A Millennial Mind

If you're someone who consults Dr Google more than your actual GP and it sends you into a constant health spiral, this episode is for you.

Dr Nighat Arif (@DrNighatArif) is a practising GP with nearly 19 years in the NHS, women's health specialist, and author of the new book The Complete Guide to Family Health.

In this conversation, we get into why so many of us are more anxious about our health than ever, whether Google and AI are helping or actively making things worse, and what the wellness industry is quietly getting away with. We also go deep on sleep, relationships, supplements, separate beds, and why prevention is the most underrated thing you can do for your long-term health.
If you've ever convinced yourself you had a brain tumour at 2am because of a Google search — this one's for you.

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🎙 What we cover:
What cyberchondria is and why it's rising
Why Googling symptoms isn't always bad — and how to do it right
The truth about IV vitamin drips (and why it might just be expensive hydration)
Which supplements you can actually overdose on — and the risks
Why separate bedrooms might be better for your marriage
Sleep jolts — what's actually happening in your brain
How to spot cherry-picked health data and misinformation
What Dr Nighat thinks about ChatGPT replacing doctors
CBT for health anxiety — what actually works
Dementia prevention: what the Lancet study says you should be doing from birth
The NHS's free health checks — and why you should be using them
Prevention vs cure: Dr Nighat's number one piece of advice after 19 years

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
1:41 – Dr Nighat explains the book
5:32 – What does GP actually stand for?
6:03 – What is cyberchondria?
8:07 – The rise of health anxiety through TikTok reels
9:00 – The woman who thought she had a brain tumour (it was her partner's cigarette smoke)
11:38 – Cherry-picking health data and why it's dangerous
13:20 – Does Dr Nighat Google her own symptoms?
15:03 – Her son's liver transplant — googling as a doctor-turned-mum
21:00 – How to find trustworthy health information online
26:00 – IV vitamin drips: brilliant or a very expensive wee?
32:45 – Supplements — which ones you can actually overdose on
34:40 – Wellness trends and losing intimacy with your partner
37:35 – Why separate beds might be the secret to a happy marriage
45:50 – The science of physical touch and oxytocin
47:52 – Why people jolt in their sleep
50:15 – Cyberchondria in relationships — when your partner won't stop googling
52:54 – What keeps people stuck in health anxiety loops
54:06 – "If you have health anxiety, please don't buy my book"
56:01 – CBT for health anxiety: how it actually works
57:25 – Is ChatGPT replacing your GP?
59:44 – Weird body facts (your ears never stop growing)
1:01:02 – The Lancet study on dementia prevention
1:03:48 – Dr Nighat's number one health advice after 19 years
1:05:26 – Wrap up

Happy with that or anything else to tweak?
🔔 Subscribe for more discussions on mental health, personal growth, and healing! / @shivanipaupodcast

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Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amillennialmind
Shivani Pau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivani.pau
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/shivanipaupodcast
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#drnighatarif #cyberchondria #healthanxiety #googlesymptoms #familyhealth #supplements #vitaminD #ivdrip #wellnesstrends #preventativemedicine #amillennialmind #shivanipau #nhs #womenshealth #chatgpt #healthmisinformation #sleep #cbtherapy

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Are you struggling to cope when life keeps throwing curveballs, and you have no idea how to stay grounded?

In this solo episode, I'm sharing the exact frameworks, books, and practical exercises that have helped me navigate one of the most overwhelming periods of change I've ever experienced. I spent seven years as a change management consultant before starting this podcast, and in this episode, I'm giving you everything I've learned and used to get me through this period, broken down in a way you can actually use too.

If you're going through a job loss, a breakup, a move, a bereavement, or just a season of life that feels completely unrecognisable — this one is for you.

🎙 What we cover:
Why change gets harder the older we get
The book that completely shifted how I think about change (Who Moved My Cheese)
Stephen Covey's Circle of Control, Influence and Concern — and how to actually use it
The "do you have a problem? can you do something about it?" diagram from Life's Amazing Secrets
A practical fear reframing exercise you can do right now
The "next step" rule — why you only ever need to focus on one thing
A daily reflection exercise: what did I control today?
Why "life is long" is the mindset shift I keep coming back to

Who Moved My Cheese? — Spencer Johnson
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Amazing/dp/0091816971
Life's Amazing Secrets — Gaur Gopal Das
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lifes-Amazing-Secrets-Balance-Purpose/dp/0143442295
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen R. Covey
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Anniversary/dp/1471195201

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:30 Why change gets harder as we get older
3:00 My honest life update and why so much is changing right now
8:00 Grief, guilt, and finding reasons to stay stuck
11:00 Book #1: Who Moved My Cheese
15:00 The Circle of Control, Influence and Concern
20:00 Book #2: Life's Amazing Secrets by Gaur Gopal Das
24:00 The "why worry?" equation
27:00 The fear reframe exercise
33:00 The next step rule
37:00 Daily reflection: what did I control?
40:00 Life is long — removing the pressure to get it right now
45:00 Final thoughts

🔔 Subscribe for more discussions on mental health, personal growth, and healing! / @shivanipaupodcast

✨ Connect with Millennial Mind ✨

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amillennialmind
Shivani Pau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivani.pau
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/shivanipaupodcast
Performance Planner: https://my-performance-planner.myshopify.com/

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You're doing everything 'right' when it comes to social media sleep routines... the magnesium, the no screens... but you're still not getting quality sleep? There IS a reason (& a fix!)

