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Do you ever feel your blood pressure rise, sitting in a sea of stand-still traffic? It’s not all in your head. All that time spent in the driver's seat could actually take a toll on your mind and body. In this episode, we’re hitting the road with someone who drives for a living – a long-haul truck driver – to hear how she keeps calm and focused. Plus, traffic psychologist Dwight Hennessy explains why we feel the way we do behind the wheel and shares some tips for making your commute a little more bearable.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

If you’re a person of color living in the United States, chances are, you’re living with some form of racial trauma. Whether it’s because you’ve been a victim of racism, because you know someone who has, or even if it’s just from watching events unfold on the news, these instances can take a heavy mental health toll. On this episode, CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta gets personal as he talks to racial trauma expert Sherry Wang about the devastating rise in anti-Asian hate during the pandemic. Plus, Muay Thai boxer Jess Ng gives us a quick lesson in fighting for ourselves.   To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Is it possible we’ve been going about conversation the wrong way our entire lives? All too often, when we chat with a friend or colleague, we walk away feeling unheard, misunderstood, or confused. Luckily, research offers some clues about why we’re so prone to missteps – and how we can all get better. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks to conversation expert and journalist Celeste Headlee about the power of listening and then heads to the hospital where some of the most difficult conversations happen every day. We hear from Dr. Rana Awdish, who heads up a program to help doctors lead with empathy when talking with their patients.    To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Not following rules and letting go might actually make you feel better. Just ask musicians who improvise and make up music on the fly. Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with Dr. Charles Limb about his study on musical improvisation and its impact on the brain. Plus, “Saturday Night Live” jazz saxophonist Ron Blake shares life-changing lessons from music that we can apply to our everyday lives. And to top it off, Sanjay attempts some freestyle rap. Spoiler alert: he’s pretty good at it. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

You've likely experienced feelings of calm and happiness while at the beach or a lake, but it turns out there are actually proven psychological and physical benefits to being near the water. Even just looking at pictures of water or hearing the sounds of it can give you these health benefits. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with environmental psychologist Mathew White about the science behind water and why we all need more Blue Space in our lives. If you like this episode, check out the Beach Day/ Blue Space playlist our Chasing Life team put together on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3NJlEon.   To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

We’re not alone inside our skin. Instead, we’re accompanied by billions of microorganisms. Not only that, when it comes to our health, they’re in charge. Meet your microbiome. In this episode, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the mysteries of this new world within us with microbiologist Brett Finlay. Plus, we meet documentary filmmaker Saffron Cassady who lives with a debilitating chronic condition and took matters into her own hands by doing at-home DIY fecal transplants. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

It turns out a simple “thank you” really can go a long way. In fact, giving thanks doesn’t just make others feel good – it can also boost your own mental and physical well-being. On today’s show, we’ll hear how gratitude helped one woman navigate a life-changing medical diagnosis. Plus, how you can implement a gratitude practice into your daily life. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

There’s been a lot of debate about how often we need to bathe — and the answer might be less than you think. It turns out we have a complicated history with washing dating back to the baths of Ancient Rome. In this brand new episode of Margins of Error, CNN's senior data reporter Harry Enten goes straight to the experts to decode the hygienic necessity of bathing versus our societal norms. Plus, he sees what life is like without deodorant. You’ll have to smell it to believe it. New episodes of Chasing Life return on May 17. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

This week we're sharing an episode of The Happiness Lab from Pushkin Industries. Host Laurie Santos helps listeners understand that listless middle ground between depression and flourishing, otherwise known as languishing and what we can do to escape it. Laurie speaks to psychologist and host of TED's WorkLife podcast, Adam Grant (who you may remember from season 1 of Chasing Life) about his own experience with languishing and how a game of Mario Kart helped him find his path again. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

