The Science of Self-Care

That's a wrap on Season 3! We're diving into the science behind Tetrahydrocannabinol, aka THC, aka cannabis, aka weed, aka all the other things we've ever called weed in an effort to be "subtle" and "cool". Steven and Sophie reminisce on anti-drug campaigns and insist on reading through Rachel Leigh Cook's filmography. Shannon explains how the drug impacts your body and the many different physical systems it can affect, from pain to memory to sleep. So, is THC self-care or self-square? We're taking a break and will be back soon with more episodes! Drop us a line with thoughts or requests anytime at thescienceofselfcare@gmail.com or on Instagram @thescienceofselfcare!

This week, the self-care gang talks through the impact that moving homes can have on your brain, and shares advice on how to take care of yourself before, during, or after a move. Shannon and Sophie detail their highs and lows from recent experiences, and everyone agrees Steven could easily be a real estate agent.

This week, we're exploring that thing we all obsess over, fear, and maybe even look forward to: aging! Shannon, Sophie, and Steven discuss the science of aging, what it really means, and how culture influences the way we feel about getting older.

Does tracking your steps motivate you to walk more each day? Can monitoring your heart rate help you exercise more efficiently? Today, we're digging into all the science behind wearable technologies. That means everything from Fitbits to Smart Shoes to the everyday iPhone. Plus, the crew offers their best tips for when you want to get your body movin' and groovin'.

Money is more emotional than we think! It can stress us out, give us joy, and all the feelings in between. Today we're diving into the topic of financial wellness with a look at the emotional side of money, raising your credit score, saving for retirement, and how to take care of yourself through financial ups and downs.

Grief is complicated, much like a myriad of metaphors the gang comes up with! Learn how grief is defined and researched in the scientific community, the physical symptoms it can come with, and how we can help take care of ourselves through this universal human experience. Steven, Sophie, and Shannon tackle common questions around how we process grief, how we give ourselves (and each other) permission to grieve, and the unexpected gifts it can offer us.

Did you hear what happened? The gang talked about all the science of GOSSIP! Come spill the tea with us as we dig in deep on what defines gossip, how it can be good for you, and where it can slip too far into toxic territory.

What does your blood say about your health? Let's find out! This week, the gang is joined by Taylor Odell, a registered critical care nurse (and Shannon’s little sister) who dishes out all the details on how to know what’s in your blood, what to look for, and why getting your bloodwork done can help you take care of yourself.

The vitamin episode is here! How necessary is it to take that daily multivitamin and how do you pick a brand? Shannon, Sophie, and Steven unload their vitamin baggage and find out if supplements are really just sawdust.

Knock knock, it’s season 3 at the door! We often think that daydreaming is a distraction, but the truth is, it can help us get creative, solve problems, and achieve our goals. Get all the science on why daydreaming is good for you, why scrolling your phone doesn’t count, and why we should all be high-fiving each other more often. Join us on Patreon at patreon.com/scienceofselfcare, and follow us on Instagram @thescienceofselfcare or Twitter @SOSCpodcast. This episode was edited by John Purcell.

Season 3 is almost here! Get ready for a new slate of self-care topics starting September 20th. Until then, let's kick back and learn all about sensory deprivation tanks. The gang hears a play-by-play of the experience from a special guest (and friend of the pod). Then, Shannon drops all the science gems. Is floating in a womb tank self-care, or self-square? Find out!

Is a vacation *really* the cure for the winter blues? Or any blues, ever? We'll explore the answer by diving into the science. Hear how Sophie, Steven, and Shannon have taken care of themselves on vacations past—or forgotten to, and paid for it later. And we'll talk about how to build mini-vacations into your daily life for longer lasting joy. Got an idea for an ep? Email us at thescienceofselfcare@gmail.com or Instagram @thescienceofselfcare

We're taking a wacky trip into the science of psychedelics! Join us as Dr. Shannon uncovers the facts about psychedelic drugs like mushrooms and LSD as a form of self-care, therapy, and post-traumatic stress treatment.

This week we're digging into the healing power of video games and whether they're good for us, bad for us, or somewhere in between! We're talking all the hits: from Animal Crossing to The Sims to Ballz (yes, Ballz). We also learn a lot (maybe too much?) about Steven, Shannon, and Sophie's upbringings, as always. Let us know what you think!

We’re back! And we’re getting to the bottom of whether Netflix and chill-ing is really good for you. Steven and Sophie describe their television self-care routines of yesteryear (and this year). Shannon breaks down what our brains loves about our favorite TV shows—and what that says about us as humans. Tune in!

We're back! Like, really, really back! To celebrate our first vaccinated, safe, in-person recording we're digging into the scientific benefits of what we missed most over the last year: HUMAN TOUCH! Shannon gives us all the touchy feely studies, and Steven and Sophie play a game guessing which emotion is behind specific forms of touch. We also land on the topic of robot dogs, somehow. Enjoy!

