The Neuroscience of Stress + 5 Strategies to Manage It

Stress evolved to help our ancestors survive, but in modern life it often makes us sick and overwhelmed. The good news is that, by understanding the neuroscience of stress, you can develop effective ways to manage it.

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Chapters:
00:00 Stress in Modern Life
01:42 The “Rapid Response” Stress Pathway (Sympathetic Adrenal Medullary axis)
02:29 Strategy #1: Reducing Sympathetic Nervous System Activity with Breathwork
04:55 Strategy #2: Engage the PFC and Hippocampus with Visualization and Reframing
08:58 The “Slow Response” Stress Pathway (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis)
09:42 Strategy #3: Improve PFC-amygdala Connectivity with Mindfulness Meditation
11:12 Why Chronic Stress Can Lead to Digestive Issues
12:54 Strategy #4: Engage the Parasympathetic Nervous System with Yoga Nidra (NSDR)
14:40 How Chronic Stress Can Lead to Cardiovascular and Cognitive Issues
16:38 Strategy #5: Enhance Neuroplasticity and Resilience with Physical Exercise
18:44 Bonus Strategy: Habit Formation

Sources:
Arnsten, A. F. (2015). Stress weakens prefrontal networks: molecular insults to higher cognition. Nature neuroscience, 18(10), 1376-1385.

Arida, R. M., & Teixeira-Machado, L. (2021). The contribution of physical exercise to brain resilience. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 14, 626769.

El-Sayes, J., Harasym, D., Turco, C. V., Locke, M. B., & Nelson, A. J. (2019). Exercise-induced neuroplasticity: a mechanistic model and prospects for promoting plasticity. The Neuroscientist, 25(1), 65-85.

Godoy, L. D., Rossignoli, M. T., Delfino-Pereira, P., Garcia-Cairasco, N., & de Lima Umeoka, E. H. (2018). A comprehensive overview on stress neurobiology: basic concepts and clinical implications. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 12, 127.

McEwen, B. S., Nasca, C., & Gray, J. D. (2016). Stress effects on neuronal structure: hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex. Neuropsychopharmacology, 41(1), 3-23.

Moszeik, E. N., von Oertzen, T., & Renner, K. H. (2022). Effectiveness of a short Yoga Nidra meditation on stress, sleep, and well-being in a large and diverse sample. Current Psychology, 41(8), 5272-5286.

Querstret, D., Morison, L., Dickinson, S., Cropley, M., & John, M. (2020). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for psychological health and well-being in nonclinical samples: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Stress Management, 27(4), 394.

Sapolsky, R. M. (2021). Glucocorticoids, the evolution of the stress-response, and the primate predicament. Neurobiology of Stress, 14, 100320.

Smith, P. J., & Merwin, R. M. (2021). The role of exercise in management of mental health disorders: an integrative review. Annual review of medicine, 72(1), 45-62.

Zhang, Y., Xue, J., & Huang, Y. (2020). A meta-analysis: Internet mindfulness-based interventions for stress management in the general population. Medicine, 99(28), e20493.

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