WEBVTT - Wendy Suzuki: 2 Powerful Tools To Use When You Feel Stressed Out (This Will Lower Your Anxiety in 1 Minute) 0:00:01.880 --> 0:00:04.960 Hey everyone, it's Jay Sheddy and I'm thrilled to announce 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:07.840 my podcast tour. For the first time ever, you can 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:12.160 experience on purpose in person. Join me in a city 0:00:12.200 --> 0:00:17.200 near you for meaningful, insightful conversations with surprise guests. It 0:00:17.239 --> 0:00:20.439 could be a celebrity, top wellness expert, or a CEO 0:00:20.720 --> 0:00:25.079 or business leader. We'll dive into experiences designed to experience growth, 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:29.159 spark learning, and build real connections. I can't wait to 0:00:29.200 --> 0:00:32.400 meet you. There are a limited number of VIP experiences 0:00:32.600 --> 0:00:36.040 for a private Q and a intimate meditation and a 0:00:36.080 --> 0:00:39.320 meet and greet with photos. Tickets are on sale now. 0:00:39.720 --> 0:00:43.520 Head to Jysheddy, dop me Forward Slash Tour and get 0:00:43.560 --> 0:00:47.239 yours today. How much do we actually know about the 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:48.440 brain and its potential? 0:00:51.159 --> 0:00:55.200 We have years of knowledge, but there is an enormous 0:00:55.240 --> 0:00:58.360 amount that we still don't know. There are brain areas 0:00:58.360 --> 0:01:02.720 we have no idea what they do. Every ping of 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:08.200 the phone is anxiety producing, which then launches her stress response, 0:01:08.240 --> 0:01:12.000 and that keeps us stressful for way too much of 0:01:12.040 --> 0:01:16.399 the day. So many people are appreciating at a higher 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:20.840 level stress and anxiety and depression. A little bit of 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:25.000 that is actually good for the brain. You want to 0:01:25.080 --> 0:01:30.440 live a long, healthy, energized life, start paying attention to 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:32.640 all the things you need to do to make your 0:01:32.680 --> 0:01:37.920 brain work beautifully. It defines everything that we do and 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:43.240 everything that we are. The number one Health and well 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:44.640 Iness Podcast. 0:01:44.440 --> 0:01:52.160 Jay set Jay Sheddy, Wendy, thank you so much for 0:01:52.200 --> 0:01:54.880 being him so grateful to have you on on purpose. 0:01:54.920 --> 0:01:57.160 I was really looking forward to this and even just 0:01:57.280 --> 0:01:59.560 the few words we've exchanged now I'm like, all right, 0:01:59.680 --> 0:02:02.200 click record asam. We need to capture all of it. 0:02:02.240 --> 0:02:03.080 Thank you so much. 0:02:03.280 --> 0:02:05.560 Thank you for having me. I'm thrilled to be here. 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:08.799 Well, let's dive right in. Yeah, the first thing I 0:02:08.840 --> 0:02:12.440 wanted to ask you was how much do we actually 0:02:12.560 --> 0:02:14.600 know about the brain and its potential? 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:20.280 That is such a great question. We have hours and 0:02:20.360 --> 0:02:24.080 semesters and years of knowledge that we have gained about 0:02:24.480 --> 0:02:28.400 the brain since we've seriously been studying it, but there 0:02:28.560 --> 0:02:32.799 is an enormous amount that we still don't know. There 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:35.000 are brain areas we have no idea what they do. 0:02:35.919 --> 0:02:39.040 My favorite is called the claustrum. Somebody asked me, what's 0:02:39.080 --> 0:02:43.280 the most mysterious brain area that you know? Wendy, this 0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:47.640 is a brain area that connects to everything cortically subcortically, 0:02:47.880 --> 0:02:51.560 it should be integrating something critical. We have no idea 0:02:51.600 --> 0:02:57.000 what it does. We have little idea of how consciousness works. 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:01.120 We know a lot about vision. So it is a 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:06.960 beautiful bag of information and mystery that our brain represents. 