Mental Health Matters - Day light savings time and loss of sleep
In this informal livestream, host Brooke Cheney (Speaker A) opens with a quirky introduction featuring her stuffed bear “Russia” and highlights the mental‑health stakes of daylight‑saving time (DST) – noting that the loss of an hour of sleep can feel like torture and that sleep is the number‑one health marker. She explains that scientists estimate it takes about three weeks to adjust to the DST‑induced sleep deficit and urges the audience to be kind to themselves during this period. The conversation then moves through a toolbox of practical, low‑effort strategies to mitigate sleep loss and anxiety: 1. Self‑compassion (allowing naps, taking it easy). 2. Breathing and meditation techniques from Dr. Andrew Huberman’s Huberman Lab (5‑minute and 15‑minute guided sessions, box breathing). 3. Simple sensory cooling tricks such as running cold water over the wrists or applying a cool washcloth to the neck. 4. Discussion of vagus‑nerve stimulation, clarifying misconceptions about syncope. 5. The “Zen of shooting” – using firearm range practice as a mindfulness exercise that forces full present‑moment awareness. 6. Creative and auditory distractions (ASMR, watching Bob Ross or Japanese woodblock art, listening to Sun Tzu’s Art of War, drum circles, heartbeat sounds). 7. Community sharing of personal anecdotes (parental nap opportunities, spouse foot rubs, spa visits) and roll‑call of participants. Throughout, the host emphasizes that relaxation does not have to be sleep; any activity that lowers heart rate and promotes calm is valuable. The stream ends with a reminder to explore Huberman Lab resources and a friendly sign‑off by co‑host DJ.
Chapters
I'm so not nothing. All right, meet Russia. Uh, hey everybody, welcome to Mental Health Matters. Why are we here? Because 2 out of 3 gun deaths are suicides. So, um, this is my, my, my, my bear. Um, this is Russia, and he is from Finland, but I didn't know that when I was a child when my mom brought him home. But it was when she was away on her Russian trip. So, uh, why are you watching Russia? Well, because I'm on my phone, and so I'm going to pretend I'm Gwebs and I can't turn the camera around to myself because I legit don't know how to do this on my phone. So, um, let's talk about the fact that lack of sleep gives us less brain cells. So we are just at the end of week 1 of our, um, whatever that's called, daylight savings time. And scientists say it takes us roughly 3 weeks to get used to the lack of sleep that we've just had. So how are you all feeling out there? I know, yeah, ouch, exactly, Taryn. It takes a long time when you lose sleep. And in case you don't know, sleep is actually the number 1 health marker that you can have. Um, not nutrition, not exercise, not hydration, but sleep. And they've— there's a reason why sleep deprivation is a form of torture. And losing an hour of sleep across the board, even if everyone else has suffered with it, is still just not awesome. So be nice to yourself over the next 3 weeks as we are starting to get caught up with, uh, the lack of sleep that we all just had to go through. So what can you do? Number 1, be kind to yourself. Give yourself that nap if you need it. Um, let's see what else. I don't know, take it easy. I know it's easier said than done. I know I am told that often, you know, just chill out, relax, you, you're good. It's very hard sometimes to actually just calm down. Then there are some amazing breathing techniques you can look up. And this is where I wish I could type for you guys, but I can't. But if you look up Huberman Labs, um, Dr. Andrew Huberman is a neuro-optimologist in California, Berkeley, I think. And he has a ton of really cool podcasts called the Huberman Lab. And if you go to his, his YouTube channel and look up sleep, he has a ton of really cool interviews. He also has some sleep— or sorry, some breathing techniques and some sort of meditation type techniques that even though it's not sleep, it's valuable rest. And when I say valuable rest, it's like sort of like, think of it like a, a restart. And it's just a breathing technique. And I think he's got like a 5-minute version and a 15-minute version, but, uh, um, it is definitely a very good, um, resource because those of you who are feeling tired and sleepy right now, that's what Rush is for. Rush goes to bed. Oh, there