“Why am I always tired?” — even when you’ve had a full night’s sleep?

If you’re constantly exhausted, struggling with low energy, or feeling “tired and wired”, you’re not alone. And it might not be a sleep problem at all.

In this episode of The Gen X/Z Exchange, Chris and Lily unpack why so many of us feel permanently drained — across both generations — and why the usual advice about sleep hygiene only scratches the surface.

Drawing on personal experience, sleep science and the realities of modern life, they explore what’s really going on beneath the surface — from stress and overstimulation to how we’re structuring our days.

You’ll learn:

• Why you can feel tired even after getting enough sleep
• The difference between sleep debt and sleep pressure (and why it matters)
• How stress hormones like cortisol keep you “tired and wired”
• Why screens, alcohol and caffeine quietly disrupt your sleep quality
• The surprising role of deep sleep in long-term brain health and dementia prevention
• Why modern life is leaving us mentally exhausted but physically under-recovered
• How to design your day to naturally improve energy and sleep

Chris and Lily also share practical ways to regain energy — from building real recovery time into your day to managing stress and creating routines that actually work in a busy, always-on world.

Listen in and you’ll discover that constant tiredness isn’t just about sleep — it’s a signal about how you’re living.

Hit play now to start designing a life that gives you energy back.

If you enjoy this episode, you might also want to dive into our episode on overcoming procrastination from 5th Nov 2025 or life design from 22nd Apr 2026.

0.52 Why are we all feeling tired all the time?

1.48 What do we mean by tiredness?

2.36 The basics of sleep

4.26 Sleep debt

5.15 The physiology of sleep - hormones and chemicals

8.30 Sleep and your long-term brain health

11.39 The effect of perimenopause & menopause on sleep

14.56 The hidden causes of constant tiredness

18.36 Why your tiredness is about your daytime, not just bedtime

19.39 Fatigue with modern life

20.40 The first of 3 things you can do to overcome being tired all the time

21.43 Sleep debt versus sleep pressure

25.15 The second thing we can do to overcome tiredness

28.47 the third thing to address constant fatigue

34.24 Things you can do this week to improve your energy levels

35.03 Our takeaways

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/

What should you do with your life - when there’s no clear path to follow?

Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your direction later in life, figuring out what comes next can feel overwhelming - especially when traditional career paths no longer seem to fit.

In this episode of The Gen X/Z Exchange, we're joined by Charlie Rogers, author of Undefinable Life Design, to explore a different way of thinking about careers, purpose and progression.

Charlie introduces the idea of the “Undefinable Ascent” - a more flexible, personalised approach to building a life and career that doesn’t follow a conventional path, but still leads to meaningful and sustainable success.

You’ll learn:

• How to figure out what you want to do with your life - at any age
• Why traditional career paths don’t work for everyone anymore
• How to find a 'good enough' job when you’re starting out
• What it means to develop a Signature Expression that AI can’t replace
• How to combine your skills and interests in the 'Semi-professional zone'
• How to avoid comparing yourself to others on more conventional career paths
• Ideas to rethink your direction without blowing up the life you’ve already built

We also reflect on how Charlie’s framework applies across generations - from figuring things out in your 20s to redefining what comes next in your 40s or 50s - and we share our own ideas on our 'golden threads' and next steps.

Listen in and you’ll discover a more flexible, realistic way to think about your career - one that works with who you are, not against it.

Hit play now and start designing a life that actually fits.

Contact Charlie here:

https://www.undefinablelifedesign.com/

Buy the book here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/undefinable-life-design-unique-sustains/dp/1919392300/

0.49 Introduction to Charlie

3.00 What is an 'Undefinable'?

3.43 The Undefinable Ascent explained

9.30 Mapping your interests

12.10 Finding a 'good enough' job to start with

16.58 How to develop your Signature Expression that AI can't replace

18.15 The semi-professional zone and how to combine your strengths in unique ways

19.50 Parallels between people in the 20s and 40s/50s

21.21 How to stop comparing yourself to others taking a more conventional route

25.45 How to break out of the conventional career ladder without blowing everything up

29.19 The Energy Toolkit: managing your energy - do you need a holiday or a midlife rethink?

31.33 How to combine your skills in the semi-professional zone

34.22 Your Golden Thread

35.03 Choosing your next mountain

39.30 Charlie asks us what we think our Golden Threads are

41.55 The importance of having someone to work with on your ascent

42.50 Contacting Charlie and getting the book

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/

Do you ever say yes when you mean no — just to avoid awkwardness, conflict, or disappointing someone?

