The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology

Dr. Anna Abraham is a psychologist and neuroscientist who investigates creativity and how we can optimize this key trait. She’s also a leading scholar on the study of human imagination. On this episode, we discuss the key ingredients of a creative mind, how to become more creative, and how the brain can tell the difference between real and imaginary worlds. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Anna Abraham, PhD 1:44 | Imagination More Important Than Knowledge? 4:45 | Imagination Defined 7:53 | How We Experience Real vs. Imaginary Worlds 17:20 | Fiction Crossing Into Reality 21:35 | Overlap of Memory & Imagination 29:28 | Ingredients of a Creative Mind 42:08 | Ways to Build Creativity 48:35 | Predictors of Creativity 58:12 | Rapid Fire Questions

Nick Littlehales has been an elite sport recovery coach for nearly a quarter-century and is the bestselling author of Sleep: The Myth of 8 Hours, the Power of Naps... and the New Plan to Recharge Your Body and Mind. On this episode, we uncover the common myths and misunderstandings about sleep. We also discuss the circadian rhythm, chronotypes, polyphasic sleep, and treating sleep as recovery. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Nick Littlehales 1:42 | Sleep Tips 3:45 | Becoming a Sleep Coach 7:28 | How the Pros Optimize Sleep 9:38 | What to do Before You Sleep 19:36 | Understanding Circadian Rhythm 26:10 | Polyphasic Sleep: Importance of Naps 28:58 | 7 Key Sleep Recovery Indicators 37:27 | How to Improve Sleep 43:54 | Microrest 45:20 | Rapid Fire Questions

Donald Hoffman, PhD is a cognitive scientist and author of The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes. He is currently a professor at UC Irvine, where he studies consciousness, visual perception and evolutionary psychology. On this episode, we “take the red pill” and hear Dr. Hoffman’s theory on why reality is not what it seems. He explains this complex topic by comparing reality to a user interface. We discuss many topics, such as his mathematical theory of consciousness, questioning beliefs, and how the mind forms new mental models. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Donald Hoffman, PhD 2:23 | Why Reality Isn’t as It Seems 7:30 | Reality as a User Interface 13:51 | Adapting to Evolving Technology 16:06 | Creating New Mental Models 18:31 | Moving Beyond Spacetime 23:06 | Consciousness is Fundamental 25:26 | Ancient Wisdom & Science of Consciousness 30:00 | Conversation with the Dalai Lama (starting at 54:40) 30:15 | Reality Transcends Concepts 36:39 | Questioning Beliefs 38:56 | A New Worldview 45:04 | Mathematical Theory of Consciousness 45:39 | Rapid Fire Questions

Andrew Holecek is an author and meditation teacher with decades of intensive practice experience, including a 3-year silent retreat in the Tibetan tradition. Andrew’s work combines ancient wisdom with modern science. We discuss the insights gained from his lengthy silent retreat, the 2 vectors of enlightenment, how our minds construct our realities, and much more. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Andrew Holecek 4:55 | In the Presence of Meditation Masters  10:10 | 3-Year Silent Retreat Experience 18:58 | Insights Gained from 3-Year Retreat 22:50 | Unsticking the Mind 30:06 | Enlightenment Defined  38:58 | Waking Up & Growing Up  44:23 | How Our Minds Construct Our Realities  54:20 | Deconstructing Mental Constructs 62:23 | Rapid Fire Questions 

Miguel Nicolelis, MD, PhD is a Brazilian neuroscientist and physician famous for his pioneering work in the field of brain-machine interface (BMI) technology. Dr. Nicolelis’s extensive research with brain-machine interfaces blurs the lines between real life and science fiction.  In the episode, we discuss neuroprosthetics, monkeys controlling robots, brain-to-brain communication, and the key implications of these wild, futuristic technologies for us all. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Dr. Miguel Nicolelis 4:20 | Monkeys Controlling Robots 10:30 | Mirror Neurons & Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) 13:02 | Advances & Applications of BMIs 17:50 | BMIs for Parkinson’s Disease 21:36 | Upgrading the Human Mind? 24:50 | Why Machines Will Never Think Like a Human 29:56 | Brains are Changed by Digital Systems 32:50 | Limitations of Computers 37:07 | How Nature Shaped the Brain 40:15 | We Only Experience a Sliver of Reality 49:45 | Viruses of the Mind 59:30 | Rapid Fire Questions