0:03:07.200 --> 0:03:10.600 There's something about that, right that There's so much we've learned, 0:03:10.639 --> 0:03:13.080 but there's so much yet to uncover. Yes, but I 0:03:13.120 --> 0:03:15.400 feel when we talk about the brain and what's relevant 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:17.880 to us, I think about what does a healthy and 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:20.840 unhealthy brain feel like? Yes, and how do we know 0:03:20.880 --> 0:03:23.400 whether we have a healthy or unhealthy brain? 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:29.360 I think that the answer to that is, so many 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:35.200 people are appreciating at a higher level their stress and 0:03:35.320 --> 0:03:39.920 anxiety and depression. A little bit of that is actually 0:03:40.000 --> 0:03:44.480 good for the brain. Chronic all the time can't get 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:48.160 out from under the cloud or the big rock around 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:51.240 your neck, that anxiety can feel like. That is not 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:54.760 good for your brain. High levels of stress overall will 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:58.160 start to first damage and then kill some neurons in 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:01.480 your brain. That is not good. So if you are 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:03.880 at that level, that is not good for your brain. 0:04:04.000 --> 0:04:05.600 What about someone who says, and I'm sure you hear 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:08.120 this all the time, Wendy, Oh, you know, stress doesn't 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:10.600 really affect me. You know, I can just keep going. 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.600 I don't really notice it. What would you say to 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:14.480 someone who says. 0:04:14.240 --> 0:04:16.880 That, I would say I said that a lot to myself. 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:21.320 And when I sat down to write my second book, 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:26.560 Good Anxiety, I realized how much stress and anxiety that 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:31.560 I was dealing with in my life. And also, I 0:04:31.600 --> 0:04:37.880 think the key was there were simple tools that one 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:42.360 could use to address not all forms of your stress 0:04:42.360 --> 0:04:45.479 and anxiety, but a lot of those forms of stress 0:04:45.760 --> 0:04:49.080 and anxiety. And so the first step is awareness. 0:04:49.400 --> 0:04:52.880 Yeah, so becoming aware. Why are we in denial about 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:53.440 our stress? 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:56.200 I think, well, I live in New York City. People 0:04:56.360 --> 0:04:58.440 like to wear a badge of stress. Oh you know 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:00.400 you every time you answer how are you? Oh so 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:03.480 stressed out? So much to do? It's like a badge 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:08.400 of a badge of honor. So I think that that 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:12.839 becomes has become part of our individualistic society, and that's 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:16.039 not good. I mean, what you should be able to say, 0:05:16.240 --> 0:05:18.960 at least a good chunk of the time is actually, 0:05:18.960 --> 0:05:22.360 I'm doing well. I feel good, I feel energized. And 0:05:22.400 --> 0:05:26.640 you don't hear that response all too often. And that's 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:28.400 not just in New York, but I think all over 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:29.839 the country and all over the world. 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:31.880 Yeah, for sure. No, I think you're so right. I 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:35.440 think people are used to saying surviving, Yes, just surviving, 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:38.680 just getting through this day. Yeah, I'm just moving forward. 