Women's Health & Happiness: What Every Woman Needs To Know About Our Brain! | Dr. Sarah McKay

You’re about to learn how to understand your brain, steady your emotions, and build habits that actually stick.

In this firecracker of an episode, we're not just diving into brain health - we're diving into hormones. Women's hormones. Teenage hormones. The hormones behind happiness, stress, and change.

Mercedes and Anastasia are joined by Dr. Sarah McKay. Dr. McKay isn’t just a neuroscientist trained at Oxford — she’s built a career translating brain science into real-life tools you can use at home, at school, at work, and inside your relationships.

So, prepare to dive deep into the often under-explored realm of women's health; we're getting into all the facts behind women's emotional stability and resilience, brain health, and even understanding why women struggle so much with body image.

After this episode, you’ll know:

– Why “it’s just hormones” is often an oversimplification (and what matters more).

– The impact of your environment and attention on your life and health.

– The most underrated brain-health “non-negotiable” hacks.

– Simple focus shifts that protect learning, memory, and calm.

– How habits actually form in the brain.

Whether you’re raising a teen, trying to stay steady in a chaotic season, or just want science-backed tools to feel more focused, resilient, and grounded, this conversation is for you.

Explore our website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop the Manta Sleep Mask⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit Dr. McKay's website

⁠Follow Dr. McKay on Instagram⁠

Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with neuroscientist and memory expert, Dr. Charan Ranganath. In this episode, Dr. Ranganath explains why we are wired to FORGET, hacks for boosting memory, and how memory and happiness are connected: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠listen + watch now!⁠

(00:00) Welcome, Dr. Sarah McKay!

(00:52) Getting Into Neuroscience

(03:55) Changing Life Trajectories

(06:03) Teen Brain vs Young Adult Brain vs Adult Brain

(16:39) Most SURPRISING Changes in Female Brain!

(26:19) Why is This Conversation So Important?

(26:56) How Do Hormones Influence My Mood + Happiness?

(34:17) Body Image: Why We Struggle

(39:17) Thoughts On a Phone Ban

(43:35) Brain Toolkit: Must-Know Hacks To Optimize Your Brain

(53:27) We Need Better Sleep!

(53:52) How Can I Build Positive Habits?

(59:24) Do THIS For Better Brain Health

(1:00:15) Dr. McKay To Her Teenage Self

(1:05:37) What Brings Dr. McKay a Small Bit of Happiness?

(1:07:07) Dr. Mckay's Motivational Quote

(1:08:45) Find Dr. McKay Here

(1:09:59) Check THIS Out

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(143)

The Behavior Coach: How to Break Old Patterns & Change Your Life - Eric Zimmer

You know what you want to change. So why is it still so hard to actually do it?Maybe you want to break a habit, get out of a relationship that isn’t good for you, become more consistent, or finally st...

2 Sep 57min

Rebecca Rusch on Mental Toughness: How to Keep Going When Life Gets Hard

What if trying to give 100% is actually holding you back?Rebecca Rusch has spent decades doing things most people would consider impossible. But one of the biggest lessons she has learned is surprisin...

26 Aug 1h 1min

The Exact Episode You Need to Hear If You’re Waiting to Feel Ready: Chef JJ Johnson

You are not waiting for the right time. You are waiting for someone to say you are ready.Chef JJ Johnson is here because you're ready. You're ready to go after your goals, change your habits, end that...

19 Aug 55min

Happiness Researcher: Do These 5 Things to Feel Happier Every Day! Dr. Elizabeth Dunn

More money can make you happier. But what you do with it may matter more than you think.In this episode, you’ll learn how to stop chasing the things you think will make you happy and start using your ...

12 Aug 59min

Gut Health Doctor: Do These 3 Things To Feel Happier, Live Longer, & Be Healthier! Dr. Tim Spector

The food you ate hours ago could be affecting your mood right now.Professor Tim Spector is here to explain the overlooked link between your gut, your brain, and your mood. In this conversation, we're ...

5 Aug 58min

How to Master Your Emotions, Stop People Pleasing, & Say No Without Guilt - Melissa Urban

Melissa Urban stopped being nice on purpose. Her relationships got better, not worse.You've said yes to plans you didn't want, dinners you dreaded, and favours that left you resentful. In this convers...

29 Jul 1h 3min

Why Eating Disorders Happen (and Who's at Risk): Expert Psychologist

Where's the line between healthy eating and a problem with food? This top psychologist draws it with one question.By the end of this episode, you'll have one simple question that tells you whether you...

23 Jul 1h 5min

Do THIS the Next Time Fear Freezes You! (It Takes 2 Seconds): Pro Skier Lynsey Dyer

Mercedes and Anastasia call today's episode one of the most powerful conversations about fear, courage, and self-worth ever to happen on the podcast.They say this is THE conversation for anyone who lo...

16 Jul 1h 10min