A Wearable for Deep Sleep, Mental Strength & Cognitive Health with Ariel Garten

It's nice to feel content, peaceful and satisfied with life. But how long do you let yourself feel any of those things before you get twitchy?Let's talk about why you might find it so challenging to allow yourself to feel content. It might be guilt, or a fear that you'll get complacent, a history of struggle that makes peace feel foreign to you, or a core belief that you're not worthy or deserving of ease.Takeaways: The difference between contentment and happinessHow our conditioning to strive and achieve makes rest feel like a threatWhy your brain might resist pleasant feelingsWhy joy and peace can feel uncomfortable when you try to access themThe worthiness blocks that keep you from feeling okay with your own lifeHow waiting for the worst robs you of joyWhy cultivating contentment from the inside is the only version that lastsConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re feeling a little bored and uninspired, I get it. I noticed recently that after 9 years of podcasting, ideas were not flowing and creativity felt like a chore. (This is normal of course.) But after spending two days out of the office at The Podcast Show last week, I’ve discovered renewed enthusiasm. I realised that getting out of my bubble was exactly what I needed, so I’m sharing some ideas that might help you tap into some of that inspiration and spark up your interest and energy again. Whether you work for yourself, work from home, or just spend a lot of time alone at a laptop, there is some science that can point us in the right direction. I’m sharing some of that science, some practical ideas, and things that have helped me personally.What you'll learnWhat's happening in your brain when you're in a rut - and why pushing harder often makes it worseWhy getting out of your usual environment does more than change the scenery (there's actual neuroscience here)How to engineer novel experiences without booking a flight (by all means, feel free to also book a flight)Why being around people who can help is the first thing we cut when when we're busy - and why that's a mistakeSimple ways to shift your workspace and change your energy Why your brain generates better ideas when it has space to breathe - and how to give it thatConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've ever wondered whether your sleep tracker is actually accurate, or whether meditation is doing anything measurable in your brain, this episode is for you.  Ariel Garten is the co-founder of Muse, the brain-sensing headband, and she's back on the show with a significant update on how the technology has evolved. The Muse Athena contains an entirely new technology called fNIRS that tracks real-time blood flow and oxygen delivery to your prefrontal cortex.We get into why wrist-based devices like Oura and Apple Watch can only ever estimate your sleep stages - because they're guessing from heart rate and movement, not brainwave data, whereas the Muse measures deep sleep at 94% accuracy compared to a clinical sleep lab. It's Deep Sleep Boost feature uses barely-audible pink noise pulses to increase the amount of time you spend in deep, restorative slow-wave sleep. We also go into ADHD territory. Both Ariel and I are diagnosed, and we talk about what neurofeedback and meditation training can do for focus, executive function, and the near-constant urge to abandon tasks halfway through.What you'll learnWhy wrist-based sleep trackers can't accurately measure deep sleep, and how EEG-based tracking changes the pictureWhat deep sleep actually does for your brain and body - and why it matters for memory, cognitive function, and reducing the risk of Alzheimer'sHow the Deep Sleep Boost feature uses tiny pink noise pulses synced to your delta waves to deepen your sleep (and why your bed partner won't even hear it)What your alpha peak frequency is, why it tends to decline with age, and how you can track and potentially maintain it through neurofeedbackWhat fNIRS technology is and why training your prefrontal cortex to demand more oxygen could be important for long-term brain healthHow Muse's neurofeedback and meditation tools can support focus, attention, and executive function - and what this means if you have ADHDThe full range of content in the Muse app, including over 500 guided sessions covering sleep, stress, relationships, focus, and moreHow the app's AI assistant, ENSO, can help you interpret your data, track trends over time, and find the right tools for your goalsResources mentionedMuse headband: www.choosemuse.com/(enter code cassdunn at checkout for 15% off)Previous episode with Ariel Garten (2019) https://www.crappytohappypod.com/wearable-technology-for-your-brain-with-ariel-garten/Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Working title was “How to Deal with Ar5eholes” but I thought Apple might ban me. After being evicted from our rental in the UK, I had to sell our house in Australia from the other side of the world. I did not expect the amount of conflict and tension I would have to manage (uncooperative tenants, RE agents not communicating and a selling agent in London applying pressure to meet an impossible deadline).Let’s just say I was not always my best self. 