From the Odyssey, to Robinson Crusoe, to Star Wars — why are we drawn to stories about heroes? And what do they tell us about ourselves? This hour, TED speakers explore what makes a hero's journey. (Original broadcast date: December 18, 2015).

The Hero's Journey

Wouldn't it be nice if falling asleep was as simple as getting into your PJs, turning off the light and closing your eyes? Sleeping is more complicated than that. This guide explains the science behind sleep and gives you the tools and techniques that will help you drift off into dreamland.

Science

Health & Fitness

Life Kit is excited to bring you more episodes but we're making some changes to how we organize things. Starting in the new year, this three-part guide will disappear, but all of the episodes will still be available — they are just moving to our main Life Kit feed. Search your podcast app for Life Kit from NPR and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Special Announcement From Life Kit

From the moment you wake up, your body starts to prepare for sleep. We show you how to adjust your daytime habits to get the best possible night of rest.

Do This Today To Sleep Well Tonight

Based on your feedback, we've created new ways to listen to Life Kit. If you never want to miss an episode, subscribe to Life Kit: All Guides. We also divided our guides by subject — health, money and parenting - and more to come in the future — so you can subscribe to only the topics you want to learn about.

Who should get to keep secrets, and who should demand to know them? In this hour, TED speakers talk about the damage secrets can do, and the shifting roles we play when we keep, or share them. In a special updated interview, Global Witness co-founder Charmian Gooch explains how secrecy and corruption have changed in the five years since she gave her TED talk. Other guests from the original 2015 episode include PostSecret founder Frank Warren, equality advocate Ash Beckham, and journalist Glenn Greenwald.

Keeping Secrets

Original broadcast date: July 29, 2016. Failure can be devastating, but it can also make us stronger and smarter. This week, TED speakers explore how failure clears the way for success, in our everyday work, and our innermost lives. Guests include entrepreneur Astro Teller, economist Tim Harford, author Casey Gerald, and writer Lidia Yuknavitch.

The Hero's Journey

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