The Curious Introvert
A weekly podcast covering societal taboos & cultural blind spots. Join host Meredith Hackwith Edwards as she deep dives with curiosity & nuance into philosophy, society & culture with expert guests.
Episodes frequently feature philosophers, researchers, historians & journalists.
The Curious Introvert
Ep. 336: Prescription NAPS??! Toddler Protocol for High Achievers
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Can napping replace medication? How do you get your brain to slow down enough to take a nap?
Dr. Hector Rodriguez is a psychiatrist, who views naps as medicine for your brain. He is the owner of the White Butterfly Clinic in Miami, FL. With both an MD and a Masters in theology, he is a psychiatrist who treats the soul, integrating neuroimaging, psychopharmacology, and evidence-based psychotherapies.
In this episode, we discuss why some naps make you feel hung over, the ideal napping window, which kind of nap = which outcome, signs your “8 hours” isn’t’ working, what would happen if high performers gave in to naps & the waking nap strategy.
If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 247: IS YOUR FOOD CAUSING YOUR DEPRESSION? NUTRITIONAL PSYCHIATRY
Guest:
https://www.whitebutterflyclinic.com/mag
https://www.instagram.com/doctor_hector
https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorhector/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006047643168
Sponsors:
https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/
https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/
01:00 — Do naps actually change your brain?
01:13 — The hidden cost of bad sleep
01:29 — What your hippocampus does while you nap
02:03 — Why naps sometimes feel like a hangover
02:30 — The “right nap” depends on your goal
03:00 — 10 vs 60 vs 90 minutes: what changes
04:43 — Do nap conditions actually matter?
07:02 — Should naps have a “curfew”?
08:34 — The ideal nap window (and why it matters)
08:58 — Would more naps improve mental health?
10:10 — Why fragmented sleep quietly wrecks you
10:51 — Two buckets: fixing sleep vs optimizing it
11:57 — Signs your “8 hours” isn’t working
16:12 — When it’s time to see a professional
17:30 — Which doctor should you actually see?
19:26 — Symptom vs root cause: the real question
20:17 — What if you have sleep apnea already?
22:03 — The truth about finding a doctor who cares
25:34 — How to vet a doctor (for real)
27:30 — Build your own sleep system (not someone else’s)
28:35 — One habit at a time actually works
29:16 — Do the benefits of napping compound?
30:00 — Can naps reduce dementia risk?
30:28 — Can napping replace medication?
32:00 — Why high performers resist naps
32:39 — Napping as a “biohack” trend
38:06 — How to train your brain to nap
41:11 — How to rest in a corporate environment
42:25 — A “waking nap” might be your entry point
42:58 — Should you drink coffee before a nap?
45:12 — Why rest is more than sleep
48:33 — How to work with Dr. Rodriguez
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