In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Audrey Duarte, a cognitive neuroscientist and Professor of Psychology at UT Austin. Dr. Duarte leads the Memory and Aging Lab, where she studies how memory changes with age - and why some people maintain better memory and brain health than others. Her research also examines how factors like sleep, mood, and social stress influence memory across the adult lifespan, with a particular focus on racial and ethnically diverse populations. We talk about the importance of sleep in cognitive aging, how consistent rest supports memory, and how environmental and psychosocial factors, like discrimination and depression, can impact memory and brain health. Join us as we explore the neural and social factors that shape our memory.