101 Brain Hacks: Dr. Clint Steele on Sleep, Stress, and Preventing Dementia

In this episode I’m joined by dementia prevention and brain specialist Dr. Clint Steele to talk about brain health, stress, sleep, and simple habits that can make a difference. Clint shares his “101 Brain Hacks” approach and explains how chronic stress can keep our brains stuck in survival mode, affecting everything from our energy and focus to our sleep. We talk about why so many people wake up around 2 or 3 a.m., how cortisol plays a role, and why caffeine, phones, and blue light first thing in the morning may be adding to the stress we’re already carrying. Clint also shares practical tools for calming the nervous system, including diaphragmatic breathing with longer exhales, setting intentions in the morning, and following a simple one hour rule to reduce stimulation at the beginning and end of the day. We talk about the reticular activating system and how our thoughts and beliefs can influence what we notice and focus on. He also breaks down the different types of stress we experience, including chemical stress from things like diet, alcohol, and plastics, physical stress from pushing our bodies too hard, and emotional stress from limiting beliefs. This conversation gave me a lot to think about when it comes to how we care for our brains and manage stress in everyday life. We also talk about gentler approaches to exercise, general nutrition, and small changes that can support better health over time. Clint shares where you can find his work, and his books are set to be released October 27. I hope this episode gives you a few simple ideas you can take with you and start putting into practice. Find out more here: https://drclintsteele.com/ Purchase Dr. Clint’s books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FY477L8N?ccs_id=36033a38-8047-4553-bb37-28ffa12c7cef I’d love to hear from you. If you have questions for me, topics you’d like discussed, or stories you want to share, please reach out through my website at judgingmeghan.com or send me a message on Instagram at @judgingmeghan. Your questions may be featured and answered in an upcoming episode. And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review really helps support the show and helps more people find these conversations. This podcast is a place for trauma survivors as well as their friends and family. This is a safe environment to be vulnerable but it's also a place for celebration and moving forward. Let's all start to embrace who we are becoming by #mentalhealth #selfcare #self #judgingothers #judgingmeghan #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #survivor #DrClintSteele #101BrainHacks #BrainHealth #BrainHealthMatters #DementiaPrevention #DementiaAwareness #CognitiveHealth #BrainHacks #HealthyBrain #MentalClarity #MemoryHealth #StressManagement #ChronicStress #Cortisol #SleepHealth #BetterSleep #NervousSystem #NervousSystemRegulation #DiaphragmaticBreathing #Breathwork #HealthyHabits #HealthyLifestyle #Longevity #HealthyAging #ExerciseForHealth #Nutrition #MentalWellness #MindBodyConnection #SelfCare #WellnessTips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices