Chasing Life

The upcoming Tokyo Olympics will be one of the few Games ever to take place during a global pandemic. That means zero fans in the host city, no family or friends allowed and a ban on cheering. What effect will all of this have on the athletes? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to two-time Olympic rower Gevvie Stone about this week’s competition and her difficult decision to postpone medical residency an extra year to train. Dr. Gupta also hears from an athlete whose...

It’s been a challenging time to start a family: some had to halt fertility treatments during lockdown, while others re-evaluated whether to have children at all. For today’s episode, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta hands things over to CNN reporter Chloe Melas to talk about the journey of having kids, as well as her own personal story with infertility. Melas speaks with fertility expert Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey about barriers that low-income, minority and LGBTQ patients face when...

Scientifically speaking, what is the purpose of laughter? Why is it so important for our brains and well-being? And how might it help us get back to “normal” as we emerge from the pandemic? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with Emmy- and Grammy-nominated comedian Tig Notaro about telling cancer jokes after her 2012 breast cancer diagnosis and why she actually laughed a lot during quarantine. We also hear from humor expert and psychologist Janet Gibson, as well as...

We all know sleep is vital, so why do many of us still find it so difficult to prioritize? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with sleep scientist Rebecca Robbins about why we sleep in the first place and how to ensure we get a good night’s rest. And neurologist Ying-Hui Fu explores the latest research surrounding sleep, including what regulates the amount of sleep we actually need and what role genetics might play. We also meet Cliff Luther, a man who only needs about...

Remote work, school closures, and no playdates: there’s no question the pandemic upended family life in ways that were simply unimaginable before. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with Amanda Zelechoski, a clinical psychologist and a mom of three, about the pandemic’s effect on families’ mental health and children’s development. Anthropologist Robin Nelson explains how the pandemic has isolated many parents and the importance of communities coming together to care for...

Covid restrictions are lifting but it’s still unclear what's entirely safe: Should we eat inside a restaurant? Go on that international vacation? Or attend an indoor wedding? CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at risk tolerance and how we can better assess what risks we are and aren’t willing to take. Psychologist Maria Konnikova shares what she’s learned about calculated risk from studying (and playing!) professional poker. To learn more about how CNN protects listener...

Heart disease remains the most common cause of death in the United States, and yet it is largely preventable. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta shares his own family history of heart disease and talks with cardiologist Dr. Clyde Yancy about what we can do to keep our hearts healthy, even if our genes make us more disposed to heart issues. And cardiologist Dr. Haider Warraich tells the story of one woman who fought against gender bias to change the way the medical community...

How should we think about our bodies after this stressful past year? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the power of exercise and the importance of cultivating respect and appreciation for our bodies. Tony Horton, trainer and creator of P90X, shares his tips for setting a realistic workout routine that you can stick with, and weight stigma expert Joy Cox discusses how we can treat our bodies with compassion. And CNN Senior Writer Lisa Respers France shares her own...

Did you know that friendship can actually help your brain, heart and immune system? Now that more and more Americans are getting vaccinated, people are eager to reunite with friends they might not have seen in a while. Dr. Sanjay Gupta met up with his friend, Michelle Pfeiffer (yes, that Michelle Pfeiffer). And friendship experts Marisa Franco and Rebecca Adams explain how the pandemic has made us reevaluate our relationships. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit...

Can all this change we’ve experienced actually be good for the brain? Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores how neuroscience can help us prepare for the “new normal.” He also invites us into his home for a candid conversation with wife Rebecca about adjusting to their new way of life. And psychologists Lisa Damour and Adam Grant offer their tips for managing our emotions and work-life balance coming out of the pandemic. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

For the first time in more than a year, many of us are imagining the next chapter of our lives. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is on a mission to help us approach our new normal mindfully as we balance self-care and productivity. We'll talk to doctors and researchers about the surprising science behind how we can thrive. It’s time to chase life again. New episodes starting May 11th. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

This podcast was born out of a deep need to more fully understand what was happening to our lives, in our country and around the world, during a time of great uncertainty and instability. But now it feels like we, in the United States, may finally be turning a corner. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta says goodbye to the podcast he’s hosted for 14 months and almost 300 episodes, and introduces us to a new series for the next chapter in this pandemic. To learn more about how...

When we look back on this pandemic, who and what will we remember? Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is at the top of that list for many. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Dr. Fauci about the past year-plus of non-stop press conferences and media appearances, and about what comes next. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Covid-19 outbreaks have ripped through America’s correctional facilities, but access to the vaccines inside prisons and jails still varies state by state. On today’s episode, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with Dr. Zachary Rosner about current vaccination efforts in New York City’s correctional system and why it’s so important to get this high-risk population vaccinated. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

India is fighting a devastating second wave of Covid-19 that has ravaged communities and hospitals across the country. In today’s episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains what went wrong and why it matters to everyone worldwide. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Pandemics and apocalyptic diseases have long fascinated both writers and readers, but will we want to read about living through Covid-19? CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta hears from writers and industry experts about the past and future of pandemics in fiction. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Filmmaker Tyler Perry is receiving an honorary Academy Award this weekend, so for today’s podcast, we revisit a conversation between CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Perry about the quarantine bubble he set up at his studio in Atlanta last summer. They talk about how Perry built his bubble and successfully restarted production without any positive Covid-19 cases on set, and what the experience was like on the inside. To learn more about how CNN protects listener...

Shifts in our behavior during the pandemic have impacted the planet, but will these changes last? On this Earth Day, CNN climate reporter Drew Kann talks with Kim Cobb, a climate scientist at Georgia Tech, about the connection between Covid-19 and climate change, and how we can keep up our green habits even after the pandemic is over. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Immunologist Akiko Iwasaki has gained a huge online following during the pandemic for tweeting out explainers of the latest Covid-19 research, as well as calling out sexism in science. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with Professor Iwasaki about treating Covid long-haulers and what we can do to help women and minorities succeed after an incredibly difficult year. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

At the end of 2020, the vaccine rollout was chaotic: appointments were hard to schedule, vaccine supplies were tight, and the U.S. had administered fewer than 3 million doses over several weeks. But today, things have dramatically improved. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with Claire Hannan, Executive Director of the Association of Immunization Managers, about how the U.S. turned its vaccine rollout around. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy,...