Edward Slingerland, PhD, is a Professor of Philosophy and Associate Member in the Asian Studies and Psychology Departments at the University of British Columbia. He's an expert on the cognitive science of ancient philosophies. On this episode, we discuss the science of ancient concepts like Wu Wei (”effortless action”), hot vs cold cognition, ways to alter consciousness, the paradox of trying not to try, and much more. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com SHOW NOTES 0:00 | Intro to Edward Slingerland, PhD 1:39 | Wu Wei & Flow State 9:34 | Hot vs. Cold Cognition 13:45 | How to Get into State of Wu Wei 17:35 | When to Not Use Wu Wei 19:30 | Paradox of Trying Not to Try 26:40 | Wu Wei in Daily Life 30:10 | Microdosing Psychedelics 32:28 | Alcohol and Ways to Alter Consciousness 38:06 | How Much Effort is Needed to Become Effortless? 40:00 | Rapid Fire Questions

Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde and Dr. Stephen Macknik are neuroscientists who specialize in the science of magic and illusion. Both are professors of ophthalmology, neurology, and physiology & pharmacology at the Downstate Medical Center. Together they pioneered the study of various aspects of magic such as perception, cognitive illusion, and attentional misdirection. On this episode, we discuss how magic tricks fool the brain, why everyday life is an illusion, what neuroscientists and magicians can learn from each other and much more. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com Show Notes 0:00 | Intro to Stephen Macknik, PhD & Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD 8:00 | How Magic Hacks Our Minds 13:00 | What Neuroscientists Learn from Magicians 15:54 | What Magicians Learn from Neuroscientists 17:24 | Testing Attention Manipulation  22:25 | Cognition & Calculation 25:36 | How Our Brains Construct Reality 28:27 | Vision Produces Our Changing Realities 29:53 | Microsaccades Explained 32:58 | Brain on Autopilot 35:50 | Expertise as an Unconscious Process 40:46 | Magic for Kids vs. Magic for Adults 43:43 | Is Magic Still Enjoyable When You Know the Tricks? 48:24 | Rapid Fire Questions

Dr. Elena Antonova is a neuroscientist and senior lecturer in psychology at Brunel University London. Her research focuses on the effects of long-term mindfulness meditation practice in the hope of promoting mental wellbeing in the general population. On this episode, we dive into the different approaches to meditation and the 4 levels of meditation practice development.  We also discuss what goes on in the brains of elite meditators and what it takes for the average person to reap the benefits from a meditation practice.  FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Elena Antonova, PhD 4:28 | Categorizing Meditation Practices 7:15 | Why Breath Focus is Fundamental 10:19 | Constructivist vs. Innateist Approach to Meditation 12:08 | 4 Levels of Meditation Practice Development 17:12 | Mental Fitness Defined 20:19 | Brains of Mental Olympians 24:10 | Default Mode Network Differences 32:00 | Field of Awareness Described 35:45 | Habituation of the Attention System 46:45 | Eye Movement Paradigm Study 54:00 | Balancing Brain’s Predictive Nature with the Present Moment 57:10 | Measurable Changes with Just 10 Minutes a Day 59:14 | Rapid Fire Questions

Dr. Antonio Damasio is a neurologist, psychologist and best-selling author. He's the Founder & Director of the Brain and Creativity Institute, which researches human emotions, memory, communication, and decision-making, and is regarded as one of the most influential psychologists of the modern era. On this episode, we discuss the evolution of the mind, the surprising role of feelings in consciousness, and why we have a brain in the first place. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD 2:07 | Why Do We Have a Brain? 4:00 | Brain & Nervous System Are One 6:08 | Evolution of the Mind 10:28 | Minds are Representation Machines  16:51 | Distinguishing Between Feeling & Emotions 19:04 | Feelings are the Beginning of Consciousness 22:38 | Nervous Systems Produce Feelings/Consciousness 29:30 | Understanding Feelings is of Utmost Importance 34:34 | How Feelings Impact Culture, Politics, Relationships, & Everything Really 39:37 | Building Conscious Machines with Vulnerability 43:30 | Rapid Fire Questions

Dr. Sidarta Ribeiro is an award-winning neuroscientist, author, and Founder of the Brain Institute at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil, where he is also a professor of neuroscience. In this episode, we discuss how dreams have influenced human evolution, the connection between sleep and learning, and how to cultivate a rich dream life. He gives his top tips for how to get a better night’s sleep and stresses the importance of sharing our dreams with others. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com Show Notes 0:00 | Introduction to Sidarta Ribeiro, PhD 3:09 | History of Sleep and Dreams 5:56 | Problem with Not Paying Attention to Dreams 7:27 | Purpose of Dreams 13:45 | How Sleep Made Humans a Dominate Species 22:17 | How to Cultivate a Dream Life 27:38 | Interpreting Meaning of Dreams 36:23 | Collective Dreams Have Changed During Covid 37:48 | Sleep Tips - How to Get a Better Night’s Sleep 41:43 | Are Naps Good? 42:55 | Connection Between Sleep, Memory and Learning 46:13 | Too Much Sleep? 49:51 | Rapid Fire Questions