Collective Insights (Qualia Life)

If there was ever an ultimate sleep episode, this is it. 

Dan Pardi, sleep researcher at Stanford and Leiden University and CEO of humanOS.me, an application designed to promote health mastery, is here to unpack the exact science of deep sleep. And even better, how to get more of it. 

We discuss sleep stages, sleep physiology, the major causes of sleep loss in our society (think high reward activities and mistimed lighting environments) and the consequences of sleep loss, including decreased purging of toxic substances from the brain and damage to neurons that signal to the brain to stay awake. We also cover:

• The physiological benefits of slow wave sleep
• How sleep impacts eating behaviors and weight gain
• The optimal amount of sleep and the importance of sleep timing
• How sleep regulates the immune system and effects cellular senescence
• Effects of light on circadian rhythms
• Science-backed ways to optimize your “master clock”
• Dan’s favorite routines and products to biohack your sleep

If you’re looking to get the most from your sleep, this episode is for you. If you want even more after listening you’re in luck. This is part one of a two part series. Listen in now. 

Episode transcript:

HomeGrown Humans episode with the co-founder of Sacred Design Lab, an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, Sue Phillips. She has been relentlessly liberating ancient wisdom to help solve difficult problems. She has been passionate about how to inspire spiritual practices that helps people in meaning-making as they experience life. In this episode she joins Jamie Wheal to explore how to uncover what the human soul needs and how it can remember its purpose.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/care-for-your-soul-designing-sacred-practices-that-work

HomeGrown Humans episode with social philosopher, Daniel Schmachtenberger. Daniel is co-founder of Neurohacker Collective, and now his central interest is long term civilization design: developing better collective capacities for sense-making and meaning-making, to inform higher quality choice-making. In this episode Daniel and Jamie discuss human behavior and how to have good discernment.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/how-to-make-an-impact

We are joined by the creator of Educate Inspire Change, an educational platform with over 3.5 million followers, Kash Khan. We dive into Kash’s life story on what inspired him to create his page and how the use of plant medicine has helped him throughout this journey. Tune in to learn what Kash Khan to offer as he discusses Ayahuasca and the use of plant medicine and tips on how and when to start this journey.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/upgrade-your-life-tools-based-in-both-science-and-spiritual-tradition

What do we do now to create a world where human needs get met? Physician and renowned addiction expert, Dr. Gabor Maté, joins Jamie Wheal for a timely and relevant conversation on trauma. Dr. Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics including addiction, stress and childhood development. Dr. Maté sheds light on the importance of awareness and compassion for oneself and others. Disempowerment and passivity is bad for your health.

For the full show notes: https://neurohacker.com/tools-for-trauma-the-research-on-self-compassion-awareness-and-empowerment

On this HomeGrown Humans episode of Collective Insights we joined today by American social psychologist, best-selling author and TED Talk speaker, Amy Cuddy, Ph.D. She is known for the “Power Posing” technique. We dive into the benefits of the expansive pose and how it can shift our endocrine or hormonal balances. Amy also shares her personal experiences of embodiment as a ballet dancer and a Deadhead.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/overcoming-fear-the-research-behind-bravery

If you can sleep, then you need sleep. Oftentimes people will sacrifice sleep in the name of productivity, but that actually makes you less effective and less productive. Dr. Molly Maloof is on the frontier of personalized medicine, medical technology, health optimization, and scientifically-based wellness endeavors. She joins us to share how sleep works and what we can do to get a better night’s sleep.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/the-science-of-sleep-dr-molly-maloof-sleep-podcast

Sexologist and anthropologist, Helen Fisher, Ph.D. joins Jamie Wheal on this episode. She was at Rutgers Univestiry and Kinsey institute, and she is the Chief Science Officer of match.com. Fisher is the leading voice of how we mate and date. She shares the surprising insight that there has been no culture that aligns how we ought to be and how we want to be in regards to relationships, romance and sex. She shares about her own relationships, and shares why she thinks millennials are so smart with how they date in a method she calls slow love. Tune in to learn more.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/homegrown-humans-helen-fisher-ph-d-sexuality-hosted-by-jamie-wheal-podcast

Futurist media theorist, author, podcast host, and Professor of Media Theory and Digital Economics at CUNY/Queens, Douglas Rushkoff joins Jamie Wheal to share the emergence of crypto fascism among QAnon, left-wing conspiracies, the new thought plandemic, digital memes as occult sigils, and the end of the world.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/homegrown-humans-douglas-rushkoff-team-human-hosted-by-jamie-wheal-podcast

The bad news is there are toxins in our environment that can negatively impact our brain function, but the good news is we can heal the brain physically and psychologically with lifestyle changes. Clinical psychologist, Brant Cortright, Ph.D., sheds light on the processes of neurogenesis and explains neuroplasticity. He also describes the relationship between cognitive decline, anxiety and depression.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/the-power-of-neuroplasticity-an-interview-with-brant-cortright-ph-d

Wade Davis joins Jamie Wheal to share the indigenous practices using plant medicines that are highly relevant to today’s world and are still in use in modern indigenous cultures. There is a long history of psychedelic plant medicines, rituals and shamanic practices. Wade sheds light on the rich history of psychedelics in the Americas and the scientific research that started the ‘psychedelic era.’

