The Ultimate Guide to the Female Brain: Neuroscientist Reveals How to Boost Mood, Energy, & Focus

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Jun 26, 2025

Dr. Sarah McKay, a leading neuroscientist with a Doctorate from Oxford, reveals the mysteries of the female brain. She discusses how three key factors shape brain development and the surprising effects of hormonal changes during PMS, pregnancy, and menopause. Dr. McKay also highlights the harmful impact of stereotypes on young girls' confidence in math and clarifies why the brain actually shrinks during pregnancy. Listeners gain essential insights into improving mood, energy, and focus through understanding their unique brain dynamics.

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INSIGHT

No Innate Math Ability Difference

There is no significant difference between male and female brain ability in areas like math.
Social and cultural experiences shape brain wiring and beliefs from early childhood onwards.

ANECDOTE

Early Math Doubts Limit Girls

A young girl once told Dr. McKay she loved dolphins but couldn't be a scientist because she thought she was bad at math.
Early beliefs can cause girls to opt out from STEM opportunities.

INSIGHT

Society Shapes Brain Differences

Male and female brains differ less in countries with higher gender equality.
External societal factors influence how female brains develop more than biological sex alone.

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This episode will change how you understand your brain – and yourself.

If you’ve ever felt like your brain is working against you – think brain fog, mood swings, and exhaustion – you’re not crazy, you’re not broken, and it’s not your fault.

Today, world-renowned neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay joins Mel for a groundbreaking conversation that will completely transform how you understand your brain.

Dr. McKay has spent 30 years studying the brain. She holds a Doctorate in neuroscience from Oxford University and flew over 10,000 miles from Australia to sit down with Mel for this conversation.

In this episode, she reveals the 3 factors that influence how your brain develops. She also tells you how you can use that information to reset your brain for a better mood, more energy, and greater mental clarity.

Whether you’re a woman looking for answers about why your brain is freaking out during PMS, or you are forgetting things during pregnancy or menopause, this is a must listen.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

-The 3 forces that shape your brain before you're even born and how they differ if you are male or female

-What’s actually happening in your brain during PMS, pregnancy, and menopause and why it’s not what you think

-What men need to know about the female brain and what it reveals about their own

-The long-term impact of telling a young girl she’s “not a math person”

-Why your brain shrinks during pregnancy and how that helps your baby

-The real role of hormones in memory, mood, and mental health

What you’ll learn today will give you a deeper, research-backed understanding of how the brain really works, and how powerful it truly is.

This isn’t about fixing your brain. It’s about understanding it and learning how to work with it.

For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page.

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