Actively seek “deep rest” (blue mind) states, which involve releasing and letting go of control, through practices like meditation, Yoga Nidra, sound baths, Shavasana, or immersive music experiences, as this is crucial for cellular restoration.
When facing stress, shift your mindset from threat to challenge by focusing on your resources, viewing the stress response as energizing, and telling yourself your body is preparing you to do well. This can lead to better problem-solving and clearer thinking.
Engage in slow breathing practices, aiming for roughly six breaths per minute or less, to directly increase vagal tone, promote feelings of ease and joy, and shift your nervous system activity within minutes.
Engage in at least five minutes of daily meditation to improve emotional well-being, reduce stress, lower depression and burnout, and increase enjoyment and purpose at work. These effects can last for months.
Engage in practices like a “stress inventory” to identify what you can control versus what you cannot. Focus your energy on controllable aspects and consciously release the burden of uncontrollable situations.
Shift focus from stress management to cultivating joy and positive emotions by starting and ending each day with practices like gratitude, anticipating positive opportunities, or reflecting on social connections, which builds stress resilience.
Consider attending a meditation retreat (even 1-3 days, or longer if possible) to recalibrate your nervous system, change your mental filter, and learn skills to enter restorative mode more easily. Scholarships and shorter options are available.
Implement short practices throughout the day to interrupt chronic stress, which can be defined as rumination or not feeling safe in the present, and prevent it from accumulating.
Prioritize going to bed earlier to maximize the chances of getting more slow-wave sleep (deep sleep), which is the most restorative state for the body and mind, and when vagal tone is highest.
Consistently eat more fruits and vegetables daily, as this small, cumulative change can lead to longer telomeres and contribute to healthy aging over decades.
When feeling stressed and tempted to eat comfort foods like simple carbs, be aware that this can lead to dramatic glucose peaks and insulin resistance. Instead, ask yourself “How do I want to feel right now?” to make a more conscious food choice.
To establish long-term habits, set the bar very low for daily practices, focusing on quick, achievable wins that accumulate over time, rather cleaner than aiming for overly ambitious goals that are hard to maintain.
Create personal “stress shields” by cultivating specific thoughts about your resources, how you will perform, and how you view the stress response (e.g., “This is my body getting prepared to act”). These thoughts can shape your stress response into a positive challenge.
Develop a personal mantra or statement that resonates with you (e.g., “I’m not nervous, I’m excited”) to use before and during stressful moments, helping to reframe your physiological response as an energizing challenge.
When faced with an uncontrollable burden or worry, close your eyes and visualize yourself physically taking off a heavy backpack or putting down a brick, accompanied by big sighs, to practice releasing the mental weight.
Visualize a difficult, uncontrollable situation as a boulder you’re pulling on with a rope. Practice opening your hands and dropping the rope to symbolize letting go of the struggle and useless problem-solving, even if the pain or worry remains.
If formal retreats are not feasible, create your own retreat experience by spending time in nature or dedicating half-days or weekends to restorative practices, aiming for at least three days for a deeper reset if possible.
Integrate daily short breaks into your routine to reduce the “stress soup” and promote a rejuvenative and restorative environment for your cells.
Make slow breathing a morning habit to start the day with increased vagal tone and a settled nervous system, noticing and savoring the immediate benefits.
Practice “straw breathing” by taking a deep inhale through the nose and a super slow exhale through pursed lips as if blowing through a straw. Use this for a couple of minutes before meditation or whenever feeling overwhelmed to settle down.
For beginners, integrate somatic breathing practices after physical activities like pushups or exercise to help settle the body and mind, making it easier to feel the body and sit still for meditation.
When in a “yellow mind” state (chronic vigilance/cognitive load), consciously decide whether to upregulate to a positive, energizing “red mind” stress response to metabolize stress, or to downshift into a more relaxed “green” or “blue mind” state.
Use massage (professional or self-massage, e.g., foot massage) as a method to achieve deep rest and tend to your nervous system, promoting relaxation and cellular repair.
Consider temporarily using a continuous glucose monitor for a week or two to understand how your body responds to different foods and stressful events, gaining valuable baseline information about your metabolic health.
Engage in mindful eating practices, especially when dealing with emotional distress or binge eating, to help regulate consumption and reduce the dramatic glucose spikes associated with overeating.
Actively engage in pro-social acts to boost positive emotions and stress resilience, such as doing something kind for someone, savoring someone’s joy by asking what made them happy, or looking for opportunities to make someone smile.