1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Hello everybody, Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: the podcast, new listeners, old listeners. Wherever you are in 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: the world, it is so great to have you here. 4 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: Back for another episode as we, of course break down 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: the psychology of our twenties. Today we're going to be 6 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: talking about cortisol. We're going to be talking about the 7 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: hidden and in depth impact that this stress hormone has 8 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: on our bodies, on our minds, our cognition, and even 9 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: things that you might not think about, like your emotional intelligence, 10 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: our creativity, our relationships. You have probably been hearing a 11 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: lot about cortisol recently, and your interest may or may 12 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: not be piqued. So I want this episode to be 13 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: a bit of a one oh one psychology guide to 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: a what cortisol is be, what it does, and why 15 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: it's important, see what happens when it becomes disregulated, and 16 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: more importantly, how to sustainably your stress response and lower 17 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: your risk of chronic stress so that dysresgulated cortisolt hopefully 18 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: doesn't become a problem for you. There is a lot 19 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: of stress to be experienced in our twenties. I'm sure 20 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: I don't need to tell you that because you know, 21 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 1: this period of our life is so uncertain and at 22 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: times unstable, but it also feels very unnecessarily urgent, as 23 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: if we have to have it all figured out right now. 24 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: This instant and all of these expectations in this external 25 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: but also internal pressure creates the perfect conditions for us 26 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: to be in emergency mode, maybe more often than we 27 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: need to be, and so understanding what happens to our 28 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: bodies when that's the case, or also when we experience 29 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: great environmental stresses like illness, like a breakup, like something 30 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: terrible or traumatic, it's really important to know what's going 31 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: on behind the scenes when it comes to your stress 32 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: response so that that doesn't become the dominating state for you. 33 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: There's also a lot of misinformation online about cortisol that 34 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: I want to break down. Some of the myths I've 35 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: heard recently are that cortisol is always bad for you, 36 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: that you shouldn't do intense exercise because it increases cortisol. 37 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: Your cortisol levels, you know, they can be controlled by 38 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 1: processed sugar, You need to cleanse, you need supplements, etcetera, etcetera. 39 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: But I think that the answer is a lot more simple, 40 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: and the more you know about just the very basics 41 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: of cortisol, the more you can make informed choices. So 42 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: that is our plan for today. Let's talk all things 43 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: cortisol and the experiences you may or may not know 44 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: are associated with there's widely talked about but often misunderstood hormone, 45 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: but also how you can manage your stress levels in 46 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: the most simple, basic ways in your twenties. All of 47 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: that and more on the psychology of cortisol without further ado, 48 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: Let's get into it. Let me start out by saying 49 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: something maybe rather obvious, and that is that cordosol gets 50 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: a bad rap. Truly, it is demonized by people for 51 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: so many things, especially online, where people talk about cortisol face, 52 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: cortisol weight gain, how to reduce your cortisol using oranges, 53 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: or some secret herbal recipe that only they can sell 54 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: to you. I even saw a video the other day 55 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: titled how to get your Cortisol levels to Zero, which 56 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: honestly it made me laugh. I sent it to a 57 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: few friends because that is the complete opposite of what 58 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:37,839 Speaker 1: you want. You know, there is just so much misinformation 59 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: around this hormone. So let's quickly myth bust this idea 60 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: that Cortisol is singularly bad for you. Cortisol actually plays 61 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: a really essential role in your body, a vital one. Obviously. 62 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: It's known as the stress hormone because of its part 63 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: in helping us feel alert and energized and able to 64 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: respond to danger like a car racing towards you, or 65 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: a vicious dog, or some deadline, or even internal stresses 66 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: like repetitive thoughts and a fear of failure. Cortisols association 67 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 1: with stress, which we typically see as bad, is probably 68 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: why it gets a bad reputation, and you know why 69 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: it's demonized, But it actually is really important in helping 70 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: us handle the big, scary, nerve racking things that we 71 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 1: encounter in our daily life, and without it, we would 72 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 1: not be able to act or respond to really anything 73 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: in our environment in a way that was appropriate. Some 74 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: people often the second misconception is that adrenaline and cortisol 75 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 1: are the same, because they do work pretty closely together 76 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: when it comes to arousal and our stress response. But 77 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 1: the main difference is that adrenaline is what triggers your 78 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: flight or flight response. It is the first responder, It 79 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: is the police car at the scene. It gets your 80 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: heart pumping your pupils dilated, your blood pressure up. But 81 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: cortisol is what comes in, is backup. It's the paramedics, 82 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: it's the ambulance. Your cortisol is there for the recovery, 83 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: it's there for the long game. It's there to make 84 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: sure that your response to whatever situation is alarming you 85 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 1: is sustained. So really what it's responsible for is the 86 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: long term stress response, so your hypervigilance, making sure you 87 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: are still alert to potential new threats, making sure your 88 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 