CAPS LOCK is a podcast designed to help you live bigger, better, louder, and longer. Come back every Sunday at 8 AM ET for new episodes, or watch with video on ...
In this episode, Sam goes on a caffeine deep dive after traumatizing herself with an energy drink on an empty stomach (lol). She explores the physical and mental effects of drinking caffeine, plus how much you should be having, when you should be having it, and what types you should look for. She shares some shocking findings about synthetic caffeine (BAD), as well as the possibility of using caffeine as a preventative tool to protect against Alzheimer's, dementia, and Parkinson's (GOOD).
Listen to this episode if you want to optimize the way you use caffeine, or if you just want to feel and perform better at work or in the gym.
Key moments:
01:10 What inspired this episode
01:45 Sam's mantra about symptoms
02:24 Storytime
10:15 Sam's exact caffeine routine
12:35 What actually...is...caffeine?
13:13 The difference between natural and artificial caffeine
14:01 How natural caffeine is processed for consumption (also fun nerd moment!)
15:41 How synthetic caffeine is made (INSANE)
16:51 Craziest thing Sam has ever heard about caffeine
17:25 Somehow it gets worse
19:25 What does caffeine do in your body?
20:00 Caffeine and the brain
20:15 How caffeine impacts your sleep
21:50 How caffeine impacts your cognition
22:53 Yerkes-Dodson law broken down (important)
23:56 How caffeine impacts your memory
25:30 Caffeine and your mental health
25:44 Caffeine and anxiety
26:35 How caffeine affects your emotional state
27:14 Caffeine and depression (unexpected)
28:21 Long-term impacts of caffeine on your brain
28:28 Caffeine’s role in preventing Alzheimer’s and dementia (this is bananas)
29:55 Caffeine’s role in preventing Parkinson’s
31:10 The short-term physical effects of caffeine on your body
32:07 Caffeine overdose
32:20 How caffeine helps us in exercise/at the gym
33:26 The long-term physical effects of caffeine on your body
34:39 The most popular caffeinated products and their pros/cons
34:47 The benefits of drinking coffee (and the best way to drink it)
35:55 The benefits of drinking tea (and what kind is best)
36:57 The truth about energy drinks
39:03 Caffeine pills
39:49 Yerbamate
40:56 Can you become addicted to caffeine?
42:24 Upcoming episode topics
Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!
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50:18
How to Become a Morning Person
In this episode, Sam (who has been a night owl her entire life) explains why she decided to try being a morning person, how she fell in love with it, and why being a morning person is kind of amazing. Then, she offers 20 tips, strategies, and life hacks for making yourself a morning person when you're not naturally inclined.
Listen to this episode if you want to start waking up earlier, develop healthier habits, stop staying up too late, and feel less tired throughout the day.
Key moments:
00:35 Some quick pod updates
02:13 Small but exciting CAPS LOCK milestones!
02:45 Prenuvo scan updates and $300 discount code
04:56 An amazing motivational quote
05:38 Intro to becoming a morning person
06:40 Sam’s morning person origin story
14:10 Sam’s wellness routine in 2025
15:41 Is being a morning person genetic?
17:23 Why is it better to be a morning person?
22:51 Sam’s experience becoming a morning person
28:09 The only drawback so far
28:48 Potential future episode topic? DM me your thoughts!
33:25 20 tips for becoming a morning person!
33:52 What is circadian rhythm?
35:43 The real reason blue light is bad for you
37:53 Sam makes a confession lol
40:04 2 things to do immediately when you wake up
42:43 A funny tip but one of the most motivating ones
44:09 Sam shares a surprising fact about caffeine
46:24 One of Sam’s favorite productivity life hacks
48:27 Hilarious morning person tip that Sam invented
50:07 Sam’s hot take on a common morning person tip
51:19 Sam’s exact sleep schedule for 2025
56:09 How what (and when) you eat affects your sleep
59:14 Sam spits absolute bars
Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!
Follow along:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifeincapslock
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lifeincapslock
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@lifeincapslock
Threads: www.threads.net/@lifeincapslock
$300 off your full-body Prenuvo scan: www.prenuvo.com/SAMANTHAFEHER
Resources for this episode can be found here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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1:09:01
Aliza Kelly: How Astrology Impacts Your Life at Different Ages
In this episode, Sam meets with celebrity astrologer Aliza Kelly. They discuss astrology for skeptics, what's going on in the stars right now (plus what it means for us all), and how the stars impact you at all different times throughout your life.
Listen to this episode if you're not sure you believe in astrology, if you want to learn how to better understand and apply it to your life, or if you want to know more about the astrological significance of different times in your life.