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:40.560 And I think that's why we're doing this episode, because 0:05:40.560 --> 0:05:43.000 we want people to be able to turn around and say, oh, no, 0:05:43.080 --> 0:05:45.920 I'm doing well, imnergizing. But it's almost like we carry 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:49.240 this guilt if we are about to say that, right, 0:05:49.240 --> 0:05:51.800 there's a feeling of like, oh, there's a feeling of 0:05:52.360 --> 0:05:55.159 shame that I'm not working hard enough. Yes, right, So 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:56.960 going back the other way with the badge of honor, 0:05:56.960 --> 0:05:58.840 there's a feeling of if I said, oh, no, I'm 0:05:58.839 --> 0:06:01.799 actually doing okay, Yeah, that's me saying I'm not working 0:06:01.880 --> 0:06:02.320 hard in it. 0:06:02.440 --> 0:06:05.120 Right. I've noticed that as well. I've noticed that in 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:11.240 myself and my colleagues. And it's about stepping back and realizing. 0:06:12.040 --> 0:06:16.400 You know, I think one of the most profound pieces 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:20.880 of advice that somebody gave me early on is making 0:06:20.920 --> 0:06:26.440 me realize how important and how complex my brain was. 0:06:26.839 --> 0:06:32.000 It defines everything that we do and everything that we are, 0:06:32.880 --> 0:06:37.719 and making that work well should be high on our list. 0:06:38.440 --> 0:06:42.599 Chronic stress and buying into that I'm busy all the 0:06:42.640 --> 0:06:47.280 time culture is not conducive to brain health. So you 0:06:47.360 --> 0:06:52.960 want to live a long, healthy, energized life, start paying 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:56.240 attention to all the things you need to do to 0:06:56.279 --> 0:06:58.440 make your brain work beautifully. 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:01.039 Yeah, no matter how much you think you've got away 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:03.760 with it up until now, Yes, it's not good to 0:07:03.880 --> 0:07:07.280 keep pushing that and testing, yes, how far the brain 0:07:07.320 --> 0:07:11.000 can go exactly. Walk me through the difference between anxiety 0:07:11.040 --> 0:07:13.800 and stress and why is it important to know the difference. 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:18.960 They are intertwined in a really complex way. So physiologically, 0:07:19.000 --> 0:07:25.239 the stress response is enacted by the sympathetic nervous system, 0:07:25.400 --> 0:07:29.280 and it's all those feelings that we are very familiar with. 0:07:29.600 --> 0:07:33.880 Increase heart rate, increased respiration rate, our eyes dilate, there's 0:07:33.920 --> 0:07:37.640 a upset stomach because actually blood is rushing away from 0:07:37.680 --> 0:07:41.280 our digestion and reproductive systems towards our muscles, because the 0:07:41.360 --> 0:07:43.480 response is to get us ready to run away, to 0:07:43.640 --> 0:07:50.400 physically flee. Now, anxiety is the emotion of fearing something 0:07:50.680 --> 0:07:52.720 that is coming up in the future, that could that 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:55.720 we don't like, that that could harm us. In his essence, 0:07:55.880 --> 0:07:59.840 it is protective. So you know, a woman three point 0:08:00.160 --> 0:08:03.680 five million years ago, trying to protect your baby wanted 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:06.480 to use those feelings of anxiety to keep that baby 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:10.840 safe from those physical dangers that were there. The problem 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:14.600 is that in today's world, every ping of the phone 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:19.600 is anxiety producing, which then launches your stress response, and 0:08:19.640 --> 0:08:23.680 that keeps us stressful for way too much of the day. 0:08:24.200 --> 0:08:28.280 So the key, I think is learning how to turn 0:08:28.320 --> 0:08:33.360 the volume down on those anxiety cues that then launch 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:36.760 stress and learning what they are for yourself, but also 0:08:36.960 --> 0:08:40.600 using the tools of science to turn that volume down. 0:08:40.720 --> 0:08:43.320 It's a simple first step that everybody can take. 0:08:43.520 --> 0:08:44.200 How do we do that? 0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:48.480 So the first thing that you can do is first realize, 0:08:48.520 --> 0:08:50.520 you said, you know, how do we know we're stressed? 0:08:52.480 --> 0:08:54.880 Self reflect for a moment. Am I am? I telling 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:58.400 everybody I'm stressed all the time? Do I not sleep 0:08:58.440 --> 0:09:01.720 well because of stress? When you do that, there are 0:09:02.040 --> 0:09:05.200 my number one and number two tools that I immediately go to, 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:08.360 And I know you've talked about this so many times 0:09:08.400 --> 0:09:11.840 on your show. Number one, because it is immediate, is 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:17.800 deep breathing breath work. Why because breath work activates the 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:21.560 equal and opposite part of that sympathetic fight or flight system, 0:09:21.600 --> 0:09:25.040 the parasympathetic system. I told you all the things that 0:09:25.160 --> 0:09:29.720 stress activates, heart rate rays, respiration rays. You know you're 0:09:29.880 --> 0:09:33.200 blood rushing. I can't control where my blood rushes, and 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:35.880 I can't really control my heart rate, but I can 0:09:36.040 --> 0:09:41.160 control exactly how deep and profound and frequent my breathing is. 0:09:41.559 --> 0:09:45.120 So that's why just deep breathing just two or three times, 0:09:45.160 --> 0:09:49.480 can you know, tried out, It can really calm you down, 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:52.400 and if you practice it, it gets even more powerful. 0:09:52.600 --> 0:09:55.559 That's my tool. Go to number one, and it's number 0:09:55.600 --> 0:10:00.240 one because if I'm getting anxious about this interview, could 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:03.199 actually do this in the background you don't even know, 0:10:03.720 --> 0:10:06.800 And I can calm myself down even in the heat 0:10:06.960 --> 0:10:10.800 of a This is not a stressful conversation at all, 0:10:10.880 --> 0:10:14.040 but I'm pretending that you know it could be. Number 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:19.040 two is moving your body, and so ten minutes of 0:10:19.080 --> 0:10:22.560 walking outside or anywhere up and down the stairs, down 0:10:22.559 --> 0:10:25.840 the hallway has been shown to decrease your anxiety and 0:10:25.880 --> 0:10:28.520 stress levels. It's one of the fastest way that you 0:10:28.520 --> 0:10:33.800 can use physical activity to address your stress and anxiety levels. 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:36.080 Those are my number one and number two go tos. 0:10:36.160 --> 0:10:38.320 Anybody can use. You don't even have to change. 0:10:38.080 --> 0:10:40.760 Your clothes that first Roe. I'm so glad you brought 0:10:40.800 --> 0:10:42.920 that up. And it's a practice I do still till 0:10:42.960 --> 0:10:45.439 this day if I'm going on stage or if I'm 0:10:45.480 --> 0:10:48.360 doing something that's anxiety and using And I think people 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:50.400 are always like, Jay, wait a minute, you experienced anxiety. 0:10:50.440 --> 0:10:52.040 I'm like, of course I do it. Yeah, It's a 0:10:52.040 --> 0:10:54.400 part of everyday life. And if I'm about to do 0:10:54.440 --> 0:10:57.520 something that feels that way, I can not. It's the 0:10:57.520 --> 0:11:00.560 same thing. But now that I've noticed that queue, which is, 0:11:00.640 --> 0:11:03.400 like you said, it's easy for me to think, Okay, well, 0:11:03.440 --> 0:11:05.079 I know I need to breathe in for a four 0:11:05.440 --> 0:11:07.400 and breathe out for more than four, which is a pattern. 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:09.880 I like, Are there any patterns that you suggest or 0:11:09.960 --> 0:11:10.920 is it just deep breathing? 