Why Humans Crave Rituals & How Music Transports Your Mind
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What is the problem with melatonin as a sleep aid?
Today on Something You Should Know, the problem with melatonin if you take it to help you sleep better. Then rituals. We've been celebrating rituals forever, but something's changed.
We are in this incredible renaissance of new rituals around the world like organ donation or adoption, divorce, cancerversaries, soberversaries. There is this desire, let's find new ways to be together.
Also, why you almost always close your eyes when you kiss someone. And the fascinating power and science of musical daydreams. What are they?
Whenever you're listening to music and the world around you fades a little bit and you get lost in a memory, something that happened to you in the distant past or an imagining of something that's never happened to you, that is a musical daydream.
All this today on Something You Should Know.
Why do humans create and need rituals?
Hey, it's Hillary Frank from The Longest Shortest Time, an award-winning podcast about parenthood and reproductive health. We talk about things like sex ed, birth control, pregnancy, bodily autonomy, and, of course, kids of all ages. But you don't have to be a parent to listen. If you like surprising, funny, poignant stories about human relationships and, you know, periods, The Longest Shortest Time is for you. Find us in any podcast app or at LongestShortestTime.com.
What new rituals are emerging in modern society?
Something you should know. Fascinating intel. The world's top experts. And practical advice you can use in your life. Today, Something You Should Know with Mike Carruthers.
You know, melatonin has become one of the most popular sleep aids in America. But did you know that many sleep experts say it's often misunderstood and overused, especially for insomnia? It's the first topic on this episode of Something You Should Know. I'm Mike Carruthers. Welcome.
How do rituals impact our emotional well-being?
So, melatonin is not really a sleeping pill. It's a hormone your body naturally produces to help regulate your internal clock. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, there is no strong evidence that melatonin works well for chronic insomnia in otherwise healthy adults. It appears to help more with timing problems like jet lag or shift work than it does for people who simply can't sleep. Recent reviews suggest the benefits for insomnia are modest at best. There's also growing concern about long-term and unsupervised use, particularly in children. Researchers have reported a dramatic rise in accidental melatonin overdoses and emergency room visits involving children. Studies have found that some melatonin supplements contain far more melatonin than the label claims.
Sleep specialists say that before turning to melatonin, most people would benefit more from improving their sleep habits, like keeping a regular bedtime, reducing your evening screen exposure, cutting out coffee at night, and addressing stress and anxiety that interfere with sleep. And that is something you should know. Humans, when you think about it, are deeply ritualistic creatures.
What are musical daydreams and how do they work?
Weddings, funerals, birthdays, graduations, holiday celebrations. Across every culture and throughout history, people have created rituals to mark important moments and bring people together. But something interesting has happened. Many of the traditional rituals that once structured our lives have weakened or disappeared altogether. Fewer people get married, fewer participate in organized religion, and many classic rites of passage have faded away.
How does music evoke shared experiences among listeners?
And yet, the need for ritual hasn't gone away. In fact, my guest says we may actually be living through a kind of ritual renaissance. where people are inventing entirely new ways to gather, connect, celebrate, grieve, and create meaning. So what makes a ritual different from a habit or a routine? Why do rituals have such a powerful effect on us emotionally? And could rebuilding ritual be one answer to the loneliness and disconnection so many people feel today? Bruce Feiler has traveled the world exploring these questions. He's the author of several best-selling books. His latest is called A Time to Gather, How Ritual Created the World and How It Can Save Us.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the problem with melatonin as a sleep aid?
0:02–1:01
2
Why do humans create and need rituals?
1:01–1:33
3
What new rituals are emerging in modern society?
1:33–2:04
4
How do rituals impact our emotional well-being?
2:04–3:28
5
What are musical daydreams and how do they work?
3:28–4:00
6
How does music evoke shared experiences among listeners?
4:00–4:52
7
What benefits do musical daydreams provide for mental health?
4:52–5:37
8
Why do people close their eyes when they kiss?
5:37–46:57
Speakers
5 identifiedMore from Something You Should Know
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