1: body can get enough glucose and can use that glucose 89 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: helping your body break down fats, protein carbs, which essentially 90 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: is what allows you to have energy, not just in 91 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: the aftermath of a crisis, but during your day to day. 92 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: So what I'm really trying to say is that we 93 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: really actually need it. Let's imagine you did lower your 94 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: cortisol levels to almost zero, as that video I saw 95 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:57,119 Speaker 1: the other day was suggesting. You know, if you didn't 96 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: have enough cortisol available in your body, I've really just 97 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: put it quite frankly, you would die. Like that's it. 98 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 1: It's called a drenal insufficiency, and it's life threatening, like 99 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 1: you would go into shock, you wouldn't be able to move, 100 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: you wouldn't really be able to respond to anything. So 101 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: you do need cortisol, plain and simple, Even though it 102 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: has that negative association with stress. We also know that 103 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: stress isn't wholly bad either. But the problems begin to 104 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: occur when your body cannot regulate the level of cortisol. 105 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: We'll talk about what that does to your body in 106 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: a second, but we need to discuss why it happens. 107 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: So the biggest culprit here is chronic stress because it 108 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: causes how cortisol levels to remain high even when the 109 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: thing in our environment or the internal stress that has passed. 110 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: So chronic stress is like a rather broad descriptive here. 111 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: It contains many events, situations, things, But I want to 112 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: give you some examples of what could cause us to 113 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: be in this state. A big one is long term 114 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: financial problems. Maybe there was a study from twenty thirteen 115 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: that found that financial strain increases daily cortisol output. And 116 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: you know a lot of us are experiencing the cost 117 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: of living crunch. That's likely making our baseline level of 118 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: stress increase. If you have a demanding, high pressed job, 119 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: that's also going to contribute or even not having a 120 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: job at all. On the other side of the spectrum, 121 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: you can see why that sometimes might feel tricky to navigate. 122 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: What's another few examples tense and difficult relationships, whether that's romantic, platonic, familial, 123 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: that can bleed into your mental health and increased cortisol 124 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: levels because you feel stressed in response to your emotional 125 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: social environment. Even health problems like if you have a 126 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: chronic illness or a serious injury that has impacted your 127 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: physical functioning, that's going to increase cordisol. And major life 128 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: events so death, divorce, a breakup, all of those have 129 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: a lingering emotional impact act that can disturb our emotional chromeostasis. 130 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: So the one important thing to remember is that stress, 131 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: although it sometimes helps motivate us, it helps us get 132 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: shit done, it is not meant to be experienced constantly. 133 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: And when it is, this means that the system in 134 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: our body responsible for secreting all types of hormones, it's 135 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: called the HbA axis, it remains overactive and it's not 136 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: necessarily getting the cues from our body to slow down 137 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: to pump the brakes. Over time. What this does is 138 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: it desensitizes cortisolv receptors and it disrupts the body's natural 139 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: feedback mechanisms. So a feedback mechanism is basically there are 140 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: little I don't know how to explain it, like there 141 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: are little watch towers, little gates in our body that 142 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: are meant to be like, oh okay, we've got too 143 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: much here, send it back, send it back, lower it down, increase, 144 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: like almost like markers, little test areas that your body 145 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: is able to use to respond to levels of cortisol. 146 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: But when they become too desensitized or whatever it is, 147 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 1: they don't start giving the right feedback. So that can 148 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: either result in something called hyper secretion, so too much cortisol, 149 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: or the opposite low low levels, which is hypo secretion, 150 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: so hyper versus hypo. How I really like to imagine 151 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:29,679 Speaker 1: hyper secretion, which is really what we're focusing on today. 152 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: It's like you're behind the wheel of a car and 153 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: your shoe gets jammed over the accelerator and you're trying 154 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: really hard to keep your eyes on the road. You're 155 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: going so many miles an hour. You're trying to navigate 156 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: traffic lights, navigate, you know, navigate, stop science and there's 157 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 1: a bus full of children. You want to avoid that 158 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: there's a lake, you don't want to fall into it. 159 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: You're trying to keep your eyes focused on what is 160 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: actually happening, whilst also trying to get your shoe unjammed. 161 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: And that's the impossibility of dealing with high cortisol injuiced 162 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: chronic stress. You have to both deal with the impacts 163 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: of high cortisol whilst also trying to reduce the stress. 164 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: At the same time. You have to try and keep 165 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: your eyes on the road, but also you know, look 166 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 1: down to try and get the shoe off the pedal. 167 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: So some other causes of high and dysregulated cortisol include 168 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 1: an overactive pituitary gland. This one's actually very very common. 169 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: Sometimes it can be due to tumors or growths, but 170 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: also medications like steroids, also some form of birth control. 171 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: I actually looked into this because I hadn't heard of 172 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: that before. I hadn't heard about the relationship between birth 173 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,839 Speaker 1: control and cortisol, and there definitely needs to be more 174 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: research done on it. But there was a twenty twenty 175 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: four case study conducted by a doctor at UCLA that 176 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: found that some oral contraceptives increase cortisol level in patients. 177 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: He measured this by testing cortisol levels before and after 178 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: the use of an oral contraceptive for two months, and 179 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: found that there was an almost three one hundred percent 180 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:06,839 Speaker 1: increase twenty six milligrams over the normal range after this 181 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: person began to go back on their birth control. So 182 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 1: it doesn't mean to go off your pill right away, 183 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: or that your pill is making you stressed, although I 184 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: think a lot of women would tell us like, there 185 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: are huge emotional differences that I notice because the pill 186 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: is influencing hormones and that is what cortisol is. But again, yes, 187 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: not about trying to convince you to just go cold 188 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: turkey on something that's very, very important for your health 189 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: and your reproductive health in other areas. But it is 190 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: an important factor to really think about. If you have 191 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 1: just gone on the pill and you've noticed anxiety spiking, 192 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: could this be a contributor. But also if you are 193 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: already prone to chronic stress, and you already work in 194 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: a really intense industry, you're drinking three to four coffees 195 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: a day, you can only really unwind with alcohol, all 196 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: of these things are going to be compounding. They're going 197 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: to be compounding factors. On your mental emotional, cognitive state. 198 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: And the reason why is because of the influence they 199 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 1: have on cortisol and the influence they have on how 200 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: our body responds to stress. Some other factors that contribute 201 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 1: to high cortisol conditions, like depression and anxiety, have also 202 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: been associated with elevated cortisol levels. However, it's important to 203 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 1: note the direction of this relationship. It's kind of hard 204 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: to pin down, right, how do we know whether you 205 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:36,479 Speaker 1: are anxious because you have elevated cortisol or your anxiety 206 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: is causing cortisol levels to spike, right, It's very hard 207 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: to tell. Most researchers would say, actually, it's a very 208 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: intertwined system anxiety high cortisol. Although we don't know the relationship, 209 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 1: we do know they often go hand in hand. This 210 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: is kind of a very quick summary of what contributes 211 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: to a spike in this stress hormone, and it's important 212 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: to know that there is no way of escaping the 213 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 1: impact this will have on your body. Humans are very 214 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: strong creatures, but we are also still creatures, and no 215 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: creature can survive under conditions of acute stress for a 216 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: long period of time. Health does decline. Mental wellbeing does decline. 217 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: You even see small things like hair and skin quality 218 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 1: start to fade, Like you start to see someone's skin 219 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 1: become quite grayish, their hair starts to fall out, all 220 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: signs of like a sickness, and that sickness in this 221 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: instance is coming from stress. Obviously, those are some intense examples. 222 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: Let's talk about what the hidden impact of excessive cortisol 223 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: might look like on a smaller scale. Firstly, I'm going 224 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 1: to touch on some of the non obvious effects that 225 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: you may not have heard about yet. The first big 226 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: one is that high levels of cortisol dampen your emotional intelligence, 227 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: so you're less able to respond not only just to 228 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: your own emotional states, but also you're less able to 229 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: recognize and appropriately respond to others. It's why you may 230 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,839 Speaker 1: become snappy. You may suddenly realize you're saying things you 231 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: don't mean, and you didn't quite realize that you were 232 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: saying them. That you're just exhausted and tired and sad. 233 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: And if someone asks you why, you can't tell them 234 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: because you haven't been able to see or notice any 235 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: cause and effect between situations and your emotions, because your 236 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: emotional intelligence has been compromised. Here's another interesting impact. There 237 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: was a twenty fourteen study that found that elevated cor 238 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,960 Speaker 1: result actually shifts our response to risk so that we 239 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: become more cautious and guarded when it comes to anything 240 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: from financial decisions to Korea to relationship decisions. It can 241 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: make it so that when we see opportunity, we feel 242 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: like the likelihood of that opportunity being realized is is reduced, 243 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: so we're less likely to take risks, We're less likely 244 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: to bet on ourselves. It's why people who are in 245 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: chronic stress states find it harder to you know, take 246 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 1: the leap to start a business, or to go back 247 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: to school, or to try something new. Stress intertwines not 248 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: just with health, but with decision making as well. Here's 249 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: another you know, kind of scary realization or impact of 250 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 1: high courts all it makes us more pessimistic and it 251 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: makes us less creative. So if you are someone who 252 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: loves making art, you love creating things, that important creative 253 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: process and that ability to come up with new ideas 254 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: spontaneously and execute them, it will decline when you are 255 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: in a stressed state, because you cannot thrive during acute stress. 