WEBVTT - Listener Mail: Strange Sleep and Past Lives 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:06.080 Welcome to Stuff to Blow Your Mind from how Stuff 0:00:06.120 --> 0:00:13.920 Works dot com. Hey, welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind. 0:00:13.920 --> 0:00:16.279 My name is Robert Lamb and Julie Douglas. You know, 0:00:16.360 --> 0:00:19.760 we hear a lot of wonderful feedback from you listeners, 0:00:19.840 --> 0:00:22.759 and sadly we don't always have the time to h 0:00:22.920 --> 0:00:25.400 to call the robot up to the desk and actually 0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:29.440 go through any of it. Um in part because we're 0:00:29.440 --> 0:00:31.680 increasingly busy with the with the stuff to la your 0:00:31.720 --> 0:00:34.760 Mind thing, in part because of ice storms crippling the 0:00:34.800 --> 0:00:38.360 city and what have you. But uh so, once again 0:00:38.400 --> 0:00:41.159 we wanted to take an opportunity to devote one episode 0:00:41.159 --> 0:00:45.040 it just uh conversing with you the listeners, uh, you 0:00:45.120 --> 0:00:47.960 the readers, etcetera, and uh and and sharing some of 0:00:48.000 --> 0:00:51.160 your thoughts on topics that we've we've recently touched on. Yeah, 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:52.880 so it's about high time that we got our house 0:00:52.920 --> 0:00:55.560 in order, and we have a bevy of feedback that 0:00:55.600 --> 0:00:57.800 we want to read because we think it's really interesting. 0:00:58.360 --> 0:01:01.040 And uh, what should we check it off with. We 0:01:01.120 --> 0:01:04.280 have a couple of themes. Oh well, I really like 0:01:04.440 --> 0:01:07.720 this one on reincarnation. So let's call the robot over 0:01:07.959 --> 0:01:13.160 and I'll read you what John had to say. John says, 0:01:13.360 --> 0:01:15.960 I listened with interest to your recent thoughts on reincarnation 0:01:15.959 --> 0:01:18.160 and I always struck with the thought that the idea 0:01:18.520 --> 0:01:21.720 example of reincarnation with persisting memories of a past life 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:24.760 would be the Dali Lama. I think, uh, maybe to 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:27.080 be corrected, that when a Lama dies, the search for 0:01:27.120 --> 0:01:29.520 the child who contains the spirit of leader begins and 0:01:29.560 --> 0:01:31.760 there are tests to prove that they have found the 0:01:31.760 --> 0:01:35.240 correct youth. I think these include tests check for signs 0:01:35.319 --> 0:01:38.080 of a reincarnated spirit. Uh. Does anyone know of this? 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:39.960 And I'll take a break and say, yes, this is 0:01:40.000 --> 0:01:42.920 actually the Dali Lama. Uh situation is a is a 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:49.400 really excellent example of of reincarnation worldview in effect. And 0:01:49.520 --> 0:01:51.400 uh and and to the point where we really should 0:01:51.400 --> 0:01:54.960 have mentioned it in the podcast because it's so strong. Um. Anyway, 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:57.560 John continues, Um, I don't know where I read this. 0:01:57.680 --> 0:02:00.800 I also enjoyed your recent podcast about Stone Hinge, as 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:03.600 I have visited this in other monuments in England as 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:07.320 that is where I live. I prefer Avebury Circle as 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:10.320 it is large in diameter, if not in size of stones, 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.959 and the different rings and ditches that even encompass the 0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:16.720 village and their position in relation to other barrows and 0:02:16.760 --> 0:02:20.960 earthworks locally, give a much more impressive vision than of 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:24.200 those who devised and built these monuments. At a bury, 0:02:24.280 --> 0:02:26.720 you can get amongst the stones and walk the ditches, 0:02:26.760 --> 0:02:29.799 allowing a more connected feeling with the whole area. These 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:33.760 monuments need to be seen topographically to really impress with 0:02:33.840 --> 0:02:36.280 the relation to the land and what else it contains. 