When we think of imagination, we assume it’s reserved for creatives: painters and poets, actors and musicians. But the truth is, we use our imagination almost constantly: anytime we reminisce, anticipate, plan, or daydream. Research suggests we spend between a quarter and half of our waking hours with our minds wandering elsewhere, away from what’s right in front of us. But why? And what’s actually happening in our brains when we drift?

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Adam Zeman, author of The Shape of Things Unseen: A New Science of Imagination, about how imagination shapes every aspect of human experience, from memory and planning to creativity and perception itself. Dr. Zeman is a UK-based neurologist whose book blends neuroscience with the humanities and the arts, drawing on evolutionary biology, child development, literature, and music to paint a picture of the imaginative mind. He examines William Blake’s visionary poetry, Mozart’s ability to hear entire concertos in his head, and the creative insights behind scientific breakthroughs like the discovery of benzene.

But Dr. Zeman also reveals imagination’s darker side. A wandering mind can be an unhappy mind—excessive rumination contributes to depression, and our ability to simulate future scenarios can trap us in anxiety. From psychosomatic illness to the placebo effect, imagination operates at every level of human consciousness, for better and worse.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why we spend between 25-50% of our waking hours with our minds wandering

• What happens in the brain when we daydream, reminisce, or imagine the future

• Aphantasia—the inability to visualize images—and what it reveals about imagination

• How some people experience vivid mental imagery while others have none

• Why perception might be a form of controlled hallucination shaped by expectation

• The creative process of writers and artists, from William Blake to Mozart

• How imagination contributes to scientific breakthroughs and problem-solving

• The darker side of imagination: rumination, anxiety, and depression

• The mysteries of psychosomatic illness and the placebo effect

• Why understanding imagination might be the key to understanding consciousness itself

When it comes to sleep, most of us know what to do, we just don’t do it. We know we should put our phones down, create a bedtime routine, and skip the late-day caffeine. Yet one in eight Americans has chronic insomnia, and over half report frequent sleep difficulties. So what’s the disconnect?

In this episode, I sit down with Morgan Adams, a certified sleep coach who spent years battling insomnia herself. After two breast cancer diagnoses forced her to take her health seriously, Morgan cracked the science of sleep and created her SleepEasy Method™, an approach that’s helped countless people escape the insomnia trap.

Together, we explore what’s really getting in the way of good sleep, the misconceptions that keep us stuck, and the practical, sustainable solutions that actually work, beyond the advice we’ve all heard a thousand times.

Learn more about Morgan Adams at https://www.morganadamswellness.com.

What can the dying teach us about living well? In this episode, I sit down with Micaelah Morrill, a death doula who helps people and families navigate the final chapter of life with grace and meaning. We met at a Death Café, an open forum where strangers talk honestly about mortality, loss, and what it means to make peace with death.

Our conversation explores what it’s like to sit beside the dying, the lessons we can learn from their most common regrets, and how confronting mortality can bring clarity to the way we live. If you’ve ever wondered how to live more intentionally—or how to find peace after loss—this one’s for you.

☕ Find a Death Café near you at https://deathcafe.com.