256 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: It's why the secret to being more creative is and 257 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 1: always will be rest and novelty over discipline and routine 258 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: and overworking, because in the former ladder, in the latter conditions, 259 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: there is just not enough room for your brain to 260 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: explore different areas of itself. So those are some of 261 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: the impacts you may not have heard of, but here 262 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: are some of the ones that you may already have 263 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: a sense might occur to someone who's experiencing high cordisol levels. 264 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 1: The first one is rapid weight gain. So high cortisol 265 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: levels triggered by chronic stress, they increase our appetite and 266 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: cravings for high calorie fatty foods by stimulating the release 267 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: of appetite regulating hormones. So let's talk about why this 268 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: is the case. Obviously, cortisol is released in response to stress, 269 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: and if the body is stressed, it's thinking this is 270 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: an emergency situation. This is a situation that we want 271 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: to endure and survive. And if we're going to survive 272 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: it, it means we should have as many resources as possible, 273 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: including the energy stores that are necessary. How do we 274 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: bulk up or increase energy stores as a resource by 275 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: eating more? So your body is literally saying almost like 276 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: almost preparing for like not hibernation, but the opposite, like 277 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: preparing to fight, to run away, preparing to hunger down 278 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:16,119 Speaker 1: and endure whatever chronic stress is currently playing out in 279 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: your life and on your mind. It can also lead 280 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: to what we call food noise. This is like an intrusive, 281 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: constant thought about food because your body is of course 282 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,199 Speaker 1: trying to consume more energy and trying to find a 283 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: way to motivate you or influence you to do so. 284 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: Here's another a third effect of this, a third reason 285 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: why people who are experiencing chronic stress often complained about 286 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: weight gain. It's the cortisol promotes fat storage, especially in 287 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: the abdominal region, by increasing insulin resistance and altering how 288 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: fat is distributed in the body. Again, your body is saying, 289 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 1: we need this. This is def Con one. We're in 290 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: an emergency situation. Let's get our stocks up. Elevated cards 291 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: and levels also slow down the metabolism. So together these 292 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: effects create a cycle of stress induced weight gain. It's 293 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: so hard when I hear people or see people talking 294 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:18,479 Speaker 1: about their experience of just almost suddenly gaining weight for 295 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: no reason and in such an unfair way, like they're 296 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: doing everything that they think they should be doing. They're 297 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,679 Speaker 1: really healthy people, they eat really well, they have a 298 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: really active lifestyle, and they're still gaining weight in a 299 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: way that feels like their body is working against them. 300 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: And you know, weight gain isn't a terrible thing. It's 301 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: not a bad thing. It's not something that should be 302 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: avoided at all costs. But when it just appears to 303 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: happen sporadically and spontaneously and nothing about your lifestyle has changed, 304 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 1: it can be rather frustrating. It's why anytime I see 305 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: someone like getting trolled on Instagram or TikTok for weight gain, 306 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 1: you best believe like I'm leaving a comment on their behalf, 307 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: because you really have no idea what's happening in their 308 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: life to cause that, let alone suggesting that you know, 309 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: suddenly they should feel a shame because their body is 310 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: responding to perhaps a really intense situation or an emotional 311 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: or external environment of intense stress or loss or grief 312 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: or whatever it is they're going through. The human body 313 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,919 Speaker 1: is so much more complex than just calories in and 314 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 1: calories out. And I don't know when we as a 315 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: society will really start to understand that. You may also 316 00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: experience this as kind of in a similar vein a 317 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: bit different increased inflammation, especially in the face. And this 318 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:44,879 Speaker 1: is this idea that you may know of as moonface. 319 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: That's where this has come from. So moon face is 320 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,640 Speaker 1: kind of like a colloquial way to describe the puffiness 321 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: and appearance that our face gets when cortisol has just 322 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: regulated has been dysregulated for too long, so you often 323 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: will begin to lose definition and features. It looks like 324 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: your face is literally swelling up and looking like a 325 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,399 Speaker 1: big round moon. And this occurs because our body is 326 00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 1: holding onto more fluid and salt because cortisolt is not 327 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: properly regulating these deposits, or is not properly regulating our 328 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,160 Speaker 1: insulin levels, which is causing us to hold onto fat 329 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 1: in these stores in our face. Again, this can become 330 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: a big point of insecurity for people, especially since you know, 331 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: our face is often the first thing people see, and 332 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: so when we can't recognize it anymore and we experience 333 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:39,120 Speaker 1: a drastic change, that can cause a lot of insecurity, 334 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: sometimes even a bit of an identity crisis. I don't 335 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 1: think that's a vain thing to experience. Our physical form 336 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: and our characteristics do help us define ourselves. So when 337 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: they suddenly change without us really realizing how or why, 338 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 1: and we get this puffiness, we can really struggle. Those 339 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: are just some of the first con sequences or impacts 340 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: that come to mind. I'm going to take a quick 341 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: break here because I feel like I've just been throwing 342 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: information at you. When we return, we're going to talk 343 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: about some of the further impacts on things like sleep, 344 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: like our relationships, like our of course anxiety levels, but 345 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: also how we can address this and some of the 346 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: lifestyle changes that maybe floate at to you by a 347 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: doctor or by a psychologist. Alright, I want to touch 348 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:35,679 Speaker 1: on one final consequence or impact of high cortisol that 349 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: we may notice in ourselves before we get into my 350 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: tips and advice. And this big consequence is the impact 351 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: of high cortisol on sleep, specifically something we call mourning anxiety. 