How To Train Your Brain Like A Muscle: Mental Fitness SECRETS (& A Headband That Makes You Smarter!) with Ariel Garten of Muse

Ben Greenfield

Nov 27, 2025

Episode description

 Full Shownotes: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/podcast/athena/ 

My guest on this podcast is Ariel Garten, the founder of InteraXon, maker of Muse. Ariel studied neuroscience at the University of Toronto and worked in labs at Toronto’s Krembil Neuroscience Centre, researching Parkinson’s disease and hippocampal neurogenesis. No mere science nerd, Ariel is a fashion designer whose clothing opened Toronto Fashion Week in 2003 and has had her work displayed at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Ariel’s distinctive combination of science and art is integral to the design of Muse and to InteraXon’s unique approach to brain sensing technology.

As a neuroscientist and former psychotherapist, Ariel Garten witnessed firsthand the struggles many face with mental health and the search for effective, accessible solutions. Inspired to make a real difference, she channeled her expertise into co-founding Muse, a healthtech startup aimed at revolutionizing brain health through technology.

Episode Sponsors: 

BiOptimizers Holiday Offer: Trust me when I say this – you won't find a better Black Friday deal anywhere else, not even on the mighty Amazon. The biggest discount you can get and amazing gifts with purchase are available only on my page bioptimizers.com/ben with code BEN15.

BON CHARGE: BON CHARGE is a holistic wellness brand with a wide range of products that naturally address the issues of modern life. Their products can help you sleep better, perform better, recover faster, balance hormones, reduce inflammation, and so much more. Go to boncharge.com/GREENFIELD and use coupon code GREENFIELD to save 15%.

Organifi Shilajit Gummies: Harness the ancient power of pure Himalayan Shilajit anytime you want with these convenient and tasty gummies. Get them now for 20% off at organifi.com/Ben.

LMNT: Everyone needs electrolytes, especially those on low-carb diets, who practice intermittent or extended fasting, are physically active, or sweat a lot. Go to DrinkLMNT.com/BenGreenfield to get a free sample pack with your purchase!

Quantum Upgrade: Recent research has rev

Episode description

 Full Shownotes: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/podcast/athena/ 

My guest on this podcast is Ariel Garten, the founder of InteraXon, maker of Muse. Ariel studied neuroscience at the University of Toronto and worked in labs at Toronto’s Krembil Neuroscience Centre, researching Parkinson’s disease and hippocampal neurogenesis. No mere science nerd, Ariel is a fashion designer whose clothing opened Toronto Fashion Week in 2003 and has had her work displayed at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Ariel’s distinctive combination of science and art is integral to the design of Muse and to InteraXon’s unique approach to brain sensing technology.

As a neuroscientist and former psychotherapist, Ariel Garten witnessed firsthand the struggles many face with mental health and the search for effective, accessible solutions. Inspired to make a real difference, she channeled her expertise into co-founding Muse, a healthtech startup aimed at revolutionizing brain health through technology.

Episode Sponsors: 

BiOptimizers Holiday Offer: Trust me when I say this – you won't find a better Black Friday deal anywhere else, not even on the mighty Amazon. The biggest discount you can get and amazing gifts with purchase are available only on my page bioptimizers.com/ben with code BEN15.

BON CHARGE: BON CHARGE is a holistic wellness brand with a wide range of products that naturally address the issues of modern life. Their products can help you sleep better, perform better, recover faster, balance hormones, reduce inflammation, and so much more. Go to boncharge.com/GREENFIELD and use coupon code GREENFIELD to save 15%.

Organifi Shilajit Gummies: Harness the ancient power of pure Himalayan Shilajit anytime you want with these convenient and tasty gummies. Get them now for 20% off at organifi.com/Ben.

LMNT: Everyone needs electrolytes, especially those on low-carb diets, who practice intermittent or extended fasting, are physically active, or sweat a lot. Go to DrinkLMNT.com/BenGreenfield to get a free sample pack with your purchase!

Quantum Upgrade: Recent research has rev

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Utilize Muse for five minutes daily to reduce burnout

A Mayo Clinic study found that doctors using Muse for an average of just over five minutes a day experienced a 54% reduction in burnout, along with improved cognition and sleep.

Listen to your heart to reduce stress

The heart meditation feature makes your heart's rhythm audible, training your interoception (internal awareness), which is negatively correlated with stress.

Train your brain to enhance oxygen delivery

The Muse Athena device uses FNIRS technology to let you actively train and increase oxygen delivery to your prefrontal cortex, similar to doing a targeted exercise for your brain.

Utilize Muse headband for precise sleep tracking

By measuring EEG brainwaves directly, the Muse headband provides more accurate sleep stage data, particularly for deep sleep, than wrist or finger-based trackers which only use proxies like HRV.

Enhance deep sleep with timed audio cues

An upcoming Muse feature will amplify your delta waves by delivering precisely timed audio sounds during deep sleep, helping to deepen and lengthen this restorative sleep phase.

Utilize Muse as digital sleeping pill for better sleep

The Muse can act as a 'digital sleeping pill' by tracking your brainwaves and automatically adjusting the volume of a story to guide you into sleep and help you fall back asleep if you wake up.

Meditate to clear brain plaque and combat cognitive decline

According to research from Dr. Dave Vago, meditation can help clear amyloid-beta plaques from the brain, which are associated with cognitive decline.

Utilize Gluten Guardian to effectively digest gluten

The host recommends a product called Gluten Guardian, which contains the enzyme Dicoptidyl Peptidase, to break down gluten effectively.

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© Mindsip 2025 – Made with ❤ in Vilnius

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© Mindsip 2025 – Made with ❤ in Vilnius