Harvard Thinking

Many people hold themselves to extremely high standards, but when the scales tip to the pursuit of perfection, it can result in anxiety, depression, and other serious mental health issues. In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas talks with journalist Jennifer Breheny Wallace, psychologist Ellen Hendriksen, and public health expert Michaela Kerrissey about when we’ve gone too far in trying to achieve our best.

We rely on our memories for so much. Memory is the foundation of our sense of self, ability to learn new information, and stay safe. But our memories are also highly suggestible, and we often misremember events or fabricate memories entirely. In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas talks with science researcher Dan Schacter, Alzheimer’s expert Margaret O’Connor, and neuroscientist Venki Murthy about the science of memory – and how we can remember better.

Many diets claim to be good for you. But the Mediterranean diet rises to the top with its research-proven benefits: it’s been shown to increase life expectancy; decrease risk for dementia; improve mental health and cognitive function; and lower the risk of heart disease for nearly every demographic. What is it that makes the diet so great? In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas discuss the Mediterranean diet with nutritional psychiatrist Uma Naidoo and Mediterranean diet expert Miguel Ángel Martínez-González about how people can make nutritional changes that work for them day to day.

Sleep deprivation is a form of torture, yet we are depriving ourselves of quality sleep more than ever. Six out of 10 adults in the U.S. aren’t getting enough sleep, which leads to negative mood, low energy, poor cognitive function, and can even take years off your life. In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas talks with sleep scientist Rebecca Robbins, psychiatrist Tony Cunningham, and epidemiologist Matthew Weaver about why we should – and how to – get better sleep.

Episode Summary:  Storytelling is a huge part of the human experience. But how do you tell a good story? There are elements of craft to consider for sure, but for many authors, creativity comes from a place deep within themselves and looks different from writer to writer. In this episode, host Samantha Laine Perfas talks with literary critic James Wood, award-winning novelist Lauren Groff, short story writer Nick White, and playwright Sam Marks about their writing process.