352 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 1: Morning anxiety has to be one of the worst forms 353 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 1: of anxiety. You know, all of them are actually pretty bad, 354 00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: but morning anxiety. You know, if I had to choose 355 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: my favorite or only favorite, it definitely takes the cake. 356 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 1: So imagine you're RESTful, you're in bed, you're cozy, you're 357 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: dreaming nice dreams. You're asleep, you're just feeling very, very peaceful, 358 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: and then suddenly you are wide awake, heavy breathing, racing heart. 359 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,400 Speaker 1: You instantly feel uneasy for no particular reason, and it's like, okay, 360 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: here we are battling through another day of this. That 361 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:27,239 Speaker 1: is morning anxiety is going from being RESTful to just 362 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: being completely anxious. And I don't even know how to 363 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: explain it. Like you wake up and your body is 364 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: almost shaking, and it feels like you're just waking up 365 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: to a completely energized body that you had no awareness of, 366 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: and suddenly you're like fifty percent dipped into like a 367 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: boiling pot of water, and you have no idea how 368 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 1: you got there. That's what morning anxiety feels like. And 369 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: being alert when you wake up isn't a bad thing. 370 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 1: In fact, that's one of Cortoso's useful functions. It's meant 371 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 1: to actually peak or spike in the morning to help 372 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 1: you get out of bed and to help you get 373 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: up and active and ready. But sometimes that cordso awakening 374 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: response can become skewed and not work properly. Chronic stress 375 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:17,120 Speaker 1: obviously contributes to that. It leads to elevated corterisol levels 376 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: at night because we feel like we can't switch off, 377 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: which then has lingering effects till the morning. So not 378 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: only are you not going to get good sleep, but 379 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 1: you're also going to feel a sharp cortisol spike right 380 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 1: before you wake up, and that's going to create not 381 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: just you know, take that natural alertness that you're meant 382 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 1: to feel in the morning and turn it into anxiety. 383 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: And of course, like the ball doesn't even stop there. 384 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: Twenty eighteen study found that when you have a bad 385 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,879 Speaker 1: night's sleep, you already are at risk of higher levels 386 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: of anxiety the next day, which you guessed is going 387 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: to make it so much harder to sleep the next night, 388 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 1: and it's just becomes a cycle of Okay, I can't 389 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: sleep because I'm anxious, but then when I finally get asleep, 390 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,159 Speaker 1: my sleep isn't any good. And then I wake up 391 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 1: really anxious the next morning because those quarters or levels 392 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 1: have carried over, but also because I had a bad 393 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 1: night sleep, so I'm extra anxious. How do you think 394 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 1: that's going to help you or help your body? It doesn't, 395 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: and it honestly has such lingering effects in all other 396 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 1: areas of your life. You're cranky, you have that mild 397 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: feeling of irritability constantly, you can't process information as well, 398 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 1: you feel slow. In a study from twenty thirteen, research 399 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 1: is observed people's IQs after a good night's sleep versus 400 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: a terrible night's sleep, where they periodically woke up their participants. 401 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,439 Speaker 1: Those who had been woken up their IQ dropped on 402 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: average ten points the next day following sleep deprivation. It 403 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 1: might seem small, but if that is a consistent impact 404 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 1: that you are noticing caused by high quisol, it's just 405 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 1: going to feel like everything else is just a little 406 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 1: bit harder. This really does go to show it's not 407 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 1: just about feeling more anxious. It's not just about feeling 408 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: more stressed. It touches everything else in your life. It 409 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,199 Speaker 1: is in everything disorder or on everything experience. And I 410 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 1: think I really feel, you know, I really feel for 411 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 1: people who start to piece that together and realize that 412 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:16,600 Speaker 1: all of these interactions and things that are happening in 413 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: their body link back to this stress response they can't control. 414 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 1: So we're going to talk about how to navigate that. 415 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: Whether you're experiencing just low levels of stress slightly elevated 416 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,959 Speaker 1: cortisol or extremely high levels of cortisol. What are some 417 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: of the lifestyle adjustments that might be recommended to you. 418 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:39,959 Speaker 1: I think if you're going to get tips on how 419 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 1: to lower cortisol levels, the first people you want to 420 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: talk to or hear from are doctors or an endocrinologist. 421 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 1: Basically that's a doctor who specializes in hormones and the 422 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: endocrine system hormones like cortisol. But before you get to 423 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 1: that step, I do actually want you to make sure 424 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 1: that what we're describing applies to you. There is a 425 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: difference between heightened levels of stress, you know, the short 426 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: term and chronic stress that is causing elevated cortisol. And 427 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: if you think that this applies to you, please go 428 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 1: and see a doctor. They will be able to diagnose 429 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: it for you. They will be able to really see 430 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: what's happening below the surface through blood tests, through saliva tests. 431 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 1: But I really think that cortisol just regulation is not 432 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: something you can say, oh, yeah, I have that that 433 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 1: describes me, and I'm just gonna go with that diagnosis. Also, 434 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 1: because it can be linked back to really serious serious 435 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: problems like cushing syndrome or tumors or problems with your 436 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: pituitary glands. So if you are hearing this description being 437 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: like that's me, Oh my god, that's me, that's totally me, 438 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 1: go and speak to your doctor. I think whenever something 439 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 1: blows up online or on social media, like this idea 440 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: of you know, cortisol face and cortisol weight gain and 441 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 1: is it high cortisol, we really do find it very 442 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: easy to see ourselves represented in people's descriptions. It's very 443 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: easy to see something and say, oh my god, that's 444 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: totally me. And that's because that's intentional from them, Like 445 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: they want you to engage with their content, so they're 446 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 1: going to make it as general and broad as possible. 447 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: And I'm sure their intentions are pure, and if they're 448 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 1: trying to sell some tea or some supplement, maybe it 449 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: did work from them. But your health is really such 450 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: a valuable investment. And you know, if you wouldn't want 451 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: your mum or your sister, or your brother or your 452 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: partner getting all their health advice from people on social media, 453 00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: don't do the same for yourself. People sharing their experiences 454 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: is so valuable and it does help us become more 455 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: educated about things that we didn't know about the human 456 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: body or ourselves, but for something like cortisol dysregulation, make 457 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,359 Speaker 1: sure you get a doctor to confirm that. And with 458 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,879 Speaker 1: that in mind, that's where I sourced all my information 459 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 1: from specialized professionals, because I understand cortosol from a psychological perspective, 460 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:59,879 Speaker 1: but how it impacts us biologically and how an entrochnologer 461 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 1: or a doctor would recommend we address that That really 462 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: reigns supreme for me. Besides from addressing underlying medical conditions 463 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: that are causing elevated cortisol and addressing those through a 464 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 1: medical intervention, which DA would be the first step. The 465 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 1: biggest piece of advice I received for lowering stress and 466 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: therefore lowering chronic overexposure to cortisol is to pursue balance, 467 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: not extremes. Often extremes are what caused chronic stress in 468 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: the first place. Extreme work hours, extreme exercising in some instances, 469 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: extreme relationships, extreme sleeping patterns. Your best bet for reversing 470 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: the impact of high cortisol or chronic stress is to 471 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 1: try and return to your factory setting, to return to 472 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: how you were made to operate as a human as 473 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: best as you can given your circumstances. What that means 474 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: is get back to the most simplest foundations of health, sleep, nutrition, safety, connection, 475 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 1: outdoor time. Let's focus on sleep first. Obviously we spoke 476 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 1: about that morning anxiety and how sleep can be very 477 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: heavily impacted by cortisol. But the tip that I heard 478 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: that I thought was really, really amazing is that even 479 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: if you are not asleep, try and be in bed 480 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:24,239 Speaker 1: for eight hours a day. Don't scroll, don't get up 481 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: and watch TV just because your body isn't listening to you. Yes, 482 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: you may have to lay in bed till two am 483 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: in the morning, but you're giving your body the best 484 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:37,400 Speaker 1: chance at rest. It has around forty to forty to 485 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 1: sixty minutes before bed as well. Reduce your exposure to 486 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: bright and blue light. I personally did this. I was 487 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 1: finding that I had my phone in my bedroom, so 488 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: if I couldn't sleep after the first ten minutes, I 489 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,760 Speaker 1: would get my phone, or I would watch parks and 490 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: recreation or something like that. But I have since bought 491 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: like an old fashioned alarm clock, and it's been a 492 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: game changer. It's been incredible. I spend less time in 493 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 1: bed in the morning, and my room is now associated 494 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: with sleep. It's not just like some fun place to 495 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: hang out, Like that's not where I go to scroll, 496 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:12,040 Speaker 1: that's not where I go to watch movies, Like that 497 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: is my RESTful place, and that is all that I 498 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 1: want it to be kind of used for. Another basic 499 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 1: to get back to is regular movement, and movement in 500 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 1: a way that you enjoy, not in a way you 501 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: think you should be enjoying it or doing it. Now, 502 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 1: there's been a lot of information going around that high 503 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: intensity exercise should be avoided if you're trying to manage stress, 504 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 1: mainly because of a finding from a two thousand and 505 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: eight paper that essentially claimed an intense exercise increased cordisol levels. 