0:02:36.280 --> 0:02:38.639 Simply looking at a picture only gives you a very 0:02:38.680 --> 0:02:40.840 small part of what they are. Thanks for keeping my 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:44.040 truck driving night full of interesting thoughts. Look forward to 0:02:44.080 --> 0:02:47.800 future shows. John. All right, Well, so that first part 0:02:47.840 --> 0:02:50.680 about the Dalai Lama. I do remember seeing a film 0:02:50.800 --> 0:02:54.280 in which I believe Kiana reeves start. Do you know 0:02:54.520 --> 0:03:01.040 which one I'm from? New MATRIXI Lama? Uh No? In 0:03:01.120 --> 0:03:06.200 it documented um the search for the Llama, and they 0:03:06.200 --> 0:03:08.040 were giving him some of the test. Do you recall 0:03:08.120 --> 0:03:11.639 any test? Third, administer, I I do not. I remember 0:03:11.639 --> 0:03:15.720 seeing the documentaries, uh one document in particular about the 0:03:15.760 --> 0:03:20.640 about looking for the Llama, looking for the chosen youth 0:03:20.960 --> 0:03:24.240 that would would have the spirit of Vallama. But but 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:26.520 I don't recall the details of it. Offhand and in 0:03:26.600 --> 0:03:29.240 terms of the Stonehenge information that John had given us, 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:31.280 which was really great. I wanted to read an email 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:33.800 from Diane who says I love the Stonehenge episodes because 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:36.720 they reminded me of a project I did when I 0:03:36.760 --> 0:03:38.480 was in fourth grade. I had a great teacher who 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:41.240 did a Stonehenge project where we created stones out of 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:43.600 modeling clay and then had to transport them one by 0:03:43.680 --> 0:03:47.080 one across the table by rolling them on pencils. Once 0:03:47.160 --> 0:03:49.480 the stone was off the last pencil, it was moved 0:03:49.480 --> 0:03:51.960 to the front and repeat across the table. There was 0:03:52.040 --> 0:03:54.840 time consuming, but fun. It was a cool project to 0:03:54.880 --> 0:03:57.800 show what sort of work went into cutting and transporting 0:03:57.800 --> 0:04:00.320 the stones. Stuck with me for twenty years. What a 0:04:00.360 --> 0:04:04.280 great project for for kids to do, I think. Um. 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:06.680 She says she's been a long time fan and she's 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:09.400 been meaning to write and suggest a future show, And 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:12.880 she said that she became involved with a nonprofit called 0:04:12.920 --> 0:04:16.760 the Cancer Research Institute, and she said that cancer immunotherapy 0:04:16.839 --> 0:04:18.839 is a cool field of research and treatment for cancer 0:04:18.839 --> 0:04:21.320 that uses the immune system to fight cancer and has 0:04:21.400 --> 0:04:24.040 really started to take off in the last couple of years. 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:26.840 So she suggested that as an episode and that seems 0:04:26.920 --> 0:04:30.280 like great fertile terrain for us, and I appreciate your 0:04:30.440 --> 0:04:32.920 suggestion there, Diane. Yeah, yeah, we we could stand to 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:36.320 do a few more sort of health centric episodes in 0:04:36.320 --> 0:04:39.080 the future. UM. Space is another area I want to 0:04:39.080 --> 0:04:41.080 get back to. So if anyone out there has specific 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:45.599 requests for space related stuff to blow your mind content, uh, 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:48.200 do hit us up with those those suggestions, because sometimes 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:50.520 it's kind of difficult looking at at space, so looking 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:52.600 at health because I feel like we stuffed to bow 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:54.800 your mind. We we kind of have that caveat that 0:04:54.880 --> 0:04:57.359 it needs to it needs to really like shake you, 0:04:57.400 --> 0:05:00.600 it needs to really awe you in some way a perform. 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:03.479 But so if you have any ideas that might lead 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:07.120 to a sober stone or moments did you with space, 0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:10.600 let us know. Yeah. Alright, here's another a bit of 0:05:10.640 --> 0:05:13.120 listener mail, Thank you Robot. This one comes to us 0:05:13.240 --> 0:05:16.840 from Tracy. Tracy says, I absolutely love your podcast. I 0:05:16.839 --> 0:05:19.200 love your topics, but almost more than that, I love 0:05:19.240 --> 0:05:21.719 your chemistry. You play off each other really well and 0:05:21.760 --> 0:05:25.360 your interaction never slides into corny banter. I love your 0:05:25.400 --> 0:05:28.840 inventive metaphors. Uh, the intensive research you do is evident 0:05:28.880 --> 0:05:31.120 from your solid grasp of the information you present. You 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:33.680 rarely stumble in your knowledge. And to top it all off, 0:05:34.000 --> 0:05:37.480 both have voices made for radio with no annoying vocal kicks. 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:40.800 You post nothing but fascinating articles on your Facebook page. 0:05:41.200 --> 0:05:44.479 You kick, But I just wanted you to know you 0:05:44.520 --> 0:05:46.560 have a huge fan in Miami. If you ever find 0:05:46.600 --> 0:05:49.560 yourself in South Florida, I hope Miami's Vice City Rollers, 0:05:49.720 --> 0:05:52.279 the roller Derby team I volunteer with, is playing. I'll 0:05:52.279 --> 0:05:54.880 give you comp tickets. Well, thank you, Tracy. Indeed, if 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:57.360 we're ever in the in in South Florida, we may 0:05:57.400 --> 0:05:59.560 have to look you up. Indeed we will. And that 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:03.600 just minded me of the Roller Derby Microbiome episode we 0:06:03.640 --> 0:06:06.560 did in which they looked at Rolling Derby teams and 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:09.600 how they are swapping microbiomes and how interesting that is 0:06:09.839 --> 0:06:13.040 and tracing that's really kind. Um. I do have to 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:15.080 say that I think that both of us have a 0:06:15.120 --> 0:06:19.200 couple of malapropisms in which we butcher language, and that 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:22.080 is an episode which will be forthcoming at some point, 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:26.400 because it's really interesting about how your brain that listens 0:06:26.480 --> 0:06:29.359 in your brain that is anticipating speech. They have to 0:06:29.440 --> 0:06:32.320 work in tandem, and a lot of these malapropisms um 0:06:32.760 --> 0:06:37.560 result from that sort of little disconnects that happened when 0:06:37.600 --> 0:06:41.040 they're trying to do this bifurcated action. Yeah, and I 0:06:41.040 --> 0:06:42.960 think I've said before I feel like I have very 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:47.200 much have a writer reader brain and uh and therefore 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:51.560 when I'm speaking, I often fall into various traps. I 0:06:51.720 --> 0:06:53.560 guess I've gotten better at it over the years, but 0:06:53.640 --> 0:06:58.839 still not all the traps have been marked and and eliminated. Alright. 0:06:58.839 --> 0:07:00.719 The next one comes from Richard, and he says, I 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:02.440 love stuff to play your mind. I listen while working 0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:04.960 out at the gym, and as a high school science teacher, 0:07:04.960 --> 0:07:07.320 I enjoy bringing the program into my classroom. Good job, 0:07:07.320 --> 0:07:10.920 and thank you. I fear you may be incorrect on hibernation. Uh, 0:07:10.920 --> 0:07:14.320 I belause there's an episode of republished episode in January 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:16.040 that he's referring to. He says, let me do this 0:07:16.080 --> 0:07:19.160 in two parts. Your recent discussion of hibernation violates a 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:22.200 basic principle of physics and engineering, the law of squares 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:25.679 and cubes, less formally, the relationship of surface area to volume. 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:29.239 This universal principle deserves a separate treatment on your program, 0:07:29.280 --> 0:07:31.920 and to make it less technical in more podcast friendly, 0:07:32.120 --> 0:07:35.160 I bring to your attention that virtually all monster movies 0:07:35.200 --> 0:07:37.720 get it wrong. For a summary of why, read the 0:07:37.760 --> 0:07:41.560 great biologist JB. S. Haldane's essay on being the right size. 0:07:41.960 --> 0:07:45.320 The law of squares and cubes can explain numerous physical 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:50.000 and biological phenomena. This brings us to point to While 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:52.560 it is true that ground squirrels can reduce their core 0:07:52.560 --> 0:07:56.160 temperature sufficiently to go into a state of suspended animation, 0:07:56.600 --> 0:07:59.720 larger animals like bears may lower their set points slightly, 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:02.720 but cannot radate enough body heat to get a truly 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:06.520 suspended state. They're easily aroused even during winter rest, although 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:09.200 I do not suggest you try the experiment for rather 0:08:09.400 --> 0:08:12.560 obvious reasons. By the way, you can extend this analysis 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:16.280 to demonstrate that large dinosaurs probably approached warm bloodedness even 0:08:16.320 --> 0:08:19.960 without internal constancy. If you want to get summary on 0:08:20.000 --> 0:08:22.880 the issue and it's specific relations hybernation, there's a helpful 0:08:22.960 --> 0:08:26.400 lecture by Steven Stearns from his Yale course on evolution 0:08:26.440 --> 0:08:28.040 in Ecology. So I just want to say thank you 0:08:28.120 --> 0:08:30.679 Richard so much. UM. I do think that that probably 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:33.959 deserves its own upcoming episode, because we'd like to get 0:08:34.000 --> 0:08:38.240 into this topic a lot. Hibernation, suspended animation, What we 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:41.160 can learn from hibernation, how we could apply it to humans, 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:47.319 either through emergency situations or even through space travel. Now, 0:08:47.520 --> 0:08:51.280 I know that we have discussed the morphological limits of 0:08:51.320 --> 0:08:55.480 gigantism before, particularly in terms of of say, Godzilla and 0:08:55.600 --> 0:08:58.680 King Kom, Barbie and Barbie. Yes, that was a separate, 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:02.120 separate episode, but but we have touched on those topics before. 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:04.520 All right, we can take a quick breaking when we 0:09:04.600 --> 0:09:14.520 come back, more listener mail on a number of fascinating topics. Alright, 0:09:14.520 --> 0:09:16.600 we're back. Let's take some more feedback and then get 0:09:16.640 --> 0:09:18.720 into it. All right, This one comes to us from Valerie. 0:09:18.800 --> 0:09:21.640 Valerie says, I just finished up your episode on Night Janitors. 0:09:21.840 --> 0:09:23.920 It made me feel much less lame for needing nine 0:09:23.960 --> 0:09:26.280 hours of sleep to feel good. Now, I have always 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:29.600 fallen asleep anywhere if I am tired, in loud rooms, 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:31.720 standing up in a boat, and other odd of places. 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:34.959 Whenever I do anything that would loosen my inhibitions, like drink, 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:37.440 all I want to do is take a nap. Turns 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:40.320 out most of my inhibitions are how inappropriate it is 0:09:40.360 --> 0:09:42.640 to sleep all the time. From now on, I am 0:09:42.679 --> 0:09:45.640 going to imagine I have very demanding night janitors and 0:09:45.679 --> 0:09:47.880 we are waiting at the doors, being like, can you 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:49.679 hurry up? And there we have a job to do, 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:53.080 ready to take advantage of my weakened state to start 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:56.080 work early. Also, I was wondering if there is anything 0:09:56.120 --> 0:09:58.640 to this idea of animals getting a taste for humans. 0:09:58.840 --> 0:10:00.440 I feel like I hear that all the time. I 0:10:00.480 --> 0:10:02.520 wonder if it is like when I finally have a 0:10:02.600 --> 0:10:05.600 chance to try something and it's especially tasty, like when 0:10:05.600 --> 0:10:08.000 I got a taste for star fruit. I also think 0:10:08.000 --> 0:10:10.360 about one group of orcas it was on a documentary 0:10:10.400 --> 0:10:13.240 I watched that were really into sea urchins, even though 0:10:13.240 --> 0:10:15.880 they're much harder to eat and harder to get than 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:18.760 other food. Could we be a delicacy of the animal world. 0:10:19.200 --> 0:10:20.920 I thought it might be interesting to hear a podcast 0:10:21.000 --> 0:10:24.199 on animals becoming man eaters after getting that first taste. 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:27.760 Warm regards Valerie in Austin, Texas, PS, you guys are great. 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.200 Well now I want to do an episode on man eaters. 0:10:31.240 --> 0:10:33.480 That sounds perfect Well, you know, I thought this is 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:37.040 so timely because the other night, my daughter asked, she 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:39.120 gets to ask one question before she goes to bed, 0:10:39.160 --> 0:10:41.200 and that's her way to She's always trying to distract 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.040 us from actually getting her to sleep. So that's the 0:10:44.080 --> 0:10:46.240 way that we try to manage that. And so her 0:10:46.320 --> 0:10:50.800 question was to do alligators to eat people? And so 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:52.760 my answer was because I tried to be as as 0:10:52.800 --> 0:10:56.240 honest as possible without like going into some weird territory, 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:59.480 and I said, well, no they don't, but I'm sure 0:10:59.480 --> 0:11:03.240 it has had been by accident. And then that was 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:05.560 so I shouldn't have even said that, because then she 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:09.560 was like, when who what happened? And I thought, oh, man, 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:13.000 that's it's true. It's it has happened by accident and 0:11:13.080 --> 0:11:16.280 sometimes um, people have been in the wrong place at 0:11:16.280 --> 0:11:20.200 the wrong time. And she went on to ask like, 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:24.199 do you think the alligators like the taste of humans? Well, 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:26.080 there you go. I think we'll definitely have to do 0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:28.000 an episode on that. And I also have to say 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:31.240 that we were dangerously close to talking about cannibalism. I 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:33.439 just felt it. I felt like, the next question is 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:36.839 going to be the keetmans eat other humans. So you're 0:11:36.880 --> 0:11:40.480 just completely low on energy right at that time. That's 0:11:40.480 --> 0:11:43.880 when she starts throwing out questions about cannibalism and yeah, 0:11:44.000 --> 0:11:46.840 what why do people kill each other? Why do people 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:49.040 don't I mean this? Yeah, she throws out the heavy stuff. 0:11:50.040 --> 0:11:53.080 We have another email here from Kevin and he's talking 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:56.040 about the Night Janitors, which is again this episode that 0:11:56.200 --> 0:11:58.559 dealt with this idea of all these toxic by products 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:01.080 that our brains make and how do we usher them 0:12:01.160 --> 0:12:04.319 out of our system? Um. That has long been a mystery, 0:12:04.360 --> 0:12:07.200 but we have new information that this happens when we sleep, 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:09.760 and only when we sleep. Um. Kevin says, I have 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:12.839 an interesting study I conducted last semester on my own. 0:12:13.040 --> 0:12:16.439 I was nineteen at the time. I read about polyphasic sleeping, 0:12:16.440 --> 0:12:19.880 where you can reduce average sleep to minimal hours, sometimes 0:12:19.920 --> 0:12:22.040 to a day. I try to and reduce my average 0:12:22.040 --> 0:12:25.640 from about eight hours to five hours. For thirty consecutive days, 0:12:26.240 --> 0:12:27.839 I would do three and a half hours at night 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:31.079 and three equally spaced naps during the day. During this time, 0:12:31.120 --> 0:12:33.680 I had lucid dreams the first time, which I still 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:36.280 seldom have to this day, and had felt a new 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:40.720 feeling of euphorium. Midway through. I found it was very well, possible, 0:12:40.760 --> 0:12:43.560 but I stopped with my neighbor, who participated in twelve 0:12:43.600 --> 0:12:47.599 actual sleep studies, said I was adapting to become and insomniac. 