While season 4 of Chasing Life is in production, the team is sharing some of their favorite podcasts. First up, The Pulse from WHYY, a weekly health and science podcast and radio show. On this episode, host Maiken Scott dives into the changing conversation about race and ethnicity in medicine. You’ll hear stories about why it’s harder for Black Americans to get kidney transplants, why “Asian” is too broad of a category when it comes to public health, and how we could collect better, more meaningful data. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Most of us love the sensation of the sun on our skin or the sound of the ocean, but nature doesn’t just feel good; it’s also good for us! Nowadays, doctors are even starting to prescribe time outdoors as part of treatment for their patients. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Dr. Melissa Lem, founder of the first national nature-prescription program in Canada, about the health benefits of nature and why we all need a regular dose of the outdoors. Plus, we head outside for some fresh air with Prof. Jennifer Roberts in Maryland, and explore some practical ways to integrate more green time into our lives. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Language allows us to connect with people from around the world. It opens our minds and hearts to new experiences and different ways of life. But learning a new language can be really difficult, so how did we do it as children? And are our adult brains even cut out for learning new languages? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Professor John Schwieter about what’s happening in the brain when we learn a new language and the potential health benefits of being bilingual. Plus, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky explains how language may have the power to shape the way we think and see the world. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Have you ever gone through a breakup and listened to a sad song on repeat? Why do we have such strong emotional connections to music? Well, the answer lies in our brains. On this episode, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Professor Assal Habibi, a pianist and neuroscientist, about the brain science of music. Plus, we sit in on an orchestra rehearsal with kids in Los Angeles and discover the magic of making music together.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

When you live with social anxiety, even the smallest interactions can feel catastrophic. If human beings are supposed to be social creatures, then why is socializing so daunting for some of us? CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to clinical psychologist Ellen Hendriksen about what’s really going on in our brains when we experience social anxiety and how we can shift that self-doubt into something positive. Plus, actionable tips for how we all can sharpen our social skills after several years of pandemic life. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok – let’s face it, social media has become a central part of our lives. It’s where we make friends, find community, and entertain ourselves, but it can also be harmful for our mental health. Do the benefits outweigh the risks? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks to social media researcher Prof. Dar Meshi about what social media is doing to our brains, and why we need to set healthy boundaries around our social media use. Plus, chef and Instagram influencer Sophia Roe shares her secret to living her best life both online and in real life.  To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

When astronaut Christina Koch embarked on her 11-month spaceflight, she knew it would be a record-breaking mission; what she didn’t know is that she would return to Earth just at the start of a global pandemic. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta celebrates Women’s History Month with an extended conversation with Koch about her remarkable journey and all that she has accomplished. Plus, Koch shares her tips for mentally preparing for a challenge, whether you’re in up space or here on Earth. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

It’s been a difficult few years for everyone, and people are feeling more burned out than ever. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks to author Rahaf Harfoush about being a recovering workaholic, and how we should all rethink our relationship to our jobs. Plus, we visit a monastery in New Mexico to learn about their secret to work-life balance. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

How do pets impact our bodies and brains? Are dogs really “man’s best friend”? And are we being mind-controlled by our cats? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta hears from animal behaviorist Professor Monique Udell about the ways pets make us healthier and happier – and how the animals benefit from this, too! Plus, molecular parasitologist Professor Sebastian Lourido shares the wild story of a common cat-borne parasite that may affect our behavior. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Public health experts have been warning for years about a looming “loneliness epidemic” in the United States, with serious potential impacts on our mental and physical health. But what’s the cure? Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to loneliness expert Professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad about her promising research and the surprising power of performing small acts of kindness.    To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Remember how awkward and confused you felt as a teen? It's a time of so many big changes – growth spurts, body hair, and acne, just to name a few – but perhaps the most radical transformation is going on inside the adolescent brain. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta dives into the neuroscience of the teen brain with psychologist Valerie Reyna to figure out how teens make decisions and weigh risks. Plus, tips for teens (and anyone who’s been a teen) on how we can support one another through this challenging stage of life. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy