The Calm Cockpit Podcast

The Calm Cockpit Podcast
Podcast Description
Join John Niehaus, a professional pilot and flight instructor and Gita Brown, a yoga educator and student pilot as they share how the latest tools in stress reduction, well-being, and high performance mental training can improve your abilities as aviators. Through this podcast they will show how understanding these techniques can create a mindset of excellence not just in flying, but flight training, proficiency, and aviation safety.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The show focuses on topics like mental training for pilots, stress reduction techniques, and strategies for achieving high performance in aviation. Episodes include discussions on endurance building from around-the-world flights and essential habits for high performers, presenting a blend of practical advice, personal anecdotes, and expert insights into flight safety and proficiency.

Join John Niehaus, a professional pilot and flight instructor and Gita Brown, a yoga educator and student pilot as they share how the latest tools in stress reduction, well-being, and high performance mental training can improve your abilities as aviators. Through this podcast they will show how understanding these techniques can create a mindset of excellence not just in flying, but flight training, proficiency, and aviation safety.
Episode 12
This episode explores the world of wellness “hacks” — the quick fixes, trending products, and biohacking promises often marketed as shortcuts to better health and reduced stress. Drawing on our unique expertise, we’ll critically examine which practices are truly effective, which are overhyped, and which may be doing more harm than good.
John–ever in search of an advantage–prompts Gita, a yoga and meditation educator, to evaluate various trends like ashwagandha, adaptogens, grounding bedsheets, mindfulness, meditation, and essential oils. The core theme revolves around separating genuinely beneficial practices–which are often rooted in established traditions and to be utilized with proper training–from marketing schemes that offer expensive and ineffective shortcuts.
The conversation highlights the hosts’ playful dynamic while emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, understanding the full context of a practice, and recognizing that true well-being comes from consistent, holistic lifestyle choices rather than isolated “hacks.”
Learn how to:
Distinguish science-backed strategies from pseudoscience.
Recognize when techniques and practices are being stripped of their benefits by removing trained practitioners to evaluate and guide their use.
Evaluate new wellness trends by discerning the historical background and global context and how to identify quality approaches versus snake oil sales techniques.
Understand the deeper meaning of holistic living beyond the buzzwords.
Disclaimer: This episode is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Always consult qualified professionals before making changes to your health routine.

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