{"podcast":{"title":"First Principles","slug":"first-principles-7708985","podcast_index_feed_id":7708985,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN4765221373","website_url":null,"image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/06eebd2a-0779-11f1-826e-37926ac18342/image/fca7c8febd1441fc3b0d54084418b06d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Adrian Wells","episode_count":426,"summary":"First Principles isn't another business podcast recycling the same startup stories. Adrian Wells takes the fundamentals that actually matter and breaks them down like you're having coffee with the smartest professor you ever had. Wells spent twelve years teaching philosophy and critical thinking before ditching the lecture hall for the microphone. Turns out, the same principles that help you think clearly about ancient Greek ethics also work pretty well for modern business decisions. Who knew? Every episode strips away the latest trends and buzzwords to focus on the core ideas that don't change. How to actually evaluate evidence when everyone's throwing around statistics. Why most \"revolutionary\" business advice is just old wine in new bottles. The thinking patterns that separate smart decisions from lucky guesses. You won't get hyped-up success stories or flavor-of-the-month strategies. Instead, you'll learn how to think through problems the way philosophers have for centuries, applied to the stuff that matters in your work and life right now. Multiple new episodes drop daily, so there's always something fresh when you need it. Follow now if you're ready to think better, not just…","last_synced_at":"2026-09-20T02:18:54.580675+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985"},"episode":{"title":"The Sleep Scientist Who Makes Insomniacs Stay Awake (Then Cures Them)","slug":"the-sleep-scientist-who-makes-insomniacs-stay-awake-then-cures-them","published_at":"2026-09-10T01:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/the-sleep-scientist-who-makes-insomniacs-stay-awake-then-cures-them","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN8505857919.mp3?updated=1776258451","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/PODAGEN8505857919.mp3?updated=1776258451","summary":"What if the cure for insomnia involves staying awake even longer? Adrian Wells explores the counterintuitive world of sleep restriction therapy, where scientists deliberately make chronic insomniacs spend less time in bed to fix their broken sleep patterns. It sounds brutal, but the results speak for themselves. 🎯 What You'll Learn: • Why sleep restriction therapy has a 70-80% success rate for chronic insomnia (better than most medications) • How your brain clears toxins 60% faster during deep sleep using a newly discovered system called the glymphatic network • The adenosine buildup trick that explains why you feel tired and how insomniacs accidentally train their brains to stay alert in bed • Why spending 9-10 hours in bed but only sleeping 5-6 hours creates a vicious cycle that keeps you awake 👤 Perfect for: lifelong learners and anyone who's ever stared at the ceiling wondering why their brain won't shut off, plus anyone curious about how extreme scientific methods sometimes work better than gentle approaches. 📍 Chapters: [00:00] Adrian Wells introduces the sleep scientist's painful paradox [01:45] Sleep restriction therapy: making insomnia worse to make it better [04:15] The glymphatic system: your brain's nighttime cleaning crew [07:30] Adenosine buildup and why tired doesn't always mean sleepy [09:45] Sleep efficiency: the 85% rule that changes everything [11:30] Key takeaways you can use tonight (carefully) 🔔 Never miss an episode: Follow First Principles on your podcast app and turn on notifications. New episodes drop daily, your next favorite insight is one tap away. 🔍 Topics: sleep science, insomnia treatment, sleep restriction therapy, glymphatic system, adenosine buildup Find all episodes at First Principles -------------- Keywords: anxiety management, bus…","meta_description":"What if the cure for insomnia involves staying awake even longer? Adrian Wells explores the counterintuitive world of sleep restriction therapy, where sci…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1963,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/first-principles-7708985/episodes/the-sleep-scientist-who-makes-insomniacs-stay-awake-then-cures-them/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/first-principles-7708985/the-sleep-scientist-who-makes-insomniacs-stay-awake-then-cures-them.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}