How does breathing affect heart rate, and can I control it voluntarily?

Yes, you can directly control your heart rate through breathing. Inhaling makes the heart expand slightly and speeds it up, while exhaling makes the heart more compact and slows it down. To calm down, make your exhales longer and/or more vigorous than your inhales.

Is short-term stress always bad for you?

No, short-term (acute) stress can be beneficial. It's good for your immune system, helping to combat bacterial and viral infections by releasing adrenaline and deploying killer cells. It also sharpens cognition and narrows focus, priming your body and brain to react effectively to challenges.

How can I use breathing or cold exposure to boost my immune system?

Techniques like Wim Hof breathing (rapid, deliberate hyperventilation cycles followed by breath holds) or exposure to cold water (ice baths, cold showers) deliberately activate the stress response by liberating adrenaline. This adrenaline release is shown to combat infections and enhance immune function.

What is 'stress threshold' and how can I increase my capacity for stress?

Stress threshold refers to your capacity to cognitively re-regulate your body's response to stressors. You can raise it by deliberately placing yourself in situations where adrenaline is increased (e.g., intense exercise, cold exposure) and then actively calming your mind while your body remains activated. This healthy dissociation helps make once-overwhelming situations feel manageable.

How does panoramic vision help reduce stress?

When stressed, our pupils dilate, leading to tunnel vision. By deliberately dilating your gaze to take in a broader panoramic view of your environment, it creates a calming effect on the mind. This works by influencing a specific brainstem circuit associated with alertness, allowing the mind to relax even when the body is highly activated.

What role does social connection play in mitigating long-term stress?

Social connection is crucial for mitigating long-term stress. It triggers the release of serotonin, a neuromodulator associated with well-being and neural repair. Lack of social connection leads to the secretion of Taqi Kynan, a molecule that increases fear, paranoia, and impairs the immune system.

What is Taqi Kynan and why should I avoid it?

Taqi Kynan is a molecule secreted when we feel socially isolated. It acts as an internal punishment signal, making us more fearful and paranoid, and impairing our immune system. Chronic social isolation and high levels of Taqi Kynan deplete good brain and body functions and promote negative emotional states.

Are there supplements that can help manage stress and anxiety?

Yes, Ashwagandha and L-Theanine are two non-prescription supplements that can help. Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce cortisol levels and overall stress. L-Theanine increases GABA, promoting relaxation, and can reduce anxiety and task completion anxiety. Melatonin, however, should be used with caution due to potential side effects.

What is the modern scientific view on the nature of emotions?

Modern science, as taught by Lisa Feldman Barrett, suggests that emotions are complex, context-dependent, and culturally influenced. A useful framework for understanding emotions is whether our internal state (stress or calm) matches or mismatches the demands placed upon us. A mismatch often interprets as feeling 'bad' (e.g., anxious, worried, depressed), while a match feels 'good'.

Key Moments

Tools for Managing Stress & Anxiety

Andrew Huberman

Science & Technology3 min read99 min video

Mar 8, 2021|2,810,068 views|68,863|2,898

andrew huberman dr. andrew huberman how to manage stress deal with stress tools for managing stress managing stress dealing with stress stress anxiety how to deal with anxiety how to manage anxiety what is stress

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Key Moments

TL;DR

Learn to manage stress with physiological sighs, breathwork, social connection, and supplements.

Key Insights

Stress is a generic system designed to mobilize the brain and body, not inherently bad.

The physiological sigh is a rapid, hardwired tool to reduce stress by exhaling longer than inhaling.

Short-term stress can enhance the immune system and cognition, preparing the body for challenges.

Medium-term stress management involves raising stress thresholds by staying calm during physical activation.

Long-term stress is detrimental, best mitigated by social connection, exercise, sleep, and specific supplements.

Emotions are context-dependent interpretations of internal states (calm/stressed) matching external demands.

UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF STRESS

Stress is a fundamental, generic biological system designed to mobilize the body and brain for action, not solely a negative byproduct of modern life. It was evolutionarily wired to respond to diverse threats, both physical and psychological. Understanding stress as a generalized response system, rather than something to be eradicated, is key to managing it effectively. This framework reveals that we possess innate biological mechanisms to control stress, even in real-time situations.