😐 I reacted emotionally, sent emails I shouldn’t have, and felt like I couldn’t trust anybody.Somewhere in the middle of it, while I was walking my dogs, where most of my better thinking happens, I realised there are useful lessons here, and they’ll be worth sharing once I’m through to the other side.Well, I’m through to the other side! The house is sold. And I’m sharing five things that helped me navigate a high-conflict period without losing my mind or my values in the process. These are my go-to strategies for dealing with difficult people, managing your own emotional reactivity, and staying true to who you want to be, even when other people are being complete dicks.What you’ll learn in this episode:The one question to ask yourself first when you’re angry at someone elseHow everyone -including the most difficult person in your life right now - is just trying to get their own needs met (and how understanding this can shift the whole dynamic)Why email and text are the worst ways to communicate when there’s tensionHow to hold your ground assertively and firmly without compromising your values and adding fuel to the fireThe woo woo things I do when I feel powerless and why it’s so helpful even if you don’t think it worksBeyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If sex has slowly disappeared from your life - or started to feel like something you dread rather than look forward to - and you're not sure whether to blame your hormones, your relationship, your exhaustion, or just yourself, this episode is going to help.My guest is Dr Maria Sophocles, a board-certified OB/GYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner who has spent 30 years working with women on the clinical frontline of this exact problem. She's the author of the brand new book The Bedroom Gap, and the creator of a TED Talk on midlife sex that has now been watched over a million times.Maria coined the term "the bedroom gap" to describe the very real and very unspoken difference in sexual expectations and abilities between men and women in midlife. It's not just about low libido, but the physical changes happening in your body that nobody explains to you, the cultural messaging that tells women their discomfort doesn't matter, a medical system that created Viagra in 1998 but left women largely without equivalent solutions, and the shame that keeps so many of us from even raising the subject with our doctors.In this conversation, Maria breaks down the physiology of what oestrogen loss actually does to your vagina, your bladder, and your capacity for arousal . We talk about vaginal oestrogen, why it's safe for virtually every woman on the planet, and why so many women never get offered it; and what to say to your doctor when sexual symptoms aren't being addressed.In this episode, you'll learn:What "the bedroom gap" actually is and why it tends to widen so dramatically during perimenopause and menopauseWhat oestrogen loss is really doing to your body - and why pain and dryness during sex are physiological, not a personal failingWhy vaginal oestrogen is considered safe for virtually every woman but is still widely under-prescribedWhy your HRT patch or gel alone is often not enough for sexual and bladder symptoms, and what to ask for insteadHow Viagra, despite being a genuine breakthrough for some couples, also made the bedroom gap worse for a great many womenWhat the new FDA approval for female sexual desire actually means - and why it matters that it took this longThe real story on testosterone for women, why it's approved in Australia but not the US or UK, and what it can doHow porn has become the default sex educator for an entire generation,  and the resources Maria actually recommends insteadWhat to say when you want to start a conversation about sex with a long-term partner, a doctor, or your adult daughterResources mentioned:The Bedroom Gap by Dr Maria Sophocles - mariasophoclesmd.com/book/Dr Maria Sophocles' TED Talk: "What happens to sex in midlife? A look at the bedroom gap" - ted.com/speakers/maria_sophoclesOMGYES (sex education resource) - omgyes.comErica Lust TED Talk on female-forward adult content - search "Erica Lust TED Athens"Come As You Are by Emily NagoskiDr Maria Sophocles on Instagram: @MariaSophoclesMDDr Maria Sophocles on LinkedInBeyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We got evicted. The subsequent upheaval has revealed a lot to me about how my own nervous system patterns show up, especially when things feel uncertain or out of control. While my situation is personal, this experience is universal so in this ep, I'm sharing why our default stress response is often to push through, people please, overwork, or avoid