Podcast Summary: Kennedy Saves the World – Is Showering In The Dark Worth It?

Host: Kennedy
Guest: Jimmy F.
Date: November 17, 2025

Overview

This episode of Kennedy Saves the World explores the rituals and science behind achieving better sleep, including popular techniques, personal anecdotes, and cultural quirks. Kennedy and her guest Jim dive into strategies like showering in the dark, the Viking breathing technique, and the impact of modern distractions on sleep. The conversation blends humor, practical advice, and relatable experiences.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sleep Struggles and Rituals

[00:00–01:45]

• Both hosts share their ongoing challenges with getting enough quality sleep.

  • Kennedy admits to anxiety if she doesn't get eight hours:

    "If I know I have to be up in like seven and a half, it gives me anxiety and it makes sleep more difficult." (Kennedy, 00:25)

  • Jim jokes about never sleeping:

    "If it makes you feel any better, I have not slept since 1993, okay?" (Jim, 00:21)

• Both agree that a consistent sleep routine is essential but hard to maintain due to work and social obligations.

  • Jim likens sleep to a baseball season—it’s about the overall average:

    "It's like a baseball team. You're not going to go undefeated, but if you can win 98 out of 162, you're getting good sleep." (Jim, 03:37)

2. Alcohol and Sleep Quality

[01:45–02:33]

• Recent conversations with "Mr. Wonderful" inspire Kennedy to avoid alcohol within three hours of bedtime, as it impacts sleep scores negatively.
  • Kennedy shares:

    "One of the habits... he has cultivated, he does not drink alcohol within three hours of going to bed." (Kennedy, 01:56)

  • She mentions sleep trackers and the anxiety they can provoke:

    "One of the new psychological diagnoses is people who are obsessed with their sleep trackers on their watch..." (Kennedy, 02:00)

3. Nighttime Tech & Obsession With Metrics

[02:33–03:18]

• The discussion points to the sometimes misleading information from sleep trackers.
  • Jim reflects:

    "There were probably times where you got better sleep than your watch made you think you did. Or worse." (Jim, 03:09)

  • Both note the value of trusting your own feeling over data.

4. Sleep Techniques and Social Media Trends

[03:44–05:07]

• Kennedy describes trying the "Viking breathing technique" seen on Instagram, designed to engage the parasympathetic nervous system and help fall back asleep.
  • Details of technique: Breathing in for 2 counts, hold 1, out for 8, repeat for 2 minutes.
  • Advice she received:

    "Dina... said, do not look at your watch, because then you're conditioning your brain to wake up at the same time." (Kennedy, 04:26)

  • She feels these hacks can reset the body—but with mixed success.

5. Showering in the Dark

[05:07–05:37]

• Kennedy experiments with a new sleep hack: taking a warm shower in complete darkness before bed.

  • "You go into a dark bathroom and you take a shower, and then you go into a dark bedroom and get in bed... It's supposed to tell your body to shut everything down. And I slept through the night when I did that." (Kennedy, 05:07)

• Jim admits he’s never tried it, but recognizes how darkness helps with hotel naps.

  • "I'll knock out those blinds and all of that... But you can't do the lights completely because you don't want the escort to knock on the door and think you're not there." (Jim, 05:37)

6. Screen Time, TV, and Modern Distractions

[06:00–06:46]

• The hosts discuss how screens and television can ruin sleep quality, advocating for timers and minimizing light.
  • Jim:

    "Looking at your phone before bed... zonks you out nuts. ...You need a timer on your tv." (Jim, 06:04)

  • Kennedy:

    "There's a part of your brain that's still following along with whatever's on tv..." (Kennedy, 06:39)

7. Sleep and Health (Weight, Mind, Youth)

[07:05–07:43]

• Sleep’s importance for weight loss, brain health, and growth (especially in teenagers) is emphasized.
  • Jim:

    "You'll burn more fat, build more muscle mass if you get more sleep... it's absolutely better for your brain just the same." (Jim, 07:07)

  • Kennedy lets her daughters sleep in and believes teen sleep is 'sacred':

    "I let my girls sleep in on the weekends... Their brains are growing. They need to unwind... there was something sacred about teenagers and sleep." (Kennedy, 07:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On sleep tracking obsession:

  "One of the new psychological diagnoses is people who are obsessed with their sleep trackers on their watch."
  (Kennedy, 02:00)

• On alcohol and sleep:

  "He does not drink alcohol within three hours of going to bed."
  (Kennedy, 01:56)

• On good sleep routines:

  "It's like a baseball team... if you can win 98 out of 162, you're getting good sleep."
  (Jim, 03:37)

• On sleep techniques:

  "I tried this Viking thing where you breathe in for two counts, hold it for one, and then you breathe out for eight counts like you're fogging up a window..."
  (Kennedy, 04:39)

• On showering in the dark:

  "And it's supposed to activate the warm water. And the ritual of showering combined with darkness is supposed to tell your body to shut everything down."
  (Kennedy, 05:19)

• On teenagers and sleep:

  "I let my girls sleep in on the weekends... There was something sacred about teenagers and sleep."
  (Kennedy, 07:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:45: Sleep struggles & rituals
• 01:45–02:33: Effects of alcohol, sleep trackers & new habits
• 03:44–05:07: Viking breathing technique, sleep advice hacks
• 05:07–05:37: Showering in the dark experiment results
• 06:04–06:46: TV and screens impact on sleep
• 07:05–07:43: Sleep's connection to health, parenting and routines

Conclusion

Kennedy and Jim deliver a funny, candid exploration of modern sleep woes, fads, and proven strategies—from odd breathing techniques to the benefits of a dark shower. Despite cultural pressures and technological distractions, they agree on the essentials: consistent routines, limiting alcohol intake before bed, and prioritizing rest—especially for developing teens. The episode blends practical wisdom with tongue-in-cheek commentary and bits of irreverent humor, making healthy sleep seem both attainable and worth pursuing.