0:12:48.000 --> 0:12:50.360 This leads me to question whether we can adapt to 0:12:50.440 --> 0:12:53.319 a large amount of waste in our brains, or does 0:12:53.440 --> 0:12:57.800 maybe the night janitor become more efficient. Good question. Also, 0:12:57.880 --> 0:13:01.000 thank you for your exciting and inform national discussions. They 0:13:01.000 --> 0:13:03.560 have changed my intellectual life for the better. Thank you, Kevin. 0:13:03.640 --> 0:13:05.800 All right, well here's another little bit on sleep. This 0:13:05.800 --> 0:13:08.240 one comes to us from Ann and says Dear Julian Robert. 0:13:08.440 --> 0:13:10.559 During college, I had a lot of trouble with insomnia. 0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:13.240 I was prescribed ambien my senior year. I made the 0:13:13.280 --> 0:13:16.320 mistake multiple times of taking it but not immediately lying 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:18.719 down and going to bed, which is recommended. This led 0:13:18.760 --> 0:13:22.200 to some interesting Internet comments. The biggest problem I had 0:13:22.240 --> 0:13:26.079 was sleep cooking. I didn't just sleep eat whatever snacks 0:13:26.080 --> 0:13:28.079 were in my apartment. I somehow felt they need to 0:13:28.120 --> 0:13:30.960 make ramen noodles or spaghettios, or on one scary occasion, 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:33.839 to cook a full meal of pasta. I boiled a 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:36.120 pot of water, cooked the noodles, cooked, the sauce, drained, 0:13:36.120 --> 0:13:38.959 the pasta, poured the pasta and sauce onto a plate, 0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:41.800 covered them with parmesan cheese, ate the whole plate of food, 0:13:41.800 --> 0:13:44.440 and then and then left the empty plate on the 0:13:44.480 --> 0:13:47.800 floor upy my bed. I woke up next morning boggled 0:13:47.800 --> 0:13:49.720 by the plate. I am relieved to say I never 0:13:49.800 --> 0:13:52.400 left the stove hunt. I quit taking Ambien and several 0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:55.040 years later quit drinking entirely. Sobriety has had a huge 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:57.480 impact on my sleep quality and worked much better than 0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:00.360 ambient for me. I learned that while alcohol can make 0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:02.800 you fall asleep pass out, the sleep you get isn't 0:14:02.840 --> 0:14:06.240 RESTful or restorative sleep or reduces rim sleep. But people 0:14:06.280 --> 0:14:09.040 often think they're sleeping better because they fall asleep sooner. 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:11.800 All my best and thanks, and yeah, I have to 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:15.600 second that since I quit drinking year and a half 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:18.840 nearing two years ago, I will say that my sleep 0:14:18.920 --> 0:14:22.080 has been so much better and now I'm hungry for it. 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:26.720 Played a spaghetti. Yeah, it's uh We mentioned uh am 0:14:26.800 --> 0:14:29.840 bien before, and it's the effects it sometimes has on people. 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:31.400 I do want to want to go ahead and throw 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:35.800 out though that if you know, let let your doctor, 0:14:35.840 --> 0:14:37.960 your trusted doctor, advise you on what you should and 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:39.920 shouldn't take and use that as your sort of call 0:14:40.000 --> 0:14:43.320 point rather than, you know, any kind of horror stories 0:14:43.360 --> 0:14:46.040 you've heard about one medication or another. Well, yeah, because 0:14:46.320 --> 0:14:49.600 some things can affect another person in entirely different ways. 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:53.160 So yeah, because I've encountered people before who desperately needed 0:14:53.200 --> 0:14:55.840 some help sleeping, at least for like a small portion 0:14:56.280 --> 0:14:59.200 of their time. And uh, and they were scared to 0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:02.720 even try some thing because they'd heard somebody knew somebody 0:15:02.960 --> 0:15:05.600 who had heard about somebody who you know, ate a 0:15:05.600 --> 0:15:08.520 bunch of cigarettes while on ambient or something. Yeah. Well, 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:10.760 and if you've ever suffered from insomnia and you know 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:12.280 that point in the night where are like, man, I 0:15:12.280 --> 0:15:14.800 wish someone would just hit me over the head with 0:15:14.840 --> 0:15:17.160 a pan and knock me out, you know that that's 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:19.640 when you're in a desperate place and you need some help. Yeah, 0:15:20.400 --> 0:15:22.760 So anyway, thanks for sharing that with the sand all right. 