decisions, even if we destroy ourselves in the process.Many of the behaviours we criticise ourselves for are actually safety strategies that we learned early to protect us when we feel emotionally unsafe. I break down the different nervous system stress responses and explain how they show up in everyday life, work, and relationships.Most importantly, I share why self awareness alone isn’t enough to create change, and why working with your nervous system, rather than against it, is essential if you want to feel calmer, more grounded, and more in control of your choices. What you’ll learn:How your nervous system prioritises safety over logic and long term goalsThe four main stress responses and how they show up in daily lifeWhy pushing through discomfort often keeps you stuckHow people pleasing, overworking, avoidance, and perfectionism developWhy insight doesn’t automatically translate into behaviour changeWhat it actually takes to make decisions from a calmer, more regulated placeIf you’ve ever wondered why you keep repeating patterns you’re very aware of, this episode will help you understand what’s really driving them, and where to begin if you want something to change.Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tiff Hall has been part of Crappy to Happy since the very beginning, and she's a woman who knows reinvention better than most. She spent a decade building a powerful, values-driven fitness brand, showing up through pregnancies, injuries, illness, body changes and enormous personal pressure. And then she made a decision that surprised many people, selling TXO to 28 by Sam Wood and stepping out of her CEO role.This is an honest conversation about identity, grief, relief, and the courage it takes to choose a new chapter even when the old one has been successful. We talk about the emotional impact of walking away from something you've poured your heart into, the backlash and disappointment from a community you genuinely love, and what happens when your capacity, your body, and your priorities shift.Tiff shares how motherhood changed her, why stepping back is not giving up, and how returning to her roots as a trainer has reconnected her to what she loves most. We also talk about comparison, social media pressure, running an online business as a woman, and what it means to grow in a way that is sustainable rather than impressive.What you’ll learn:What really goes on emotionally when you sell a business you built yourselfWhy stepping back can feel like grief and freedom at the same timeHow motherhood, injury, and illness reshaped Tiff’s relationship with fitnessThe hidden pressure of running a values-led business in a highly visible industryWhy being too accessible and too generous can clash with business sustainabilityHow comparison and social media exposure affect mental healthWhy choosing less can sometimes give you moreIf you’re in a season of questioning, scaling back, or reimagining what success looks like for you, you'll want to listen to this one.Train with Tiff on 28 by Sam Woodhttps://28bysamwood.com/Follow Tiff on IGwww.instagram.com/tiffhall_xoBeyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you embrace the "new year, new start" energy without overshooting your goals and setting yourself up to fail?Every January we're bombarded with resolutions, routines, and lofty promises about who we're supposed to become; and every year, many of us quietly abandon them, feeling guilty, unmotivated, and like we've failed.In this solo ep, I'm sharing my very deliberate anti-resolution approach to 2026, not because goals don't matter, but because the way we usually set them often does more harm than good.With a background in coaching psychology and my experience of late diagnosed ADHD, this is an honest reflection on what did and did not work for me last year and the much simpler and more compassionate way I'm approaching my goals this year.The secret is not doing more. It's doing less, with intention.I explain why setting the bar lower can strengthen your self trust, why consistency matters more than intensity, and how choosing fewer priorities can help you feel calmer, more confident, and more fulfilled as the year unfolds.What you will learn:Why I'm not a fan of New Year’s resolutionsHow unrealistic goals quietly erode your self concept and confidenceWhy consistency beats intensity when it comes to habits and behaviour changeThe surprising psychological benefits of choosing just one daily habitWhat it means to go deep on one skill or area instead of skimming the surface of manyHow focusing on completion, not busyness, can change how you feel about yourselfSimple questions to help you decide what actually matters this yearHow to harness fresh start energy without setting yourself up to failIf you are craving a calmer, more grounded start to the year, and you want goals that support your wellbeing rather than undermine it, this episode will give you plenty to reflect on.For more on this topic:What to Do