This week on A Millennial Mind, I'm chatting with Stephanie Romiszewski (@stephsleepyhead), sleep physiologist, founder of the Sleepyhead Clinic, and author of Think Less, Sleep More. With nearly two decades of clinical experience, she has helped over 10,000 people fix sleep they thought was unfixable.

We dig into why sleep hygiene is largely a myth, why your morning routine matters far more than your night routine, and the two biological mechanisms that actually control your sleep — and how you're probably sabotaging both without knowing it. We also get into popular 'sleep trackers', waking up at 5am, napping, magnesium, pregnancy sleep, and why thinking too hard about your sleep might be the very thing keeping you awake.

If you've ever beaten yourself up about bad sleep, wondered if you're broken, or googled yourself into a spiral of sleep anxiety — this one is for you.

🎙 What we cover:
- Why sleep hygiene doesn't fix chronic sleep problems
- Sleep drive vs circadian rhythm — what they are and why they matter
- Why your morning routine matters more than your evening one
- The truth about wearables and sleep trackers (and why they might be making things worse)
- Light exposure and movement as your most powerful sleep tools
- What chronic insomnia actually is — and what to do about it
- Sleep during pregnancy and as a new mother
- Napping: when it helps and when it doesn't
- Night owls vs morning types — can you change?
- Women and sleep: hormones, menopause, and the invisible mental load
- Magnesium, melatonin, and sleep supplements debunked
- CBT-I and sleep retraining explained
- Stephanie's book: Think Less, Sleep More

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
1:44 – Stephanie's background and the Sleepyhead Clinic
4:49 – What people actually come to Stephanie with
7:34 – How to tell the difference between a bad patch and chronic insomnia
11:40 – The problem with sleep hygiene (and screens before bed)
14:10 – The two mechanisms that control your sleep: sleep drive and circadian rhythm
19:56 – How to identify if you have a strong sleep drive
21:52 – Afternoon tiredness and the circadian dip
22:43 – Why consistency in your wake time matters more than bedtime
27:58 – Sleep trackers: why the data might be hurting you
34:21 – The Pyramid of Sleep Influence — why gadgets are at the top, not the bottom
35:26 – The Lumi light alarm: the one gadget Stephanie actually endorses
37:11 – Blue light glasses: are they worth it?
38:17 – Light in the morning: what actually counts
42:51 – Why we need to stop adding things and start with the basics
46:49 – How to get consistent without an elaborate night routine
47:28 – Morning person vs night owl: can you change?
52:41 – Sleep during menopause
53:08 – Sleep during pregnancy and as a new mum
56:19 – How to know how much sleep you actually need
59:28 – Sleep quality vs sleep duration — which matters more?
1:00:28 – Napping: when it helps vs when it doesn't
1:03:41 – The "morning person" label and whether you need to change
1:06:14 – Night owls and health risks — correlation vs causation
1:09:19 – When to listen to your body (and when not to)
1:09:57 – Do women need more sleep than men?
1:10:24 – Sleep and postpartum recovery
1:11:14 – Quickfire round: light therapy, blue light glasses, sleep tea, magnesium, Lumie lamp, acupressure mat, mattress, temperature, ashwagandha
1:16:20 – The one thing to do this week to improve your sleep
1:16:47 – Closing thoughts

Follow Stephanie: @stephsleepyhead
Think Less, Sleep More is out now

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Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amillennialmind
Shivani Pau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivani.pau
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/shivanipaupodcast
Performance Planner: https://my-performance-planner.myshopify.com/

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--
#sleep #insomnia #sleepadvice #sleephealth #sleephygiene #morningroutine #circadianrhythm #sleepanxiety #millennialwellness #stephanieromiszewski #sleepyheadclinic #amillennialmind #shivanipau #sleepscience #womenshealth #sleeptips #sleepphysiologist #thinkklesssleepmore
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Why do you feel like a completely different person the week before your period?

This week on A Millennial Mind, I am joined by Dr Faye Bate, a medical doctor who explains exactly what's happening in your brain when your hormones shift — and why some women feel it so much more than others.

In this episode, we break down the real science behind PMS and PMDD, why your blood tests can come back normal when you feel awful, how stress makes everything worse, and why antidepressants aren't always the answer. Faye also opens up about her own experience of freezing her eggs, the emotional toll of fertility pressure, and the viral misinformation that's doing real damage to women.

If you've ever been told "it's just part of being a woman" — this episode will change how you see your mood and help you (and your partner) better prepare for those tricky and emotional few days, so many of us suffer with each month.

🎙 What we cover:
- The neuroscience of why your mood changes before your period
- PMS vs PMDD: how to tell the difference
- Serotonin, GABA and dopamine: what's actually happening in your brain during the menstrual cycle
- Why women with ADHD are more likely to have PMDD
- Antidepressants for PMS: when they help and when they don't
- CBT vs medication: what is the best way to manage your symptoms?
- Egg freezing: Dr Faye's personal experience and what she wasn't expecting
- The biological clock debate: what social media gets dangerously wrong
- Postpartum depression and the link to PMS
- Why lifestyle factors matter more than supplements

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
1:17 – Why "it's just part of being a woman" is harmful
3:59 – The biology of mood swings explained
6:55 – Faye's egg freezing story and the Morley's meltdown
12:48 – PMS vs PMDD — the difference and the suicide risk
15:19 – Serotonin, GABA and dopamine across your cycle
21:05 – Why some women get worse PMS than others
22:33 – What is stress actually doing to your body?
28:05 – How hormonal fluctuations affect women differently
30:44 – The brain scans that prove your emotions aren't irrational
32:01 – Antidepressants for PMS — when they actually work
38:34 – Supplements — what works and what doesn't
41:07 – CBT vs antidepressants for PMS
44:06 – Egg freezing — the emotional and physical reality
48:34 – Why getting your period while trying to conceive is devastating
52:16 – The biological clock lie going viral on social media
58:34 – Postpartum depression and how to prepare
1:03:56 – The one myth about women's moods Faye wants to destroy

Follow Dr Faye: @drfayebate
Follow Shivani: @shivani.pau
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts: A Millennial Mind

🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations every week.

#PMS #PMDD #hormones #moodswings #womenshealth #menstrualcycle #eggfreezing #fertility #antidepressants #neuroscience #ADHD #postpartumdepression #millennialmind #podcast

🔔 Subscribe for more discussions on mental health, personal growth, and healing! / @shivanipaupodcast

✨ Connect with Millennial Mind ✨

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amillennialmind
Shivani Pau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivani.pau
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/shivanipaupodcast
Performance Planner: https://my-performance-planner.myshopify.com/

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What would you do if you suspected your partner was having an affair — and you caught him texting her while you were giving birth to your second child?

Jessica May (@jessicamay_home) had the picture-perfect life. Two kids, a beautiful home, a partner of nearly ten years. Then she discovered he'd been having an affair — and the gaslighting that followed almost broke her.

In this episode, Jessica shares how she found out, why she begged him to stay, how his own family blamed her, and what finally gave her the strength to leave. She went from being a stay-at-home mum with no income to building a 1.6 million-strong community — and completely rebuilding her confidence, her identity, and her life.

If you've been cheated on, gaslit, or you're stuck wondering whether to stay or leave — this one is for you.

🎙 What we cover:
- The warning signs of a cheating partner she ignored
- How gaslighting kept her trapped for over a year
- Why she blamed herself (and how she stopped)
- Rebuilding confidence and self-worth after betrayal
- Co-parenting when your ex is with the person they cheated with
- Practical advice for surviving heartbreak day by day
- Manifestation, vision boards and how she designed her new life

⏱ Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
3:00 – Jessica's relationship and the life she thought she had
6:23 – Discovering the affair
9:07 – The warning signs she missed
13:38 – The moment she found the truth on his phone
17:07 – "I begged him not to leave me"
19:12 – His family said "what did you expect?"
21:33 – Trying to stay after infidelity
27:53 – Growing on social media during the hardest time
34:17 – Why she begged him to stay
37:44 – The fear of leaving
39:42 – Turning cleaning content into a career
42:11 – 100K to 1.6 million Instagram followers
48:54 – Advice for women going through heartbreak right now
55:18 – Does cheating affect the whole family?
59:58 – Co-parenting with his new partner
1:06:58 – Why she never compared herself to the other woman
1:08:30 – Angel numbers, vision boards and manifestation
1:14:45 – Dealing with judgemental friends
1:18:18 – "Don't blame yourself"

Follow Jessica: @jessicamay_home
Follow Shivani: @shivani.pau
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts: A Millennial Mind

🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations every week.

#cheating #infidelity #gaslighting #heartbreak #singlemum #affair #relationships #selfworth #rebuildingconfidence #coparenting #millennialmind #podcast

🔔 Subscribe for more discussions on mental health, personal growth, and healing! / @shivanipaupodcast

✨ Connect with Millennial Mind ✨

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amillennialmind
Shivani Pau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shivani.pau
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/shivanipaupodcast
Performance Planner: https://my-performance-planner.myshopify.com/

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