Handling Stress- The Andrew Huberman Way
Ashish Chandra
Deputy Manager at EXL - Language Training | Corporate Trainer | L&D Lead | Learning and Development Expert | Instructional Designer | Master Trainer | Team Development Strategist | AI Solutions Integrator
I enjoyed watching Andrew Huberman take on handling stress scientifically. In this blog, I draw a summary of the lessons one can learn from his below video on this topic.
Stress is an inevitable part of life. While it often gets a bad reputation, stress can serve a purpose, particularly in the short term, by helping us focus and respond to challenges. However, chronic stress can lead to serious health issues like heart disease. The key lies in understanding and managing stress effectively—both in the moment and over the long term. Here’s a guide to mastering stress management using a combination of scientific insights and practical tools.
The Stress Response: “Do Something”
The stress response is your body’s way of preparing for action. When you’re stressed, your heart pumps faster, your focus narrows, and your body releases adrenaline to help you deal with immediate challenges. But this heightened state of arousal needs an outlet. The secret to managing stress lies in channeling this agitation constructively and learning how to activate the body’s calming systems.
Activating the Calming System
Your body has a built-in mechanism to counteract stress: the calming system. One of the most effective tools to engage this system is controlled breathing, particularly the physiological sigh. This technique involves the diaphragm, lungs, and heart—three key players in the relationship between the brain and body.
Here’s how it works:
1. Double Inhale and Extended Exhale: Take a deep breath in, followed by a second, shorter inhale before exhaling slowly and completely. This activates the calming system almost instantly, reducing stress in real time.
2. Inhale-Exhale Balance: When you want to increase alertness, inhale more vigorously than you exhale. To calm down, focus on longer exhales.
Breathing Techniques for Stress Management
Controlled breathing methods, such as Wim Hof breathing or TUMMO breathing, can mimic the body’s stress response intentionally. These involve deliberate hyperventilation followed by brief breath-holds to release adrenaline and narrow your focus. This heightened state can help your body combat infections and other stressors. For example:
1. Inhale deeply and exhale fully, repeating this cycle 25 times consecutively.
2. Hold your breath for 15 seconds before repeating the cycle.
3. This practice triggers a controlled stress response, boosting resilience over time.
The Role of Physical Activity
Exercise is another excellent way to manage short-term stress. Physical activity raises your heart rate, mimicking the stress response, but also provides an opportunity to practice calming techniques in a controlled environment. Similarly, cold showers can trigger a stress response that you can then learn to calm through deliberate breathing and focus.
Managing Long-Term Stress
Chronic stress requires a different approach. Over time, it can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of diseases like heart disease. To mitigate long-term stress, consider the following:
1. Regular Exercise: Staying active helps your body become more resilient to stress.
2. Quality Sleep: Adequate rest is essential for emotional and physical recovery.
3. Social Connections: Building meaningful relationships with people or even objects of sentimental value fosters a sense of delight and boosts serotonin, which helps lower stress.
4. Ashwagandha: This adaptogen can be helpful for managing both short- and long-term stress. Use it periodically rather than continuously.
The Power of Delight
One often overlooked aspect of stress management is cultivating a sense of delight. Whether it’s through relationships, hobbies, or simple pleasures, finding joy can lower stress and promote emotional well-being. Even a small circle of supportive people or meaningful activities can make a significant difference.
Practice and Integration
To master stress management:
- Use real-time tools like the physiological sigh to counter immediate stress.
- Engage in activities that alternate between activation (exercise, cold showers) and deliberate calming (controlled breathing).
- Build habits like regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and social engagement for long-term resilience.
By practicing these techniques, you can transform stress from a detriment into a tool for growth and resilience.