0:11:11.040 --> 0:11:14.760 You know, the easiest is just deep you for three 0:11:14.840 --> 0:11:17.240 or four counts in three, four counts out. But I 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:20.480 like box breathing, which I know you know about. Deep 0:11:20.520 --> 0:11:23.040 breath in for four counts, hold at the top for 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:26.920 four counts, deep breath out for four counts, hold it 0:11:26.960 --> 0:11:29.560 at the bottom for four counts. It's funny every time 0:11:29.600 --> 0:11:31.960 I even say that, and I often say that in 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:37.840 these kinds of interviews, I feel myself destressing as I 0:11:37.960 --> 0:11:41.679 do that, because the muscle memory of when I do 0:11:41.679 --> 0:11:45.280 do that comes in. But yes, it is such a 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:47.360 powerful technique that everybody can use. 0:11:47.480 --> 0:11:50.400 And how do we spot our cues more closely? Because 0:11:50.640 --> 0:11:51.959 so for a long time I used to say I 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:54.559 don't get stressed, And then I started to realize when 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:56.920 I was actually still, that all my stress was stored 0:11:57.000 --> 0:11:59.400 in my body. So I wouldn't get stressed mentally, I 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:02.120 wouldn't ex experience it in my mind, and I wouldn't 0:12:02.120 --> 0:12:04.480 experience it in my chest or my heart. But then 0:12:04.520 --> 0:12:06.719 I started to notice that my upper shoulders or my 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:09.800 neck is always tight. Yeah, And it took me a 0:12:09.880 --> 0:12:13.480 while before I started to recognize that stress existed in 0:12:13.520 --> 0:12:16.319 different ways as opposed to this idea of oh, well 0:12:16.320 --> 0:12:18.800 it's not up here, so it doesn't exist. How do 0:12:18.840 --> 0:12:21.800 we get closer to those cues? Because I think there's 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:23.439 two questions. One is how do we get closer to 0:12:23.480 --> 0:12:25.880 our cues? And the second is when you feel that 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:28.880 cue or trigger, how do you remind yourself to breathe? 0:12:28.920 --> 0:12:32.520 I think to get closer to your cues. The easiest 0:12:32.559 --> 0:12:37.760 answer is to spend time in open awareness of your 0:12:37.840 --> 0:12:39.800 own cues. And just as you said, and it's the 0:12:39.840 --> 0:12:43.160 same for me, they don't suddenly appear on a list 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:45.520 in front of you. You have to go and seek 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:47.800 them out because for you, it wasn't in your head, 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:51.320 it was in your body. I'll never forget. Multiple times 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:55.520 I've had the experience of deep tissue massage in certain 0:12:55.559 --> 0:13:01.000 places that triggered just crying in me and I'm I'm 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:04.560 so sorry, what's happening? They said, No, I've just touched 0:13:05.120 --> 0:13:07.920 a point in your body that you store a lot 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:12.720 of stress. You mean, like actually cry, actual physical crime. 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:16.360 And it wasn't like I couldn't help it. And it's happened. 0:13:16.520 --> 0:13:20.079 It's happened just twice. But that was my very clear 0:13:20.200 --> 0:13:23.360 cue that I also store a lot of stress and 0:13:24.360 --> 0:13:27.240 anxiety in my own body. You have to go and 0:13:27.280 --> 0:13:29.679 look for that, and you have to notice it, and 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:34.600 you have to remind yourself when you've been covering up 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:37.840 your own stress and anxiety, which I am also a 0:13:37.880 --> 0:13:42.200 master of. It takes a little exploration, and I think 0:13:42.200 --> 0:13:46.640 that listening to others and and and actually asking a friend, 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:49.559 do you notice times when when you think I'm more 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:52.319 stress than others, and sometimes you might be surprised. That 0:13:52.400 --> 0:13:55.880 might be a really good, you know, moment of realization. 0:13:56.559 --> 0:13:59.880 And so then your second question was, once you realize 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:03.600 in this moment, how do you remind yourself to breathe? 