This Is Your Brain With Dr. Phil Stieg

 Dr. Ross Andel, a gerontologist, who has been studying what happens to our brains when we retire, reveals how it can have serious consequences for our mental health, including cognitive decline and depression.   For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com  For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

We all know the importance of a good diet, sufficient exercise and a good night's sleep, but there's one more essential thing we all need to be healthy. Social connection.  Simply put, our brains need friends.  Neuroscientist Dr. Ben Rein reveals exactly what is happening in our brains when we interact with friends, family, even strangers, and how exactly this affects our physical and mental health… the many benefits of a good social life and the real risks of isolation and loneliness .   He also offers simple tips on how we can be more social and to make better use of one of the most powerful, easiest, and cheapest ways to a healthy, happy life.  (Hint: Next time you think you are too busy to call or text that friend…pick up the phone and connect).  For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com   For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

Loneliness has become a serious epidemic with nearly 60% of American adults saying they were lonely. We know that this can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental and physical problems. But how does spending less time with others actually affect our brains? In our next episode, Dr. Ben Rein, a social neuroscientist, will reveal how social interaction supports our mental health, strengthens our immune system, and even causes our brains to synchronize with our loved ones.  These and other fascinating details are explored in his new book "Why Brains Need Friends." He will also provide some easy ways to feel better and perhaps even live longer by simply putting down our phones and adding a conversation or a hug to our daily lives.  For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com  For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org

Touch is the first sense we develop, and one of the most powerful tools we have for connection, healing, and communication. In this episode,  social neuroscientist Dr. Michael Banissy explains how everyday gestures like hugs, handshakes, and high-fives influence our health and emotional well-being. From the biological complexity of our touch receptors to surprising studies on immune response, stress, and sleep, Dr. Banissy reveals why touch matters more than we think, and what happens when we don't get enough of it.  Plus - the dangers of a pain-free life.   For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com   For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org 

 "Reach out and touch someone" isn't just a slogan from a long distance phone ad. It's also a powerful statement about human connection. Dr. Michael Banissy, a professor of social neuroscience at the University of Bristol, explores how we understand and respond to others through touch, empathy, and emotional communication.  He explains how hugs can actually support our emotional and physical health.   For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit https://thisisyourbrain.com    For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org