REAL-TIME STRESS REDUCTION: THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGH

The autonomic nervous system, comprising the sympathetic (stress) and parasympathetic (calming) branches, governs our state of alertness. When stressed, the sympathetic system activates. To counteract this, the parasympathetic system can be engaged. The physiological sigh—a double inhale followed by a long exhale—is a powerful, neurologically grounded tool for rapidly down-regulating the stress response. This specific breathing pattern helps reinflate collapsed lung sacs and reduces carbon dioxide, promoting a feeling of calm.

THE DUAL ROLE OF ACUTE STRESS

Contrary to common belief, acute, short-term stress can be beneficial. It primes the body and brain for enhanced cognition, focusing attention and improving performance by activating systems that combat immediate threats. Crucially, it significantly boosts the immune system's ability to fight infections and inflammation, acting as a necessary response to injury or illness. The key is the body's ability to transition out of this state, preventing it from becoming chronic.

NAVIGATING MEDIUM-TERM STRESS

Medium-term stress, lasting days to weeks, requires building resilience by raising one's stress threshold. This involves consciously engaging in activities that elevate physiological arousal (like intense exercise or cold exposure) and then practicing mental and emotional calm. By learning to relax the mind while the body is activated, one expands their capacity to handle demanding situations, making what once felt overwhelming more manageable. Deliberately dilating one's gaze can also aid this process by reducing alertness signals.

MITIGATING LONG-TERM STRESS AND FOSTERING WELL-BEING

Chronic, long-term stress is detrimental, impacting physical and mental health. Its most effective mitigation comes from robust social connections, which foster well-being via mechanisms like serotonin release and suppression of negative molecules like Taqi Kynan. Other vital strategies include regular exercise, quality sleep, and mindful nutrition. For occasional support, certain supplements like Ashwagandha and L-theanine can help manage anxiety and cortisol levels, but should be used judiciously.

EMOTIONS AS CONTEXTUAL INTERPRETATIONS

Emotions are complex, context-dependent interpretations of our internal states (such as stress or calmness) in relation to external demands. They are not solely pre-programmed responses but rather appraisals influenced by our physiology, environment, and cultural understanding. The ability to manage our internal state—whether alert or calm—allows us to respond more effectively to life's challenges, moving from reactive patterns to more considered, adaptive actions.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Supplements

●Software & Apps

●Companies

●Organizations

●Books

●Concepts

●People Referenced

Quick Guide to Real-Time Stress Management

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Perform the physiological sigh (double inhale through nose, long exhale through mouth) 1-3 times to quickly reduce stress.

Emphasize longer/more vigorous exhales to slow heart rate and promote calm.

Engage in deliberate hyperventilation (e.g., Wim Hof breathing) in safe, dry environments to boost adrenaline and immune response.

Practice calming your mind while your body is highly activated (e.g., during intense exercise) to raise your stress threshold.

Deliberately dilate your gaze (panoramic vision) to calm the mind during high stress or physical exertion.

Prioritize and invest in social connections with trusted individuals, pets, or activities that bring delight to mitigate long-term stress.

Consider Ashwagandha (14.5-27.9% cortisol reduction) and L-Theanine (100-200mg 30-60 min before sleep or in late afternoon) as non-prescription supplements during times of chronic stress, after consulting examine.com and your doctor.

Avoid This

Do not tell yourself or others to 'calm down' as it often exacerbates stress.

Avoid breath-holding techniques or hyperventilation near water (bathtub, hot tub, swimming) due to risk of shallow water blackout.

Do not use hyperventilation or breath-holding if you have glaucoma or eye pressure concerns without medical clearance.

Do not assume 'adrenal burnout' is a physiological condition; it is a misnomer, though adrenal insufficiency is real.

Avoid chronic high-dose Melatonin supplementation due to potential negative effects on reproductive hormones and adrenal output suppression.

Do not underemphasize the importance of social connection in long-term stress management, as isolation can increase fear and impair immunity (Taqi Kynan).

Common Questions

The physiological sigh involves two quick inhales (one big, one small 'sneak-in') followed by a long, complete exhale. This action reinflates collapsed lung sacs and more effectively expels carbon dioxide, which rapidly reduces agitation and promotes relaxation by activating the parasympathetic nervous system in real-time.