506 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: Now that paper was correct, it did increase cordsol levels, 507 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:49,360 Speaker 1: and it was actually published in the Journal of Antocrinological Investigation, 508 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: so their findings were accurate. But those levels of cortisol 509 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:58,640 Speaker 1: actually ended up fading and reducing over the next four 510 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: to six hours. And that's because exercise is a form 511 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: of stress. It is stress on our bodies, but there 512 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: is a difference between short term stress and chronic long 513 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 1: term stress. Exercise triggers short term stress, which does cause 514 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: cortisol levels to rise, but actually when we keep up 515 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 1: with that regular movement and exercise, our body learns how 516 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 1: to regulate those spikes and cortisol fluctuations, and so it 517 00:31:24,760 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: becomes better able to regulate cortisol in general. So although yes, 518 00:31:29,640 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: you might experience a small spike in cortisol after you exercise, 519 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: you'll also experience a spike in endorphins. You'll also feel 520 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: more relaxed, and so it actually is for the better. Obviously, 521 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: if you are exercising at ninety percent effort seven days 522 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: a week, you're not giving your body a chance to 523 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 1: repair and balance things out. But pursuing the kind of 524 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 1: movement that our ancestors would is really beneficial. Moderate exercise 525 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:58,400 Speaker 1: movement in whatever form works best for you, walking, lifting 526 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: the way we would have lifted for trees, children, rocks, 527 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 1: like I know it sounds so rudimentary and basic, but 528 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 1: if it's gotten us to where we are as a species, 529 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: where we are now, and if that's how our bodies 530 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 1: were designed to operate, I'm just assuming that that kind 531 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: of movement is really what our body is asking for. 532 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 1: The Next focus is what we're putting into our body, 533 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:24,080 Speaker 1: the biggest one being caffeine. I'm sorry if that's not 534 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: what you wanted to hear, but truly, caffeine is not 535 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:32,920 Speaker 1: doing you any favors. So I haven't drunk coffee or 536 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 1: really caffeine really for almost four years. At this point, 537 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:40,320 Speaker 1: maybe I'll have the occasional diet coke because I can't 538 00:32:40,320 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 1: be helped. But I noticed such a huge shift in alertness, 539 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: energy levels, and anxiety. I was so reliant on caffeine 540 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: to make me alert, and then I would basically just 541 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: allow it would make me alert, and then I would 542 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: obviously it would fade away and I'd feel less alert, 543 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 1: and then I'd make myself a lot again, and you know, 544 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: by the time that I was ready for sleep, hopefully 545 00:33:04,160 --> 00:33:07,360 Speaker 1: the caffeine had faded. Like it was really controlling my 546 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: energy levels, and with that it was artificially controlling my 547 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:14,640 Speaker 1: anxiety and stress levels. Like the times that I felt 548 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:16,959 Speaker 1: most stressed in my day or in my week were 549 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 1: the times when I had consumed the most caffeine, thinking 550 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: that it was going to help me be more productive, 551 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: but actually it just made me feel more jittery. It 552 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 1: made me feel more almost like unstable in a way, 553 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: like every single thought just felt a little bit too 554 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:35,480 Speaker 1: loud and a little bit too urgent, and when I 555 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:38,479 Speaker 1: eventually quit, I found that I was so tired for 556 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: the first two weeks, like I cannot explain how tired 557 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,280 Speaker 1: I was. But then I was actually able to regulate 558 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 1: energy using routine and actually utilizing like the natural circadian 559 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 1: rhythm and flow of my day and my wakefulness versus 560 00:33:56,920 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: sleepy hours, and noticing like peak kind of like peak 561 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: hard work times, of like peak inspiration motivation focus times 562 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:10,279 Speaker 1: for myself. And it was a really important change. A 563 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,880 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight study also showed caffeine stimulates cortisol secretion. 564 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: No matter how much caffeine you consume as well, you 565 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:20,400 Speaker 1: were never able to build up a tolerance enough that 566 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 1: it would stop cortisol spikes from happening. So, if you 567 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:27,719 Speaker 1: are sitting there being like I'm so stressed, I'm so anxious, 568 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:30,200 Speaker 1: and you have not cut out caffeine, if you haven't 569 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:32,759 Speaker 1: gone DCAF, if you haven't gone for a tea, if 570 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: you haven't cut down to just one coffee a day, 571 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 1: please before you consume a supplement, before you try and 572 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: do crazy ice plunges for your anxiety, just try it 573 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 1: and see if it works. The next best tip that 574 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:50,560 Speaker 1: you will hear is to spend more time outside. Nature 575 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:53,600 Speaker 1: is where your stress response is meant to operate, and 576 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:55,799 Speaker 1: so it is there that it will be best regulated. 577 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:58,239 Speaker 1: I'm going to say one more time. Nature was where 578 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 1: your stress response was meant to w op rate, So 579 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,520 Speaker 1: it's there that it can be regulated. Time and time again, 580 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 1: you'll see studies showing us that nature has a positive 581 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 1: effect on stress by reducing carters or levels, even if 582 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: it's just for twenty to thirty minutes a day, that's 583 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 1: the time it would take to eat your lunch outside, 584 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,799 Speaker 1: or if it's really cold, where you are eat your 585 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: lunch next to a window so that you can just 586 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: see nature even if you can't be in it. Some 587 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 1: scientists like to call it the nature pill because they 588 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:29,400 Speaker 1: have suggested that outdoor time, like what we used to 589 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: have as children, should be something that they can prescribe 590 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:35,520 Speaker 1: to people. You know, people who live very busy urban 591 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:41,319 Speaker 1: lives could be prescribed like thirty minute nature prescription, the 592 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:45,280 Speaker 1: same way that they would be prescribed antibiotics or painkillers. Hopefully, 593 00:35:45,360 --> 00:35:47,879 Speaker 1: so they take it seriously, so they find like they 594 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:51,319 Speaker 1: finally realize that it should be a priority, that this 595 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,960 Speaker 1: will help you, that this is actually a researched and 596 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:59,799 Speaker 1: necessary medical intervention. One study found that people who made 597 