If so, you’re not alone. People pleasing is far more common than we think — and it can shape our work, relationships and sense of self.

In this episode of The Gen X/Z Exchange, we unpack our own experiences of people pleasing, why it happens, and what it’s really costing us when we constantly prioritise others over ourselves.

Together, we explore how social conditioning, fear of confrontation and the desire to be liked can lead us to overcommit, over-explain and ignore our own needs — often without even realising it.

You’ll learn:

• What people pleasing really is — and why so many of us fall into it
• Why fear of being seen as “difficult” keeps us stuck saying yes
• How social conditioning (especially for women) shapes this behaviour
• The hidden cost of overcommitting and ignoring your own needs
• How to say no at work and in life without feeling guilty
• Why over-explaining undermines your boundaries — and what to say instead
• Practical ways to set healthier boundaries without coming across as uncaring

We also challenge each other to change our own behaviour — sharing simple, realistic ways to become more intentional with your “yes” and more confident with your “no”.

Listen in and you’ll discover how to stop defaulting to people pleasing, start setting boundaries, and make choices that work for you as well as everyone else.

Hit play now and take the first step towards saying what you really mean.

1.00 Our own experience with people pleasing

2.24 A definition

2.55 How many of us in the UK say we're people pleasers

3.35 Why our fear of confrontation should not be perceived as being difficult

3.47 social conditioning for women and more stats on why we should be comfortable setting boundaries

5.28 The impact of saying yes when we mean no

6.00 How the problems arise

9.55 Giving yourself breathing space

10.55 Things we can do to change our behaviour

13.55 How to say no at work

16.54 How to stop over-explaining

18.15 Setting healthy boundaries without coming across as a flake or uncaring

20.00 How to be more intentional with your yes's

20.34 Challenging each other to get better at this

24.40 Our takeaways

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/

Why do teenagers take risks with alcohol and drugs - even when they know the dangers? And how do you talk to them about it without shutting them down or pushing them away?

In this episode we're joined by Diana Hu McDowell, founder of East West Prevention, to explore how parents and young people can navigate one of the most difficult conversations in modern life.

Drawing on her own journey and years of experience in prevention and recovery, Diana explains why teenagers are drawn to risk-taking behaviours, the role dopamine plays, and how today’s pressures - from social environments to wider culture - shape those choices.

You’ll learn:

• Why teenagers are more vulnerable to addictive behaviours than we might think
• The early warning signs that drinking or drug use may be escalating
• How to talk to teenagers about alcohol and drugs without triggering shutdown or secrecy
• Why “no questions asked” policies can build trust between parents and teens
• The risks of vaping, marijuana use and so-called 'legal highs'
• How harm reduction approaches can keep young people safer in real-world situations

We also explore how attitudes have shifted since 80s anti-drug campaigns, whether prevention initiatives at festivals help or hinder, and why addiction should be understood as a health issue rather than a personal failure.

Listen in and you’ll discover how to have better conversations, build trust, and help young people make safer choices - without cutting them off from the world they’re growing up in.

Hit play now and start the conversation that really matters.

Contact Diana:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-hu-mcdowell/

https://www.eastwestprevention.com/

If this episode resonates, you might also find our conversations on social media and teenagers and friendship and peer pressure helpful.

1.48 Diana's story

5.15 Diana's recovery

6.44 Why teenagers are drawn to addictive behaviour

8.01 The biggest pressures young people are facing today

9.57 80s anti-drugs campaigns and how the perception they created differed from reality

12.40 Early warning signs of things escalating

17.10 How parents can start the conversation with teenagers without them shutting down

19.08 Tips for parents to avoid overreacting

25.35 How the 'No questions asked' policy can work to build trust

27.15 Legal highs - how safe are they?

30.35 The consequences and risks of vaping and marijuana use

34.54 Are prevention initiatives at festivals encouraging certain behaviours or helping reduce harm?

37.19 Diana's successes with prevention and early intervention

39.20 Framing addiction as a health issue not a personal failure

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/

Why does it feel like there are fewer places to meet people, spend time together, or just belong in your community? And what happens to society when those spaces disappear?

In this episode of The Gen X/Z Exchange, we explore the idea of 'third places' - the pubs, youth clubs, community halls, sports clubs and local spaces that sit between home and work and help communities thrive.

Across the UK, many of these places are disappearing. Pubs are closing at record rates, youth services have been cut back, and many towns are struggling to maintain the spaces that once brought people together. But there are also inspiring examples showing what’s possible when communities come together.

We look at why third places matter for people of all generations - and why their loss may be affecting young people especially.

You’ll learn:

• What we mean by the 3rd place and why these spaces matter so much
• Why UK pubs, youth clubs and community spaces are disappearing
• The impact of losing third places on young people and community life
• Inspiring UK examples of communities rebuilding local spaces
• How schools, sport and shared projects can create new gathering places
• What ideas like fourth places and fifth places might mean for the future

Listen in and you’ll discover why the spaces where we gather matter more than we realise - and the one simple thing everyone can do to help keep their local third places alive.

If this conversation resonates, you might also enjoy our episodes on friendship in modern life and why social drinking is changing, which both touch on the same question: where do we actually connect with other people today?

Hit play and join the conversation.

1.23 The rate of pub closures across the UK

2.10 Youth Services cuts 2010-2024

2.55 Defining Third Places

4.38 Why are they struggling?

10.28 How schools can offer 3rd places for young people

11.50 Why a lack of places is problematic for young people

13.40 Examples of what's possible: Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams

16.48 DIY SOS Big Builds

17.20 Pride in Place and Community Right to Buy

19.04 Newton Aycliffe's Woolworths Model

22.24 The 4th Place - how to regenerate urban areas with more affordable housing

23.55 The 5th Place - combined areas that can be quarantined

25.32 One thing you can do to support your community spaces

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/

Is AI replacing jobs before young people even get started - and pushing experienced workers out before they’re ready to finish? And if the old advice to “work harder” no longer works, what does a secure career actually look like now?

In this episode, we’re joined by Maureen Wiley Clough, creator of the ‘It Gets Late Early’ podcast and newsletter, to unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping careers at both ends of working life.

Together, we explore the uncomfortable truth that ageism affects every generation - from Gen Z struggling to access entry-level roles increasingly automated by AI, to Gen X professionals finding themselves displaced and unable to re-enter the workforce. Maureen reveals companies' real motives behind the ‘AI-washing’ we’re seeing, the myths that keep people feeling stuck, and what Gen X and Gen Z can do to keep their careers moving.

You’ll learn:

• Whether AI is really eliminating entry-level jobs - and what replaces them
• How ageism shows up in hiring (and how to respond to it)
• Why traditional career advice may no longer apply in the age of AI
• The skills and mindset becoming more valuable right now
• Whether everyone needs a side hustle - or a different way of thinking about work

We also explore how Gen X and Gen Z can support each other through uncertainty, what holds older workers back from career change, and one powerful piece of advice for those just starting out - and those worried they’re being pushed aside.

Listen in and you’ll discover how to navigate a working world where careers may last longer, change faster, and require reinvention more than ever before.

Hit play now and rethink what “job security” really means in the age of AI.

How to connect with Maureen:

https://www.itgetslateearly.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenwclough/

https://www.instagram.com/maureenwclough

https://www.tiktok.com/@maureenwclough

https://www.youtube.com/@itgetslateearly

1.58 Intro to Maureen and her role in The Gen X/Z Exchange starting

3.10 How ageism affects every generation

8.28 Will AI replace entry-level jobs before Gen Z get started?

13.27 Why mentoring should work both ways

14.22 Why Gen X is being displaced and can’t get back into the workforce

19.08 Coded language concealing ageism and how to respond to it

23.04 Does conventional career advice to work harder to keep your job still hold true?

26.29 The side hustle - should we all have one?

31.10 Myths holding people back and thinking that it’s too late to change

33.18 What skills and mindset are becoming more valuable right now

36.56 Maureen’s one piece of advice for someone starting out and someone afraid of being pushed out

38.07 How to connect with Maureen

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/

Should social media be banned for under-16s in the UK - and what can we learn from Australia? Do phone-free schools actually work, or do they just push problems underground?

In this episode, we’re joined by Amit Singh Kalley - leading commentator on this topic and the creator of the viral Periodic Table of Emojis. Amit helps us explore one of the most urgent debates facing parents, schools, and policymakers.

