Change Your Mind with New Scientist
Change Your Mind from New Scientist is a weekly podcast that cuts through wellness hype to provide evidence-based advice on brain health. Hosted by award-winning science journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson, the show explores topics like cold plunges, coffee, supplements, sleep, Ozempic, and AI. Each episode features expert interviews and practical takeaways to help listeners understand and improve their mental sharpness, mood, and memory.
Episodes
Your Brain Questions Answered: Lion’s Mane, Pets and Doodling
Can a growth mindset help you cope with exam pressure? Does writing by hand help you remember more? And what does the science really say about lion’s mane and pets?
In this special listener Q&A, Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson bring series two of Change Your Mind with New Scientist to a close by answering questions from the inbox. Drawing on neuroscience research, they explore effective studying,
Exercise - What’s the right dose for your brain?
Exercise is often framed as a way to get fit, but what if its biggest benefits are happening in your brain? In this episode of Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson explore why movement matters for our mood and long-term brain health, and why making exercise part of everyday life can feel like such a challenge.
Joining them is Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in
Adolescence - What's going on with teenage mental health?
Is now really the worst time in history to be a teenager? This week, health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson take on a topic that worries many parents: teenage mental health.
Helping them wade through the misinformation is Lucy Foulkes, a psychologist at the University of Oxford who specialises in teenage mental health and social development. She explains why adolescence is such a
The Vagus Nerve - Could this be the key to reducing your inflammation?
Feeling tempted by social media tips to “reset” your vagus nerve, fix your anxiety and banish inflammation? In this episode, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dig into the science behind vagus nerve stimulation.
With neurosurgeon and researcher Kevin Tracey, they explore how this a modern wellness obsession came about, what FDA‑approved implants can really do for conditions
Blue Spaces - How Spending Time Near Water can Boost your Mental Health
Why do so many of us feel calmer, clearer and more creative by the sea, a river or a lake? In this episode, Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dive into the science of blue spaces. Picking apart the theories behind why water captures our attention and how time spent near water can change how we feel pain, our stress levels and even long-term physical health.
They’re joined by psychologist
Eco-anxiety - How to Cope with your Stress about Climate Change
If after a record-breaking summer of heatwaves our warming planet is weighing heavily on your mind, you are not alone. Climate anxiety is on the rise, especially among young people, but what makes it different from “ordinary” anxiety, and how should we respond?
In this episode of Change Your Mind with New Scientist Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson talk to psychotherapist and climate-aware the
Cognitive Reserve - How to Future-Proof your Brain
In this episode of Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange explore the science of cognitive reserve, the brain’s hidden resilience that can help delay the symptoms of dementia.
They talk to Professor Yaakov Stern, a leading researcher in the field, to uncover what cognitive reserve actually is, how it’s measured, and why some people stay mentally s
Ozempic: Could Weight-Loss Drugs have Surprising Brain Benefits?
In this episode of Change Your Mind with New Scientist, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the headline grabbing class of drugs behind the Ozempic boom to ask what these medications are really doing to our brains? Beyond weight loss and diabetes, early evidence hints at wide‑ranging effects on appetite, addiction, mood, and even long‑term brain health. With so many pe
Rest - How Taking a Break Can Boost Your Brain
Are you getting enough rest? In this episode of Change Your Mind, health journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the psychology and neuroscience of rest to find out how we can make the most of our downtime.
They’re joined by Claudia Hammond, broadcaster, author, and visiting professor at the University of Sussex, to unpack the surprising ways your
Caffeine - Could Your Morning Coffee be Protecting Your Brain?
Can your daily coffee actually be good for your brain, or should we be listening to the influencers who claim we need to cut it out?
In this episode of Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange dive into the science of caffeine: to find out whether we can enjoy our coffee fix guilt free.
They’re joined by Dr Astrid Nehlig, a leading researcher on ca
Bonus Brain Tips - How to Maintain your Friendships and how to use Sunlight to get Better Sleep.
Series 2 of Change Your Mind with New Scientist is on it's way! But we couldn't leave you with nothing whilst we put together our next batch of myth-busting interviews with top brain experts. Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson share the very best tips and tricks they've picked up in their decades as Health Journalists.