you go, DJ got it for y'all. hubermanlab.com, all episodes. Um, and, uh, he also has YouTube site as well. And like I said, just look for sleep, and he's got some meditation things where it's just— it's a guided meditation, because meditation is hard. I don't know how many of you guys have tried it, but I know I'll do many meditations with you guys. I'm like, all right, just simply take a breath in, hold it for a second, and then let it back out.. And just that little moment of paying attention to just your breath, which we ignore all the time, and we breathe all the time, and we don't pay attention to all the time. And, um, it's one of those things— meditation can be that simple. And so often it's like way more, um, more difficult than just that. So it just depends on how hard you choose to make it. So anyway, Um, Rush is going to do a little keyboard dance here for you. Oh look, he's liking, subscribing. No, not really. Um, sorry, DJ had said don't forget to like and subscribe, so it made me think of— so yeah. So Taryn, uh, the young kiddos thing, sleep deprivation is my bread and butter. Yeah, so depending how young, um, I do remember like barely, um, getting to get any sleep. However Luckily, my kids were kind of same age, so I was very blessed to— when I had— wait, when I was pregnant with my second kid and I just had my first kid, when he would nap, he would nap for an hour or two at a time, so I could chill out. Even though I wasn't sleeping while he was sleeping, generally I could at least rest. And in today's day and age, rest is probably one of those things that we tend to not do enough of. And it doesn't have to be sleeping or napping. It can be just sitting and relaxing and purposefully doing nothing. And again, today's day and age is very hard to just chill because there's so much information out there. There's so much, so many things trying to grab our attention. I don't know where you live, but last week we had some really nice weather and it was really warm and it felt very spring-like. And it was really great to be outside after the long winter. Excuse me. However, yeah, see that lack of sleep thing? Um, next is hydration as far as taking care of yourself, and I've been horrible about that lately. So, um, anything that calms you down is a good thing. Something that makes you feel rested is a good thing. DJ, I'm going to ask you because you're the one who will talk for me. Um, is there anything that just like you could think of where it's like you're not sleeping but you're just totally chill and relaxed that you can do? Um, maybe it's thinking about something, doing something. What do you got for me, DJ?
I'll refer back to the presence of water, um, when it's, when it's not natural, like, um, creek, river, lake, ocean, then the sink will work.
Okay.
Um, yeah, just having a tap open and running, putting my wrists underneath it to, to cool them, um, is also pretty calming, and it will reduce my heart rate. So it's like a double— I get to double up on the positivity of the water in that case.
Very awesome. See, I would think of like a cold or cool washcloth on the back of my neck, but I wouldn't have thought of my wrists and running water. There's also something—
yeah, there's also— there's something in particular about the water's movement. You know, wave action is typically slower than a river running by, kind of thing. Or people think of a babbling brook as being like a more gentle sound, I guess, sort of thing.
Are you making fun of me right now? Babbling brook?
No, I wasn't, but that's good.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Well, have you ever heard anybody else describe a brook without the E on the end as anything other than babbling? Bubbling, maybe? Bubbling.
I do that too. I know, I know. As a brook, I'm like brook trout, babbling brook. I just— yeah, sorry, I just couldn't help but to pick it up.
Right on. You caught them all and I missed that. I was laying it down. My apologies.
Oh no, no, it was funny.
It worked out. Well, I want to let you know that, uh, Taryn Gomez is out there, so is Chasing Ghosts. Viejo 2A is in the room. There'll be a question when, uh, you're ready to take those from Edward Smith. We also have— just double-checking— Chris Bulldog. I was forgetting somebody. Sorry if I had 93 if I didn't say. And as I scroll up towards the top, that's what I got is your roll call for now.
