Skip to content
Melo Podcasts Home
CategoriesLanguagesFollowing

Episode notes

Drs Chris and Xand continue their conversation about neurodiversity with Professor Duncan Astle. The doctors want to know what evolution could say about neurodivergence, how the definition of neurodivergent conditions has changed over time, how modern societal structures interact with neurodivergence and what could be changed, how social media interacts with neurodiversity, what we can all do to understand and empathise with neurodiversity. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you can email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk . Presenters: Drs Chris…

What's Up Docs?

by BBC Radio 4 · English · Tech & Science

In this BBC Radio 4 podcast, Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves. Although they are identical twins, Chris and Xand are very different and they never stop thinking and arguing about science and health. They want to lead healthy, happy lives and

More from What's Up Docs?

  1. E183 · 6 Oct 2026 · 26 minNew

    Drs' Notes: How can we manage chronic pain?

    Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Dr Cathy Stannard, clinical lead of the pain transformation programme at NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board and the clinical lead for the NICE guideline on chronic pain. Together, they take a closer look at chronic pain, exploring what happens when pain persists beyond the original injury. The conversation also explores how chronic pain is treated. They discuss why medical treatments that work well for acute pain may be less effective for chronic pain and the evidence for approaches such as psychological therapies and social…

  2. E182 · 6 Oct 2026 · 29 minNew

    How can we better understand pain?

    Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they turn their attention to pain - one of the most familiar, yet least understood, experiences of being human. Joined by Dr Cathy Stannard, clinical lead of the pain transformation programme at NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board and the clinical lead for the NICE guideline on chronic pain, they explore what happens in the body when we feel pain and why two people with seemingly identical injuries can experience very…

  3. E181 · 1 Oct 2026 · 18 min

    Doctors' Notes: Sleep Disorders

    Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about sleep disorders with Dr Sophie West, a consultant respiratory physician and lead of Newcastle regional sleep service. They explore what good sleep hygiene looks like and how temperature and hydration can affect our sleep. They also dig into dreams: why we have them, whether we can control them, and how to stop recurrent nightmares. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at whatsupdocs@bbc.co.uk or Whatsapp on 08000 665 123. Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van…

  4. E179 · 29 Sep 2026 · 28 min

    How can we better understand neurodiversity?

    Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. What is neurodiversity really? It's a term we hear a lot, but do we actually understand what it means? In this episode, Chris and Xand van Tulleken break down the concept of neurodiversity. From discussing diagnosis to discovering how to rethink the narrative around neurodiversity, the twins explore the facts behind one of the most talked about topics. Chris and Xand are joined by Professor Duncan Astle, Professor of…

  5. E178 · 22 Sep 2026 · 24 min

    Drs' Notes: How do athletes look after their ankles?

    Chris and Xand continue their conversation about ankle health with Genevieve Tawiah. The doctors want to know how different sports and performance arts can impact your ankles, but also how they can help strengthen and protect such a unique set of joints. They also want to know about different conditions that might affect the ankle and what can be done to manage them, and to learn more about Gen’s experiences working as a performance physiotherapist for a wide range of athletes and performers. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us…

  6. E177 · 22 Sep 2026 · 29 min

    How can you better look after your ankles?

    Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they discuss ankles and how to best strengthen and protect them - from uncovering the biology behind one of the most heavily stressed parts of the body, to discussing tips and tricks for strengthening your ankles, preventing injury or managing existing issues. Chris and Xand are joined by Genevieve Tawiah, a performance physiotherapist who has worked with West End shows, theatre tours, Badminton England,…

  7. E176 · 18 Sep 2026 · 31 min

    Do you have ADHD? (from Complex with Kimberley Wilson)

    Today we’re sharing an episode from our sister podcast, Complex with Kimberley Wilson. In the episode, Kimberley asks CBT therapist Joshua Munn about the symptoms of ADHD and how to recognise it. He has lived experience of the condition and explains some of the ways he manages it. In Complex, Kimberley Wilson, chartered psychologist, is on a mission to sift through all the information and misinformation that’s out there around our mental health to help create more self-awareness and understanding. She invites expert guests - trained psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists - to join…

  8. E175 · 15 Sep 2026 · 31 min

    Doctors' Notes: Type 2 Diabetes

    Chris and Xand van Tulleken take a deeper dive into type 2 diabetes and the bigger factors shaping one of the world's most common health conditions. Joined by Dr Tamara Hibbert, they explore why type 2 diabetes rates are rising, the role of inequality and deprivation, and why some communities are disproportionately affected. They also discuss how type 2 diabetes treatment has evolved, how important group consultations are in treating the condition, and what can happen when type 2 diabetes is not properly managed. If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the…

  9. E174 · 15 Sep 2026 · 29 min

    How can we better understand type 2 diabetes?

    Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they turn their attention to type 2 diabetes. To understand this condition, they start with the basics: what blood sugar actually is, why our bodies need it, and how it is normally kept under control. They explore where blood sugar comes from, what healthy levels look like, and what happens when those levels become too high. They then look at who is most at risk, and why the condition can affect so many parts of the body.…

  10. E173 · 8 Sep 2026 · 28 min

    How to Spot a Sleep Disorder

    Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they dig into sleep disorders, including insomnia, restless leg syndrome and parasomnias, which include sleepwalking, sleep talking, and night terrors. They explore what it means to have healthy sleep. Joining them is Dr Sophie West, a consultant respiratory physician and lead of Newcastle regional sleep service, with national roles across the OSA Alliance, British Thoracic Society, and NICE Sleep…

Every episode of What's Up Docs? →

Take it with you

The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.

Get it on Google Play