The Michael Chernow Podcast

Neuroscientist Shawn Watson joins Michael Chernow for a deep dive into decision fatigue, brain health, Alzheimer’s, sleep, stress, multitasking, AI, and why the quality of your decisions may decline throughout the day**.Shawn explains why the human brain is still one of science’s biggest mysteries and why Alzheimer’s has been so difficult to solve. He also breaks down practical factors that may influence dementia risk, including sleep quality and consistency. The conversation then turns to decision fatigue. Shawn discusses estimates suggesting that the average person may now make around 35,000 decisions a day, compared with roughly 300 decades ago, and explains the theory that excessive decision-making may contribute to glutamate buildup in the prefrontal cortex.They also explore some of the most shocking research around decision fatigue: judges making different parole decisions later in the day, loan officers defaulting to “no,” and a clinical trial Shawn discusses where participants made up to 80% more reckless decisions within roughly two hours. Michael and Shawn break down why multitasking doesn’t actually work, why constant notifications destroy flow state, how entrepreneurs can protect their best decisions, and why discipline can become harder later in the day. Near the end, Shawn shares a striking study suggesting patients could be up to 33% less likely to be sent for cancer screening later in the day, then explains why he believes AI could eventually help reduce some forms of human decision bias in medicine.The episode closes with the latest conversation around creatine and brain health, including why Shawn personally favors consistent 3–5 gram dosing over extremely high daily doses.KOHhttps://kreaturesofhabit.comIGhttps://www.instagram.com/michaelchernowhttps://www.instagram.com/kreaturesofhabit#Neuroscience #BrainHealth #DecisionMaking #MentalPerformance #MichaelChernow

Samia Khan, a documentarian, filmmaker, and spiritual healing practitioner, explores how family wealth, scandal, and trauma shaped her ideas about money and safety. She and Michael Chernow discuss inner-child healing, meditation, psychedelic medicine, surrender, and ancestral patterns. Michael shares a deeply personal spiritual vision and a business crisis that challenged his faith, identity, and relationship with control.

Anthony Scarmadella, a recovery advocate and endurance roller skater, shares his journey from ADHD and a devastating 300mg-a-day Adderall habit to sobriety and renewed purpose. He discusses doctor shopping, debt, anxiety, depression, family trauma, and the life-changing role of skating, discipline, movement, and small daily steps in rebuilding confidence.

Tyler Noyes, entrepreneur, wellness coach, and former child actor, shares a raw journey from childhood abuse and Broadway to building consumer brands. He discusses the $500,000 crisis that nearly sank Kalahari Biltong, burnout, and why success cannot define self-worth. Tyler explores hypno breathwork, emotional healing, and his “40 for 40” experiment to rebuild life around purpose, relationships, health, and adventure.

From toilet-seat etiquette and dishwasher loading to empty toilet-paper rolls and unbuckled passengers, Michael Chernow spotlights the little habits that quietly drive people crazy. He explores dinner-party manners, making the bed, reusable water bottles, and how honest feedback from his wife inspired greater self-awareness, discipline, and consideration.

Modern dating has changed completely, and Ayesha Sehra, founder of Coffee and a Good Date, has a front-row seat to what men and women are actually looking for. She and Michael Chernow break down dating apps, modern matchmaking, why men approach women less, what women want in men, provider energy, attraction, age preferences, and the endless-options problem that makes commitment harder today. They also discuss why dating apps and social media can create the feeling that someone better is always one swipe away, and why meeting people in real life may matter more than ever. Michael shares the story of meeting his wife and explains why building the confidence to approach someone in person can completely change your dating life. If you're single, tired of dating apps, or trying to understand modern relationships, this conversation offers a fascinating look at the reality of dating today.

Michael Chernow explores when asking for help matters and when faith requires standing alone. He examines the difference between automatic first thoughts and the second thoughts we can choose, along with ways to interrupt negative thinking. The conversation also highlights the power of replacing “I think” and “I hope” with “I am” and “I will,” and moving boldly enough to find people who match your pace.

In this episode, Michael Chernow sits down with Dr. Sagan Schultz, co-founder and CEO of Sonata, to talk about the future of preventative healthcare and why personalized, doctor-led medicine may be what traditional healthcare has been missing. They break down everything from advanced blood work, whole genome sequencing, epigenetics, DEXA scans, VO2 max, visceral fat, and clinical AI to the downside of obsessing over sleep scores, wearables, and health tracking. Michael and Sagan also get into the emotional side of health, including how stress, social media, and anxiety impact the body more than most people realize. Later, they unpack personalized nutrition, red meat, keto, carnivore, cholesterol, and the promise and pitfalls of GLP-1 medications. If you care about longevity, optimizing your health, and understanding what your body actually needs, this is a conversation you do not want to miss.KOHhttps://kreaturesofhabit.comIGhttps://www.instagram.com/michaelchernowhttps://www.instagram.com/kreaturesofhabit#PreventativeHealth #PersonalizedMedicine #BloodWork #Longevity #MichaelChernow

In this Monday Moments episode, Michael Chernow gets real about one of the most universal—and somehow still embarrassing—parts of being human: farting. Michael shares the hilarious moment he first farted in front of his wife on a trip to Mexico and how it became an unexpected relationship milestone. From marriage and relationships to getting comfortable enough to completely be yourself, sometimes the little moments say more than we realize. Michael’s message is simple: everybody poops, everybody farts, so maybe we should stop pretending otherwise. And if nothing else, hopefully this episode puts a smile on your face this Monday.KOHhttps://kreaturesofhabit.comIGhttps://www.instagram.com/michaelchernowhttps://www.instagram.com/kreaturesofhabit#MichaelChernow #MondayMoments #Relationships #Marriage #Podcast

Laura Pastor is a breast cancer survivor, yoga and meditation teacher, author, hospice volunteer, and certified death doula who has spent years sitting with people near the end of their lives. In this conversation with Michael Chernow, Laura shares what cancer taught her about resilience, why movement and humor became medicine, and what dying people reveal about what actually matters in life. They also get into parenting through depression, overcoming adversity, spirituality, faith, meditation, and Michael’s profound plant medicine experience. Laura’s perspective on death, connection, fear, and gratitude is a powerful reminder that life’s hardest moments can completely change the way we live.KOHhttps://kreaturesofhabit.comIGhttps://www.instagram.com/michaelchernowhttps://www.instagram.com/kreaturesofhabit#BreastCancerSurvivor #DeathDoula #MichaelChernow #PersonalGrowth #MentalHealth