Stress Fundamentals
Complete all four levels to unlock Stresspert status
Stress is a part of the college experience (exams, deadlines, relationships, juggling it all). What really matters is how you respond.
Aaron Taylor, NFL Super Bowl champion, College Football Hall of Famer and CBS sports analyst, explores “Why Am I Stressed?” through the lens of reframing our understanding of what’s possible – our superpower. Video courtesy of RADical Hope.
LEVEL1: Why We Need Stress
Your stress response isn't a flaw – it's a feature, designed to prime your brain and body for action, helping you rise to challenges and perform under pressure.
Wendy Suzuki, PhD, author of Good Anxiety, shares how stress evolved to protect us from external dangers.
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Jeff Bezos, former president and CEO of Amazon, talks about listening to the body's stress response and reacting with action.
Extra Learning:
Good Anxiety with Wendy Suzuki
Dr. Wendy Suzuki on the evolution of stress as a protective response. Video courtesy of Center for BrainHealth.
LEVEL 2: How Eustress Can Change the Conversation
Ian Robertson, PhD, co-director of The BrainHealth Project at Center for BrainHealth, speaks on finding the perfect level of the neurochemical norepinephrine to help the brain reach its peak performance. He shows us the psychology behind stress, and how we can harness it to improve our cognitive abilities. Video courtesy of Center for BrainHealth.
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This term isn't in the conversation right now, but there is actually an optimal level of stress for motivation and efficiency.
Stress is inevitable in college and improves performance up to a point. Too little stress: you're unmotivated to accomplish your goals. Too much stress: your brain is overwhelmed, and your performance drops along with your ability to focus.
When you’re stressed do you experience a racing heart, heavy breathing or sweaty palms? That's your body getting ready for action. A faster heart rate and heavier breathing pushes more blood to your muscles and brain, fueling them with oxygen. Once your body and brain are working harder, sweat cools you down. Your body is working for you!
LEVEL 3: How Your Body Works for You
Kelly McGonigal, PhD, author, psychologist and educator, reveals how your body's physiological response to stress can work for you.
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Watch the full video here.
Extra Learning:
Identifying and Managing Stress with Aaron Taylor
Stress piling up, but you can't pinpoint why? Aaron shares his journey from clueless to self-aware, helping you identify your stress triggers and create a strategy to tackle them more effectively. Podcast courtesy of RADical Hope.
LEVEL 4: Utilize Stress to Achieve Your Goals
Psychologist Alia Crum, PhD, visits the Huberman Lab podcast, offering an enlightened definition of stress and ideas for leveraging stress to help reach peak performance.
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Achievement: Stresspert
Dive Deeper
Congrats! You are now a stresspert. Ready for the boss level? Here's some of our favorite research on the topic. And there's a lot more out there!
What Does the Literature Say?
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Achievement: Brain Health Master
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