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Figuring It Out

Dr Alex George

Having amassed millions of downloads with his hugely successful Stompcast podcast, Dr Alex George is putting down his stomping boots to try and answer life’s big questions. But he’s not alone. Dr Alex is joined by research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates. Combining their two worlds to answer the questions we all carry around with us, about our minds, our relationships, our choices and our health. We Google them at 2AM, we talk about them with friends and we wonder if we’re the only ones. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s Complicated.

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Tuesday · 23 min
Can You Really Catch Up on Lost Sleep? | Pt 3
Can a weekend lie-in really help you catch up on lost sleep, or is repaying your sleep debt more complicated than that? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put common sleep myths to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. They explore catch-up sleep, power naps and whether napping deserves its lazy reputation. Plus, do you really need morning sunlight within the first 10 minutes of waking, and does sleeping in a cold room help you sleep better? No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Enjoying Figuring It Out? Follow the podcast and leave us a review to help more people find the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Monday · 15 min
8 Hours of Sleep but Still Exhausted? | Pt 2
Getting 8 hours of sleep but still waking up exhausted? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates tackle a listener's dilemma: should you stick to an early wake-up time or make sure you get a full night's sleep? They explore sleep quality, deep sleep and the relationship between your sleep schedule and body clock, asking whether the eight-hour rule works for everyone. Plus, what can the history of biphasic sleep, or sleeping in two shifts, tell us about the way we sleep today? No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Enjoying Figuring It Out? Follow the podcast and leave us a review to help more people find the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sunday · 22 min
Is Waking Up at 5am Actually Good For You? | Pt 1
Could your 5am morning routine be working against your body clock? And if you struggle to wake up early, does that really mean you lack discipline? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the 5am Club, chronotypes and why some people are morning people while others are night owls. They get into circadian rhythms, social jetlag and the pressure to be productive, asking whether forcing an early start is actually good for you. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Enjoying Figuring It Out? Follow the podcast and leave us a review to help more people find the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 8 · 16 min
What Does Empathy Look Like In Autism? | Pt 3
Do autistic girls present differently to autistic boys? Is it true that autistic people lack empathy? And where does sensory overload actually come from? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put the most common claims about autism to the test in Myth, Fact or It's Complicated. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 7 · 17 min
Are We All A Bit Autistic? | Pt 2
Are we all a bit autistic? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates work through a listener's dilemma about where differences in traits ends and autism begins, and why the spectrum is not a line from a little bit autistic to very autistic. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 6 · 34 min
Why Are Two Autistic People So Different? | Pt 1
What does it mean to be autistic? In Part 1, Dr Alex George shares his own experience of understanding autism, alongside research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates as they discuss different levels of support, why we must validate the spectrum of experience, and why there's no single biological cause. Plus, some alarming findings about the amount of neuroscience research focusing on women’s health. For more information on why paracetamol does not cause autism, go to the Unbiased Science Pod: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO4qNwdjQyH/?img_index=1 No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 1 · 19 min
Is Female Intuition Real? | Pt 3
Is female intuition actually real? And does sleeping on a decision genuinely make it better? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put some of the most common claims about intuition to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s Complicated, including whether anxiety is simply your gut telling you something is wrong. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 31 · 15 min
Does Your Body Know Something You Don’t? | Pt 2
Is gut instinct just your body noticing something before your conscious mind catches up? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore how physical sensations can influence our decisions, the science of somatic markers and the gut-brain connection, and why a feeling in your stomach doesn’t necessarily mean someone is untrustworthy. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 30 · 22 min
Can You Trust Your Gut Instinct? | Pt 1
Should you always trust your gut instinct? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the neuroscience of intuition, why it can be accurate, why it can also fail, and how to tell whether the feeling in your gut is worth listening to. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 25 · 14 min
Can Rejection Actually Make You More Creative? | Pt 3
Can rejection actually make you more creative? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put some surprising claims about rejection to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated including whether rejection can boost creativity, whether social media is making us more sensitive to it, and whether rejection sensitivity is really just another name for worrying. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 24 · 17 min
How Do You Stop Taking Rejection Personally? | Pt 2
