Episode Description:

In this episode of The Optimist Daily Weekly Roundup, Karissa and Arielle explore the surprising link between naps and enhanced problem-solving skills—because sometimes, sleeping on it really is the best strategy. Then, they dive into the story of Female Invest, a platform making financial literacy accessible to women worldwide. With $23 million in funding, this initiative is breaking barriers, but not without controversy. Should financial education be gendered, or should investing just be investing?

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Transcript:

Theme music

Karissa:

Hello and welcome to The Optimist Daily Weekly Roundup. I’m Karissa.

Arielle:

And I’m Arielle, and we’re working hard to put solutions in view and optimism in movement.

Karissa:

Hello! We’re back again with another episode of the podcast to share the solutions from the Optimist Daily this week. How are you doing today, Arielle?

Arielle:

I’m doing pretty good. I was actually thinking about introducing a new segment to our podcast, and it was inspired by another podcast that I listened to called The Guilty Feminist with Deborah Frances-White. They do something at the beginning of their episodes where they say, I’m a feminist but…, and then they reveal perhaps a not-so-feminist thing that they went through or thought during the week.

And I was thinking that’s something we could apply to our podcast because—we are optimists! But sometimes things do frustrate us, or the negativity in the news gets us down. So I thought maybe we could talk about how we are trying to overcome one thing that got us down during the week.

Karissa:

I love that, and I feel like part of being an optimist is that balance. So things can definitely get us down, but at the end of the day, being optimistic is a choice.

Arielle:

Yeah, it’s a practice.

Karissa:

Yeah, I like it. And I mean, it’s true that the world right now is crazy!

Arielle:

It can be overwhelming.

Karissa:

And then in everyone’s day-to-day life, there are small and big things that, you know, do make us feel down.

Arielle:

Mm-hmm.

Karissa:

But like we always say, at the end of the day, there is good news out there, and there’s something we can do about it. So on that note, what is something that had you not so optimistic this week?

Arielle:

This is pretty silly, but I’m just gonna share it. Listeners will remember that I recently started crocheting—or I guess it’s not so recent anymore, it’s been over a year now. And I try really hard not to cut my yarn even when it gets tangled up in a ball. I try to be very patient and just untangle it. But this past week, I had a lot of trouble with my ball of yarn, and my partner’s brother and his mom were even helping me.

Both:

(Laugh)

Arielle:

So there were three of us trying to untangle this yarn together, and I just couldn’t do it. And I finally cut it, and I felt so defeated. But it was actually really nice to have other people who were willing to help, so that’s kind of how I’m trying to reframe it in my mind.

I know it’s a small and silly thing, but sometimes the smallest things just impact you.

Karissa:

Absolutely.

Arielle:

How about you, Karissa?

Karissa:

Okay, so—I’m an optimist, but I’ve been feeling really pessimistic about the market for attachable microphones for podcast recording lately.

Both:

(Laugh)

Karissa:

If listeners have noticed a difference in the audio over the past couple of weeks… honestly, I have gone through at least four microphones now trying to replace one that was very trusty for a long time for recording this podcast.

And trying to find a replacement is very difficult! We had a lot of trouble even just setting up the podcast today, Arielle. But you know, it doesn’t matter. We have we have the audio out there. Sorry if it’s not the best, but it’s kind of frustrating having to go through researching and then ordering and returning and so…

Arielle:

The point is, we are getting the good news out there! But yeah, I’ve watched and heard you struggle through this microphone saga.

Karissa:

Yeah. So with a little bit of further research and testing, we will find the right microphone for this podcast.

Arielle:

And if any listeners have any recommendations for Karissa, please reach out! (Laughs)

Karissa:

I guess that being said, Arielle, I’m not so optimistic about that, but I am optimistic about the solutions we did share on The Optimist Daily this week. So I’d love to transition into what we found interesting this week.

Arielle:

How about you go first?

Karissa:

I have one that’s more lifestyle-oriented, something we can all apply to our everyday lives. It’s called How a Short Nap Can Supercharge Your Problem-Solving Skills.

Arielle:

Hmm.

Karissa:

We all know that a good night’s sleep is essential for focus, memory, and overall well-being, but new research suggests that even a short afternoon nap can dramatically enhance problem-solving skills.