Instead of New Year's ResolutionsKickstart Your New Year by Setting Goals that MatterBeyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI is everywhere right now and it’s moving fast, from fake online personas and voice cloning to coaches selling AI versions of themselves. The pace of change is astonishing, and if you don't keep up, you'll be left behind. So what does this mean for small business owners, therapists and coaches?In this episode, I talk through what I’ve been learning as I’ve gone all in on understanding the potential of AI and the role it can play as a complement to your expertise, not a substitute for it. When harnessed effectively AI offers a way to reduce burnout, remove administrative overload and free up hours of precious time that can be redirected to more meaningful, human centred interactions.I'm sharing how I’m personally using AI in my business, why training AI properly matters, and where I believe the hard ethical lines still need to be drawn, especially when it comes to mental health and therapy. I think for any ethical business owner, there is an exciting opportunity right now to embrace artificial intelligence in your business and use it to make a meaningful difference in your own life and the lives of people you work with, without outsourcing your judgement, your values or your humanity.What You’ll LearnWhy AI feels so uncomfortable for people and why that reaction makes senseThe difference between copy and paste prompts, custom GPTs and more advanced AI agentsHow AI can genuinely reduce overwhelm for small business owners and solopreneurs (especially if you have ADHD!)Why women appear to be slower to adopt AI The ethical risks of AI being used as therapy and where things can go wrongHow you can train AI "Assistants" to sound exactly like you when they produce contentWhy the future of work may actually place more value on real human connection, not lessHow to think about using AI in a way that aligns with your values rather than eroding themBeyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodThis episode includes AI-generated content.Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women with ADHD are still being overlooked, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed, and the consequences can be profound. In this episode, I sit down with Tracy Otsuka, ADHD Coach and bestselling author of "ADHD for Smartass Women', whose mission is to help women stop pathologising themselves and start recognising their inherent creativity, intelligence, and strength.Tracy shares her personal story, beginning with her son’s diagnosis at age 12, which sparked her deep dive into understanding ADHD. What followed was her own late diagnosis, years of independent research, and the creation of a global community that now reaches millions.We explore why girls and women often slip through the cracks, why inattentive ADHD can be so invisible, and how societal expectations create trauma that compounds symptoms. Tracy breaks down the differences between being a hyperactive ‘doer’ versus an internal ‘thinker’, and why so many clever, capable women spend years believing they’re simply not trying hard enough.Most importantly, Tracy offers a different way of understanding ADHD; one that centres interest, creativity, dopamine, and authenticity rather than deficit and disorder. What You’ll LearnThe surprising reason so many smart, capable women with ADHD remain undiagnosed well into adulthoodWhy Tracy does not believe ADHD is a disorder, and what the research actually shows about mental health outcomesHow chronic trauma (including the trauma of feeling misunderstood) can masquerade as ADHD symptomsWhy women with ADHD often become perfectionists, people pleasers, or high achieversHow an interest-driven nervous system really worksWhy your brain lights up for some tasks and completely shuts down for others (it’s not laziness)The importance of designing your life around your strengths rather than forcing yourself to fit neurotypical expectationsPractical strategies for thriving with an ADHD brain — at work, at home, and in relationshipsResources mentioned in this episodeThe A-OK Mind App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/a-ok-mind/id6749597141Cube TimerAmazon UK: https://amzn.to/3KFIG3EAmazon Australia: https://amzn.to/48zwY2CReadwise:https://readwise.ioConnect with Tracy:www.tracyotsuka.comIf you’d like more conversations like this, or you have questions you’d love me to explore in a future episode, you can submit them via www.crappytohappy.com Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers Open for enrolment NOW.Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.www.cassdunn.com/bc2Connect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypodConnect with Cass:www.cassdunn.comwww.instagram.com/cassdunn_xoContact Crappy to Happy:Email: hello@crappytohappypod.comwww.crappytohappypod.comwww.instagram.com/crappytohappypod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.