Priscilla Xu

Takeaways

• The Physiological Sign is the fastest tool activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
  • Do it with a double inhale, and exhale greatly. CO2 build-up also causes stress, so get the CO2 out.

Three Types of Stress

• Short Term Stress comes from bacterial and viral infections and is suitable for battling the immune system. 
• Medium Term Stress is based on a week to monthly time frame.
  • The goal is to increase stress threshold and bearing capacity. We need to stay calm and allow the body to be activated.

Long Term Stress: Definition, Measurement, Cardiovascular Risks

• A good indicator of long-term stress is when you cannot fall asleep and have difficulty staying asleep.
  • Social connections from pets, hobbies, romance, and other people can release stress.
  • Long isolations increase tachykinin, which brings out many poor brain functioning, such as paranoia and fear.
• We need simple tools to control our minds to work in real-time.
• We do not want it to stay highly stressed all the time.
• Type A personality can create cardiac diseases.

Emotions: A Logical Framework of Brain-Body Loops

• The mind and brain are always connected.
  • Change the mind to change the brain
  • Change the brain to change the mind
  • It is a two-way living organism.

Stress: The (Falsely Narrow) Animal Attack Narrative

• Stress is not bad. And all species have pressure.
• It is a generalized system. (Not designed for one thing)
  • It is genetically encoded, and we still have them after 1000 years as a human.

The Stress RESPONSE: Generic, Channels blood, Biases Action

• Flight or fight: Sympathetic chain ganglion — Preganglionic ACh –> Postganglionic neuron Epinephrine binds on beta receptors for moving and fight
• Rest and digest Parasympathetic chain ganglion – ACh –> ACh Muscarinic
• It means around the sympathetic system. You can control the ones on your face with leaver + entry points.
• We should also see stress as performance-enhancing. This is a mindset and belief that we can slowly develop.

The Fastest Way to Reduce Stress In Real-Time: “Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia”

• The Physiological Sign is the fastest tool for activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
• When you breathe deeply, the diaphragm (controlled by the phrenic nerve )is pulled down, the chest cavity increases, and blood will move at a lower volume.
  • The Sinoatrial node detects this and decreases the heart rate.
  • Do it with a double inhale, and exhale greatly. CO2 build-up also causes stress, so get the CO2 out.
  • If you want to speed up the heart rate and turn on the sympathetic nervous system, breathe fast and short.
  • This is real-time in action. Hardwire way—less than a minute.
    • Better to do it with your nose.
  • Very hard to use top-down to control stress. Requires less cognitive effort.
    • Top-down means that you change your cognitive interpretation of the stress, but stress is a generic response

Positive Effects of Short-Term Stress: Immunity and Focus

• It is suitable for activating the immune system to combat infections
• It brings better alertness and sharper cognition.

Cyclic Deep Breathing IS Stress: Wim Hof, Tummo & Super-Oxygenation

• Rapid breathing 15-20 times. You can ramp up the sympathetic nervous system to mimic the stress response. Could you not do it near water?
• Endotoxin experiment of E.Coli = People who did the rapid breathing did not experience any symptoms.

Stress Inoculation Tools: Separating Mind & Body, On Purpose

• Disassociating mind and body to be comfortable with the stress response.
• Relax the mind when the body is activated.
• It will feel manageable.

Use Vision to Calm the Mind When the Body Is Agitated

• Tunnel vision to panoramic vision will allow you to calm down.
• The mind will be calm and let you know that the environment is less.

Loneliness Chemical Irritants We Make But Can Control: Tachykinin

• Too much isolation increases Tachykinin
• It increases paranoia and fear.
• When we are goal-directed and don’t have socializing, Tackykinin is released.
• I experienced this when I was alone.

How This All Relates to Emotions: State Versus Demand = Valence

• What are emotions?
  • Your perceptions of what might come next, body budgeting, and context interpretation.
• Emotions are context and culturally dependent.
• The internal state matches the demand we interpret it as bad or good.
  • Too stressed or tired to do my responsibility. It does not feel good
  • It feels good if I want to go to sleep and go to sleep.

Modulating Reactivity, Mindfulness, & Functionality With Objective Tools

• React to stress in real-time
• And better tap into stress to control
• Not pop psychology with being responsive