Scientists found that sleep—especially rapid eye movement, or REM sleep—helps strengthen the brain’s ability to recognize hidden connections between different ideas, leading to better problem-solving.

Arielle:

Alright, this sounds really interesting. Tell us more about the research.

Karissa:

So, a study published in The Journal of Sleep Research found that participants who took a nap were significantly better at solving complex problems than those who stayed awake. Importantly, their improvement wasn’t just about remembering previous solutions—it was about seeing patterns and connections they had missed before.

The study, led by Carmen E. Westerberg, a professor at Texas State University, sought to understand how sleep aids creative problem-solving. And she says, “The main takeaway is that if you have a difficult problem that you cannot solve, processes that occur while you are sleeping may give you insights after waking that could help to solve the problem.”

Arielle:

Okay, that makes a lot of sense because people always say it’s important to “sleep on it” when trying to make a decision or solve a problem. So yeah, there’s a lot of truth behind that.

Karissa:

Yeah, absolutely! “Sleeping on it” really is key to solving a problem. But as it turns out, you may not need a whole night’s sleep to unlock a clear answer—just a quick nap might do the trick. And that’s pretty interesting.

Arielle:

Nice. I love having more reasons for napping!

Both:

(Laugh)

Arielle:

So, how did the researchers test this theory in their study?

Karissa:

Yeah! So, the researchers recruited 58 participants between the ages of 18 and 29 and divided them into two groups: a nap group and a wake group.

The participants were given eight initial problems to solve, each displayed on a screen. If they couldn’t find the answer, they were shown the correct solution. Later, they were given eight new problems that were structurally similar but had different surface details. The goal here was to see if participants could recognize the connection and apply the previous solution.

Following this problem-solving session, participants took a two-hour break. The nap group slept in a quiet, dark room while researchers monitored their brain activity using EEG methods. The wake group, on the other hand, stayed awake but were instructed not to sleep or engage in any activities that might influence their thinking.

When the participants returned to their problem-solving tasks, the results were striking. Those who had napped solved significantly more problems than those who had stayed awake.

And interestingly, the researchers found that the napping group’s improvement wasn’t due to better memory of the previously solved problems. Instead, the participants who napped perceived greater similarity between the old and new problems, helping them recognize deeper connections. In other words, sleep didn’t just help them remember—it helped them think differently.

Arielle:

This is so insightful. It sounds like if you’re struggling with a tough problem, taking a nap might be a simple yet effective way to gain fresh insights.

Karissa:

Mmhm! That’s what the research is pointing to. And like you said, Arielle, who doesn’t love an excuse for a nap?

Arielle:

I know I love a good midday nap, and this could just be the key to making it guilt-free. (Laughs)

Karissa:

Yeah, exactly. In our article, we have some tips on how you can make the most of this research in your daily life.

First, take a short nap—a 90-minute nap is ideal for reaching REM sleep, but even a 20 to 30-minute power nap can be beneficial.

Don’t have to tell me twice! (Laughs)

Karissa:

Right? It’s also important to time your nap wisely. Napping too late in the day can interfere with nighttime sleep, so a good window for napping is between 1:00 and 3:00 PM, which is great news because I always get sleepy during that time.

Arielle:

Mm.

Karissa:

Another tip is to create a quiet, dark space. A calm environment helps you fall asleep faster, ensuring that you get the most out of your nap. So if you can, close the curtains and dim the lights a little—it can make a big difference for a quick rest.

And finally, give your brain something to chew on. If you’re trying to solve a problem, think about it before napping—your sleep might just help organize and process information in new ways.

Arielle:

These are all great tips. It also sounds like this finding may lead research in even more directions on the power of sleep and problem-solving.

Karissa:

Yeah, exactly. While this study focused on short naps, researchers are eager to explore whether a full night’s sleep could further enhance problem-solving ability.

Westerberg again says, “My long-term goals are to extend these findings to overnight sleep and to examine how REM sleep may contribute to other types of creative problem-solving and decision-making.”

One thing is definitely clear—sleep isn’t just a way to rest. It’s an active process that helps the brain reorganize, reframe, and reimagine the problems we face. So the next time you hit a mental roadblock, consider taking a nap—you might just wake up with the answer.