Can you actually become less sensitive to rejection? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates tackle a listener’s dilemma about internalising failure and avoiding conflict, and explore what can help when rejection takes over, from breaking cycles of overthinking and reframing situations to self-compassion and acceptance. You can read about tips from a psychologist in this article: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/what-the-wild-things-are/202506/the-deep-sting-of-rejection-0. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 23 · 26 min
Why Does Rejection Feel Physically Painful? | Pt 1
Why does rejection hurt so much, and why do some people feel it far more intensely than others? Paris Hilton has described Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria as “like a demon in your mind” but what actually is RSD, and why can it feel so physical? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science behind rejection sensitivity, its links with ADHD and neurodivergence, and why our brains are wired to see social exclusion as a threat. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 18 · 18 min
Can Hypnosis Unlock Repressed Memories? | Pt 3
Does stress help you remember things better? Does alcohol erase your memories? And can hypnosis actually unlock memories you’ve buried? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates put these common beliefs about memory to the test in Myth, Fact and It’s Complicated. They cover why hypnosis may be more likely to create false memories than recover repressed ones, and the surprising number of clinicians who believe repressed trauma can be uncovered in therapy. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 17 · 17 min
Photographic Memory Isn't Real: Here's the Science | Pt 2
A listener asks: do some people really have a photographic memory, or is something else going on? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science behind extraordinary memory, from artist Stephen Wiltshire’s ability to recreate incredibly detailed cityscapes to the rare phenomenon that allows some people to recall almost every day of their lives in remarkable detail. Plus, what does it actually mean if you can’t picture things in your mind? And what did the co-founder of Pixar discover when he explored how differently we visualise the world? No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 16 · 27 min
Why Can't I Remember My Childhood, But My Sibling Can? | Pt 1
Why do some people have vivid memories from early childhood while others have almost none, and does that mean they have a better memory? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates get into how memory actually works, the 108-year-old neuroscientist behind one of the most important discoveries in memory research, and the landmark car crash experiment that showed how changing a single word can alter what someone remembers. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 11 · 29 min
Are Gratitude Journals and Your Mindset Just Manifestation Rebranded? | Pt 3
Social media claims your brain is wired to help you manifest. Gratitude journals and positive mindsets are often presented as the science-backed alternative to vision boards, but is any of it actually the same thing? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates separate myth from fact as they explore the neuroscience behind manifestation, the difference between a positive mindset and magical thinking, and what placebo effects really tell us about the power of our beliefs. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 10 · 24 min
If I Think I'll Fail, Am I More Likely To? | The Science Of Self-Fulfilling Prophecies | Pt 2
If you think you're going to fail, are you more likely to? In Part 2, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the science of self-fulfilling prophecies, what the evidence actually shows, why the effects are weaker than many self-help books claim, and what a study of six-year-olds reveals about the surprising power of other people's expectations. Plus, Alex and Kathryn reflect on how they deal with failure, and Kathryn explains why, as a scientist, she fails at something every day. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 9 · 23 min
Did Dua Lipa Really Manifest Her Husband? | Pt 1
Dua Lipa says headlining Glastonbury was on her dream board and even believes she manifested her husband. Millions of videos on TikTok are about manifestation, but does any of it actually work? In Part 1, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates explore the psychology of manifestation, why a Cambridge professor calls it pseudoscience, and what the evidence on goal setting actually shows. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 5 · 23 min
Will Humans Ever Live Forever? | Pt 3
Does your life really flash before your eyes when you die? Are humans the only species that know they're going to die? And could we ever live forever? In Part 3, Dr Alex George and research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates separate Myth, Fact and It's Complicated as they explore the science behind some of the biggest questions about death and dying, consciousness, immortality and what it means to be human. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 3 · 28 min
Why Thinking About Death Could Change Your Life | Pt 2
How do you find acceptance in grief and come to terms with the idea of your own death? Will we be able to live forever? In Part 2, Dr Alex George reflects on losing his brother to suicide and what finding acceptance has looked like for him. Alongside research scientist Dr Kathryn Bates, they explore the psychology of grief, bereavement, mortality and why thinking about death could actually change the way you live. No lectures. No easy answers. Just two people trying their best to figure it out. We're not here to give medical advice, we're just two friends exploring the science and figuring out life together. If you have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor. Each episode arrives in three parts from Monday to Wednesday. Part One tackles the Big Question. Part Two answers a real dilemma sent in by a listener. Part Three puts the most common claims to the test in Myth, Fact and It's Complicated. Have a question or dilemma you'd like us to tackle in a future episode? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at hello@figuringitoutpod.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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