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 🧠

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#sleep #insomnia #sleepadvice #sleephealth #sleephygiene #morningroutine #circadianrhythm #sleepanxiety #millennialwellness #stephanieromiszewski #sleepyheadclinic #amillennialmind #shivanipau #sleepscience #womenshealth #sleeptips #sleepphysiologist #thinkklesssleepmore
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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 🧠
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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 🧠
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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
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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 🧠

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