Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety

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.

#HubermanLab #Stress #Neuroscience

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Timestamps below.
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
01:26:20 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

Please note that The Huberman Lab Podcast is distinct from Dr. Huberman's teaching and research roles at Stanford University School of Medicine. The information provided in this show is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. The Huberman Lab Podcast, its employees, guests and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.

[wubwubdubdubwubwub]

This might be the single most universally useful podcast on Youtube right now

[Surge_Subliminals]

My Notes
Framework:
sympathetic system - that runs through below our neck and to our core containing neurons
that manages stress.

Stress response is generic and therfore effects the entire system indiscriminately.
Stress response activates certain things and shutdowns other features.
Stress response is activated to support you moving, fundamentally its goal is to make you do something.
To control stress you need to learn to work with the agitation (Exposure Therapy)

parasympathetic system - system that is responsible for activating your calm state
(This is what you should be activating when stressed)

Realtime Practice:

physiological sigh - two inhales take place followed by a long exhale. (Reduces stress significantly)
(Long & vigorous exhales arouses calmness and slows heart.)
(Long & vigorous inhales increases heart rate.)
If stress is so high and you activate the parasympathetic system too much it may cause you to faint
It takes 30 seconds for you heart to calm down after activation and you may need to use sighs more than once.


Passive Practices:

Mindfullness Meditation
Exercise
Sleep
Supplementation

Reminder:

"Telling yourself to calm down will exacerbate stress"
"Life happens, you can't completely avoid stress"
"It's very hard to control the mind with the mind"
"when you are stress in the mind look towards the body"
"When you are stress in the body look towards the mind"

[FlippinFruitFly]

This brilliant man deserves an award for helping humanity.

[diestudentin]

"Excercise is good, sleep is good, moving is good, everybody knows that. BUT LIFE HAPPENS." Just listening to this podcast slows my heart rate down.❤

[jfrench]

Coming from an educational deficit and a dysfunctional childhood I don’t possess the words of appreciation for how much I’ve learned from you in the last couple of months. . My toolbox 🧰 is so heavy it needs wheels. Thank you 🙏🏽

[vaibhavpandey]

Telling yourself to calm down doesn't reduce stress 22:30

Tool 1 24:12 when lung expands heart volume expands and so blood flows slowly so in response brain makes it beat faster

So whenever your inhales are shorter in duration or more vigorous than exhales heartbeat increases

But to reduce stress we need to reduce heart rate so will have to exhale longer and more vigorously than our inhales 29:27

Physiological SIGH : Two inhale and one exhale 31:27

stress is of three types, short term, med term amd long term stress, we can use short term stress for our benefit as it can induce 1)a immune response which can help us to manage mld infectons 2) better cognition 3) improved focus, etc, BUT we must know how to switch on and off this short term stress,

short term stress can be induced through flow of adrenaline [also known as epinephrine] in our blood which can be achieved by [1] cold shower [2] tummo breathing

TUMMO breathing is a technique in which we inhale through nose and exhale through our mouth continuously for 25 reps and then hold the breath for 15 sec and again repeat this exercise for 3-4 times and and then hold your breath

one shd avoid this technique near water as one may faint and can drown

Stress threshold is the maximum amount of stress one can manage, we can increase our stress threshold by training our body in a particular way

[the key here is to relax the mind when the body is not relaxed/ is activated]

1] we have to increase or heart rate by methods ike cold showers, sprinting, cyclic tummo breathing, etc
2] now as the heart rate goes up , adrenaline increases in our blood and we experience tunnel vision as the pupils dilate
3] now we have to broaden our vision deliberately seeing more of the environment around you creates a calming effect
4] as a result you start being comfortable at the higher activation state, what felt like a lot of work now feels manageable

Long term stress can be reduced by

1] getting a good sleep
2] doing exercises
3] social connections release serotonin

oxytocin is rarely released because of person to person interactions, it is released post orgasm, lactation in mom and child etc, generally it is serotonin which gives a sense of satisfaction and well being, excess of serotonin in blood can reduce our libido and desire to do things due to feeling of satisfaction.

the social isolation that goes too long is associated with the molecule Taqi Kynan .Taqi Kynan is a molecule that makes us more fearful, paranoid, and impairs our immune system. And so, Taqi Kynan is like this internal punishment signal. It's like our body and our brain telling us, "You are not spending enough time with people that you really trust, "You re not doing things that you really enjoy
\
Non-Prescription Chemical Compounds For Additional Anti-Stress Support > Ashwagandha, melatonin[not recommended], L theanine

melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland, its secretion depends upon the amount of darkness you are in. The darker the surrounding the more the secretion, it helps to induce sleep /fall asleep but not stay asleep

Ashwagandha reduces anxiety and cortisol ( responsible for waking us up but becomes a problem if high level maintained throughout the day.)