We learn how texting could be good for your brain health and how a morning walk
Bonus Brain Tips - How To Hack Your Nap and How to Beat Chronic Stress
Series 2 of Change Your Mind with New Scientist is on it's way! But we couldn't leave you with nothing whilst we put together our next batch of myth-busting interviews with top brain experts. Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson share the very best tips and tricks they've picked up in their decades as Health Journalists.
We learn why coffee could be the surprising secret to a successful nap, and why
Q&A special: When do you really become an adult? Plus booze, bad sleep and more
Does your brain really stop developing at 25? How much damage does a bad night's sleep actually do? And if you stop drinking alcohol, can your brain recover?
In this special listener Q&A, Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson wrap up the first series of Change Your Mind with New Scientist by tackling your questions. Drawing on the latest neuroscience, they separate fact from fiction on some of the
Smell - The Surprising Link Between Olfaction and Dementia
Our sense of smell is often dismissed as our less important than sight and hearing, but what if it’s quietly shaping our memories, mood and long‑term brain health? In this episode, Health Journalists Helen Thomson and Cat de Lange explore the surprising brain superhighway between scent, emotion and memory, to explore why certain smells can yank you back to childhood and why smell could hold the ke
Solitude - How Time Alone Can Strengthen Your Mental Resilience
Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson just want some time to themselves... but not everyone feels that way, for others moments alone can be deeply uncomfortable. Research shows that solitude could be incredibly important for our mental health, so whether we’re craving it or avoiding we should probably learn how to do it right,
In this episode of Change Your Mind from New Scienti
Microplastics - Are Tiny Plastics Harming Our Brains?
Microplastics can be found everywhere from freshly falling Antarctic snow to the bottom of the Mariana Trench and our brains are no exception. In this episode of Change Your Mind with New Scientist, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson trace the origins of microplastics and nanoplastics to tell the story of how they end up in the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.
Brain Training - Can a Game really Protect You from Dementia?
In this episode of Change Your Mind, Science Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson ask whether brain training is finally shaking off its flaky reputation and if a simple computer game could really cut your risk of dementia. For years, Sudoku and brain game apps promised to “keep your brain young”, then were largely dismissed as only making you better at the game itself. So why is brain traini
Microbiome - Explaining how your Gut affects your Mood
What if the key to a healthier brain isn't in your head at all?
This week on Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dive into the fascinating world of the gut microbiota, to ask whether the trillions of microbes living inside us could be influencing everything from our mood and stress levels to how we think and feel.
With microbiome testing kits, probiotics and gut-h
Manifesting - Is there any Neuroscience behind the Mood-Board?
Manifestation has gone mainstream. From vision boards and affirmations to TikTok trends promising abundance and success, millions of people believe they can turn their thoughts into reality. But is there any science behind it?
In this episode of Change Your Mind, New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson investigate the neuroscience of manifestation. Can visualising your goals real
Cold-Water Swimming and Sauna - Can hot and cold therapies boost mental health?
If you’ve ever wondered whether the cold‑water swimming craze is a genuine brain booster or just a very chilly fad, this episode is for you. New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson plunge into the science behind cold dips, ice baths and saunas, asking whether they really can lift mood, protect the brain and build resilience, or if a warm pool and a chat wi
Supplements - The Surprising Pill that Actually Helps your Brain
If the wellness industry has you wondering whether your daily supplements are helping your brain, or just draining your bank account, this episode is for you. New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson reveal the science behind multivitamins, omega-3s, vitamin D, creatine and more, separating the snake oil from the evidence that actually stands up.
Along the way, they unpack why ev
Rethinking Anxiety - The Simple Shift that Changed my Life
In the very first episode of Change Your Mind, New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson tackle one of the most common, and misunderstood, mental health challenges: anxiety. Why do some people bounce back from stress while others feel trapped in a constant state of alarm? And why is anxiety rising so sharply, especially among younger generations?
Helen opens up about her own expe
Welcome to Change your Mind with New Scientist
Change Your Mind from New Scientist brings you the brain health advice you really need to know.
Every week, award‑winning science journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson cut through wellness hype to find out what actually keeps your mind sharp, your mood steady and your memory strong.
As friends, they’ve spent decades swapping stories, testing trends and exploring the latest neuroscience, and
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