0:14:04.040 --> 0:14:06.960 And that's a hard one and I think the best 0:14:07.040 --> 0:14:14.200 way is don't wait until say, oh I'm anxious, I 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:17.960 need to breathe. But never having any practice with this breathing, 0:14:18.400 --> 0:14:21.600 it is wonderful to take To take a class time 0:14:21.640 --> 0:14:23.880 and go to a breath meditation class. You learn so 0:14:24.040 --> 0:14:28.600 much because there is literally thousands of years of breath 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:34.360 work technique to learn. And I've been exploring that as well. 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:37.960 But you don't have to get super fancy. Sometimes it's 0:14:38.120 --> 0:14:41.480 just about you said you like the inhale and exhale 0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:44.360 for a longer time. That is a very basic but 0:14:44.520 --> 0:14:49.080 powerful one. Explore that on YouTube. There are thousands of 0:14:49.240 --> 0:14:52.080 free meditations you can do that. I always send people 0:14:52.120 --> 0:14:55.960 there practice it, see which ones you like. Sometimes it's 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:58.160 too long of a hold for people, and you have 0:14:58.240 --> 0:15:00.920 to find the one that you like, practice, get it 0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:04.680 comfortable with yourself, and then it'll be easier to call 0:15:04.720 --> 0:15:06.840 it up when you do notice that moment coming up. 0:15:07.000 --> 0:15:08.760 Yeah, I agree, I think I think that's great. At 0:15:08.760 --> 0:15:13.120 what advice it's you can't have something help you. It's 0:15:13.120 --> 0:15:16.560 almost like I remember being at school and they'd always 0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:19.600 train you with what happens if there was a fire, 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:23.200 So you're training when there isn't a fire, yes, and 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:24.880 so it's like, hey, when there's a fire, you're going 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:27.040 to walk through this door, you're going to line up outside, 0:15:27.360 --> 0:15:29.080 you're going to do this. And it's almost like we 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:31.240 need that yes for when the fires appear in our 0:15:31.280 --> 0:15:34.760 mind exactly, and you've got to do the routine before 0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:36.480 it happens in reality. 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:40.200 Right, And if you do, do it, really think about 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:43.920 how that made you feel. Do you feel that difference? 0:15:44.520 --> 0:15:49.720 And it's important to keep exploring how different things make 0:15:49.800 --> 0:15:53.960 you feel. Because maybe you chose just a bum breath technique. 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:56.800 It doesn't work for you, and there are those that 0:15:57.040 --> 0:15:59.680 you know just won't hack it for you, So try 0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:03.080 other things, but stay aware. And that practice of self 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:07.160 awareness I think is so important for the rest of 0:16:07.200 --> 0:16:07.640 our lives. 0:16:07.680 --> 0:16:11.080 I think what's actually happening to the brain when we 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:14.080 ignore anxiety and stress for a long periods of time. 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:21.080 Stress very physiologically releases stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol goes through 0:16:21.120 --> 0:16:24.120 the blood brain barrier, goes into the brain. And the 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:27.760 danger is that there are key brain areas that you 0:16:27.920 --> 0:16:31.720 want to keep healthy and thriving and growing throughout your 0:16:31.760 --> 0:16:37.520 life that high levels of consistent cortisol will damage and 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:40.880 then eventually kill cells. And the first brain area I'll 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:44.840 focus on is called the hippocampus, critical for memory function, 0:16:45.320 --> 0:16:48.920 and here we know that long term stress. For example, 0:16:49.120 --> 0:16:53.440 people with PTSD monkeys that have low rank in the 0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:58.640 pecking order male monkeys have tiny little hippocampi because those 