Road to Resilience

An alarming number of Americans are lonely. Recent estimates range from 22 percent to as high as 61 percent, and that was before the COVID-19 pandemic made "social distancing" a household term. According to Louise Hawkley, PhD, an expert on loneliness and social isolation, the loneliness "epidemic" has serious consequences for our health as individuals and as a society. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Hawkley explains what happens when our hardwired social "hunger" isn't satisfied, and how loneliness can become a vicious cycle. Plus, she weighs in on the role of social media and offers advice on breaking pandemic-related social isolation.Dr. Hawkley is a Senior Research Scientist at NORC at the University of Chicago.For photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit https://www.mountsinai.org/rtrRoad to Resilience is a podcast that brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma, to building resilient families and communities, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit. Powered by the Mount Sinai Health System.Listen and subscribe to Road to Resilience on:Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/2Nve2KtSpotify https://spoti.fi/2UbuTVYGoogle Podcasts http://bit.ly/3aWL5AgStitcher http://bit.ly/2UarLcQPocket Casts Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

For the estimated 2.8 million Americans suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD), the arrival of esketamine nasal spray in 2019 couldn’t come soon enough. The FDA’s decision to approve the drug, the first ketamine-based antidepressant, was the latest chapter in ketamine’s journey from anesthetic to club drug to antidepressant. It was also the result of two decades of research, including by Dennis S. Charney*, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and James Murrough, MD, PhD, Director of the Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment. On Road to Resilience, Dr. Murrough explains about how ketamine differs from existing antidepressants and shares actionable insights into the neurobiology of depression. Dr. James Murrough, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience and Director of the Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Links:Five Things to Know About Esketamine (with Dr. Murrough)Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment (DAC)Follow the Depression and Anxiety Center on TwitterDepartment of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of MedicineFollow Mount Sinai Psychiatry on TwitterFor photos, links, and transcripts of all our episodes, visit www.mountsinai.org/rtr*Dr. Charney is a named co-inventor on several issued and pending patents filed by Mount Sinai related to ketamine and pharmacologic therapy for treatment-resistant depression, suicidal ideation, and other disorders. Patents have been licensed by Mount Sinai to Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (manufacturer of Spravato) and the medical school, and Dr. Charney as a faculty co-inventor, has received and will receive future payments from Janssen. Dr. Murrough has no financial interests related to ketamine.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

Anu’s story begins with a pulse. She’s 12 years old, holding her grandmother’s wrist, feeling the heartbeat’s rhythm—bounding or thready, slow or fast. “I was so taken by how much you could learn from touching someone, feeling the rhythm of their life, literally,” she recalls. Now a cardiologist at Mount Sinai, Anu Lala, MD, cares for patients with heart failure. Her work often places her at the border between life and death, which has challenged her to think deeply about questions both clinical and spiritual. In this conversation, Dr. Lala reflects on what she’s learned about uncertainty, healing, purpose, and what it means to live a good life.Anuradha Lala-Trindade, MD, is Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), and Population Health Science and Policy at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She is also Deputy Editor of the Journal of Cardiac Failure.Links:Mount Sinai HeartHeart Failure and Transplantation at Mount Sinai Heart Journal of Cardiac FailureFollow Dr. Lala on TwitterVisit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

Is it better to be self-critical or self-compassionate? Until 20 years ago, when Kristin Neff, PhD, began pioneering the empirical study of self-compassion, most high-achievers would likely have answered “self-critical.” Indeed, being hard on yourself can seem like the path to success. But Dr. Neff’s research has shown that self-compassion is actually the surer and healthier road. In this interview, Dr. Neff explains what self-compassion really means—hint: it’s not for the faint of heart—and how it supports mental health. She also describes “fierce” self-compassion, in which kindness toward ourselves becomes a force for change in the world. Kristin Neff, PhD, is Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Her new book is Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive.Links:Self-Compassion.orgThe Office of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthVisit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System. Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

Like exercise and nutrition, sleep is central to good health. And yet, so many of us—Road to Resilience producers included—don’t get enough high-quality sleep. So we called sleep expert Rafael Pelayo, MD, for advice. Dr. Pelayo is the author of “How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping through the Night." In this episode, he explains how sleep keeps us resilient and offers science-backed tips that go beyond “sleep hygiene.” We also talk about Ancient Egyptian dream chambers, dreaming robots, napping, mattresses, and more!Rafael Pelayo, MD, is a Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Division of Sleep Medicine.Links:The Mount Sinai Integrative Sleep CenterDr. Pelayo’s official bio“How to Sleep” by Dr. Rafael PelayoCheck out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

Sociologist Monika Ardelt, PhD, has spent her career studying an ideal that’s as universal as it is elusive: wisdom. And like many wisdom researchers, she’s concluded that we don’t necessarily become wiser as we age. Many people even become less wise. It’s a troubling thought, not only because wisdom is associated with resilience and life satisfaction, but also because if we’re not becoming wiser, what exactly are we becoming? Dr. Ardelt explains why wisdom matters and offers thoughts on how to cultivate it, including in moments of adversity.Monika Ardelt, PhD, is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Florida.Links:Dr. Ardelt’s official bioThe Office of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiMount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthVisit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

We’re in the midst of a fertility crisis. Worldwide fertility has dropped more than 50 percent in the past 50 years, and the decline shows no sign of slowing. Shanna H. Swan, PhD, a leading environmental and reproductive epidemiologist, has spent more than two decades studying the impact of environmental chemicals and pharmaceuticals on reproductive tract development and neurodevelopment. In this episode, she explains how endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates and BPA, are harming fertility and endangering the future of the human race. It’s scary stuff, but it’s too important to ignore. And, as Dr. Swan explains, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves and our children.Shanna H. Swan, PhD, is a Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her new book is called “Count Down."Help shape the future of Road to Resilience by taking our listener survey.Links“Count Down” by Shanna H. Swan, PhD Resources for reducing your chemical exposure The Institute for Exposomic Research (Mount Sinai) Children's Environmental Health Center (Mount Sinai)New research challenging some of Dr. Swan's conclusions (The New York Times)Visit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

If you live in a WEIRD society—Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic—chances are you aren't getting enough exercise. And it's not because you're bad or lazy; it's because you're normal. On this episode, Harvard paleoanthropologist Daniel E. Lieberman, PhD, explains how evolution designed humans to avoid unnecessary physical activity, i.e. "exercise" in the Western sense. In his new book, "Exercised," he busts 10 common myths about sleep, sitting, and physical activity, using the latest scientific research. If you've ever wondered whether sitting is the new smoking, or if you're getting enough sleep or exercising enough, this episode is for you.Dr. Lieberman is the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University.Help shape the future of Road to Resilience by taking our listener survey.Links:"Exercised" by Daniel E. Lieberman, PhDMount Sinai Orthopedics Division of Sports MedicineRehabilitation and Human Performance at Mount SinaiSports Medicine Fellowship at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiVisit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

Ted Bunch is co-founder of A Call to Men, an organization dedicated to preventing violence against women and promoting healthy manhood. Mr. Bunch is also co-author of "The Book of Dares," which contains 100 challenges for boys based on the work of A Call to Men.Help shape the future of Road to Resilience by taking our listener survey.Links:A Call to Men"The Book of Dares"Mount Sinai Parenting CenterVisit https://www.mountsinai.org/clinical-trials to see if you're eligible to enroll in a clinical trial with the Mount Sinai Health System.Check out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.

Author, speaker and podcast host Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares tips for conquering fear and making good trouble. “Facing fear is absolutely a muscle,” Ms. Ajayi Jones says. “Being courageous is literally a moment-by-moment decision.” Her new book is "Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual."Help shape the future of Road to Resilience by taking our listener survey.For more on facing fears, check out Episode 24 "The Gospel of Curtis" with NFL legend Curtis Martin.Links:"Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual"Mount Sinai Center for Stress, Resilience, and Personal GrowthOffice of Well-Being and Resilience at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiCheck out more episodes of Road to Resilience —as well as guest pictures, transcripts, and more— on the Mount Sinai website.Road to Resilience brings you stories and insights to help you thrive in a challenging world. From fighting burnout and trauma to building resilient families, we explore what’s possible when science meets the human spirit.