A Millennial Mind

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 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week. ✨ 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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 -- #sleep #insomnia #sleepadvice #sleephealth #sleephygiene #morningroutine #circadianrhythm #sleepanxiety #millennialwellness #stephanieromiszewski #sleepyheadclinic #amillennialmind #shivanipau #sleepscience #womenshealth #sleeptips #sleepphysiologist #thinkklesssleepmore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of women struggle with symptoms like anxiety, brain fog, exhaustion and mood changes — but what if the real cause isn’t stress and it's something deeper within our bodies? In this episode of A Millennial Mind, hormone and menopause specialist Dr Louise Newson explains how hormones like progesterone, oestrogen and testosterone affect the brain, mood and overall health. We discuss: • Why 95% of women experience PMS • The difference between PMS and PMDD • How hormones affect dopamine, serotonin and sleep • Why many women are misdiagnosed with depression • The truth about HRT and hormone therapy • Signs your hormones may be changing in your 30s and 40s If you’ve ever felt “off” or a woman who has struggled around your period each month and wondered whether hormones could be playing a role, this conversation will help you understand what might be happening in your body and what you can do to regulate and fix it. 0:00 95% of Women Experience PMS 1:40 Why Hormones Affect Mood & Energy 3:20 What Hormones Actually Are 5:00 How Hormones Change During Your Cycle 7:25 PMS vs PMDD Explained 9:05 Were Women “Meant” To Have So Many Periods? 10:35 Why Women Are Often Misdiagnosed 12:25 Should PMS Just Be Accepted? 13:45 Natural Hormones vs The Contraceptive Pill 15:20 The Biggest Fear About Hormones 16:25 The Truth About Breast Cancer & Hormones 20:45 Why Blood Tests Don’t Always Work For Hormones 22:40 Why Low Progesterone Affects Mood 25:50 Signs Your Hormones Might Be Changing 27:40 How Hormones Affect Mental Health 31:10 When Hormones Cause Dark Thoughts 34:40 Hormones & Long-Term Health Risks 36:40 Can Hormones Improve Fertility? 39:30 Why Hormone Supplements Are Often Marketing 43:20 Understanding Perimenopause 48:00 Stress vs Hormones 53:00 Why Women Are Prescribed Antidepressants 59:50 The Biggest Myth About Hormones 1:02:10 What Women In Their 30s Should Know Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Babbel: Learn a new Language and get up to 60% off your subscription at Babbel.com/milllennialmind In this episode of A Millennial Mind, I sit down with Millie Mackintosh for an honest conversation about sobriety, motherhood and rebuilding your identity during a time of major personal change. We talk openly about questioning your relationship with alcohol, navigating anxiety and panic attacks, and the reality behind “mummy needs wine” culture. Millie shares why she stopped drinking, how becoming a parent reshaped her priorities, and what it really takes to show up more present for your children and yourself. This is a deeply emotional discussion about the sober curious movement, coping mechanisms, mental health and the pressure many women feel to keep everything together. Together, we explore how alcohol and anxiety can become linked, why telling the truth about your struggles matters, and how choosing sobriety can be part of becoming the person and parent you want to be. ✨ Who this episode is for • Anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol or exploring sobriety • Parents navigating anxiety, identity shifts or motherhood pressure • Women interested in sober curious living or quitting drinking • Anyone rebuilding themselves after a big life change ✨ What you’ll learn • Why Millie Mackintosh chose to stop drinking • The truth behind “mummy needs wine” culture • How alcohol can mask anxiety and emotional overwhelm • What helped her become a more present, grounded parent 🔔 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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 ------- millie mackintosh sobriety interview, why i stopped drinking story, sober motherhood uk, sober curious women, alcohol and anxiety women, quitting alcohol journey, mummy needs wine culture, parenting and mental health, motherhood identity shift, panic attacks motherhood, rebuilding identity after motherhood, a millennial mind podcast, shivani pau interview, sobriety and parenting conversation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Body positivity is everywhere, yet many women still feel stuck hating their bodies or pretending to feel confident. In this episode of A Millennial Mind, Alex Light explores diet culture, body image and self worth, and why loving your body is not the requirement we have been led to believe. We talk about toxic body positivity, the pressure to perform confidence online, and how to improve your relationship with your body without forcing self love. This is an honest conversation about stopping the cycle of comparison and learning how to feel more at peace in your body, even on difficult days. Shopify UK: Sign up today for your £1 a month trial with Shopify and start selling today for at shopify.co.uk  ✨ Who this episode is for: • Women struggling with body image and self worth • Anyone tired of diet culture and forced positivity • People who want to stop hating their body • Anyone wanting to feel more confident without changing their body 🤍 What you’ll learn • Why body positivity can feel overwhelming • How diet culture impacts confidence and self worth • What actually helps improve body image • How to feel more confident without faking self love 00:00 Why body positivity feels exhausting 02:45 Do we have to love our bodies to heal 06:10 The pressure to perform confidence online 10:30 How diet culture shapes self worth 15:20 Why weight is not a measure of health 20:40 The problem with “looking healthy” 25:30 Pretty privilege and thin privilege 31:10 The cost of chasing thinness 37:00 Recovery, respect and body neutrality 42:20 What actually helps improve body image 48:10 How to stop hating your body 53:40 Feeling confident without changing your body 58:30 Final thoughts on respect over self love 🔔 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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Botox and fillers are everywhere right now, but are women choosing them for confidence or from pressure? In this episode of A Millennial Mind, aesthetic doctor Dr Pyal Patel talks about ageing, beauty standards, social media comparison and why so many women feel they need to look younger. We discuss preventative Botox in your 20s, the fear of falling behind, why everyone online seems to have the same face, and how to tell if cosmetic work is coming from self love or insecurity. This is not about shaming treatments. It is about understanding the psychology behind the choices we make about our faces. 