All right, go ahead and— well, since we're here, just go ahead and throw me the, uh, question because— oh no, oh, and Jamie just popped in as soon as you finished doing the, uh Roll call. Hi, Jamie. All right, sorry. All right, so Jamie, since you're new, has anyone ever used vagus nerve stimulators? Um, I know that I have not. I do know that— so all I know about vagus nerve is that it can make you pass out. Um, but it's one of those things where, um, I have no idea how that works. And I'm not sure what it is. So the answer is no, I'm not aware. But in the chat, if someone has, then, uh, you know, it is what it, you know. All right, so what is happening, Jamie asks? Well, we are having our normal chat. Oh, Jamie, just so you know, this is my, this is my stuffed bear Russia, who came back from Russia but really was in Finland when my mom came back from Russia when I was a little kid. I think I've had Russia since I was 12. So Russia is a mere 40-some-odd years old and still kicking and still has both eyeballs and used to be a little bit more like a white critter versus a tan critter. So, um, and, uh, let's see. Oh, I can't even— I can't even read that. "Vasovagal syncope plagued my teens. Would be tutor I'd try it out." Got it. Yeah, so all sorts of stuff. All right, sleep, going to sleep, relaxing. So I love DJ's thing of cold water on the wrists running from the tap. And yeah, which made me think of is like on a hot summer day, Just having a nice cool washcloth on the back of your neck, also nice and relaxing. And just, I'm sure most of y'all, but it's just like barefoot on the ground and walking on grass, lying down, looking up the sky, thinking about what does that cloud actually look like? And that sort of thing. So when we are trying to get over having lost an hour of sleep, we got to remember all the tools that we have or come up with new tools or ask our friends for tools of what to, um, what works for them. Because DJ just came up with one super fast, super easy, and it's not one I would have ever thought about, but I'm like, that sounds really relaxing. Taryn and I are gonna go make sure that we spend some time relaxing in a couple weeks and she and I are actually gonna go to the spa together, so it's gonna be lovely and remind me we have to actually make those appointments for you, but it's like what can you do that's super easy, simple, what makes you happy? Oh, I know, today, we're We're talking about my students and we're talking about the Zen of shooting. And since most of y'all out there are shooters, um, and for those of you who are not shooters, this too can be for you. But it's just like going to a firearms range, having a firearm in your hand, you really have no choice but to be fully present in the moment that you are handling a firearm and even though I was 8 years old when I first learned about meditation, I wasn't ever really good at it. And the first and only time I finally got my aha moment of meditation was being on the range with a firearm, because I understood what it meant to be present, because nothing else mattered. And so for those of you who hadn't had that experience, it's lovely. Um, and like all things that are considered Zen or, you know, finding that enlightenment, it is, it's hard. You have to really pay attention to being present. And then it's also hard, just like I talked with another one of my students today, the harder we try, the more difficult it gets. And for all of my sharpshooters out there who have almost pulled off the perfect shot, and then you start trying even harder and it just gets worse, I have faith that I have friends in that idea is that I know I've made some amazing shots and I'm like, whoa, that was awesome. How do I make it better? And as soon as I start trying, it just gets worse and worse. So, all right, let's see, who is this? Edward Smith. So techniques used, read something boring, preferably something from work, clean the house, simple meditation, breath 5 in, and 5 seconds out. Um, yep, that is a good one. I like that. And then there's what we call, um, what they call box breathing, where you bring it in for 5, hold for 5, let it out for 5, hold for 5. And here's the cool thing: if you really get into the breathwork stuff, you can learn about all the different things it actually does to your brain chemistry by doing it. So, and instead of reading something boring, I actually will listen to Sun Tzu and The Art of War, because the Sun Tzu copy that is up on YouTube that I have bookmarked, the dude's voice is Sun Tzu says, and he just reads the whole thing. I'm usually— I think I've gotten through 1 or 2 chapters of The Art of War before I fall asleep. So listening to that, listening to music that calms you down. Um, Abigail Oops, sorry, I need to click the actual button. Curling up with Lucy tends to help me sleep. Absolutely. Um, I don't curl up with Lucy. I like putting my head on my husband's lap and he pets my head and I get to go to sleep. Or at least that calms me down because I think it's when my— when I was little, my dad— my mom— oh yeah, rubbing of feet, um, was the other thing. My mom would rub my feet when I was a little kid. So when my husband rubs my feet, it also makes me want to go to sleep. So there's lots of things, and sleeping isn't necessarily it, but, um, also, uh, just relaxing, really actually getting your, your relaxation on. And that makes sense. So Surya Fam, enjoy listening to Bob Ross and David Bull painting and Japanese woodblock prints. Yeah, it is something awesome about watching art become art. And when you have someone like Bob Ross who's sharing with you the art that he's creating and giving you the opportunity to possibly attempt to do what he's doing, I've never tried to follow along with Bob Ross, but he just had such a lovely, oh, we're just gonna do a little bit of here and a little bit there. And Bob Ross and Emeril, actually, it's like bam, bam, bam. There was just something about how they told the story, how they did their instruction. I don't know David Bull, but I can see Japanese wood blocking prints. Art in general can be very soothing to watch, have it being created in front of you. So, oh yeah, so Abigail's got my, my soft spot. It's like, listen to her heartbeat. And yeah, it's like when you have your baby on your chest and you can feel their little heartbeats. When your head is on someone's chest and you're that snuggly with them and you listen to theirs. I mean, have to figure there's got to be the reality. I mean, I don't know, I have to imagine it's like a heartbeat is the first sound you hear. It's like you're a baby in the womb and you hear things gurgling around and whatnot, but the most constant thing you're hearing is a heart beating and a body breathing, because I imagine you can hear your mom breathe while you're in that sack of liquid in the belly. But for sure, I know that babies hear heartbeats, and that's kind of the first thing. So it would make sense also then why listening to drums— if anyone's ever been part of a drum circle, oh, that is so much fun. Um, and whether you're just listening or whether you're a part of it. So anywho, um, that Let's see, did I miss any, uh, DJ? I mean, I think I caught them as I was going. Yes, you did. Okay.