Arielle:

Yeah, that’s really cool. It actually reminds me—I learned at one point that Picasso or someone used to… oh no, wait, I think it was Dalí who had this practice. Before he would paint something, he would purposely drift off to sleep while holding keys or something heavy in his hand. And then once he was at the point of falling asleep, he’d drop whatever he was holding (which would wake him), and all of his subconscious thoughts would inform the surrealist painting he was about to create.

So I guess he was on to something way before the researchers got there. (Laughs)

Karissa:

Yeah, like I said, that’s super interesting.

Arielle:

Maybe I should have done that before trying to untangle my yarn…

Karissa:

Next time! (Laughs)

But Arielle, you have a solution today that’s kind of about a creative approach to solving a problem, right?

Arielle:

Yeah, today I’m diving into a conversation that’s shaking up the finance world—one that’s all about women and wealth and whether gendered financial education is really the way forward or the new solution. The article I’m sharing today is titled Female Invest secures $23 million to close the financial gender gap.

Karissa:

Yeah, Female Invest is everywhere right now, it seems. But for those who aren’t familiar, what exactly is it?

Arielle:

So, Female Invest was founded in 2019 by three Danish entrepreneurs—Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen, Emma Due Bitz, and Camilla Falkenberg. Apologies for the pronunciation. Their mission is to make investing accessible for women.

The company offers courses, webinars, and a community-driven platform aimed at boosting financial literacy for women, who have historically been underrepresented in finance. And they’ve built quite a presence! They have paying members in 125 countries, a bestselling book called Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, and they even made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Karissa:

Yeah, and now they’ve raised $23 million, which is a massive win for a female-led startup—especially considering how little VC funding actually goes to women.

Arielle:

Exactly. Only one percent of venture capital funding goes to businesses founded by women, so this is a big deal. But here’s what’s interesting—the founders had to push back against the assumption that women aren’t interested in investing.

Hartvigsen said that many investors dismissed the idea early on because they didn’t believe there was a demand for female-focused financial education. But the success of Female Invest proved them wrong.

Karissa:

Yeah. OK, so I’ve done a bit of research myself, and I’ve seen some negative comments about Female Invest. Some people are asking the question: Why do we even need gendered financial education? Shouldn’t investing just be investing?

Arielle:

That’s one of the biggest criticisms of Female Invest, and it’s a fair question. Some argue that segmenting financial education by gender reinforces outdated stereotypes—like the idea that women need a special approach to finance, while men can just dive right in.

Critics say this kind of branding risks portraying women as inherently less capable of managing money, when in reality, the financial industry itself has historically excluded them.

Karissa:

Right. And I’ve seen people argue that women don’t need different investing advice—they just need access to the same high-quality financial education that men have always had.

Arielle:

Precisely. Some financial experts worry that platforms like Female Invest might unintentionally oversimplify things. They caution that by focusing too much on making investing “approachable”, there’s a risk of dumbing down the content instead of equipping women with the same depth of financial knowledge available in traditional investment spaces.

But on the flip side, the whole point of Female Invest is to break down barriers that have kept women out of finance in the first place. And that’s exactly what its founders argue.

They acknowledge these criticisms but point out that the finance industry was built by and for men. Many financial resources are tailored to male risk tolerance, investment strategies, and economic realities that don’t necessarily reflect women’s financial lives. Women tend to earn less, take more career breaks, and live longer, so their financial planning often does need to look different.

Karissa:

Yeah, so it’s less about women need easier investing advice and more about women face different financial challenges that aren’t being addressed elsewhere.

Arielle:

Yes! Amen to that. And Female Invest isn’t just about explaining ETFs in simpler terms. It’s about creating a space where women feel comfortable asking questions, networking, and learning without the intimidation factor that some traditional finance spaces have.

Karissa:

Well, that makes sense. So, where does Female Invest go from here? What’s next for them?

Arielle:

Well, they’re looking to expand into the U.S. market, which is a whole different ball game. They’re also launching more live webinars and interactive courses to deepen their impact. One of the biggest campaigns last year was a giant hourglass installation in London, symbolizing that time is running out on closing the financial gender gap. It was inspired by the World Economic Forum’s estimate that it will take 169 years to achieve true financial equality.