💉Who this is for: • Women questioning Botox or fillers • Anyone feeling pressure to look younger • People comparing their face to social media • Women unsure if cosmetic work is confidence or insecurity • Viewers interested in beauty standards and ageing ✨What you’ll learn: • Why so many women feel pressure to get Botox • The psychology behind cosmetic treatments • How social media affects body image and self-worth • The difference between empowerment and insecurity • How to make confident, informed choices about your face What are your thoughts on filler & Botox? Are you for or against minor aesthetics and injectables? 🔔 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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you staying because you want to… or because you’re scared to leave?In this solo episode, I talk about what happens when nothing is “wrong” but staying no longer feels honest. On the surface, this episode is about me and my partner becoming digital nomads and testing life in Dubai, Miami, and LA. But underneath that, this is really a conversation about choosing the unknown when staying feels safer but smaller.This episode is for you if:You’re in a relationship that looks fine but feels misalignedYou’re stuck in a job you’ve outgrownYou’re scared to start over, speak up, or choose yourselfYou keep waiting for certainty before you make a moveWe talk about:Why “good enough” is the hardest place to leaveThe fear of being judged for your choicesThe sunk cost fallacy (and why it keeps you stuck)Why trying is not the same as committing foreverHow to stop living through the eyes of other peopleYou don’t need certainty.You don’t need permission.You just need courage for the first step.🎧 If this episode resonated, make sure you subscribe — it helps this conversation reach the people who need it most.Thank you for being here 🤍🔔 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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Babbel: Learn a new Language and get up to 60% off your subscription at Babbel.com/milllennialmindShopify UK: Sign up today for your £1 a month trial with Shopify and start selling today for at shopify.co.uk  When a relationship looks perfect on the outside but feels deeply wrong behind closed doors, leaving can be one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever make ❤️‍🩹 In this episode of A Millennial Mind, I sit down with Nelly Patel, known from Married at First Sight UK, to talk openly about her marriage to Steven Springett, what really went on behind the scenes, and why she ultimately chose to walk away. Nelly shares the reality of being in a toxic relationship under public scrutiny, the emotional confusion that comes with mixed signals, dishonesty and power imbalances, and how cultural expectations made leaving even harder. We talk about losing self-trust, recognising red flags too late, and what it actually takes to let go of a relationship that’s hurting you. This is an honest conversation about toxic dynamics, self-worth, and choosing yourself - even when it’s painful, public, and misunderstood. 00:00 Trailer: leaving a toxic relationship 01:12 Meeting Steven on MAFS UK 04:05 Early red flags in the marriage 07:40 What the cameras didn’t show 11:10 Feeling confused and doubting myself 15:05 Dishonesty and broken trust 19:30 The impact of public pressure and opinions 24:10 Cultural expectations and staying too long 29:45 Realising the relationship was toxic 34:20 The moment I knew I had to leave 38:50 Life after MAFS and rebuilding self-trust 43:30 What I’ve learned about relationships 47:55 Advice for anyone in a toxic relationship 🔔 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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve been doing all the “right” manifestation work but still feel stuck, frustrated, or like nothing is landing — this episode is for you. In this conversation on A Millennial Mind, I sit down with renowned astrologer Debbie Frank to explore why manifestation often feels blocked, and how understanding timing, alignment, and your own inner patterns can change everything. We talk about divine timing, free will vs fate, and why forcing outcomes can actually create more resistance. Debbie explains how astrology isn’t about prediction, but self-awareness — helping you understand when to push forward, when to pause, and how to work with your natural rhythms instead of against them. This episode is a grounding, practical reframe of manifestation that feels calm, empowering, and deeply reassuring. 🤍 Who This Episode Is For: Anyone who feels stuck despite trying to manifest change People frustrated with manifestation that “isn’t working” Those curious about astrology but sceptical of fluff Anyone navigating a transition or waiting for clarity People wanting to understand timing, alignment, and readiness Listeners feeling behind, blocked, or out of sync with life ✨ What You’ll Learn: Why manifestation can feel blocked even when you’re doing the work The role of timing and alignment in creating change How astrology can support self-understanding (not control) The difference between forcing outcomes and allowing flow Why feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’re failing How to let go of pressure and work with your natural cycles A calmer, more grounded way to approach manifestation 00:00 Trailer: Manifestation, timing & astrology 01:05 Why manifestation feels blocked 05:10 Astrology explained without prediction 08:00 Free will vs fate in manifestation 11:15 Why timing matters more than effort 15:05 Wanting something vs being ready for it 19:00 How forcing outcomes creates resistance 23:40 Understanding divine timing 28:25 How astrology helps you align with your cycles 33:00 Signs you’re pushing the wrong chapter 37:10 Letting go without giving up 42:00 How to stop forcing manifestation 47:05 What alignment actually feels like 52:30 A calmer way to manifest change 57:10 Trusting the timing of your life 🔔 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/ Let Me Change Your Mind 🧠 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices