Chasing Life

Smelling Your Way To Love

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever walk past someone who smells absolutely alluring? Maybe you even do a double take? Scent is a major component of our attraction to those...

The Science Behind a Good Night's Sleep

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We all know sleep is vital, so why do many of us still find it so difficult to prioritize? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks wit...

Food for Thought, Literally

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Can you picture your favorite comfort food? Whether it’s a steaming bowl of your grandmother’s homemade soup or a chewy chocolate candy bar from y...

What Promise Do Psychedelics Hold As Therapeutics?

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When psychedelics were first studied more than 50 years ago, researchers noticed that they were useful in helping people explore a greater sense of se...

Living a Sensory-Informed Life

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered why we get hangry or car sick? It happens when our sensory system gets dysregulated. For some people, this happens all the tim...

Expanding Your Senses

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you could gain super-human hearing, or even a new sense entirely, would you? Neuroscientist David Eagleman says with the help of technology, this c...

Pain is a Four-Letter Word

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you treat a disease where the cause is unknown and each patient’s symptoms are unique? CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta t...

Finding Your Quiet Space

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re constantly assaulted by “noise” all around us: crowds, vehicles, social media. As quiet spaces around us dwindle, what is it doing to our ...

How Do You Recognize a Face?

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine not being able to recognize the people you see every single day; your coworkers, your friends, your loved ones. “Prosopagnosia,” or “fac...

Sniffing Out the Cause of Smell Loss

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine if your morning cup of coffee one day smelled like rotting garbage. Or, if your favorite comfort food had no taste at all. For some COVID long...

Making Sense of Our World

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Season 5 of Chasing Life, where we’ll explore the five traditional senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell -- and beyond. To ki...

Introducing All There Is with Anderson Cooper

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chasing Life is pleased to present the first episode of Anderson Cooper's new podcast: All There Is. Anderson started recording while packing up the ...

Our Top Takeaways: Managing Social Anxiety

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why are social interactions so daunting for some of us and what can we do to make things easier on ourselves? Dr. Sanjay Gupta revisits an interview w...

Chasing Life presents In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week the Chasing Life team is sharing one of their favorite podcasts, In the Bubble with Andy Slavitt. Soon after entering the Kansas City mayora...

You’re Never Too Old to Play

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

 It’s easy to understand the importance of play during childhood but research shows that play is important at every age. In this episode, Dr. Sanja...

Climate Anxiety is Real

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Climate change has long been an existential threat, but for many young people, government inaction and increasing natural disasters are now taking a m...

Living in a Dream World

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Although we don’t remember most of them, we spend about two hours every night dreaming. Some dreams are similar, others are scary, or anxiety induci...

Learning to Live After Loss

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Time heals all wounds, so the saying goes. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes, when a loved one dies, it can feel like we’re stuck in an en...

The Video Game Treatment

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What if instead of pills to cure what ails you, you were prescribed a video game? Over at Akili Interactive, researchers are trying to do just that. E...

How to Win the Waiting Game

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to revisit one of our favorite episodes! We’re always waiting for something, whether it’s in line for your morning coffee, on hold with ...

Living to 100 and Beyond with Norman Lear

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the secret to a long, happy life? TV legend Norman Lear may have the answers. It’s hard to believe but the man responsible for shows like “...

What Drives Your Road Rage?

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever feel your blood pressure rise, sitting in a sea of stand-still traffic? It’s not all in your head. All that time spent in the driver's s...

Why Sanjay Almost Changed His Name to Steve

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re a person of color living in the United States, chances are, you’re living with some form of racial trauma. Whether it’s because you’...

Conversation is More Than Nodding Your Head

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible we’ve been going about conversation the wrong way our entire lives? All too often, when we chat with a friend or colleague, we walk a...

Sometimes it's Healthy to Break the Rules

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Not following rules and letting go might actually make you feel better. Just ask musicians who improvise and make up music on the fly. Dr. Sanjay Gupt...

Go to the Beach, Doctor’s Orders

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You've likely experienced feelings of calm and happiness while at the beach or a lake, but it turns out there are actually proven psychological and ph...

The Healing Power of Poop

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re not alone inside our skin. Instead, we’re accompanied by billions of microorganisms. Not only that, when it comes to our health, they’re i...

Practicing Gratitude Pays Off

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It turns out a simple “thank you” really can go a long way. In fact, giving thanks doesn’t just make others feel good – it can also boost your...

Bursting the Bath Time Bubble

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s been a lot of debate about how often we need to bathe — and the answer might be less than you think. It turns out we have a complicated hi...

Fighting That "Meh" Feeling

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're sharing an episode of The Happiness Lab from Pushkin Industries. Host Laurie Santos helps listeners understand that listless middle gr...

The Role of Race and Ethnicity in Medicine

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While season 4 of Chasing Life is in production, the team is sharing some of their favorite podcasts. First up, The Pulse from WHYY, a weekly health a...

Why Are Doctors Prescribing Nature?

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us love the sensation of the sun on our skin or the sound of the ocean, but nature doesn’t just feel good; it’s also good for us! Nowadays...

