453. 7 facts you need to know about your brain

453. 7 facts you need to know about your brain

Author: iHeartPodcasts September 3, 2026 Duration: 49:35

There are a surprising number of myths and misconceptions about the brain, particularly with regards to its development in our 20s. In this episode, we unpack a number of surprising facts and studies about the brain so that we can in turn better understand how to make the most of our 20s. 

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We unpack: 
• The science of neuroplasticity and how our brain can rewire itself 
• Why, on a cognitive level, a broken heart may not be so different from a broken arm
• How much of our brains we really use (hint - it’s more than 10%!)
• The gut-brain axis and why poor gut health can cause depression - not the other way around
• Why our brain needs to forget to function properly
• The real age our brain stops developing

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com 

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Navigating your twenties can feel like a constant, bewildering experiment where you're both the scientist and the subject. The Psychology of your 20s, hosted by Jemma Sbeg, treats this unique decade with the thoughtful analysis it deserves. Released every Tuesday and Friday, each episode picks apart a specific thread of the modern twentysomething experience-whether it's the anxiety of mapping out a career, the complexities of dating apps, the strain on friendships, or the stress of managing money for the first time. Jemma grounds these universal themes in psychological research and science, offering clarity on why this period feels so tumultuous. The conversations move beyond simple advice, instead providing a framework for understanding the mental and emotional underpinnings of decisions big and small. This isn't a lecture; it's a companionable exploration of the growing pains that define adulthood's first chapter. Tuning into this podcast feels like gaining a new lens on your own life, one that transforms confusion into comprehension. It’s produced by iHeartPodcasts.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Psychology of your 20s
Podcast Episodes
The psychology of uncertainty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:44
Uncertainty is the defining emotion of our 20s. Career paths, relationships, identity, purpose ... so much of this decade is marked by not knowing. Does that have to be as uncomfortable as we think it does? In today’s ep…
The 20 biggest mistakes people make in their 20s [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:44
Over the past 6 months I've been asking people: what is the biggest mistake you made in your 20s? I've heard from over 5'000 people, some of them 21, some of them 80 and I have combined all their responses to make the ul…
The psychology of highly sensitive people [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:48
The life of the highly sensitive person is often misunderstood. Highly sensitive aren't just people who cry too much or get overwhelmed, take things too personally: they actually take in so much of the world that it can…
The psychology of confidence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:47
You know when someone seems to breeze through life, can approach any social situation and challenge with such self-assured confidence? It seems innate - something they were born with. But what if that's not true? What if…
441. The Freud Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:49
Sigmund Freud is one of the most famous and contested names in psychology. Often reduced to couches, cigars, dreams, sex, and blaming everything on your mother, Freud’s real story is much more complicated. In this bonus…
440. 7 psychology tips to hack your productivity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:39
Productivity advice often tells us to push harder, wake up earlier, and squeeze more out of every hour. But in this episode, we take a different approach. Instead of treating productivity like a test of willpower, we loo…
438. The secrets of therapy FROM a therapist ft. Dr Sandra Espinoza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:45
We all know that therapy is amazing, in fact it’s life-changing for many people. But what does therapy actually do? And what makes a good therapist? In today’s episode we’re joined by Dr Sandra Espinoza, Associate Profes…
437. The psychology behind feeling 'too much' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:49
At some point in most of our lives, most of us have felt that we are ‘too much’. We might feel that we are too loud, have too many opinions, are too extroverted, too needy, or generally take up too much emotional ‘space’…
436. The psychology of sibling rivalry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:53
In many ways, sibling rivalry is an integral part of growing up in a multiple-child household – the arguments, the jealousy, the competition. But as we explore in this episode, those sibling dynamics often don’t stop in…