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/homegrown-humans-wade-davis-ethnobotany-hosted-by-jamie-wheal

Today we have a very special guest, DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP. He is the founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. In this episode we discover how to unleash the explosive power of the brain. We dive into consciousness, metacognition and why the only measure of success is joy.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/the-science-of-the-brain-consciousness-deepak-chopra-md-facp-brain

American neuroscientist, author, photographer, entrepreneur and inventor, Adam Gazzaley, MD, Ph.D. shares his dedication to human flourishing and his story of getting fascinated with outer space, inner space (the brain), and nature that led to the formation of his career in neuroscience. We dive into why the brain is such a complex system and how experience is the foundation of electrical or molecular simulation.

For the full episode visit: https://neurohacker.com/homegrown-humans-adam-gazzaley-md-ph-d-neuroscience-hosted-by-jamie-wheal

Lisa Feldman Barrett, Ph.D., top cited scientist for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience, joins us today as she shares some insights about her book, How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain. She expands on her famous TED talk in this discussion as she further explains how neuroscience reveals how our brains work and construct all of our experiences. She shares that what we see, hear and feel is very different from the way we experience it.For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/homegrown-humans-lisa-feldman-barrett-ph-d-neurochemistry-hosted-by-jamie-wheal

Founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), Rick Doblin shares with us  the latest news on MAPS main project regarding  MDMA assisted-psychotherapy for PTSD. We explore how we can utilize psychedelics in mainstream medicine to move these powerful tools into wider use.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/homegrown-humans-rick-doblin-ph-d-maps-hosted-by-jamie-wheal

Famous content creator, whose TED talk reached over 10 million views, Tim Urban joins us today.  He is  a writer, illustrator and co-founder of Wait But Why. Today he shares with us his story in finding his niche and discovering his passion for creating content for Wait But Why thru using stick figures as his way of illustration. He also talks about innovative ways to sustain yourself in the world of content creation.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/homegrown-humans-tim-urban-viral-content-hosted-by-jamie-wheal

Founding executive director of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation and author of “The Immortality Key”, Brian Muraresku, joins us today. He shares the inspiration that led to writing his debut book. He also shares an inside look at Jesuit traditions, Kairos retreat experiences, and what triggered his interest into mysticism and accelerated dreams.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/an-exploration-of-religion-an-interview-with-brian-muraresku

Health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University, Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., joins us on the Collective Insights podcast. She is a leading expert in the new field of “science-help.” Today she shares with us a different view towards understanding stress, as she discusses why stress has benefits. It turns out that stress is what allows us to experience meaning, to make a difference in the world, to make progress on our goals.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/the-science-of-resilience-kelly-mcgonigal-ph-d-mind-body

In this episode Scott Barry Kaufman, Ph.D, leads us through a conversation filled with heart and passion that dives deep into American psychologist Abraham Maslow’s work on the hierarchy of needs and associates self-actualization in the 21st century with being willing to unlearn victimhood identities and replacing them with intentional empathy.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/exploring-self-actualization-for-greater-happiness-an-interview-with-scott-barry-kaufman-ph-d

Erik Davis is an author, award-winning journalist, and scholar with a wide-ranging focus including the intersection of alternative religion, media, and the popular imagination. Today he talks about the mystic gnostic nature of American spirituality and how essential to Gnosticism is the direct experiential awakening, more than simply knowledge of spiritual mysteries. Erik’s scholarly and popular essays on music, technoculture, drugs, and spirituality have appeared in scores of books, magazines, and journals, and his writing has been translated into a dozen languages.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/how-to-define-gnosticism-an-interview-with-erik-davis

Dr. Steven Gundry is a medical doctor, clinician, researcher, and a well-known author who has spent the last two decades studying the microbiome and helps patients use diet and nutrition as a key form of treatment. He retired as one of the world’s top cardiothoracic surgeons to teach patients how to eat, guiding them on how to get ahead of the problem, not fixing it after the fact.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/the-connection-between-lectins-and-leaky-gut-an-interview-with-steven-gundry-md

We are excited to welcome Ariel Garten, neuroscientist, innovator, entrepreneur, and co-founder of InteraXon, the makers of Muse: the brain sensing headband, to the podcast.

