Master Stress: Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety

2763 snips

Mar 8, 2021

Dive into the fascinating world of stress and its effects on our bodies and minds. Learn about the three types of stress and how two can even boost your immune system. Discover real-time tools for managing stress, like controlled breathing techniques and cyclic sighing, to promote calmness and sleep. Uncover the benefits of natural supplements like L-theanine and ashwagandha, and explore how to align your emotions with your environment for better stress management. Transform stress from a hindrance into a powerful tool for engagement!

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INSIGHT

Stress: A Generic Mobilization System

Stress is a generalized system designed to mobilize brain and body systems, not just for physical threats.
It's generic, activating some systems while suppressing others (like digestion), creating an urge to move or speak.

ADVICE

Control Stress in Real Time

Activate the parasympathetic nervous system to counter stress, not by telling yourself to calm down.
Use physiological sighs (double inhale, long exhale) for real-time stress reduction.

INSIGHT

Breathing and Heart Rate

Inhaling longer than exhaling speeds up heart rate; exhaling longer slows it down.
This heart rate control via breathing is key to managing stress.

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Breath

The New Science of a Lost Art

James Nestor

In 'Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,' James Nestor delves into the history and science of breathing, revealing how modern humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly. The book takes readers on a global journey to ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, and other unusual locations to uncover the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo. Nestor collaborates with pulmonary experts to test long-held beliefs about breathing and presents evidence that slight adjustments in breathing can significantly improve athletic performance, rejuvenate internal organs, and alleviate various health issues such as snoring, asthma, and autoimmune diseases.

Seven and a Half Lessons about the Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett

In this book, Lisa Feldman Barrett demystifies the brain through seven short essays and a brief story on its evolution. She explains where brains came from, their structure, and how they function in tandem with other brains. The book dispels myths such as the 'lizard brain' and the battle between thoughts and emotions or nature and nurture. Barrett highlights the brain's primary role in controlling the body, discusses brain development, and emphasizes the social and cultural aspects of cognition and consciousness.

Jaws

Peter Benchley

Published in 1974, 'Jaws' tells the story of a great white shark that preys upon the fictional town of Amity, a small seaside resort on Long Island. The novel follows the efforts of Police Chief Martin Brody, marine biologist Matt Hooper, and shark hunter Quint as they try to stop the shark. The book explores themes of public safety versus economic survival, marital strife, and the primal fear of nature's brutality. Despite mixed critical reviews, the novel was a huge commercial success and led to a iconic film adaptation by Steven Spielberg[1][3][5].

How Emotions Are Made

The Secret Life of the Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett

In this book, Lisa Feldman Barrett presents a new neuroscientific explanation of emotions, overturning the widely held belief that emotions are automatic, universal, and hardwired in different brain regions. Instead, she argues that emotions are constructed in the moment through a unique interplay of brain, body, and culture. Barrett's theory, known as the 'Theory of Constructed Emotions,' suggests that emotions are highly individualized and vary by culture. The book explores how this new understanding has significant implications for fields such as psychology, medicine, law, parenting, and national security. Barrett uses clear, readable prose and practical examples to make her complex theories accessible to a broad audience.

Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

Robert Sapolsky

In this book, Robert M. Sapolsky delves into the fascinating world of stress and its impact on our bodies. He explains why zebras, unlike humans, rarely suffer from stress-related illnesses. Sapolsky combines cutting-edge research with practical advice and engaging anecdotes to illustrate how prolonged stress can cause or intensify a range of physical and mental afflictions, including depression, ulcers, colitis, and heart disease. The book also provides essential guidance on managing stress responses and offers new insights into how stress affects sleep, addiction, anxiety, and personality disorders[3][4][5].

Master Stress: Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety

Stress: A Generic Mobilization System

Control Stress in Real Time

Breathing and Heart Rate

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