Karissa:

Wow, yeah. That’s a pretty powerful visual. But what about the bigger picture? Can Female Invest really move the needle on financial inequality?

Arielle:

Yeah, that’s the big question. They’ve already proven there’s a demand for their approach, but the real test will be whether their model creates lasting change. Financial literacy is only part of the equation. Systemic changes—like closing the gender pay gap and increasing women’s access to capital—also need to happen.

Karissa:

So, in your opinion, is Female Invest a step in the right direction, or does it risk reinforcing the very problem it’s trying to solve?

Arielle:

Honestly, I think it could be both. It’s a necessary intervention in a system that’s historically sidelined women, but it’s not the solution. The goal should be for women to feel just as confident walking into any financial space—not just the ones designed specifically for them. But for now, Female Invest is meeting women where they are, and I believe in the value of that, especially since I’ve actually attended a couple of their webinars.

Also, as a side note, they mention that all genders are welcome to attend and be part of their community.

Karissa:

Yeah, that’s awesome.

Arielle:

Of course, I can only speak for myself, but the reality of my own experience is that I haven’t always felt comfortable asking about investing because of the risk of being made to feel stupid or ignorant. I haven’t even known where to start, to be honest. Even though a lot of information is technically available online, it feels overwhelming to sift through all of it, especially when I have other responsibilities to attend to—like we all do.

Having access to a community where I’m confident that I’m not the only one learning, and where I won’t feel othered or shamed for asking something basic, opens the door for me—and I really appreciate that.

Karissa:

Yeah, I love this. And I love that I found out more about this from you, Arielle, and you mentioning that you’ve gone to these webinars and you know, proposing this solution to share too, which has been great. And I hope to see more of it in the United States. As we mentioned earlier, they’re looking to expand so…

Arielle:

Mm.

Karissa:

Yeah, so it seems like the takeaway for our listeners is that if you’re a woman or simply a beginner looking to start investing, Female Invest might be a great jumping-off point. But at the same time, don’t limit yourself. Finance isn’t just for one gender, and there are countless resources out there to help you grow your wealth.

Arielle:

Yes, exactly. The key is just to start—whether it’s through Female Invest, a financial advisor, or just reading up on investment strategies. Go for what you’re comfortable with. The bottom line is that the more women get involved in finance, the less we’ll need gendered investing spaces in the future.

Karissa:

Well, this is super cool, and I’m really curious to hear what our listeners think about this. So do you believe in gendered financial education, or do you think money should just be money? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section of the podcast or whatever platform you’re using to listen to us. Or if you want to email us or respond to us on social media, please give us your insight on this solution.

Arielle:

Mmhmm. Or any of the solutions that we share, actually!

Well, this has been quite the roundup of solutions, but we also have a lot of other really cool solutions that you can check out on our website, optimistdaily.com, and they include…

Karissa:

Is water the simple solution to making future solar cells recyclable? How to overcome the fear of being left out and build stronger connections. England’s largest bird sanctuary expands as a haven for wildlife and rewilding. And drinking more green tea each day may help protect against dementia. What else do we have?

Arielle:

We also have AI-powered blood test shows promise in early breast cancer detection, Mastering workplace conflict: how to handle tense conversations with confidence, How to build a midday wellness routine, and A light in the deep: scientists create feeding tool to help coral reefs recover.

Karissa:

Pretty interesting stuff to check out! And if you want to start your day off right, make sure to subscribe to our free daily newsletter to get our solutions straight to your inbox.

Arielle:

We also have a lot more on our social channels. You can find us @OptimistDaily on all of our platforms, including Threads, Pinterest, and BlueSky. The only difference is on X, where we are @OdeToOptimism.

Karissa:

Yeah, and we are a small team of optimists working hard to bring you positive news. If you want to support our mission of putting optimism into the world, click on the link in the show notes to find out how.

Arielle:

And remember, support doesn’t always have to be financial. Even just recommending our podcast to a friend, leaving a positive review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening to us, forwarding a link to a loved one, or sharing a solution on your socials—anything like that would be a big help!

Karissa:

Well, as always, Arielle, it was great to be here with you today and share these solutions. Looking forward to being back next week!

Arielle:

Yes! In the meantime, I hope all of our listeners and readers have a wonderful weekend.

Karissa:

Bye!

Arielle:

Bye!