Topics

Mind-Body-Connection Autonomic Nervous System Neuroscience & the Brain Mental Health & Psychology Human Performance Breathwork Emotional Regulation Stress Management Immune Function Social Well-being Supplementation For Mood Cognition Improvement

Mentioned in this video

Companies

Helix Sleep

A sponsor that manufactures mattresses and pillows tailored to individual sleep styles based on a two-minute questionnaire.

Examine.com

A free website recommended for evaluating supplements, providing links to PubMed studies and details on human effect matrix, subject populations, and dosages.

InsideTracker

A sponsor that analyzes blood and DNA to provide health assessments and suggest behavioral, nutritional, and other protocols for health improvement.

Thorne

A supplement company partnered with the podcast, known for its high quality standards and stringency, used by Mayo Clinic and major sports organizations.

People

Sandra Kahn

Co-author of the book 'Jaws,' which focuses on the benefits of nasal breathing.

Hans Selye

A Nobel Prize winner who discovered the general adaptation syndrome and contributed significantly to understanding stress, although his theory of adrenal exhaustion proved incorrect.

Robert Sapolsky

Stanford colleague acknowledged for his extensive work and discussions on social connection and stress, particularly regarding primates.

Jared Diamond

Provided a foreword for the book 'Jaws,' and is mentioned as a prominent figure, though not affiliated with Stanford.

Mark Krasnow

A researcher at Stanford whose lab has also explored the neurobiological details of the physiological sigh.

Paul Ehrlich

Co-author of the book 'Jaws,' along with Sandra Kahn.

James Nestor

Author of the book 'Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,' which discusses the benefits of nasal breathing.

Lisa Feldman Barrett

A world expert in emotion at Northeastern University, author of 'How Emotions Are Made' and 'Seven and a Half Facts About the Brain,' known for her teaching on context-dependent emotions.

Andrew Huberman

Host of the Huberman Lab Podcast and Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.

Jack Feldman

A researcher at UCLA whose lab has explored the neurobiological and mechanistic details of the physiological sigh and discovered the pre-Botzinger and parafacial nuclei.

David Spiegel

Associate Chair of Psychiatry at Stanford, collaborating with Huberman's lab on studies exploring breathing patterns and emotionality.

Wim Hof

Known as 'The Iceman,' a Dutch daredevil with Guinness World Records for extreme feats, who developed a breathing protocol similar to Tummo breathing to artificially activate the stress response.

condition

Adaptation Syndrome

A concept discovered by Hans Selye related to the body's response to stress, comprising alarm, resistance, and an initial theory of exhaustion (which was later proven incorrect).

Media

Jaws

A book co-authored by Sandra Kahn and Paul Ehrlich, with a foreword by Jared Diamond and Robert Sapolsky, discussing the benefits of nasal breathing.

Books

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art

A book by James Nestor highlighting the advantages of nasal breathing.

How Emotions Are Made

A book by Lisa Feldman Barrett, her first book, that explores the nature of emotions.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

A fine journal that published a study on how a specific breathing protocol (similar to Wim Hof breathing) allowed participants to experience no symptoms from injected E. coli endotoxin.

Seven and a Half Facts About the Brain

A recent book by Lisa Feldman Barrett, mentioned as a wonderful resource on the brain.

Organizations

E. coli

A type of bacteria whose endotoxin was used in a study to mimic infection, with participants performing a breathing protocol experiencing zero symptoms.

Concepts

Tummo breathing

An ancient breathing technique, often called super oxygenation breathing or rapid deliberate breathing, that developed before Wim Hof's method and also involves hyperventilation.

Wim Hof breathing

A breathing protocol involving rapid, deliberate hyperventilation followed by breath-holds, which liberates adrenaline and helps combat infection.

Non-Sleep Deep Rest

A protocol mentioned as part of previous podcast episodes, useful for replenishing the ability to lean into effort and focus, involving listening to a script for relaxation.

Supplements

Melatonin

A hormone-like supplement secreted from the pineal gland, often used to help fall asleep, but typically supplemented at very high, super-physiological levels, with potential negative effects on the reproductive axis and possibility of suppressing adrenal output.

Ashwagandha

A supplement known to lower anxiety and cortisol, with studies showing significant reductions in cortisol and overall stress, and minor effects on depression and cholesterol.

L-Theanine

A supplement that can enhance the transition to sleep and sleep depth, increases GABA, reduces forebrain activity, and has been shown to notably reduce stress and task completion anxiety.