I've never thought about whether amniotic fluid transferred sound, but I know that it does because all fluids do.
Well, right, and this is why when we have babies in our belly, why we're not supposed to shoot in the last trimester, because their ears are fully uh, developed at that point. Really?
Yes. Just on a day where I thought I may have heard it all, I most definitely got something new there.
Wow.
I never even thought— I never thought to even consider— I don't know how I would warn somebody or inform them kind of thing. I've also never run it— run into that situation before. So wow. Yeah, you pick up all kinds of great stuff on Saturday nights here.
Thanks. There, there you go. Um, oh yeah, wait, uh, Saria Fan also said ASMR got me off of melatonin. And so that is awesome. Do you— wait, so DJ, have you ever listened to ASMR?
I am ASMR.
No. So I have. Okay, I'm like, what are you talking about? It's not ASMR.
ASMR.
And I don't know what it stands for, actually. Um, yeah, I have no idea. Auditory something, uh, something else.
But anyway, yeah, people have said that I have one of those voices, and I'm, I'm not eating the mic, which is one of those ASMR things. Oh yeah, when you're, when you're producing it. But yeah, um, autonomous sensory meridian response.
Oh, look at you being all fancy.
Well, when somebody said that, I'm like like I didn't even know what they were referring to. And it took me, I don't know, maybe a couple of weeks before I saw ASMR and put two and two together because I didn't pronounce the word when I first read it and I didn't bother to look up to see what it was.
Yeah.
But then became aware of how long people have been interested in it. Yeah.
And it's very, it's very interesting in that just like everything, there's like 5 million versions of it. And some of it is like you said, like when your mouth is basically eating the mic in the way that it sounds, but it's just like, it sounds in general, like you just put the mic next. Oh, like if I was sitting here and petting Russia and the mic was next to my hand while I'm petting Russia, like those noises also are considered part of ASMR. And kind of like what you're talking about, like the running water, the bubbling brook, the sound of the waves crashing, So, um, and sorry, I'm laughing at Viejo's thing of, uh, you know, uh, oh no, that was, uh, Jamie. Never known a pregnant lady who wanted to go shooting. And so I actually have a picture of a pregnant lady with me on one of my squads, and that was before I knew about— oh well, it's probably not awesome, but it is what it is. Um, you know, Freedom of choice. But yeah, so more, more and more women are out on the range. And no, Jamie, you haven't led a sheltered life. It's just there are not a lot of women who will go shooting while pregnant, mainly because it's like you also don't want the lead exposure to babies while they're developing, because the biggest challenge for lead exposure is for developing brains. So yeah, most, most pregnant ladies don't go, go shooting. But anyhow, all right, sir. Well, we've gotten a couple things done tonight. Y'all got to meet Russia, and you got to learn about sleep and ways to be calm even if we can't actually catch up on sleep. Understanding Huberman Labs is definitely an awesome resource for you all. And with that, I think I shall let DJ say goodbye to everybody for me and do his thing. How's that sound?
That sounds great. I really wish I had the sound file for the, the more you know, the tone to go behind it. And yeah, I am really— I don't know why I'm so geeked on that, but it's always a good feeling to learn something. And we've come here for community, for things like like that. A little bit of education along the way. Some breathing techniques were thrown out there earlier in the tech chat, and I like the community that is continuing to grow here. So thanks for being here on a Saturday night, everybody. Tonight we were joined by Chasing Ghosts, Viejo 2A, Sorry Fan 93, Chris Bulldog was in the room, so was Taren Gomez, Edward Smith, questions and comments, thanks man, Jamie JH 586 in the room, so was Abigail Sorcerer Finnegan and Hillbilly Up. If I missed anybody, my apologies. Come back next week Bring a friend. Everybody be safe, have fun, take care of yourself and your crew, and rock! We're out.
