Where We Live

If you’ve ever stared at the ceiling wondering why sleep won’t come, you’re not alone.

In fact, six out of 10 adults in the United States don’t get enough sleep. That’s according to the National Sleep Foundation.

This hour, we hear from someone diagnosed with insomnia and a sleep expert. They'll help us understand why rest feels so out of reach, and what might help us drift off.

GUESTS:

• Jennifer Senior: Staff writer at The Atlantic, author of: "Why Can't Americans Sleep?"

• Dr. Christine Won: Professor, Medical Director of the Yale Centers for Sleep Medicine 

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

This episode originally aired on November 10, 2025.

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When tough times hit, do you hit the pause button, or do you just barrel through?

Nearly six years ago, amid the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, author Katherine May released “Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times.”

Her memoir explores her own experience finding peace in times of both spiritual and seasonal difficulty. It inspired readers throughout the world to greet challenging times with softness.

May joins us to talk about wintering and what we can learn about the power of rest and retreat in 2026.

GUEST:

• Katherine May: author of "Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times"

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It’s been nearly five years since recreational cannabis was legalized in Connecticut. Since then dozens of dispensaries have opened across the state, making purchasing products easier than ever.

But new research says cannabis use among teens is rising, and that evidence doesn't support using cannabis as a medical cure-all.

Today, an update on cannabis use and regulation in our state.

GUESTS:

• Lila McKinkley: Cannabis Control Division Director at Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
• Dr. Sarah Feldstein Ewing: Professor at UConn Health and Vice Chair of Research
• Dr. Deepak Cyril Dsouza: Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine
• Ryan Vandrey: Professor in the Department of Behavioral Psychiatry at John Hopkins University School of Medicine

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The U.S. produces over a billion pounds of cheese monthly, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Connecticut is a small, but mighty, part of that. Today, we’ll hear about all steps of the cheesemaking process from nationally-recognized experts producing Connecticut cheese.

They’ll share the stories behind their products and what keeps customers coming back to that special Connecticut cheese.

GUESTS:

• Jason Sobocinski: founder of Caseus
• Mark Gillman: co-owner and Head Cheesemaker of Cato Corner Farm in Colchester
• Chris Casiello: plant Manager of Arethusa Farm Dairy in Litchfield

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Fever, chills, fatigue, cough, headache and a sore throat. A new variant of the flu means more people are suffering from the virus this season. But the flu can be more than just a nuisance illness — it can be deadly.

Today, Connecticut physicians join us to answer questions about what to do to protect yourself and your family from the virus.

Flu-related hospitalizations are rising in Connecticut. We hear from one local emergency medicine doctor.

Up first, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently scaled back childhood vaccine schedules, changing recommendations for the flu vaccine and others. We learn more.

GUESTS:

• Apoorva Mandavilli: Science and Global Health Reporter for the New York Times
• Dr. Anumaha Singh: Chief of Department of Emergency Medicine for Hartford Hospital 
• Dr. Scott Roberts: Associate Medical Director for Infection Prevention at Yale New Haven Hospitals and Infectious Disease Doctor and Assistant professor at the Yale School of Medicine

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Success isn’t just about talent or intelligence – it’s about how we handle our emotions.

Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, says emotional regulation is a skill, one that can be taught and practiced like any other.

This hour, he joins us to talk about why our feelings matter, what happens when we ignore them, and how adults can get better at managing them.

We’ll also hear how schools across Connecticut are helping kids build emotional intelligence from a young age.

• Marc Brackett: Ph.D., founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, author of “Dealing with Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want.” 

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

This episode originally aired on December 1, 2025.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s an old saying that goes “you are what you eat.” You might take that phrase with a grain of salt, but doctors agree: what we eat affects our blood pressure, blood sugar, cardiovascular health and more.

It's knowledge that's generations old — food as a source of nourishment and healing. Essentially, food can act as medicine. From Ayurveda and Chinese herbs to modern-day food pharmacies — what we put on our plates impacts our health.

But what can we do about it? Especially with inflation inching upward, seven-in-ten Americans say the cost of healthy food can be out of reach. We explore solutions.

GUESTS:

• Dr. Anusha Sehgal: a classically trained Ayurvedic physician based in Boston
• Dr. Ulysses Wu: Chief Epidemiologist at Hartford Healthcare
• Skip Lewis: resident of Hartford living with polycystic kidney Disease
• David Juros: Operations Manager of Food4Health Clinic at Hartford Healthcare
• Jessica Soto: a patient at Hartford Healthcare. She was a recipient of the Food for Health Clinic at Hartford Healthcare

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It all started with a typo.

Anelise Chen was going through a difficult divorce. Her career and job security was tenuous. She just got into a bike accident leaving her with bruised ribs, and she received a text from her mom: “Clam down! Just clam down.” 

This typo inspired a journey of healing: a journey that included retreating, diving into her family history and learning everything she could about the life of a clam, and other mollusks, some of the most resilient species on our planet.

She joins us for the hour to talk about her new book "Clam Down: A Metamorphosis."

GUESTS:

• Anelise Chen: author of "Clam Down: A Metamorphosis" and Associate Professor at Columbia University

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here at Where We Live, this was a big year for books. Not only did we get the chance to speak with some terrific authors, we also launched our Where We Read newsletter, a destination for die-hard book lovers and the literary curious alike.

Today, we are going to listen back to a few of our favorite author conversations. We hear from Connecticut natives Ocean Vuong and Wally Lamb.

Listen back to their full interviews below:

• Wally Lamb's new book, 'The River Is Waiting,' explores prison injustice and forgiveness

• Connecticut native Ocean Vuong has a deep love for Hartford

GUESTS:

• Ocean Vuong: writer, professor and author of "The Emperor of Gladness"

• Wally Lamb: author of "The River Is Waiting." He is also the author of "She’s Come Undone" and "I Know This Much Is True."

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.