Picking up a new skill as an adult can seem daunting. But research suggests that learning new things as you age may be key to keeping your cognitive skills sharp -- and that middle aged and older adults may be just as good at learning as younger people are. Rachel Wu, PhD, of the University of California Riverside, talks about why lifelong learning matters, ... Show More
Sep 23
Are you burned out or ‘bored out’? With Lotta Harju, PhD, and Sharon K. Parker, PhD
Burnout gets all the attention, but some employees struggle with a different problem: chronic boredom on the job, sometimes called "boreout." Lotta Harju, PhD, of EM Lyon Business School, and Sharon K. Parker, PhD, of Curtin University, discuss how boreout differs from burnout, h ... Show More
43m 5s
Sep 16
The Science of Suicide Prevention, with Matthew Nock, PhD
The U.S. suicide rate today is almost identical to what it was a century ago, even as death rates from many other causes have dropped. Matthew Nock, PhD, of Harvard University, discusses why it’s so hard to predict who will act on suicidal thoughts -- and when; how new tools, fro ... Show More
38m 55s
Sep 9
Why does music move us? With Robert Zatorre, PhD
Why does music give many of us goosebumps, bring back vivid memories and make us want to dance -- but leaves some people cold? Robert Zatorre, author of “From Perception to Pleasure: The Neuroscience of Music and Why We Love It,” discusses how music engages the brain’s reward sys ... Show More
49m 56s
Nov 2023
What do you get better at with age?
You might think that ageing is all about decline and deterioration, but that’s not the whole story. In fact, there are many aspects of life that improve as we grow older, such as happiness, wisdom, relationships, and even some cognitive skills. “Our societal narrative is not base ... Show More
4m 18s
Mar 2023
Growing Old, Staying Rad: Unlocking Your Full Potential with Steven Kotler
Is it possible to unlock new levels of flow, performance, and learning as you age? Have you heard the saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” Do you believe that there’s nothing you can do to stop your physical and mental skills from deteriorating as you get older? If yo ... Show More
20m 41s
Apr 2019
242 - 5 Psychological Secrets of Adulting
Whether your graduation is coming up this spring or twenty years behind you, we all have moments when we wonder if we’re cut out for this adulthood thing. This week, based on the questions of many college seniors over many graduations, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen brin ... Show More
12m 12s
May 2023
The Secrets of a 102-Year-Old Doctor for Keeping A Sharp Mind with Dr. Gladys McGarey
How can you keep a sharp, healthy, and resilient mind at any age? There are a lot of common fears around aging. And one of the biggest is that you’ll start to become absent-minded, losing the vibrancy and focus that marks your ability to learn. But getting older doesn’t have to b ... Show More
20m 38s
Sep 2025
3729: Why Better Brain Health Matters At Every Age by Dr. Jenny Brockis on Stress Management and Continuous Learning
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3729: Dr. Jenny Brockis explains why brain health is vital at every stage of life, not just in old age. She highlights how ... Show More
10m 34s