Author David Owen discusses how hearing works and why it’s important to protect even when you’re young. Plus: learn how to be more productive by tapping into your “ultradian rhytms.”
Author David Owen discusses how hearing works and why it’s important to protect even when you’re young. Plus: learn how to be more productive by tapping into your “ultradian rhythms.”
For Better Productivity, Work in 90-Minute Spurts by Ashley Hamer: https://curiosity.com/topics/for-better-productivity-work-in-90-minute-spurts-curiosity
Additional resources from David Owen:
Subscribe to Curiosity Daily to learn something new every day with Cody Gough and Ashley Hamer. You can also listen to our podcast as part of your Alexa Flash Briefing; Amazon smart speakers users, click/tap “enable” here: https://curiosity.im/podcast-flash-briefing
Find episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/its-never-too-early-to-protect-your-hearing-w-david-owen-and-why-you-should-work-in-90-minute-spurts
CODY: Hi! You’re about to get smarter in just a few minutes with Curiosity Daily from curiosity-dot-com. I’m Cody Gough.
ASHLEY: And I’m Ashley Hamer. Today, you’ll learn about how to be more productive by tapping into your “ultradian rhythms.” Then, you’ll learn about how hearing works and why it’s important to protect even when you’re young, with help from author David Owen.
CODY: Let’s satisfy some curiosity.
What's more effective: working nonstop for five hours, or working in three 90-minute intervals spaced out with 20-minute breaks? It might seem like that first option is best, if you’re one of those workers who skips lunch and doesn’t leave your desk until 5. But according to science, you’ll be better off taking those breaks.
It all comes down to our ultradian rhythms. Like circadian rhythms, ultradian rhythms make up a sort of body clock that cycles regularly throughout our lives. But while circadian rhythms keep track of the 24-hour day/night cycle, ultradian rhythms roll in cycles that last between 90 to 120 minutes. During that time, your brain wave frequencies rise and fall; basically, after you spend a long time concentraing on one task, your brain needs a break, so you get a natural lull in concentration every hour-and-a-half to 2 hours.
Studies have found that all sorts of things are affected by these cycles, such as dopamine levels, alertness, and especially attention. A 1993 study by psychologist Anders Ericsson found that the best violinists all practiced in three 90-minute chunks with breaks in between. A 1995 study found that people generally maintain their sleep cycles after waking as periodic "sleepiness" cycles. This is why experts like Buffer CEO Leo Widrich swear by a rest-activity cycle that builds breaks into the work day.
So now that you know it’s backed by science and actually the more effective choice, it’s time to start taking those 20-minute breaks. Try setting a timer for 90 minutes, and when the timer goes off, you get up! Take a walk, grab a snack, or maybe even just rest your eyes for a bit. Your brain could use the break.
You’re never too young to start thinking about hearing loss. In fact, it’s the things you when you’re young that’ll determine how well you’re able to hear when you get older. That’s one of many lessons in David Owen’s new book, “Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World.” David is a New Yorker staff writer and the author of more than a dozen books. And today he joins us to explain how hearing works and what happens when it stops working. Here’s our conversation.
[CLIP 5:17]
Makes you think twice about blasting our podcast at full volume, doesn’t it? Well don’t worry, David Owen will be back next Wednesday with some tips for what you can do to protect your ears, along with how you can avoid some of the most common causes of hearing damage. And if you can’t wait that long, then feel free to pick up his new book “Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World.” You can find a link to the book and more from David in today’s show notes.
ASHLEY: Let’s recap what we learned today so you remember all the important takeaways.
[ad lib optional]
CODY: Today’s first story was written by Ashley Hamer, who’s the managing editor for Curiosity Daily.
ASHLEY: Scriptwriting was by Cody Gough and Sonja Hodgen. Curiosity Daily is produced and edited by Cody Gough.
CODY: Join us again tomorrow to learn something new in just a few minutes.
ASHLEY: And until then, stay curious!