Power Over Stress

In this week's episode of Your Best Life, Karl interviews Kenford Nedd who is the author of The Power Over Stress. Dr. Nedd is a syndicated writer and an expert on stress and happiness. During the show, Karl and Dr. Nedd discuss the medical signs of stress, how to regulate stress, and some actionable tips for stress relief.

Main Questions Asked:

• How did the issue of lowering stress and increasing happiness become such a big part of your life's mission?
• What are the medical signs of stress?
• Talk about telomeres.
• When it comes to stress, what does self-regulation mean?
• What is your experience with organizational productivity and how it relates to stress management?
• What are actionable tips people can start using right now to dial back the stress and lower the impact these hormones are having on the body?

Key Lessons Learned:

• Stress is not a situation but rather a person's response to a situation.
• If you don't get a hold of stress it can precipitate disease and aging.
• There is a measurable difference in immune function when people are under stress.
• When you are under stress there is a release of cortisol, which can go to the white blood cells. This causes the white blood cells to secrete something that will block the function of the immune system so your immune system will decrease.
• Stress invades the neurological arena as well. When you are under stress your neurogenesis is suppressed.
• Telomeres protect certain biological functions, and if you deal with the problems of your life well, they will continue to flourish. If you don't deal with problems well, then telomeres lose function and physical proportion, which allows invasion of disease.
• When it comes to disease, predisposed does not mean predestined.
• Even though you might be genetically more likely to get a disease, you can change your epigenetics through diet, exercise, and stress management.

Self-Regulation and Stress:

• If you quit judging others and show empathy, then it's easier to do to yourself too.
• When dealing with other people, the most powerful stress reliever is social connection.
• Being empathetic causes the release of oxytocin, which causes a sense of happiness.
• Cortisol, endorphins, oxytocin, and serotonin are part of a cluster of six major hormones that change the way we feel.
• There is a corresponding chemistry that marks happiness and anger.
• There is a peptide that matches every emotion.

Organizational Productivity and Stress Management:

• If you can sleep 7-8 hours, then you're empowering the neurons; however, if you sleep 4-5 hours, you are programming yourself for suboptimal performance.
• Don't focus on a goal but instead focus on a process. If you focus on the goal, you will cheat yourself to get to the goal.
• We are aware of when our phone battery is going flat and needs to be plugged in, but we are less aware when our bodies need to be charged.

Actionable Tips:

• Awareness - Increase the power of your awareness, and focus it inwards.
• Breathe - Take a deep breath in the nose and extend the out breath. This means 25% more oxygen goes to the brain, and this will cause you to think better.
• Circulation - Make sure you focus on your arms and legs. Use the mantra, "My arms and legs are heavy and warm."
• Tensing - Tense your body, then when you relax it will be deeper. Relaxation isn't something you do but something you allow.
• Emotional Competence - Longevity is linked to i) conscientiousness for work and life, ii) exercise, and iii) happiness.

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Links to Resources Mentioned

Dr Nedd
The Power Over Stress
Thrive

2 click to tweet links! (Thanks for helping spread the word!)

Tweet: Do you know the medical signs of stress? Find out w/ @drnedd & @wellnessgroup http://www.Wellness.com/drnedd

Tweet: Stress can impact your health. Find out how and what you can do w/ @drnedd & @wellnessgroup http://www.Wellness.com/drnedd