0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:03.280 cells have gotten damage and then died, and that is 0:17:03.320 --> 0:17:06.040 not good. We need what I like to call a big, fat, 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:08.760 fluffy hippa campus for the rest of our lives. This 0:17:08.920 --> 0:17:12.520 is the area that first gets attacked in Alzheimer's disease, 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:15.679 and you want to keep that beautiful and healthy. The 0:17:15.760 --> 0:17:20.399 other brain area that is attacked in stress is your 0:17:20.440 --> 0:17:24.680 prefrontal cortex, critical for decision making, being able to shift 0:17:24.760 --> 0:17:27.879 and focus your attention. And so you are starting to 0:17:28.040 --> 0:17:32.200 damage two key areas you know. I lead nine thousand 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:35.560 students The two brain areas I want to work best 0:17:35.640 --> 0:17:39.000 in these students are the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. 0:17:39.040 --> 0:17:42.440 And it kills me that during finals, all that stress 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:46.720 that comes off is damaging their ability to show us 0:17:46.800 --> 0:17:49.359 all the beautiful knowledge that they learn. Of course, not 0:17:49.440 --> 0:17:52.480 just my students, but all students around the world. How 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:58.720 how can we destress that process and thereby help learning, 0:17:59.080 --> 0:18:03.760 help help re call, help their professors know what they 0:18:03.840 --> 0:18:05.520 do understand about the topic. 0:18:05.880 --> 0:18:10.000 Yeah, what what are our daily activities that are damaging 0:18:10.400 --> 0:18:12.520 the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. 0:18:12.720 --> 0:18:16.840 Yeah, I mean it is that every day stress. It's 0:18:16.920 --> 0:18:21.639 the anxiety provoked by scary news that we read every 0:18:21.640 --> 0:18:25.560 single day, by social media. And here I'm thinking about younger, 0:18:25.640 --> 0:18:30.160 younger people well known how much it damages self esteem 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:33.600 to spend too much time on social media, all these things. 0:18:33.680 --> 0:18:37.680 We all know these stressors in our lives. But it's 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:40.679 actually hard to put the newspaper down. It's hard, it's 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:44.360 really hard to put the phone down. But that could 0:18:44.440 --> 0:18:49.000 be such a game changer for both adults and children. 0:18:49.160 --> 0:18:51.280 And you just ask, well, what am I going to 0:18:51.359 --> 0:18:55.520 do have a conversation with the real person, which is 0:18:55.560 --> 0:18:59.879 what I always try and push people to do. That 0:19:00.200 --> 0:19:03.920 is such a joy and a privilege in our lives 0:19:03.960 --> 0:19:04.840 to be able to do. Yeah. 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:09.560 I've really found also that if we can just find 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:12.240 a gap between when you wake up and when you 0:19:12.280 --> 0:19:16.280 pick up your phone, it just rewires the brain. And 0:19:16.320 --> 0:19:18.560 I think we have to think about it, yeah, physically 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:21.399 where it goes. Okay, Well, if I don't put my 0:19:21.520 --> 0:19:26.040 brain in this noise in the morning, just as I 0:19:26.040 --> 0:19:30.280 would never wake up to like volume one hundred on 0:19:30.440 --> 0:19:33.159 any song or whatever it may be, if I just 0:19:33.200 --> 0:19:36.360 allow my brain some time to like speed up naturally 0:19:36.440 --> 0:19:38.680 and catch up with the pace of the day, then 0:19:38.720 --> 0:19:41.399 actually I'll be better at doing everything else rather than 0:19:41.400 --> 0:19:44.000 when I rush my brain from zero to one hundred 0:19:44.080 --> 0:19:48.320 miles per hour with fifty emails and thirty notifications, I'm 0:19:48.359 --> 0:19:50.679 expecting so much of my brain, and no wonder I'm 0:19:50.720 --> 0:19:54.040 stressed out immediately because my brain's trying to compute and formulate. 