In this episode my guest is Elissa Epel, Ph.D., professor and vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the author of a new book entitled “The Stress Prescription.” We discuss her work showing how stress impacts mood, eating behavior, mental health, physical health and aging. She explains stress intervention tools using “top-down” techniques (e.g., radical acceptance, mindfulness, reframing) and body-based methods (e.g., breathwork, including the Wim Hof Method), as well as exercise, meditation, body scans and environmental shifts proven to help people cease unhealthy rumination patterns. We discuss how stress can positively impact psychology and sense of purpose, how stress affects cellular aging, how our narratives of stressful events impact our mood and biology and how to effectively reframe stress. She explains science-based techniques to break stress-induced cycles of craving and overeating and thereby improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic health. Dr. Epel provides a wide range of tools shown to be effective in reducing stress and improving various aspects of our health. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman HVMN: https://hvmn.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://www.insidetracker.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Social & Website Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Twitter: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://hubermanlab.com/neural-network Dr. Elissa Epel UCSF profile: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/elissa.epel Personal website: https://www.elissaepel.com Lab Website (Aging, Metabolism & Emotion Center): https://amecenter.ucsf.edu Twitter: https://twitter.com/dr_epel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elissa.epel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-epel Articles The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging: https://bit.ly/3nAgNhD THE IMPACT OF MEANINGFUL VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT IN AGING ADULTS: THE BALTIMORE EXPERIENCE CORPS TRIAL: https://bit.ly/3KpyJoa Potential role for adult neurogenesis in the encoding of time in new memories: https://go.nature.com/3U0gwkl The mindful moms training: development of a mindfulness-based intervention to reduce stress and overeating during pregnancy: https://bit.ly/3ZzueM3 Can Meditation Slow Rate of Cellular Aging? Cognitive Stress, Mindfulness, and Telomeres: https://bit.ly/3K4iF9Z A Mitochondrial Health Index Sensitive to Mood and Caregiving Stress: https://bit.ly/3nKMeWo Embodying Psychological Thriving: Physical Thriving in Response to Stress: https://bit.ly/3zrBnn5 Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal: https://bit.ly/3wEvGRf Stress and telomere shortening: Insights from cellular mechanisms: https://bit.ly/40WYFwD Neurogenesis in the adult human hippocampus: https://go.nature.com/3GdG7At Impact of the Baltimore Experience Corps Trial on cortical and hippocampal volumes: https://bit.ly/3ZBoCkB Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Distress, Weight Gain, and Glucose Control for Pregnant Low-Income Women: A Quasi-Experimental Trial Using the ORBIT Model: https://bit.ly/3U6UBb7 Books The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer: https://amzn.to/3m2dHTa The Stress Prescription: Seven Days to More Joy and Ease (The Seven Days Series): https://amzn.to/3m4zERB Timestamps 00:00:00 Dr. Elissa Epel 00:02:17 Sponsors: Thesis, Eight Sleep, HVMN, Momentous 00:06:18 Stress; Effects on Body & Mind 00:12:50 Tools: Overthinking & Stress 00:15:37 Acute, Moderate & Chronic Stress, Breathing 00:21:23 Stress Benefits, Aging & Cognition; Stress Challenge Response 00:31:04 Sponsor: AG-1 (Athletic Greens) 00:32:19 Tool: Shifting Stress to Challenge Response, “Stress Shields” 00:37:40 Stress, Overeating, Craving & Opioid System 00:48:55 Tools: Breaking Overeating Cycles, Mindfulness 00:54:44 Soda & Sugary Drinks 01:00:51 Smoking, Processed Food & Rebellion 01:05:29 Sponsor: InsideTracker 01:06:47 Tools: Mindfulness, Pregnancy & Metabolic Health 01:14:11 Body Scan & Cravings 01:17:28 Tool: Meditation & Aging; Meditation Retreats 01:23:35 Meditation, Psychedelics & Neuroplasticity 01:26:02 Mitochondrial Health, Stress & Mood 01:29:49 Chronic Stress & Radical Acceptance, “Brick Wall” 01:37:57 Tool: Control, Uncertainty 01:45:25 Stress Management, “Skillful Surfing” 01:50:25 Narrative, Purpose & Stress 01:52:49 Breathwork, Wim Hof Method, Positivity & Cellular Aging 02:03:11 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer: https://hubermanlab.com/disclaimer