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 1: nature a daily priority for themselves saw salvatory quarters or 598 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:07,799 Speaker 1: levels and self reported stress dropped by almost half from 599 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 1: what they were previously experiencing. But it is a practice 600 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 1: that we largely ignore because we have become so detached 601 00:36:14,719 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: from our natural habitat as mammals and as humans. Another 602 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 1: resource that you have at your disposal right now, much 603 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: like nature, is your breath. It is the tool of 604 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:33,719 Speaker 1: meditators worldwide for good reason, because controlled breathing helps stimulate 605 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:37,319 Speaker 1: your parasympathetic nervous system that's known as our rest and 606 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:41,239 Speaker 1: digest system compared to our fight or flight system, and 607 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:44,360 Speaker 1: our fight or flight system is what activates quarters are released, 608 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: so activating your rest and digest system is the counterbalance 609 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,360 Speaker 1: that you need. You have probably already heard of a 610 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:56,240 Speaker 1: lot of the breathing exercises that people recommend. Belly breathing 611 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:59,360 Speaker 1: in particular, if you've done a yoga class, you'll be 612 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 1: familiar with this. It's the in hold for four, six 613 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:07,080 Speaker 1: out kind of breathing, So breathing for four, hold your 614 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:09,719 Speaker 1: breath for four, breathe out for six, where you're kind 615 00:37:09,760 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 1: of focused on feeling your body expand like there's a 616 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:15,720 Speaker 1: big cloud filling up that space. So if you feel 617 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:19,280 Speaker 1: your you know, energy levels and your stress levels rising 618 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 1: in response to a deadline or something in your environment, 619 00:37:23,640 --> 00:37:26,480 Speaker 1: or just something you can't put your finger on, try 620 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 1: this technique and try it as a way to get 621 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:32,960 Speaker 1: in front of your stress and then later on respond 622 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: more appropriately. There are other natural remedies as simple as 623 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:40,799 Speaker 1: nature and breathing itself that are important. Laughter, tending to 624 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:45,960 Speaker 1: your spirituality, spending time alone, giving yourself silent and alone, 625 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:49,799 Speaker 1: space and time all really important for chronic stress. Looking 626 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:54,919 Speaker 1: after a pet, looking after others great for managing anxiety 627 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 1: and worry. Mainly, I think that what I would want 628 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:00,760 Speaker 1: to impress on people, particularly those of us in our twenties, 629 00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:03,839 Speaker 1: is that we are told, especially in this day and age, 630 00:38:03,840 --> 00:38:08,839 Speaker 1: that pushing ourselves, being disciplined, sacrificing for success is going 631 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:11,279 Speaker 1: to give you the happiest and most fulfilled life you 632 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: could ask for. It's going to give you wealth, it's 633 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:17,200 Speaker 1: going to give you accomplishment, praise, achievement, and yes, pushing 634 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:20,359 Speaker 1: yourself maybe will get you those things. But if your 635 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:24,000 Speaker 1: body is under immense chronic stress in order to get there. 636 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:26,839 Speaker 1: I don't think one part of it will be worth it. 637 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 1: You won't be able to enjoy it, you won't feel good. 638 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: Your body will literally become sick, it will crumble, it 639 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:37,600 Speaker 1: will feel terrible, you will feel miserable because you have 640 00:38:37,719 --> 00:38:41,040 Speaker 1: neglected your physical and mental health to get to that point. 641 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:43,680 Speaker 1: I think what's even more important to notice that high 642 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:47,359 Speaker 1: levels of stress from lifestyle factors like overworking, they are 643 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:49,600 Speaker 1: going to make it harder for you to focus. They 644 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:55,680 Speaker 1: impair executive functioning, mental clarity, brain health, motivation. So pace yourself, 645 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 1: go slow, take time for rest and to nurture your body. 646 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:01,960 Speaker 1: And I actually think that it helps you get to 647 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:05,799 Speaker 1: the place, or to your achievements in a more sustainable 648 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:09,120 Speaker 1: and therefore faster way, and in a way that by 649 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 1: the time you get there, you can actually enjoy them, 650 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 1: rather than feeling like just everything around you is crumbling 651 00:39:16,719 --> 00:39:18,640 Speaker 1: and suddenly you've gotten to where you want to be 652 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,200 Speaker 1: and you have to take time off just to get 653 00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:23,960 Speaker 1: the basics down, pat and look after yourself. So I 654 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 1: don't think anything should cost you your health. It's not 655 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:31,600 Speaker 1: worth it. It's so hard to recover, So take care of 656 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:36,319 Speaker 1: yourself and recognize chronic stress as just as a risk 657 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 1: to your health as anything else that you would be 658 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 1: scared of, as smoking, as loneliness, as dangerous driving. Even so, 659 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 1: I hope this episode has helped you. I hope that 660 00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:49,400 Speaker 1: you have learned more about the impact, the hidden impact 661 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:53,719 Speaker 1: of cortosol. We've mythbusted some of these beliefs that some 662 00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:58,440 Speaker 1: people hold about cortosol being bad, that you shouldn't exercise intensely, 663 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 1: that you shouldn't eat so foods because a bad view, 664 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:04,920 Speaker 1: that this can only be cured by supplements. Whatever it is. 665 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:08,640 Speaker 1: Hopefully you have a better, more clear understanding. If you 666 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:11,440 Speaker 1: did enjoy this episode, make sure you follow along on 667 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:14,160 Speaker 1: Spotify or Apple podcasts, leave a five star review, leave 668 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:16,080 Speaker 1: a comment as well if you made it this far. 669 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:19,239 Speaker 1: I love engaging with you guys all that way and 670 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:21,400 Speaker 1: getting to respond to you all and see what you've 671 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:24,320 Speaker 1: felt about this episode, And make sure you are following 672 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:29,080 Speaker 1: us on Instagram at that Psychology podcast to see further tips, 673 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:33,000 Speaker 1: behind the scenes stuff and also some infographics about this episode. 674 00:40:33,360 --> 00:40:36,640 Speaker 1: Until next time, stay safe, be kind, be gentle to yourself, 675 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:39,919 Speaker 1: manage your stress, and we will talk very very soon