“The sleep people are getting in the real world predicts how long they live better than almost anything else.” According to Dr. Michael Grandner, sleep isn't just rest. It's one of the strongest predictors of how long you'll live.

Yet most people fundamentally misunderstand what sleep is, why we need it, and what happens when we don't get enough of it. The consequences reach far beyond feeling tired, influencing everything from your brain function and metabolism to your immune system, long-term health, and lifespan.

In this episode, Chris Wharton sits down with Dr. Michael Grandner, Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona and the world's most cited sleep researcher Drawing from decades of research, Dr. Grandner unpacks what sleep is actually doing inside your body, why so many people struggle with it, and how improving it may be one of the most powerful things you can do for your health, performance, and longevity.
No wellness trends. No sleep hacks. Just the science behind one of the most important—and overlooked—drivers of human health.

In the episode, you'll learn:
→ Why sleep is one of the strongest levers for longevity, performance, and disease prevention
→ Why chronic sleep loss impairs decision-making, memory, metabolism, and emotional regulation before you notice it
→ The difference between feeling tired and being objectively sleep-deprived
→ Why trying harder to fall asleep can make insomnia worse
→ How sleep apnea is often missed — especially when symptoms look like fatigue, anxiety, or depression
→ What sleep trackers and wearables can tell you, and what they often get wrong
→ Why melatonin, supplements, and sleep hygiene aren't always enough to fix a real sleep disorder
→ How light, caffeine, alcohol, temperature, screens, and bedtime routines affect sleep quality
→ Why better sleep often comes from doing less — reducing effort and getting out of your own way

Dr. Grandner has published more than 250 academic papers, chaired the American Heart Association's Sleep Science Committee, and presented to the US Congress on sleep health. This episode is for anyone who wakes up tired, struggles with insomnia, relies on sleep trackers, or wants to understand how sleep really affects longevity, recovery, and daily performance.

Want more? Each month, we send a newsletter curated by our scientific council on what's
actually advancing the science of human longevity — and what isn't. Subscribe at https://www.thewndrlab.com/mailing-list.

The WNDR Lab: https://www.thewndrlab.com/

Michael Grandner, PhD | University of Arizona

Michael Grandner, PhD, researches the connections between sleep and circadian health, including innovative strategies for improving sleep. The Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program and a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry with joint appointments in Medicine, Psychology, Nutritional Sciences, and Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, he is the Inaugural Chair of the American Heart Association’s Sleep Science Committee and the Past President of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine, as well as an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Dr. Grandner has over 250 academic journal publications, advises numerous companies, has presented to the US Congress multiple times on the topic of sleep health, and has co-authored position statements for the International Olympic Committee and the National Institutes of Health, among many others. He was recently awarded the Richard Bootzin Mid-Career Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award by the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

Dr. Michael Grandner's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/michaelgrandner/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grandner/
Website: https://www.michaelgrandner.com/about.html
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCTET02GzjnNxSg3V157lUIw

In this episode of The LIVING Room Podcast, host Chris Wharton sits down with Dr. Paul Mischel for a fascinating exploration of what causes cancer, and the future of preventive medicine.

A pioneer in precision oncology, Dr. Mischel's groundbreaking research revealed how extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA)—small circles of DNA that exist outside our chromosomes—can fuel tumor growth, accelerate evolution, and help cancers evade treatment. His discoveries have transformed our understanding of some of the most aggressive cancers, including glioblastoma.

But this conversation goes far beyond the laboratory…

Dr. Mischel breaks down what the latest science actually tells us about cancer risk, prevention, and early detection. Together, they explore which lifestyle factors are backed by evidence, where common misconceptions persist, and why the future of cancer screening may be both more powerful—and more nuanced—than many people realize.

Please join us for a thought-provoking conversation about one of medicine's greatest challenges, and the science that may help change its future.

In this video, we explore:

• What cancer actually is — and why some cancers become far more aggressive than others
• How extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) helps tumors evolve and resist treatment — and why that changes everything about precision oncology
• What the science actually says about exercise, nutrition, alcohol, smoking, vaccines, and cancer prevention
• The real cancer risk factors you can control — and the ones you can't
• Why full-body MRIs and cancer blood tests are promising but not a replacement for traditional cancer screening yet
• The biggest cancer myths circulating in wellness spaces — and what the data actually supports
• How to think about your cancer risk with more agency and less fear

About Dr. Paul Mischel:

Paul Mischel, MD, is a physician-scientist at Stanford Medicine whose research revealed how extrachromosomal DNA drives the evolution and drug resistance of aggressive cancers. His work has reshaped the field of precision oncology.

Want more? Each month, we send a newsletter curated by our scientific council on what's

actually advancing the science of human longevity — and what isn't. Subscribe at https://www.thewndrlab.com/mailing-list.

The WNDR Lab: https://www.thewndrlab.com/

Why is losing weight—and keeping it off—so difficult? A leading neuroscientist explains the biology of hunger, the rise of GLP-1 medications, and what science is revealing about the brain's role in body weight regulation.

In this episode of The LIVING Room Podcast, Chris Wharton sits down with Dr. Zachary A. Knight, PhD — Professor of Physiology at UC San Francisco, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and one of the world's leading researchers studying the neural circuits that regulate hunger, thirst, and body weight.

Drawing from decades of research, Dr. Knight explains why body weight is influenced by far more than motivation alone, how genetics and environment interact to shape appetite, what happens in the brain when we lose weight, and why GLP-1 medications have transformed obesity treatment.

Watch this episode to learn:

• Why maintaining weight loss is so challenging for many people
• How genetics and environment work together to influence body weight
• What happens in the brain when you're hungry—and when you're full
• How GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro affect appetite and food-related reward signals
• The science behind "food noise" and why many patients report it decreases on GLP-1s
• Whether weight-loss medications are likely to be lifelong treatments
• Practical, science-backed ways to increase satiety and better manage hunger
• What researchers are learning about hydration, thirst, and the body's internal regulation systems
• Where the next generation of obesity and metabolic health treatments may be headed

This isn't diet advice. This is the neuroscience of hunger — and it will completely change how you think about your body.

Connect with Dr. Zachary A. Knight:

https://knightlab.ucsf.edu/

http://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-knight-29a37977

https://x.com/zaknight

Want more? Each month, we send a newsletter curated by our scientific council on what's actually advancing the science of human longevity — and what isn't. Subscribe at https://www.thewndrlab.com/mailing-list.

The WNDR Lab: TheWNDRLab.com