The Stress Prescription with Dr. Elissa Epel

Summary

On The Verywell Mind Podcast, Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life.

In this episode, Amy interviews Dr. Elissa Epel, a New York Times bestselling author and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Epel has extensive research on the biological processes of aging with a focus on toxic stress. In her new book, "The Stress Prescription," she provides strategies for managing stress and turning it into your strength.

Key Points

• The pandemic has affected everyone's stress levels, regardless of age, race, or socioeconomic status.
• There is a difference between acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is a short-term response to a specific event, while chronic stress is a long-term response to ongoing stressors.
• Chronic stress can lead to a number of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression.
• Some stress is actually good for you. It can help you focus, perform better, and be more resilient.
• The first question you should ask yourself when you wake up in the morning is, "What am I grateful for?"
• To transition between work and home, you can create a physical barrier, such as closing your laptop, and a mental barrier, such as taking a few minutes to clear your head.
• You can focus on things you can control by making a list of your stressors and identifying the ones you can change.
• Engaging in deep rest is important for reducing stress. You can do this by taking a nap, meditating, or spending time in nature.
• Eating dinner with family or friends can help to reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.
• Practicing radical acceptance means accepting things as they are, without trying to change them.
• Scrolling through social media does not actually relieve stress. In fact, it can make you feel worse.

Quotes

• "I think that in certain subgroups, it's kind of cool to be stressed. It's a badge of honor to say, 'I stayed up all night' and to complain about the list of stressors." - Dr. Elissa Epel
• "There's plenty of research showing that having [a] family structure and having family dinners is related to lower stress [and] better coping in children." - Dr. Elissa Epel

Links and Resources

• Visit Dr. Epel's website: ElissaEpel.com
• Check out The Stress Prescription
• Follow Dr. Epel on Instagram: @Elissa.Epel

If You Liked This Episode, You Might Also Like These Episodes

• How to Turn Stress Into Strength with Kelly McGonigal
• The Power of Stress with Robert Sapolsky
• How to Manage Stress with Elizabeth Lombardo