From work responsibilities to social engagements to family commitments, our days are jam-packed, and it can be tough to give your brain a break. Rest is an important ingredient for good health, but do you really understand why? On this episode of Chasing Life, Professor Victoria Garfield, who studies sleep and how it impacts our brains and our bodies as we get older, explains what it is about rest that is so good for our brains. Why it’s so important to take time to relax and what surprising new research tells us about the simple act of napping.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

If you have trouble focusing on books, work, or even TV shows, you’re not alone. The fact is our attention spans are getting shorter. And it can feel like our ability to perform and be productive is harder. But is a shorter attention span actually impacting our brain function and overall health? Does it really help to block distractions like social media? In our first episode of an all new season, Sanjay speaks to Gloria Mark, a professor of informatics at the University of California, Irvine, and author of “Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity.” She’ll tell us what’s actually going on in the brain when we’re attentive and why we’re less focused than we used to be. Professor Mark will also share tips for sharpening our attention spans that go beyond “just put down your phone.”To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Over the last year on the podcast Sanjay has been having some very candid conversations with his family. On this special episode of Chasing Life, we revisit conversations with his wife, Rebecca and daughters, Soleil, Sage and Sky about smartphones, social media and their impact on young people. Sanjay also speaks with his brother, Suneel and parents, Damyanti and Subhash, about the myth of the midlife crisis and the ways that we approach life as we age.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Dr. Sanjay Gupta examines the potential benefits of medical marijuana. Over the last 10 years, Dr. Gupta's reporting on the topic has produced seven CNN documentaries. In his most recent investigation, he meets scientists and families who found success using marijuana for patients suffering with dementia. This special report originally aired on CNN on August 6, 2023.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Chasing Life is taking a short break and will be back with new episodes next month. This week, we are sharing Dr. Gupta’s most recent documentary examining the potential benefits of medical marijuana. His investigation explores the fastest growing group of cannabis users, people who are 65 and older. This special report originally aired on CNN on August 6, 2023.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy