Master Stress: Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety | Episode 10

This episode explains what stress is, and how it recruits our brain and body to react in specific ways. I describe the three main types of stress, and how two of them actually enhance the function of our immune system making us less vulnerable to infections. I review tools that allow us to control our stress in real-time, as well as tools to prevent long-term stress, burnout and stress-induced illness and anxiety. As always, we cover behavioral tools and supplements that can assist or hinder stress control. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com Timestamps (00:00:00) Introduction (00:04:41) Emotions: A Logical Framework of Brain-Body Loops (00:10:29) Stress: The (Falsely Narrow) Animal Attack Narrative (00:14:31) The Stress RESPONSE: Generic, Channels blood, Biases Action (00:21:08) Tools to Actually Control Stress: Reduce Alertness or Increase Calm (00:24:15) The Fastest Way to Reduce Stress In Real Time: “Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia” (00:29:45) The Fastlane to Calm (00:34:53) Important Notes About Heart Rate Deceleration: Vaso-vagal Lag (00:36:50) Cyclic Sighing For Calm and Sleep Induction (00:37:57) Nasal Breathing For Cosmetic, Immune and Performance Enhancement (00:38:46) Two Breathing Centers In The Brain (00:39:45) Breathing For Speaking Clearly (00:40:39) The 3 Types of Stress: Short, Medium and Long-Term (00:42:10) Positive Effects of Short-Term Stress: Immunity and Focus (00:45:32) Adrenalin (Epinephrine) Deploys Killer Immune Cells (00:46:40) Cyclic Deep Breathing IS Stress: Wim Hof, Tummo & Super-Oxygenation (00:50:58) Inflammation Is Useful and Good, In the Short Term (00:52:02) Procrastination and Self-Manufactured Nootropics (00:53:00) Relaxation Can Causes Illness (00:54:30) Immune Activation Protocol (00:55:20) Medium Term Stress: A Clear Definition (00:56:07) Stress Threshold (00:57:10) Stress Inoculation Tools: Separating Mind & Body, On Purpose (00:59:50) Use Vision to Calm the Mind When the Body Is Agitated (01:02:36) Beyond NSDR (01:04:36) Long Term Stress: Definition, Measurement, Cardiovascular Risks (01:06:30) Tools for Dealing With Long Term Stress (01:08:20) The Oxytocin Myth (01:09:15) Serotonin: Satiety, Safety (01:12:00) Delight and Flexibility (01:13:30) Chemical Irritants We Make But Can Control: Tackykinin (01:15:40) Impactful Gratitude (01:16:25) Non-Prescription Chemical Compounds For Additional Anti-Stress Support (01:18:04) Melatonin: Cautionary Note About Adrenal Suppression (01:19:15) Adrenal Burnout Is A Myth… But Why You Need to Know About It Anyway (01:21:10) L-Theanine For Stress Reduction and Task Completion Anxiety (01:23:00) Beware Taurine and Energy Drinks With Taurine (01:23:30) Ashwagandha: Can Powerfully Lower Anxiety And Cortisol (01:25:50) Examine.com Is An Amazing Free Resource (01:26:20) How This All Relates to Emotions: State Versus Demand = Valence (01:32:00) Modulating Reactivity, Mindfulness, & Functionality With Objective Tools (01:34:00) Next Steps (01:35:40) Topic Suggestions, Subscriptions and Reviews Please (01:37:40) Additional Resources, Synthesis Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer