TMHS 647: The Stress Prescription: The Surprising Connection Between Stress & Longevity – with Dr. Elissa Epel

2022-12-28

Stress is an inherent part of the human experience. No matter your circumstances, you’re bound to face stress in the form of interpersonal struggles, work or financial demands, or even just general uncertainty and pressure. No one is immune from the realities of stress, but luckily there are some things we can do to make the impacts of stress less harmful. Today’s guest, Dr. Elissa Epel, is an internationally renowned psychologist, bestselling author, and expert on building stress resilience for optimal aging and overall well-being. On today’s show, she’s sharing incredible insight...

Today’s guest, Dr. Elissa Epel, is an internationally renowned psychologist, bestselling author, and expert on building stress resilience for optimal aging and overall well-being. On today’s show, she’s sharing incredible insights from her new book, The Stress Prescription, on real-world strategies to improve the way you perceive stress. You’re going to learn about the body’s stress response system, and how it impacts a myriad of biological functions like aging and sleep.

Dr. Epel is sharing a wealth of data on how stress impacts the body, and how to dampen the blow of stress with mindset shifts, exercises, biohacking strategies, and so much more. Learning how to modulate your response to stress is something we can call benefit from, and I hope you find this information empowering. Enjoy!

In this episode you’ll discover:

What percentage of visits are caused by stress-related illnesses.
Why stress is a critical component of our motivational system.
How our stress response system works.
What telomeres are and how to protect them.
How the anti-aging enzyme telomerase works.
What our default stress baseline is.
How stress can impact your sleep quality, recovery, and mitochondrial health.
What uncertainty tolerance is, and realistic ways to build it.
How meditation can change your stress resilience on a long-term basis.
My personal meditation practice, and how that relationship has changed over time.
What it means to be the lion.
The connection between adverse childhood experiences and stress responses.
How stress can negatively impact your metabolism and body composition.
Specific exercises and behaviors that can positively alter your stress response.
The importance of bookending your day with joy.