Today we're digging into the science behind positive thinking! Our conversation covers: bad improv shows, Sex and The City, The Secret, Octomom's kids, and, as always, yoga. We also talk about the difference between positive thinking and toxic positivity—and whether any study on the subject is truly unbiased. So say something nice to yourself and strap in! Bolier, L., Haverman, M., Westerhof, G.J. et al. Positive psychology interventions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC Public Health 13, 119 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-119 White, C. A., Uttl, B., & Holder, M. D. (2019). Meta-analyses of positive psychology interventions: The effects are much smaller than previously reported. PloS one, 14(5), e0216588. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216588 Bergsma, A., Buijt, I., & Veenhoven, R. (2020). Will Happiness-Trainings Make Us Happier? A Research Synthesis Using an Online Findings-Archive. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1953. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01953 Andrade G. (2019). The ethics of positive thinking in healthcare. Journal of medical ethics and history of medicine, 12, 18. https://doi.org/10.18502/jmehm.v12i18.2148 Park, N., Peterson, C., Szvarca, D., Vander Molen, R. J., Kim, E. S., & Collon, K. (2014). Positive Psychology and Physical Health: Research and Applications. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 10(3), 200–206. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827614550277 Boehm, J. K., & Kubzansky, L. D. (2012). The heart's content: the association between positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular health. Psychological bulletin, 138(4), 655–691. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027448 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

Today we’re brightening up our knowledge of therapy lamps! Shannon dishes out all the science about how blue light therapy can improve your sleep, mood, and motor function, and help folks who live with seasonal affective disorder. Sophie and Steven share impromptu stories of a jaundiced baby, drinking tea, and why they’re both convinced blue light therapy is a tool for the apocalypse. Pjrek, E., Friedrich, M. E., Cambioli, L., Dold, M., Jäger, F., Komorowski, A., Lanzenberger, R., Kasper, S., & Winkler, D. (2020). The Efficacy of Light Therapy in the Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Psychotherapy and psychosomatics, 89(1), 17–24. https://doi.org/10.1159/000502891 Pail, G., Huf, W., Pjrek, E., Winkler, D., Willeit, M., Praschak-Rieder, N., & Kasper, S. (2011). Bright-light therapy in the treatment of mood disorders. Neuropsychobiology, 64(3), 152–162. https://doi.org/10.1159/000328950 Nussbaumer, B., Kaminski-Hartenthaler, A., Forneris, C. A., Morgan, L. C., Sonis, J. H., Gaynes, B. N., Greenblatt, A., Wipplinger, J., Lux, L. J., Winkler, D., Van Noord, M. G., Hofmann, J., & Gartlehner, G. (2015). Light therapy for preventing seasonal affective disorder. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (11), CD011269. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011269.pub2 Zhao, X., Ma, J., Wu, S., Chi, I., & Bai, Z. (2018). Light therapy for older patients with non-seasonal depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 232, 291–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.02.041 Comtet, H., Geoffroy, P. A., Kobayashi Frisk, M., Hubbard, J., Robin-Choteau, L., Calvel, L., Hugueny, L., Viola, A. U., & Bourgin, P. (2019). Light therapy with boxes or glasses to counteract effects of acute sleep deprivation. Scientific reports, 9(1), 18073. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-54311-x Fifel, K., & Videnovic, A. (2018). Light Therapy in Parkinson's Disease: Towards Mechanism-Based Protocols. Trends in neurosciences, 41(5), 252–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2018.03.002 https://circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov/2016/12/20/dont-be-sad-a-very-brief-history-of-light-therapy/

This week on the pod we get all our vaccine questions answered by our special guest: geneticist and science communicator, Alex Dainis, PhD. Check it out, and send to any friends who may have lingering vaccine Qs! Public health is self-care, baby!

Friends Shannon, Sophie, and Steven talk about the science behind, well, them. They discuss the data of friendships and how we perceive them, the science of what brings people together, and how seeing your pals could actually help you live longer. Ever wonder why you and your friend love the same song, movie, or fast casual salad? They get into that too. So tell a pal and join your virtual friends as we discuss everything friendship! Follow us on Instagram @thescienceofselfcare, and if you like the show, support us through Patreon at www.patreon.com/scienceofselfcare. Episode citations: You Might Actually Be In Love With Your Best Friend, The Cut Podcast, February 10 2021 Zerubavel, N., Bearman, P. S., Weber, J., & Ochsner, K. N. (2015). Neural mechanisms tracking popularity in real-world social networks. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(49), 15072–15077. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1511477112 Parkinson, C., Kleinbaum, A.M. & Wheatley, T. Similar neural responses predict friendship. Nat Commun 9, 332 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02722-7 The Future Friendship Machine, NPR: https://www.npr.org/2019/12/06/785523942/video-the-future-friendship-machine Ellen Peters, J. Marianne Riksen-Walraven, Antonius H. N. Cillessen, Carolina de Weerth. Peer Rejection and HPA Activity in Middle Childhood: Friendship Makes a Difference. Child Development, 2011; DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01647.x Trudel-Fitzgerald, C., Zevon, E. S., Kawachi, I., Tucker-Seeley, R. D., Grodstein, F., & Kubzansky, L. D. (2020). The Prospective Association of Social Integration With Life Span and Exceptional Longevity in Women. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 75(10), 2132–2141. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz116 Graham, A. L., Zhao, K., Papandonatos, G. D., Erar, B., Wang, X., Amato, M. S., Cha, S., Cohn, A. M., & Pearson, J. L. (2017). A prospective examination of online social network dynamics and smoking cessation. PloS one, 12(8), e0183655. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183655 Fowler, J. H., & Christakis, N. A. (2008). Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 337, a2338. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a2338