[yvonnemaurice-fierro]

As a 58 year old suffering results of a lifetime of chronic stress, this information is the most useful information i have ever received! Practices in place immediately!! God bless!!

[sarazulghena]

“It’s very hard to control the mind with the mind” this is one of the most eye opening statements I have came across in terms of stress management. Thank you.

[MindsetMom]

My daughter deals with general anxiety, which tends to increase her heart rate at certain times. I taught her how to do the physiological sigh since listening to Dr. Huberman, and it has slowed her heart rate down and helped her to relax.

[syedtousif]

I am an Orthodontist from India
Listening to your evidenced based podcasts has changed my physical and mental health
Thank you so much

[antyzekz]

I have dealt with chronic stress and other factors like anxiety that I have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, A (psychotic break or psychosis). This video has already removed the big stress factors I face and help bring peace when I have a anxiety attack or when stress triggers. I highly appreciate this video to an extent that I shared this with family and loved ones and I will continue sharing my experience, although everyday is a battle in my mind this video gives me hope that I will be normal again and I will get out of this psychosis. Thank you.❤ (you as well can do it too❤️💪🏻, no matter if you aren’t dealing with a mental health illness/disorder you as well can do this.)🙏

[thivyalaxmiramesh]

Yayyyy ❤ Who else would be waiting for his episodes every Monday? Worth waiting especially on Monday's.

[memastarful]

Such a good community on this site. Its really refreshing to see people being so polite.

[pxp]

Dr. Huberman,
I quit smoking after 20 years and learned how to manage my anxiety and general health thanks to you.

You have provided me with a clear and simple paradigm for thinking about addiction, as well as general health.

Thank you!

[coachcadden]

With the growth of anxiety, anxiety medication (benzodiazapene, zanax etc), can you do a podcast on anxiety specifically. Why do we get panic attacks, side effects of medication.
Through your podcast and NSDR, I've improved my introception....this has made me more aware of my internal state. Through the benefits of meditation I've been able to improve internal and external focus.
I'd love to hear more about the internal workings of the body and hormonal pathways while dealing with these things.
Thank you

[brandondabreo]

I was put on benzoate for anxiety, but correcting my sleep routine was much more effective. I really can't express my gratitude.

[mairajamil]

Andrew, I hope you see this. The information I receive through your interviews and this podcast have helped improve my mental health tremendously. I felt like my life was out of my control, like I couldn't control my emotions and thoughts; but after listening to you I realized why I feel and act the way I do and what changes I need to make. I'm a long way from being where I need to be, but now I have tools to help me improve and recover from my past.
Thank you for this and please continue to share your knowledge and wisdom with us.

[Nonamelol.]

This made me realize why I feel more alert in a scared way when I shower with cold water. It's honestly terrifying how your body can just take control of your mind, whilst giving us the impression that it's us in control (by us I mean our awareness).

[krissyboners]

I'm a cook and sometimes the rush of guests and the speed I need to be putting food out makes my anxiety sky rocket the physiological sigh helps so much during these moments and helps get me back to being able to work efficiently thanks so much for sharing this knowledge

[andrewnolan]

One of the best statements I've heard -- in earlier episodes as well: "It's very hard to control the Mind with the Mind". Really helped me understand why certain habits/activities were failing for me. I was trying to outsmart my own mind. Leveraging a lot of the protocols discussed on this podcast has helped tremendously! I feel like a "body hacker" -- I know exactly what to do in order to have the desired outcomes I want. Understanding the exact systems and functions of our bodies in the way explained on this podcast has been a tremendous revelation.
Dr. Huberman is offering decades of research for free and I really am extremely grateful. Thank you and keep up the excellent work!