America’s Most Famous Neurosurgeon Thinks You Should Take a Nap

Years ago, Dr. Sanjay Gupta spent a week keeping a detailed journal of everything he did in a day. Then he reviewed his findings. Mornings were the best time for him to write. Eating pickles gave him bursts of inspiration. “I don’t know what it is,” said Gupta, 54, a neurosurgeon and CNN’s chief medical correspondent. “Something about the way it interacts with my microbiome, perhaps.” 

Gupta, who’s become a guide on how to live a better life, recommends the exercise to anyone looking to improve their focus and productivity. “You keep that journal for a week or two, and all of a sudden you’re going to have a map of your own life,” he said.