Most of us are walking around in a state of low-level overwhelm. Not in crisis.... just never quite fully off. Always runing slightly behind, slightly rushed, slightly on edge.
If that sounds familiar — this conversation is for you.
In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Dr Shaady Harrison — a British medical doctor trained at King's College London, who has worked across the NHS in general medicine, surgery, emergency medicine and general practice. She now works at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology and modern life, advising founders, senior leaders and high-profile individuals on sustainable high performance. She is also the creator of Calm Down — a weekly newsletter read by people at Goldman Sachs, Google, the NHS, OpenAI and beyond.
What makes Shaady's perspective so distinctive is that she's not a wellness coach selling you a morning routine. She's a doctor who has seen burnout up close and who is asking a much more fundamental question — why are so many of us struggling, and is the problem us or the world we've built?
Her answer starts 30,000 years ago.
We cover:
Why our brains haven't changed since the Stone Age — and what that means for how we live today
The nervous system as a dimmer switch — why modern life means we're never fully off
How high performers are often the furthest from how we're biologically designed to live
What genuine recovery looks like — and why small moments of rest alone isn't enough
The small changes that actually move the needle on nervous system regulation
This episode is for you if:
You're juggling many things and are feeling exhausted. You can't quite remember the last time you felt truly switched off. Or you're simply curious about why the modern world feels harder to navigate than it should.
About Dr Shaady Harrison:
Dr Shaady Harrison is a British medical doctor, writer and private advisor specialising in the brain-body connection. She is the creator of Calm Down, a weekly newsletter exploring the neuroscience of calm in a world designed for overwhelm. She works with founders, senior leaders and high-profile individuals to craft the conditions for long-term excellence.
This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own doctor before making changes to your health.
Topics: nervous system regulation | burnout | chronic stress | NHS burnout | neuroscience | calm | overwhelm | digital overload | why we can't switch off | parasympathetic nervous system | high performance | stress response | ancient brain modern world | evolutionary mismatch | polyvagal theory | nervous system reset | cortisol | fight or flight | rest and recovery | mental health | brain health 2026
Dr Shaady's website:https://shaadyharrison.com/
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