by Priscilla Liu.

Edited by Catherine Paik and Adele Williams.

Executive Produced by Adele Williams.

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology Lab at Cornell for supporting our podcast!

The post 406: The Healthy Food Fallacy first appeared on State of the Pod.

Have you ever heard someone talk about this secret potion to love, called a “pheromone perfume”? Such a crazy claim is bound to illicit doubt and confusion, so we created our episode to help answer any questions you may have. Do human pheromones exist? Can they be bottled and then used to seek love and attraction? Listen to our episode to find out.

Produced & Edited by Isa Ciocca, Alice Lidman, and Mahalia Donaldson.

Executive Produced by Adele Williams.

Special thanks to the Milstein Program and the Investigative Biology Lab at Cornell for supporting our podcast!

The post 405: Pheromones: Our Sixth Sense? first appeared on State of the Pod.