In this episode, I take you on a personal journey - quite literally face-first into the ground! After an unexpected fall while hiking, I found myself reflecting on the incredible ways our brains and bodies respond to physical and emotional shocks. From the immediate reflexes that protected me during the fall to the strange gap in memory that followed, I unpack what the science tells us about how we cope with trauma, pain, and recovery.

I talk about the brain’s tendency to catastrophise, the power of catching negative thoughts, and the strange experience of not being able to smile - or cry - and how that impacted my mood. I explore the facial feedback hypothesis, the emotional impact of not expressing our feelings, and how even simple physical actions, like smiling or moving, can influence our psychological state.

There’s also a fascinating piece of research on how our perception of time can affect the speed of physical healing - and I share how I used that insight to (possibly!) speed up my recovery.

If you've ever had a tough week, a bad fall, or just felt emotionally “off,” this episode might offer you both a laugh and some useful science-backed strategies to help you bounce back.

What’s one small thing you do - physically or mentally - that helps you reset after a rough patch? I would love to hear from you, so feel free to share your thoughts or takeaways after you listen!