0:19:54.080 --> 0:19:56.159 It's like, it's like if your partner turned to you 0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:57.320 in the morning and said I want to have a 0:19:57.320 --> 0:20:00.680 really deep discussion about life. Yeah first in the morning, 0:20:00.800 --> 0:20:02.200 It's like you'd be like, well, I don't think I 0:20:02.240 --> 0:20:04.800 can handle that right now. Yeah, and it's shocking to 0:20:04.840 --> 0:20:07.680 me how many of us are putting ourselves in stress 0:20:07.840 --> 0:20:09.640 by looking at our phones first thing in the morning. 0:20:09.720 --> 0:20:13.080 Yeah. I have a morning routine that I've come to love, 0:20:13.240 --> 0:20:17.919 which is about a forty five minute meditation when I 0:20:17.960 --> 0:20:20.160 first wake up. So that's the first thing that I do. 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:23.520 And I do a tea meditation, which is meditation over 0:20:23.560 --> 0:20:27.280 the brewing and drinking of tea, because not tea bag tea, 0:20:27.400 --> 0:20:30.159 but you know, loose leaf tea where you have to 0:20:30.240 --> 0:20:32.360 seep it for a certain amount of time or else 0:20:32.400 --> 0:20:34.879 it doesn't taste its best, and then you pour it 0:20:34.920 --> 0:20:37.080 and then you drink it and then you re seep it. 0:20:37.400 --> 0:20:42.879 So for me, that ritual really keeps me in meditation. 0:20:43.480 --> 0:20:46.760 And what do I mean by meditation Just I do 0:20:46.800 --> 0:20:52.760 body scans. I have prayers that I go through every morning, 0:20:53.000 --> 0:20:56.399 which is I think, the antithesis of looking at your email. 0:20:57.440 --> 0:20:59.919 And then I do a thirty minute workout, which is 0:21:00.080 --> 0:21:02.320 I do it online, So I do open my computer, 0:21:02.400 --> 0:21:04.719 but I'm not, you know, looking at the newspaper at 0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:06.679 the same time I'm doing my workout. I'm focused on 0:21:06.720 --> 0:21:10.880 that workout, and that really prepares me for the day, 0:21:11.040 --> 0:21:12.920 and if I miss either one of those, I feel 0:21:12.920 --> 0:21:13.960 it the rest of the day. 0:21:14.080 --> 0:21:16.199 Yeah, definitely, I love hearing that. How long have you 0:21:16.240 --> 0:21:16.679 done that for? 0:21:17.359 --> 0:21:21.280 I've done the meditation for nine years straight and I've 0:21:21.320 --> 0:21:23.520 missed only a few days when I have those four 0:21:23.560 --> 0:21:25.560 am you have to get on the cab at four 0:21:25.600 --> 0:21:30.280 am to get to the airport and exercise I've been 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:34.000 doing for even longer. I've gone through lots of habits 0:21:34.000 --> 0:21:38.879 with my exercise, but having the morning habit and really 0:21:39.560 --> 0:21:44.520 forcing myself, not forcing, it's a habit, having the habit 0:21:44.600 --> 0:21:46.880 of even when I only have five minutes I'll do 0:21:47.040 --> 0:21:49.439 some sort of you know, stretch or something for that 0:21:49.560 --> 0:21:53.479 five minutes every single day and feel good about that 0:21:54.200 --> 0:21:57.160 in addition to my good thirty minute cardio strength workout 0:21:57.160 --> 0:21:59.640 where I really sweat. So, I mean, I think we're 0:21:59.640 --> 0:22:03.400 both talking about the habits that we choose for ourselves 0:22:03.840 --> 0:22:08.000 that improve our mental health, strengthen our brain. This is 0:22:09.000 --> 0:22:10.320 so important to choose for us. 0:22:10.560 --> 0:22:13.040 Yeah, absolutely, And I think the point is you'll get 0:22:13.080 --> 0:22:16.040 so much more out of your day and your brain. Yes, 0:22:16.119 --> 0:22:18.000 I think often we think, well if I skip that, 0:22:18.080 --> 0:22:20.000 I used to be like this with my wife. She 0:22:20.160 --> 0:22:22.280 was the one who kept drilling into me how important 0:22:22.280 --> 0:22:25.800 physical activity was. Yeah, And I was just like, no, 0:22:25.920 --> 0:22:28.679 I'm fine, and she was like, imagine how alert you'll be, 0:22:29.240 --> 0:22:31.240 Imagine how focused you will be. And I didn't believe her. 0:22:31.760 --> 0:22:33.560 And then when I started to do it, I was like, oh, 0:22:33.560 --> 0:22:35.919 she's right, and it's such an interesting thing. It's so 0:22:36.320 --> 0:22:39.320 easy to think I'll accomplish more if I don't make 0:22:39.400 --> 0:22:43.840 time for meditation, breath work and working out, But you won't. 0:22:43.840 --> 0:22:45.040 You'll actually accomplish less. 0:22:45.359 --> 0:22:46.040 You'll accomplished. 0:22:46.280 --> 0:22:48.200 Is that what you found is that does a science 0:22:48.480 --> 0:22:49.160 show that too? 0:22:49.840 --> 0:22:54.919