Ariel guides us on a mindfulness meets science journey as we unpack the research that supports how meditation makes significant, actual changes inside the brain. She shares insider tips for using meditation as a tool for increased focus, managing anxiety, and greater self-awareness.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/the-science-of-meditation-an-interview-with-ariel-garten

BJ Miller, hospice and palliative care doctor at the University of California, San Francisco Cancer Center and the co-author of the book "A Beginner's Guide To The End: Practical Advice For Living Life And Facing Death, joins us today to discuss a topic that is often avoided at all costs: death.

But BJ is here to reframe the stigma associated with end of life experiences. By sharing his near death encounter, learnings as a hospice and palliative care, and the very raw feelings associated with a personal loss, BJ leads us on a journey where death can be embraced as a pursuit of life.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/reframing-the-stigma-surrounding-death-and-end-of-life-experiences-an-interview-with-bj-miller-md

Tyson Yunkaporta, academic, author, and a researcher who belongs to the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland, joins us today to discuss how Indigenous wisdom can help change the world for the better.

Full episode transcript can be viewed here: https://neurohacker.com/exploring-global-systems-through-the-lens-of-indigenous-thinking

Author of Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days, Sir John Hargrave joins us today and shares tips to hack your brain. This discussion is jam-packed with tips you can use in your daily life to get most out of your brain function.

View the complete episode transcript here: https://neurohacker.com/how-to-hack-your-mind-an-interview-with-sir-john-hargrave

Concierge medicine doctor with expertise in ketamine integrative treatment, integrative medicine and psychoneuroimmunology, Benjamin Kaplan-Singer MD, joins us today. He shares information about the true nature of meta-immunity, anti-fragility and biohacking tips to further improve your meta-immunity. Dr. Ben has 18 years of experience in biomedical research and has been teaching his patients how to be masters of self-care so they can be free from chronic disease and reclaim their vitality.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/what-is-meta-immunity-an-interview-with-dr-benjamin-kaplan-singer

In this episode Matt Maruca, CEO of Ra Optics, and citizen scientist joins us to unpack the science behind how light drives mitochondrial function and circadian rhythms. Matt’s passion and knowledge of photobiology shines bright in this discussion as he shares his personal story of how chronic illness led him to conclude that the most important factor for living our best life lies in our relationship with light.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/how-to-manipulate-light-to-help-improve-mitochondrial-function-an-interview-with-matt-maruca

Bill McKibben is a noted environmentalist, author, educator, and activist. He famously wrote the book The End of Nature 3 decades ago, and most recently in his book Falter he explores what it might mean for us to come to the end of our civilization rope and what do we do next. He is the founder of 350.org global Grassroots movement for environmental advocacy, justice, and divestment from petrol capitalism.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/individuals-must-join-together-for-climate-change-an-interview-with-bill-mckibben

JJ Virgin, triple-board certified nutrition expert, author of four NY Times bestsellers, and prominent TV and media personality, is here with us today to discuss just how powerful the gut-brain connection is.

JJ opens up about why an n-of-1 approach to nutrition was vital in her 15-year-old son healing from a traumatic brain injury. In an eye-opening discussion we tackle the false dogmatic nutrition beliefs that are impacting both our microbiome and cognitive function.

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/why-the-gut-brain-connection-matters-traumatic-brain-injuries-and-nutrition

In this episode Dennis McKenna shares his professional and personal stories and discoveries on the interdisciplinary study of ethnopharmacology and natural psychedelics. Dennis dives deep into indigenous wisdom, plant knowledge, and the eschaton, or the end of time. Non-Ordinary Experiences & Psychedelics going over fungi, neurotransmitters, amino acids. And the relationship between logos, kairos, chronos, and the eschaton. Listen in now!

For the full show notes visit: https://neurohacker.com/understanding-non-ordinary-experiences-psychedelics-and-our-reality-an-interview-with-dennis-mckenna

Christopher Bache shares his courageous and outrageous thought experiments and lived experience with therapeutic psychedelics and his inquiry into the mystical. He brings his interdisciplinary set of frameworks ranging from comparative religion to transpersonal psychology, to his own lived experience of what were the types and classifications and categories of experiences he had. 

Full episode transcript can be viewed here: https://neurohacker.com/exploring-psychedelics-and-the-mystical-an-interview-with-christopher-bache

This episode is all about the brain, specifically how to optimize cognitive performance and behaviors via neurofeedback. Research shows our brains are highly malleable and neurofeedback is a cutting edge tool to help us safely train broad regulatory actions associated with mood, attention, self-regulation and self-control, sleep, energy, stress, anxiety, and much, much more. 

