Essentials: Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety

In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain strategies for managing stress, both in the short and long term, to enhance overall well-being. I explain how the mind and body respond to stress and how acute stress has immune-boosting benefits. I discuss science-supported tools and supplements to better manage stress in real time and protocols for raising one's stress threshold to build resilience to life’s inevitable challenges. I also describe practices to reduce chronic stress and maintain a balanced, healthy life.  Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes (approximately 30 minutes) focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past Huberman Lab episodes. Essentials will be released every Thursday, and our full-length episodes will still be released every Monday. Read the full episode show notes at hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman Timestamps 00:00:00 Huberman Lab Essentials; Emotions & Stress 00:02:37 What is Stress? 00:04:23 Short-Term Stress Response 00:06:49 Breathwork to Reduce Stress; Tool: Physiological Sigh 00:11:52 Physiologic Sigh, Carbon Dioxide & Rapid Stress Reduction 00:13:30 Sponsor: Function 00:15:18 Short-Term Stress, Positive Benefits, Immune System 00:18:22 Tool: Deliberate Hyperventilation, Adrenaline & Infection 00:22:49 Sponsor: AG1 00:24:25 Raising Stress Threshold, Tool: Eye Dilation 00:28:24 Mitigating Long-Term Stress; Tool: Social Connection, Delight 00:32:22 Sponsor: Eight Sleep  00:33:52 Melatonin, Caution 00:35:00 L-theanine, Ashwagandha 00:36:13 Recap & Key Takeaways Disclaimer & Disclosures