Amit shares how he keeps up with the fast-changing language of teens, and why adults still underestimate the pressure young people face online. Drawing on his experience as a Deputy Headteacher who banned phones at his school, he unpacks what actually works - and what doesn't.

You’ll learn:

• The four questions Amit believes parents should ask their children every day
• What phone-free schools can achieve
• How to rebuild trust when phones have created a wall between parents and children
  
  

We look at some of the research in Jonathan Haidt’s book ‘The Anxious Generation’ and look at the very real risks like grooming and sextortion. We discuss the peer pressure between parents as well as teens, whether gaming platforms should be included in a ban, and how Gen Z may one day look back on being handed smartphones so young.

Listen in and you’ll discover what good conversations about social media actually sound like - and how parents and teens can walk the digital path together, instead of pulling in opposite directions.

Hit play now and join the conversation we can’t afford to avoid.

How to contact Amit:

https://forworkingparents.com/

https://www.instagram.com/forworkingparents/

https://www.tiktok.com/@forworkingparents

https://www.facebook.com/forworkingparents

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amitsinghkalley

1.00 Intro to Amit

2.05 The idea for the Periodic Table of Emojis

3.40 Keeping up-to-date with how teens communicate

5.14 What are adults still not getting about social media?

7.35 The wall built between parents and children and how to break it down

8.48 The 4 questions to ask your children every day about their online experience

11.07 ‘The Anxious Generation’ and the accidental phone-based childhood

12.12 Amit’s experience of banning phones at school and the results

14.37 Lily’s experience of having phones in school

17.04 The language of the social media ban

18.20 How Gen Z will look back on being given phones & social media

19.35 The dangers of access for young people - grooming and sextortion

23.55 Can we hold the social media companies to account?

28.14 Would a ban work?

30.52 Reports on the changes in Australia so far

32.22 How it could be implemented in the UK and will we do it?

37.45 How to have a good conversation about social media between parents and teens

41.14 Should we ban gaming platforms too?

43.49 How teens might react to losing social media access, how to make

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/

Ever wondered why your CV isn’t getting responses - or how you’re supposed to stand out when everyone’s following completely different advice? Should you write for AI screening, recruiters, or hiring managers… and can you do all three at once?

In this episode we're joined by Carl Scutt, the UK’s only certified Career Storyteller, to cut through the confusion and explain what actually works in today’s job market.

Carl shares how he got started, why so many CVs fail, and how to build a compelling CV whether you’re just starting out with limited experience or reshaping a long career to stay relevant. From accomplishment statements and keyword matching to career pivots, CV gaps, and whether gimmicks really help - this episode is about clarity, confidence, and telling the right story.

You’ll learn:

• How to write a strong CV when you’re early in your career (and what else counts)
• How to shape accomplishment statements - even if you haven’t done the job before
• How to tailor your CV for each role without rewriting it from scratch
• How to position a long career history, handle gaps, or pivot into something new
• How to write a CV for humans and AI - and the three audiences you must satisfy

Whether you’re applying for your first role, feeling stuck mid-career, or trying to future-proof your experience, listen in and you’ll discover how to stop guessing - and start telling a career story that gets noticed.

Hit play now and make your CV work harder for you.

Connect with Carl:

https://www.yourcareerstory.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-scutt/

2.05 Intro to Carl

3.20How Carl got started

5.08 Challenges with CVs in the current market

6.20 How to build a strong CV when you're starting out

8.40 What else to include when you're starting out (hobbies, interests, etc)

10.27 How to form accomplishment statements if you've not done the job you're applying for before

11.08 How to think about accomplishment statements

12.04 How to tailor your CV for each job application

13.35 How to stand out from other applicants

16.07 How to take a long career history and shape it for a role today

17.20 How long should a CV be?

19.11 How to position yourself in a CV for a pivot or career change

20.30 How to handle gaps on your CV

23.47 How to get through AI screening with your CV - should you write for bots or humans, or both?

29.40 Do gimmicky things help you stand out?

31.34 How to tailor your CV when uploading to job boards

33.13 Cover letters - do recruiters still expect them and if so how to do them?

35.58 How to make sense of all the conflicting CV info and advice that's out there

38.08 What does it mean to be a career storyteller?

43.00 Carl's one guiding principle

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

Send us a voice message on Speakpipe!

https://www.speakpipe.com/thegenxzexchange

Connect with us:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisperkins172/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-perkins-8446a82bb/