GH’s Maurice Benard & Natalie Friedman Talk Sleeping Your Way To Health

Actress and comedian Natalie Friedman joined General Hospital’s Maurice Benard on this week’s episode of his video podcast, State Of Mind. The two met in a coaching session when Friedman auditioned for a part on the daytime drama and struck up a friendship. The duo discussed her Minnesota upbringing, early inspirations, acting, standup comedy, working with legendary comics, the importance of journaling, and getting a good night’s sleep.

Maurice Benard & Natalie Friedman: Putting Worry To Bed

Benard (Sonny Corinthos) spoke about the stress of other people’s expectations and how it wears down your mental and physical health. Friedman shared how she balances her stress levels while working in entertainment and performing standup comedy. “I love journaling. It gets things out of my head.” She spoke of the research behind it. “And there is science behind it. I think some people refer to it as the brain dump.

“Have you heard of the phrase ‘worry period’ where you pick like an hour a day, like before you go to bed, it could be in the middle of the day, or it could be the morning?” the actress asked. “You put all your worries on a piece of paper, and it’s out. Then it is like you have dealt with it. There is something about the language of writing it down, the semantics, the science behind it. It’s healing, and then you can see it. It’s tangible, and then you go and be very present.” 

There are other tools in her arsenal that she puts to use. “I am very into health and fitness and nutrition, and sleep is everything,” the up-and-coming comic continued. “If you think of your brain as an organ, and it is an organ. It needs to do all of these things while you are sleeping. You need to get that deep sleep. That REM. Plaque is cleared out. It has been proven that it is really important to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.

“Yes, there is a predisposition, but if you drink, do drugs, or don’t sleep a lot, you are exacerbating those things. You are fueling the fire.” She went on to illustrate the effects. “We all know that when you are sleep-deprived, everything is off. Your mood is off. Your insulin levels are up. You crave more. So I think if you are suffering from something or working on something, depression, anxiety, whatever, it is so important. You need to have fun too. But, as much as I can, I try to rest. It is hard.”

A Protege Learning From The Legends Of Comedy

The young actress takes her craft seriously, continually soaking in the wisdom of everyone she works with, and the list includes veteran talent like Benard, Kevin Hart, George Lopez, and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx. “I put that in the same category as working with you. They have done the hours. They have done the work. Even beyond work. Just how they are as people. They are just so generous, kind, and talented. I just think that I want to be like this, and what can I learn from this in all categories.”

Find out more about what she had to say about working with the comedic legends and how she takes extensive notes to hone her craft. Friedman talked about growing up in Minnesota and the inspiration that sprung from the land of a thousand lakes. Get to know her better as she talked about her journey doing standup, her tricks of the trade, and her plans for the future. 

Stick around until the end to see Friedman and Benard do their own battle of celebrity impressions, such as Kim Kardashian, Winona Ryder, Sarah Palin, Drew Barrymore, and Cardi B in a conversation opposite Benard’s Michael Corleone and John Gotti. Watch the full episode here.

Follow Natalie Friedman on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube to find out where and when you can catch her act. Follow Maurice Benard on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. State Of Mind is inching closer to Benard’s goal of 100k subscribers. To follow State Of Mind and subscribe, go to YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter.