Hello Everyone, and welcome to another edition of Privacy Tips, the sister podcast of Stupid Sexy Privacy.
I’m your host, BJ Mendelson
Today’s show is made possible by our friends at DuckDuckGo.
So if you enjoy what we do, check out their DuckDuckGo Subscription. It comes with a simple and easy-to-use VPN, identity theft protection, data removal service, and more.
Additional information can be found at DuckDuckGo.com slash subscribe
Some features and offerings will vary based on your location.
Now, my friends …

//
Last week, I gave you some tips on how to get a good night’s sleep. Those were:
-Get eight hours of sleep. (Although it's actually between 6.5-7.4 hours, depending on your age).
-Don't use any device with a screen, eat, or exercise three hours before bed.
-And keep the same bedtime no matter what day it is. Even on the weekend.
You’ve heard that all before, right?
Good. Here are eight more, and I’ll tell you why I’m sharing all of this in just a moment.
-Set your room to 60-68 degrees to fall asleep faster.
-Don't use Melatonin, or other sleep aids, without first speaking to a medical professional.
-Don't take naps, and if you do, no nap should be longer than 45 minutes.
-Get more sunlight before noon if you can.
-Conversely, If the sun is setting, go see the sunset. Not only is it beautiful, but it also sends a signal to your brain to start winding down.
-No caffeine after 2 pm.
-Get up earlier in the day if you can.
-Read fiction before bed.
-And lastly, exercise in the morning,
All of this advice comes from medical professionals.
If someone doesn't have an M.D. or a Ph.D. next to their name, and they're giving you health advice?
You should run as fast as you can in the other direction.

But. That’s not why I’m sharing all this. So listen closely …

I've always had heart issues. One of them involves sleep. Basically, I'm fine during the day, but when I'm trying to sleep, that's when my heart acts up.
So all the advice I just gave you? I do it, but it doesn't always work.
Why? Because it's rare that you'll read, or hear advice that works for you as much as it works for someone else.
You may not have heart issues, for example.
But the odds are good you have something specific in your life that disrupts your sleep.
Whether it's that you experience anxiety about your lack of sleep (which thus makes it harder to actually sleep), or that you have diagnosed sleep apnea, or you're taking medication that makes it harder to sleep ...
You get the point. Everyone’s different.
But I do follow all of this sleep advice anyway because I deal in probabilities.
The probability for me falling asleep at night is higher when I do these things, as opposed to not doing them.
So why am I telling you this?
Because this is our first episode about misinformation and disinformation on the Internet.
Misinformation, is when someone shares an idea or belief that’s incorrect. For example, the New York Times once published an editorial back in 1920 calling the concept of space travel absurd.
Disinformation, is when someone intentionally shares an idea or belief that’s incorrect, usually in order to influence you. So, for example, Fox News paid Dominion Voting Systems $787M in 2023, for repeatedly and intentionally peddling conspiracy theories about Dominion’s voting machines.
Got the difference? Misinformation is accidental. Disinformation is not.

And I want to make one quick point: Don't assume you have a condition — like say insomnia or sleep anxiety — just because you heard something about it online, and think you have all the symptoms.
You might have it!
But you also might not!
The key is to always, always, always consult with a professional.
Now, I know. The Federal government is making it hard for people to access quality medical care.
The cost of health insurance, in general, is also further and further out of reach for most Americans.
And those health insurance companies make money by denying you care, not by providing it.
For example, an option sleep experts agree on is that, because everyone is different, visiting a sleep clinic is the best option to figuring out what you specifically need to do in order to get more sleep.
But not everyone can afford to go to a clinic.
And not everyone has insurance that will cover such a visit.
When it comes to the health insurance situation in America, this is not your fault.
And we can fix it. That starts with all of us demanding our elected officials on the federal level expand Medicare coverage for all who want to opt-in to it, and to expand Medicaid coverage for every child and teenager under 18.
For now, let's focus though : Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. Especially when it comes to medical advice.
Whenever someone does give you advice, you should always check out who they are, and what their qualifications are.
I know this sounds basic, but we consume information so quickly, that it's easy not to stop and say, "Where is this coming from?"
Getting people to stop and ask that question is easier said than done.
So the basics matter, and so does your sleep. So try to get as much of it as you can.

//
Today’s episode of Privacy Tips was recorded in Hollywood, California, and is sponsored by DuckDuckGo.
It was written, produced, and hosted by me. B.J. Mendelson.
Before we go, I want to give a shout-out to the production team at Stupid Sexy Privacy, which includes Andrew VanVoorhis, Rosie Tran, and Amanda King.
And, of course, our friends at DuckDuckGo.
If you enjoyed today’s show, we hope you’ll take a moment to leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you may be listening.
This won’t take more than two minutes of your time.
You see, we have this crazy goal, and we need your help to achieve it.
We want 5% of Americans to be 1% better at protecting themselves from fascists and weirdos.
Leaving us a review can help make that happen.
That’s because your reviews will help other people find this show.
So, please take a moment to leave us a review, and we'll see you next time on Privacy Tips.