But how exactly does neurofeedback work? And for those with advanced knowledge in the field, can we objectively measure executive function? Dr. Andrew Hill, a previous guest on this podcast who holds a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience, helps us answer those questions. We break down the brain’s “languages” (think delta, theta, alpha beta brainwaves) in an easy to understand format while satisfying questions we all want answers to, such as:

The difference between neurofeedback and biofeedback

Why normal readings during brain mappings are overrated

What neurofeedback reveals about the brain post COVID

Combining chemicals that boost brain plasticity with neurofeedback

What brain maps tell us about cannabis and the brain

If you love the brain like we do, this episode is for you. Listen in now. 

Full episode transcript: https://neurohacker.com/how-to-better-understand-and-optimize-your-unique-brain-with-neurofeedback-an-interview-with-dr-andrew-hill

Today, psychiatrist Daniel Z. Lieberman, coauthor of The Molecule of More, and author of his latest book Spellbound leads us down a new path: one where we learn how to recognize the influences of the unconscious, making it an ally in helping us become the people we were meant to be. The unconscious mind is still very much an enigma, but it influences our lives in ways we can only begin to imagine. Much of what we experience, our moods, what we like and dislike—most of who we are originates with the unconscious. But it’s not always working in our favor. Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurohacker/. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neurohackercollective. Email: support@neurohacker.com

Sponsored by Qualia Mind: https://neurohacker.com/podcastdiscount. Use code podcast when you shop Qualia Mind for 15% off your order. Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurohacker/. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neurohackercollective. Email: support@neurohacker.com.

In this episode of "Collective Insights," co-founder and CEO of Qualia Life Sciences, James Schmachtenberger, sits down with Ben Angel to discuss the psychological and emotional impacts of adapting to a world increasingly dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). With AI technologies advancing at a rapid pace, Ben Angel, an award-winning author and expert in human performance, shares his insights on the fundamental skills we need to cultivate to stay relevant and resilient. Sponsored by Qualia Mind: qualialife.com/benangel Use code benangel when you shop Qualia Mind for 15% off your order. Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qualialife. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qualialife. Email: support@qualialife.com.

There’s a big difference between a microdose and “journey dose” and today founder of Third Wave, Paul Austin, is here to help us get to the bottom of it. Can you define microdosing? With microdosing psychedelics now a buzzworthy topic of conversation among everyone from high achieving CEOs to stay-at-home parents, we need to properly understand such landscapes if we want to safely and effectively use these tools to upgrade the mind/brain interface. Sponsored by Qualia Senolytic: neurohacker.com/podcastoffer. Use code podcast when you shop Qualia Senolytic for 15% off your order. Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurohacker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neurohackercollective Email: support@neurohacker.com

Our society is facing a crisis of meaning. That is the foundational message of our latest episode with Dr. Tara Isabella Burton. You may have heard of the term “nones”- people listing no religious affiliation in surveys. Dr. Burton, theologian, author and journalist, is less interested in what this group of people are leaving behind (institutional religion) than in how they are finding or making their own meaning. But what happens when we seek stabilizing, emotionally satisfying stories that give us a cosmic location and identity without accountability to a higher purpose? Could it be that if we’re seeking self-actualization and the only arbiter is our own thoughts, feelings, and desires that the result is lack of meaning and inadvertently the development of narcissistic traits? It’s a powerful question. Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurohacker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neurohackercollective Email: support@neurohacker.com

This episode is a story of healing, specifically with plant medicine. If you’re one of our many loyal listeners you know that a small group from the Neurohacker team recently went to Rythmia, a beautiful medically-licensed plant medicine center in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. In a previous episode we interviewed Dr. Jeff McNairy, Chief Medical Officer at Rythmia. Today we speak with Rythmia’s founder, Gerard (Gerry) Powell. Gerry’s story is told with much heart, vulnerability, and passion. We’re excited to bring it to you. Listen in now. 

Sponsored by Qualia Mind: https://neurohacker.com/podcastdiscount. Use code podcast when you shop Qualia Mind for 15% off your order. Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurohacker/. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neurohackercollective. Email: support@neurohacker.com.

Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurohacker/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neurohackercollective Email: support@neurohacker.com

Explore Rythmia: http://rythmia.com/neuro

Today we have Dr. Dan Pardi, sleep researcher at Stanford and Leiden University and CEO of humanOS.me with us to discuss what we can learn about the sleep patterns of hunter-gatherers. If you love sleep science that ventures outside of mainstream sleep research, this episode is for you. Note: Dr. Pardi and Daniel jump right in after part one. Listening to the first episode lays the groundwork for what you’ll hear today.

Sponsored by Qualia Mind: https://neurohacker.com/podcastdiscount. Use code podcast when you shop Qualia Mind for 15% off your order. Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurohacker/. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neurohackercollective. Email: support@neurohacker.com.