Key moments:
04:30 For people who don’t believe in astrology...
05:05 A shocking fact about astrology
11:55 The surprisingly short history of psychology and mental health
12:49 The biggest misconceptions about astrology
14:17 Why Aliza became an astrologer
19:04 How to use astrology as a tool and apply it to your life
19:53 Astrology and manifestation
21:54 Astrology as a wellness practice
24:45 Turning your passion into a business
28:00 What’s going on in the stars right now
28:33 Jupiter in Gemini and what it means for us
31:03 What Jupiter in Gemini did to Sam in 2024 lol
36:04 When your Saturn return really happens (it's not when you think)
37:15 Misconceptions about Saturn return
37:36 Astrological events we all experience (and when we'll experience them)
38:01 Why your late 20s are such an important time
38:55 What is your progressed lunar return? (Lesser known but important)
41:05 What is your nodal opposition? (Lesser known but important)
43:28 What does Saturn return mean for you?
45:53 This VERY popular astrology app is a scam
48:17 What apps you should use instead of that one
49:06 How to interpret your own chart
Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!
Follow along:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifeincapslock
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lifeincapslock
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@lifeincapslock
Threads: www.threads.net/@lifeincapslock
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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59:56
Doomscrolling Is Killing You: How to Reduce Your Screen Time
In this episode, Sam gets a wake-up call about her social media habits, and explores how (and why) Big Social gets and keeps our attention. Then, she explores the impacts of social media on our mental and physical health, as well as our interpersonal relationships.
In the second half of the episode, Sam outlines 10 actionable strategies for reducing your screen time and changing your social media habits.
Key moments:
00:34 Sam reveals her alarming amount of screen time
01:30 How much of the year we spend looking at screens
02:39 How did we get here?
03:14 How and why social media are designed to keep us online
05:32 The impact of social media on our mental health
06:59 Find out if you have a social media addiction
07:34 Harvard study that explains social media addiction perfectly
09:30 The impact of social media on our physical health
10:02 How social media is causing major diseases
10:56 The impact of social media on our relationships
12:52 So now what?
13:39 10 strategies to stop doomscrolling
14:39 The location of your apps matters
16:32 The role of color
18:09 What you should be doing right before bed
19:49 Stop doing this with your phone (we all do it)
21:31 A good in-app hack
22:31 Can you do this anti-screen exercise?
24:43 Change this setting right now
26:40 Two types of goals you can set to help reduce screen time
28:46 The surprising way your calendar app can help
30:14 Anti-screen hard mode (self-reflection required)
32:45 Sam's biggest pet peeve
33:28 How to find the underlying reason why you're scrolling
Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!
Follow along:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifeincapslock
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lifeincapslock
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@lifeincapslock
Threads: www.threads.net/@lifeincapslock
Resources for this episode can be found here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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43:16
Why and How I Stopped Drinking: My Sober Curious Journey
In this episode, Sam gets vulnerable about a scary experience she had while drinking, and how it compelled her to examine her relationship with alcohol more closely. You'll learn some key statistics about the physical impacts of alcohol consumption, some science-backed info about the emotional toll it takes on you, and strategies for staying sober in the face of peer pressure and temptation.
Listen to this episode if you're considering taking a break from alcohol, if you're already sober and seek connection through it, or if you're just interested in Sam's journey.
Key moments:
03:15 How much alcohol is safe for human consumption
03:42 Physical impacts of alcohol consumption
04:25 Are you binge drinking? Find out here
05:15 Defining excessive alcohol consumption
07:56 Emotional impact of alcohol consumption
08:39 Sam's relationship with alcohol
10:51 Trigger warning and Sam tells a vulnerable story
17:41 Emotional suppression origin story
22:21 Why and how alcohol causes anxiety
24:06 Why your sober curious journey isn't sticking
25:27 How going sober has changed Sam's life
27:10 Tips for staying sober in the face of peer pressure and temptation
34:37 Upcoming CAPS LOCK episodes
Thanks for listening! New episodes are released every Sunday at 8 AM EST, so if you liked this episode, subscribe or follow to get notified about the next one. And please leave me a rating or review, so I can continue to improve the show. Talk soon!
Follow along:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lifeincapslock
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@lifeincapslock
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@lifeincapslock
Threads: www.threads.net/@lifeincapslock
Join WHOOP.
Resources for this episode can be found here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
CAPS LOCK is a podcast designed to help you live bigger, better, louder, and longer. Come back every Sunday at 8 AM ET for new episodes, or watch with video on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads: @lifeincapslock.
Canada - english