How Language Lights Up the Brain

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Language allows us to connect with people from around the world. It opens our minds and hearts to new experiences and different ways of life. But lear...

The Power of Music

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever gone through a breakup and listened to a sad song on repeat? Why do we have such strong emotional connections to music? Well, the answer...

Escaping the Grip of Social Anxiety

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you live with social anxiety, even the smallest interactions can feel catastrophic. If human beings are supposed to be social creatures, then why...

It’s Time to Stop Doom Scrolling

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok – let’s face it, social media has become a central part of our lives. It’s where we make friends, find comm...

11 Months in Space

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When astronaut Christina Koch embarked on her 11-month spaceflight, she knew it would be a record-breaking mission; what she didn’t know is that s...

Your Work is Not Your Life

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been a difficult few years for everyone, and people are feeling more burned out than ever. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta...

The Health Benefits of Pets

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do pets impact our bodies and brains? Are dogs really “man’s best friend”? And are we being mind-controlled by our cats? CNN’s Chief Medic...

You're Not Alone

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Public health experts have been warning for years about a looming “loneliness epidemic” in the United States, with serious potential impacts on ou...

The Mystery of the Teenage Brain

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Remember how awkward and confused you felt as a teen? It's a time of so many big changes – growth spurts, body hair, and acne, just to name a few –...

This Is Your Brain on Love

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Love is in the air... but today we’re talking neurochemicals, not roses! CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the brain sci...

What Memories Are Made Of

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our memories are imperfect treasures – dear to our hearts but not necessarily accurate snapshots of reality. CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr....

In Search of Lost Time

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some days fly by, while others never seem to end? Have we been stuck in a time warp since March 2020? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. S...

Resetting Expectations

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The twists and turns of this pandemic have left many of us uncertain of what to expect in the year ahead. But did you know that simply changing your e...

Our Top Takeaways: Worth the Wait

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Does it feel like you are in an endless holding pattern? We asked a waiting expert for her top tips on how to create control when you don't know what'...

Small Steps. Big Rewards

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we ring in a New Year, Dr. Sanjay Gupta hears from Chasing Life listeners about the steps they plan to take to live healthier and happier lives in ...

Our Top Takeaways: Managing Anger

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Seeing red? Listen to a quick refresher from our episode on anger management. You'll hear the key takeaways from Dr. Sanjay Gupta's conversation with ...

The Science of Grit

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We're taking off this week for the holidays, but wanted to share with you another of our favorite podcasts. A Slight Change of Plans is host...

(Don’t) Call Me, Maybe

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While season 3 of Chasing Life is in production, here's an episode of CNN's Margins of Error that you'll love. A surprising percentage of people today...

In the Blink of an Eye

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After a terrible accident, a woman wakes up in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury. She records her experiences with doctors and friends, as sh...

Pain is a Four-Letter Word

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do you treat a disease where the cause is unknown and each patient’s symptoms are unique? CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta t...

Recipe for a Happy (and Healthy) Thanksgiving

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For many of us, Thanksgiving means reuniting with friends or family we haven’t seen in a while. But before you gather around the dinner table, ...

Food as Medicine

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible that the right foods could prevent and even treat cancer? Or that a healthy diet could alleviate your depression and anxiety? CNN’s C...

Giving Kids a Shot

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy about vaccinating younger children. They also get ...

Breaking Up with Your Bad Habits

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From doomscrolling to comfort food, bad habits are hard to break – so where do we begin? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explor...

Facing Your Fears

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fear brings with it a kind of powerful temptation: people want to know fear, to confront it, and maybe even conquer it. In the lead up to Hallowee...

What Are You Waiting For?

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re always waiting for something, whether it’s in line for your morning coffee, on hold with customer service, or waiting for life-changing med...

The Power of Nudges

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if we told you that every time you make a decision, there are subtle factors beyond your control that steer your choice? It turns out, the way th...

Trust Me

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Trust is hard to build and all too easily broken. It’s the essential foundation for all our relationships, and the glue that keeps our society toget...

Why Am I So Angry?

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As one of the few female rockstars of the 1970s and ‘80s, Joan Jett was frustrated by the misogyny and disrespect she experienced ... but rather tha...

Preparing for the Next Pandemic

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Covid-19 taught the world a tough lesson: if we aren't prepared for a viral threat, the consequences can be catastrophic. But what does it ...

Feeling the Heat

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Record-breaking temperatures resulting from climate change are occurring more often, lasting longer, and are more intense than ever before. This ...

Chasing a Cure

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Grief is something we all experience at different stages of life, even more so during this pandemic. But what happens when you must mourn the loss of ...

Presenting Hidden Brain: Unlocking Your Purpose

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chasing Life returns on September 7, but until then, here's an episode of Hidden Brain. Having a sense of purpose can be a buffer against the challeng...

Presenting NPR's Life Kit: How To Deal With Burnout

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While season 2 of Chasing Life is in production, here's an episode of NPR's Life Kit you'll love. Burnout is common across the globe, and the pandemic...

Helping Grandma and Grandpa Get Back in the Groove

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the past year and a half, the pandemic has kept many older adults apart from their loved ones. But now that people are getting vaccinated, many ol...

Olympians Go For Gold — Without Fans

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The upcoming Tokyo Olympics will be one of the few Games ever to take place during a global pandemic. That means zero fans in the host city, no family...

Let’s Talk About Making Babies (Or Deciding Not To)

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been a challenging time to start a family: some had to halt fertility treatments during lockdown, while others re-evaluated whether to have chi...

Tig Notaro on the Healing Power of Laughter

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Scientifically speaking, what is the purpose of laughter? Why is it so important for our brains and well-being? And how might it help us get back to “...

The Science Behind a Good Night's Sleep

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all know sleep is vital, so why do many of us still find it so difficult to prioritize? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks wit...

Raising Resilient Kids

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Remote work, school closures, and no playdates: there’s no question the pandemic upended family life in ways that were simply unimaginable before. C...

Life Is Like a Game of Poker

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Covid restrictions are lifting but it’s still unclear what's entirely safe: Should we eat inside a restaurant? Go on that international vacation? O...

Matters of the Heart

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Heart disease remains the most common cause of death in the United States, and yet it is largely preventable. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanj...

The Body That Got Me Through

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How should we think about our bodies after this stressful past year? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the power of ex...

That's What Friends Are For

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that friendship can actually help your brain, heart and immune system? Now that more and more Americans are getting vaccinated, peopl...

The Change We Need

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can all this change we’ve experienced actually be good for the brain? Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores how neuroscience can help us prepare for the “ne...

Introducing Chasing Life

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time in more than a year, many of us are imagining the next chapter of our lives. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is on...

It's Not Goodbye

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This podcast was born out of a deep need to more fully understand what was happening to our lives, in our country and around the world, during a time ...

Dr. Fauci's Long Year

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we look back on this pandemic, who and what will we remember? Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Dis...

Vaccines Behind Bars

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Covid-19 outbreaks have ripped through America’s correctional facilities, but access to the vaccines inside prisons and jails still varies state by ...

India in Crisis

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

India is fighting a devastating second wave of Covid-19 that has ravaged communities and hospitals across the country. In today’s episode, Dr. Sanja...

When Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

26 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pandemics and apocalyptic diseases have long fascinated both writers and readers, but will we want to read about living through Covid-19? CNN Chief Me...

Tyler Perry’s Pandemic Response

23 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Filmmaker Tyler Perry is receiving an honorary Academy Award this weekend, so for today’s podcast, we revisit a conversation between CNN’s Chief M...

What on Earth Happens Next?

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Shifts in our behavior during the pandemic have impacted the planet, but will these changes last? On this Earth Day, CNN climate reporter Drew K...

An Immunologist Challenges the Status Quo

21 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Immunologist Akiko Iwasaki has gained a huge online following during the pandemic for tweeting out explainers of the latest Covid-19 research, as well...

An American Success Story

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At the end of 2020, the vaccine rollout was chaotic: appointments were hard to schedule, vaccine supplies were tight, and the U.S. had administered fe...

I Got Vaccinated, But My Family Can’t

19 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are still several countries that have no access to Covid-19 vaccines. CNN reporter Melissa Mahtani shares her opinion about global inequities in...

The Race Between Variants and Vaccines

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How worried should we be about these new virus variants? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how variants arise, why they’...

Brazil's Covid Crisis

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Covid-19 is wreaking havoc in Brazil right now, with a record number of daily deaths in recent weeks. CNN International Correspondent Matt Rivers prov...

Hitting Pause on the J&J Vaccine

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta walks through what we currently know about the CDC and FDA's decision to pause the use of Johnson...

Vaccine Passports

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Vaccine passports might help people feel safe returning to normal and may allow the economy to recover faster, but between freedom and privacy concern...

More Than Just a Hospital

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

More than a century ago, the people of San Francisco’s Chinatown came together in the face of racism and built their own hospital. Now, Covid-19 ...

What About Vaccinating Kids?

09 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While three Covid-19 vaccines are now available for adults in the U.S., none have been approved yet for kids under 16. CNN’s Chief Medical...

The Songs of Spring

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Spring is here again, and you might be hearing the birds busting out their pipes. In this episode, scientists Elizabeth Derryberry and Jennifer Phil...

What If the Vaccine Came to You?

07 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

President Joe Biden recently announced that all American adults will be eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine by April 19, but expanding eligibility does ...

Old Drugs, New Disease

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As medical professionals search for new treatments to help Covid-19 patients, some researchers are taking a second look at drugs that have already bee...

Most Schools Closed in 1918. What Happened?

05 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just over 100 years ago, the U.S. was in a similar position as it is today. As more schools across the country reopen, we're revisiting CNN Chief Medi...

Pfizer's Moonshot

02 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The rapid development and rollout of the Covid-19 vaccines has been called a moonshot – an amazing scientific discovery that will change the course ...

Play Ball!

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Baseball's Opening Day is finally here, and Major League Baseball has stepped up to the plate with new safety precautions for the pandemic. CNN Chie...