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:25.560 The next one has to do with leeches. We recently 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:28.640 did a podcast episode about leeches and how they've sort 0:15:28.640 --> 0:15:31.800 of redeemed themselves in the medical community. And this is 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:34.200 from Ashley. She says, I recently listened to the podcast 0:15:34.200 --> 0:15:36.080 about leeches. I thought you might be interested in my 0:15:36.120 --> 0:15:39.240 experience with them. I'm a veterinary technician at a large 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:42.800 specialty veterinary practice and we currently have a small colony 0:15:42.880 --> 0:15:45.120 of leeches that are being used to treat a couple 0:15:45.160 --> 0:15:48.120 of feline patients. These two kitties have a condition called 0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:51.880 polyspthemia vera, in which their bodies make too many red 0:15:51.880 --> 0:15:55.000 blood cells. This results in very thick, sludgy blood that 0:15:55.040 --> 0:15:59.400 can lead to seizures, a taxia, blindness, and other neurological symptoms. 0:15:59.600 --> 0:16:02.160 There are men occasions that decreased red blood cell production, 0:16:02.240 --> 0:16:05.480 but the side effects aren't good. One other treatment is 0:16:05.560 --> 0:16:08.400 blood letting every week, but one of these cats is 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:11.320 not very friendly, which makes drawing a large amount of 0:16:11.320 --> 0:16:14.120 blood from her very difficult and stressful for her and 0:16:14.200 --> 0:16:18.200 imagine others. Um There's only one study and one cat 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:21.080 that leeches have been used on for this condition, but 0:16:21.080 --> 0:16:23.600 our doctors decided to give it a try. The cat 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:26.200 can sit in the owner's lap and have leeches feed 0:16:26.400 --> 0:16:28.480 for about thirty minutes, can go home. Both cats have 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:31.480 had multiple treatments, are and are doing very well. So 0:16:31.520 --> 0:16:34.400 it looks like our leech experiment is a success. Thank you. 0:16:34.440 --> 0:16:37.560 For reading. Ashley ps. We keep our leeches and fish 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:39.600 bowls on a shelf. We learned the hard way that 0:16:39.680 --> 0:16:42.920 the bowls need to be covered more than once leeches 0:16:43.080 --> 0:16:45.720 rained down on the person using the computer below the 0:16:45.760 --> 0:16:49.840 shelf they were housed on. That's a little bit nightmaric. 0:16:50.800 --> 0:16:54.680 Just to create a new word. Alright, I'm just gonna 0:16:54.800 --> 0:16:57.160 wind up here with two quick ones. This one comes 0:16:57.160 --> 0:17:00.360 to us from Annie in New Orleans. Any He shares 0:17:00.560 --> 0:17:05.120 of her experiences with dentist dread and dental anxiety, which 0:17:05.119 --> 0:17:07.359 we talked about in an episode. But then she closes 0:17:07.359 --> 0:17:09.280 out and says, I listened to a lot of house 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:11.600 Stoworks podcasts, and I love them all for different reasons, 0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:14.240 but I've almost started thinking of yours. This my mental 0:17:14.280 --> 0:17:17.560 health cast. I developed some slightly debilitating anxiety and depression 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:20.160 problems this last year. For example, my fracture teeth were 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:22.480 very likely caused by clenching my teeth in my sleep. 0:17:22.720 --> 0:17:24.800 After my crowns are in my dentist is going to 0:17:24.840 --> 0:17:27.560 make a mouth guard to sleep with. Because if your 0:17:27.560 --> 0:17:30.159 many informative episodes surrounding anxiety, I've decided to seek out 0:17:30.160 --> 0:17:32.879 professional help. In addition to trying things like meditation to 0:17:32.960 --> 0:17:35.960 quiet the constant screeching of my default mode network. I'm 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:38.840 feeling more hopeful for my future happiness than I have 0:17:39.160 --> 0:17:42.400 in as long as I can remember. You guys are great. Well, 0:17:42.560 --> 0:17:44.600 that's that's very good to hear. For First, I want 0:17:44.600 --> 0:17:47.080 to say mouth guard. I myself were a mouth guard 0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:49.080 when I sleep every night, and it's made a lot 0:17:49.160 --> 0:17:52.000 of difference for me. So UM, definitely stick with that 0:17:52.160 --> 0:17:54.680 as much as you'll want to spit it out at times. 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:58.639 Uh and uh and and kudos for seeking, you know, 0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:01.560 professional help to help balance things out. I think that's 0:18:01.640 --> 0:18:05.480 you know, that's often the bravest uh and at times 0:18:05.480 --> 0:18:08.199 the hardest thing you have to do for yourself is 0:18:08.320 --> 0:18:11.920 is saying, yes, I'm gonna actually see somebody about this. Indeed, 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:15.680 and you know, I've said this several times, but the 0:18:15.720 --> 0:18:18.800 episodes that we've covered the topics, a lot of times 0:18:18.800 --> 0:18:21.399 I find myself turning to some of the things that 0:18:21.400 --> 0:18:24.359 that do help. UM. And that was interesting that she 0:18:24.440 --> 0:18:27.200 brought up the default mode network, because I really think 0:18:27.240 --> 0:18:29.880 that that is sometimes the problem with with a lot 0:18:29.920 --> 0:18:32.480 of what ails me is just kind of quiet that 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:35.080 part of the mind and there's so many different ways 0:18:35.080 --> 0:18:38.280 to get to that point. Indeed, indeed, all right, here's 0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:39.600 the last one here. This one comes to it from 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:42.879 Ashley actually says, Hi, Robert and Julie, I'm listening to 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:45.119 some of your older podcast via iTunes and came across 0:18:45.240 --> 0:18:47.959 Lucid Dreams. During the cast, you mentioned some sences not 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:50.680 being activated during dreams, and the food isn't usually a 0:18:50.720 --> 0:18:54.000 part of lucid dreams because the taste isn't active. Well, 0:18:54.040 --> 0:18:56.040 I had a very unusual dream of law back where 0:18:56.040 --> 0:18:58.639 I was an intergalactic social mixer. I had a conversation 0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:01.600 at the bar with a green, jellowish male and drank 0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:04.560 the most perfect glass of pineapple juice. I've also had 0:19:04.560 --> 0:19:06.880 a recurring dream where I am at a family reunion 0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:09.200 type gathering with my children. At some point I fall 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:11.240 out of favor with my family and they want to 0:19:11.280 --> 0:19:13.720 have me committed and take out custody on my children. 0:19:13.760 --> 0:19:16.080 At this point, I take flight like a bird, not superman. 0:19:16.560 --> 0:19:19.960 Think of the We Fit chicken game where you flap 0:19:20.040 --> 0:19:22.720 your arms to fly. I've been having this dream on 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:25.640 and off since two thousand two, prior to We Fit, 0:19:25.760 --> 0:19:29.200 so I don't know why or where this dream came from. Okay, 0:19:29.200 --> 0:19:31.280 well that's it. Thanks for keeping me company while I work, 0:19:31.359 --> 0:19:33.919 study and take mom breaks. I put myself in a 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:36.760 time out. I love you much, Ashley. Oh, thank you 0:19:36.840 --> 0:19:39.800 very much, Ashley. I really would like to have a 0:19:39.840 --> 0:19:43.240 lucid dream about food now, Yes, I as well, because 0:19:43.240 --> 0:19:45.399 I don't think I can remember an instance where I 0:19:45.440 --> 0:19:50.080 had like a very taste uh centric dream. Yeah, and 0:19:50.119 --> 0:19:52.720 just to be able to experience that in a lucid 0:19:52.760 --> 0:19:54.760 way might be pretty amazing. I don't know. I'm gonna 0:19:54.760 --> 0:19:57.600 put me to like some sort of sprig of basil 0:19:57.600 --> 0:20:00.040 in my mouth before I get a sleep, yeah it, 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:02.560 or you know, or have someone else like stick basil 0:20:02.560 --> 0:20:05.000 in your mouth on your sleep to trigger it. That 0:20:05.000 --> 0:20:09.040 would be perfectly normal. Yeah. All right, So there you go. 0:20:09.119 --> 0:20:10.960