Rest AND Digest? In This Economy?

Jan 7, 2026

Dive into the intriguing world of neuroscience and gastroenterology! Explore how sleep cleanses the brain through the glymphatic system and its ties to gut health. Discover the significance of acetylcholine across various fields, and unpack the connection between sleep cycles and digestive rhythms. Sarah's personal journey through sobriety and self-education adds a unique flavor to the mix. Plus, get ready for surprising insights on the interplay of music, neurochemistry, and internal bodily cues!

01:23:36

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ANECDOTE

Learning Journey After Sobriety

Sarah explains her learning journey after getting sober three years ago and studying stand-up, sociology, and neuroscience.
She uses this multidisciplinary path to justify weaving diverse scientific ideas on the podcast.

insights

INSIGHT

Glymphatic Nightly Brain Cleanse

The brain clears metabolic waste via a glymphatic CSF influx that is most active during sleep.
This nightly cleanup may help prevent accumulation of amyloid and tau linked to dementia.

insights

INSIGHT

Slow Waves Drive CSF Flow

Slow-wave sleep electrical waves rhythmically propel blood and CSF, linking sleep stages to physical fluid movement.
That rhythmic pumping aligns with memory consolidation processes during deep sleep.

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Year of Learning: Neuroscience, Medicine, Chemistry

00:24 • 2min

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Books That Shaped the Episode

02:38 • 2min

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Integrating Gastroenterology and Sleep Science

04:49 • 1min

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Acetylcholine as a Cross‑Disciplinary Molecule

06:04 • 2min

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Problems in Research and Medicine

08:34 • 4min

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Central vs Peripheral Nervous System Emphasis

Why New Molecule Hype Often Repeats

17:03 • 5min

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Personal Context: Sobriety and Learning

21:55 • 7min

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Introducing the 'Brainwashing' Article

29:14 • 57sec

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Glymphatic System and Nightly Brain Cleanse

30:11 • 3min

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Sleep Boosts Glymphatic Housekeeping

Why Glymphatic Flow Peaks During Sleep

36:04 • 4min

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Linking Gut Motility to Brain Cleaning

40:34 • 4min

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Migrating Motor Complex Explained

44:28 • 21sec

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Sleep Architecture and 90‑Minute Cycles

44:49 • 4min

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Internal Rhythm and Tactus: Body Beats

48:59 • 4min

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Interoception and Sleep Sensory Gating

53:16 • 3min

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Acetylcholine's Rhythmic Role in Sleep

55:51 • 5min

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Musical Tension, Reward & Neurochemistry

01:00:24 • 8min

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Eyes and Diaphragm as Nighttime Movers

Introducing Neurocerticals, the Breakthrough for Ageless Beauty

Nicholas Perricone

Another Fragmented

A Doctor's Quest to Piece Together American Health Care

Ilana Yurkovics

#7114

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

The Mind-Gut Connection

How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health

Emeran Mayer

In 'The Mind-Gut Connection,' Dr. Emeran Mayer delves into the complex communication between the brain, gut, and microbiome. The book explains how messages travel between the digestive system and the brain through hormones, the vagus nerve, and signaling molecules. It discusses the impact of diet on gut microbiota, the influence of early-life events on gut-brain dialogue, and provides practical advice on maintaining balanced brain-gut health through a plant-based diet, fermented foods, probiotics, and other lifestyle changes. Mayer's work aims to help readers understand and harness the power of the mind-gut connection to improve their overall health and well-being.

#10649

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

This Is What It Sounds Like

Ogie Ogis

Susan Rogers

#10905

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

Elusive Cures

Nicole Rust

#39

• Mentioned in 245 episodes

Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker

This book delves into the purpose and power of sleep, explaining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Walker discusses how sleep enriches our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions, recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. He also explores the consequences of sleep deprivation and provides actionable steps to improve sleep quality, including ways to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity.

Welcome to the first Schauer of 2026, this week we’re discussing “brain washing” (a function of cerebrospinal fluid during sleep states) and integrating some g-dang information on the rest and digest system! Get ready for a gut-load of neuroscience and gastroenterology as well as a crude but functional amount of chemistry. Make sure to take your fiber after the communal STEAM session as sudden, public motility is frowned upon in most cultures.

I do apologize for mispronouncing molecules and neurological components, since I’m self-taught I don’t often get the experience to say these words out loud. Feel free to spell anything phonetically in the comments or DM me an *labeled* audio clip on Instagram.

Part two coming next Wednesday!

Resources:

This Is What It Sounds Like - Susan Rogers & Ogi Ogas

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams - Matthew Walker PhD

The Mind Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choice, and Our Overall Health - Emeran Mayer, MD

Fragmented: A Doctor’s Quest to Piece Together American Health Care - Ilana Yurkiewicz

Elusive Cures: Why Neuroscience Hasn’t Solved Brain Disorders — And How We Can Change That - Nicole C. Rust

The Beauty Molecule: Introducing Neurocerticals, the Breakthrough for Ageless Beauty - Nicholas Perricone, MD

How Your Brain’s Nightly Cleanse Keeps It Healthy

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-sleep-cleans-the-brain-and-keeps-you-healthy/

Reduced Brainstem Volume is Associated with Mobility Impairments in Youth with Cerebral Palsy

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9949252/#:~:text=The%20study%20also%20found%20that%20the%20reduced,Respiration%20*%20Cardiac%20function%20*%20Reflex%20control

Sleep and the heart: Interoceptive differences linked to poor experiential sleep quality in anxiety and depression

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5606300/

Source: Slow-wave sleep, acetylcholine, and memory consolidation

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0400237101#:~:text=These%20results%20suggest%20that%20the,1).

Additional source: How is Sleep Regulated?

https://www.brainfacts.org/thinking-sensing-and-behaving/sleep/2012/how-is-sleep-regulated#:~:text=The%20balance%20of%20neurotransmitters%20in,external%20sensory%20stimuli%20produces%20dreams.

Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5: A Potential Target for Neuropathic Pain Treatment

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11808587/

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