How to make stress your friend | Kelly McGonigal | TED
TLDRThis insightful talk by a health psychologist reveals a paradigm shift in understanding stress. Contrary to the common belief that stress is inherently harmful, the speaker argues that it's the perception of stress that determines its impact on health. By reframing stress as a positive force that energizes and motivates, individuals can experience a healthier stress response. The talk also highlights the role of oxytocin, a hormone that fosters social connection and resilience during stressful times. The speaker encourages embracing stress as a means to access our compassionate hearts and to remember that we're not alone in facing life's challenges.
Takeaways
- 🧠 The speaker, a health psychologist, confesses that their previous teachings about stress being harmful may have done more harm than good.
- 🔁 There's a shift in perspective: changing how one thinks about stress can lead to a healthier response to it.
- 📊 A study of 30,000 adults over eight years found that stress itself doesn't increase the risk of death; it's the belief that stress is harmful that does.
- 💡 The belief that stress is detrimental can be a significant health risk, potentially causing more deaths than skin cancer, HIV/AIDS, and homicide combined.
- 🧪 A social stress test experiment showed that re-framing the stress response as helpful can reduce stress and anxiety, and even alter cardiovascular responses positively.
- 💓 The hormone oxytocin, often called the 'cuddle hormone', is also a stress hormone that motivates social connection and support during stressful times.
- ❤️ Oxytocin has protective effects on the cardiovascular system and helps heart cells regenerate, especially when social contact and support are involved.
- 🤝 The act of caring for others under stress can create resilience and eliminate the increased risk of death associated with stress.
- 🌟 Stress can be a powerful tool for accessing our compassionate side and for building social connections.
- 💪 Choosing to view stress as a helpful response can transform the biological experience into one of courage and resilience.
- 🤔 The speaker encourages individuals to pursue meaningful life choices, even if they come with stress, trusting in their ability to handle the challenges.
Q & A
What is the speaker's profession and mission?
-The speaker is a health psychologist, and her mission is to help people be happier and healthier.
What was the speaker's previous belief about stress?
-The speaker used to believe that stress makes people sick and increases the risk of various health issues, essentially viewing stress as an enemy.
What study made the speaker reconsider her views on stress?
-A study that tracked 30,000 adults in the United States for eight years, which correlated stress levels, beliefs about stress, and health outcomes, made her rethink her approach to stress.
What was the surprising finding from the study regarding stress and health?
-The study found that people who experienced a lot of stress but did not view stress as harmful had the lowest risk of dying, even lower than those with little stress.
How many Americans died prematurely due to the belief that stress is harmful, according to the study?
-The researchers estimated that over the eight years, 182,000 Americans died prematurely due to the belief that stress is harmful.
What is the new perspective the speaker wants to share about stress?
-The speaker now believes that changing how you think about stress can make you healthier and wants to help people become better at stress, not just trying to get rid of it.
What is the 'social stress test' and how does it work?
-The 'social stress test' is a study designed to induce stress where participants have to give an impromptu speech about their personal weaknesses to a panel of evaluators and take a math test under pressure.
How does viewing stress as a helpful response change the body's physical reaction?
-When participants viewed their stress response as helpful, their blood vessels stayed relaxed, and their cardiovascular profile became healthier, similar to what happens during moments of joy and courage.
What role does oxytocin play in the stress response?
-Oxytocin, often called the 'cuddle hormone,' is released during stress and motivates individuals to seek support and strengthens social bonds, also protecting the cardiovascular system.
How does social support and oxytocin contribute to stress resilience?
-Social support and oxytocin release enhance each other; reaching out to others under stress to seek support or help someone else releases more oxytocin, making the stress response healthier and aiding faster recovery from stress.
What did the study involving 1,000 adults find regarding stress and helping others?
-The study found that people who spent time caring for others showed no stress-related increase in the risk of dying, indicating that caring creates resilience against the harmful effects of stress.
What advice does the speaker give regarding making lifestyle choices involving stress?
-The speaker advises to pursue what creates meaning in life and trust oneself to handle the stress that follows, rather than trying to avoid discomfort.
Outlines
🤔 Rethinking Stress
The speaker, a health psychologist, starts by asking the audience to self-assess their stress levels. She then reveals her own confession: she has been teaching that stress is harmful, which she now fears might be more damaging than beneficial. She shares a study that changed her perspective, showing that it's not the stress itself but the belief that stress is harmful that increases the risk of death. This study found that people who experienced stress but did not view it as harmful had the lowest risk of death. The speaker aims to change the audience's view on stress, suggesting that changing one's mindset can lead to a healthier stress response.
💪 Embracing the Stress Response
The speaker introduces a hypothetical 'social stress test' and uses it as a setup to explain how changing one's perception of stress can alter the body's physiological response. She references a study from Harvard University, where participants were taught to view their stress response as beneficial, leading to less stress and anxiety, and increased confidence. The study showed that when participants embraced their stress response, their blood vessels stayed relaxed, which is healthier for the cardiovascular system. The speaker's goal is to help people become better at handling stress rather than eliminating it, emphasizing the importance of viewing stress as a helpful response to challenges.
🤝 The Social Side of Stress
The speaker discusses the hormone oxytocin, commonly known as the 'cuddle hormone,' and its role in the stress response. Oxytocin is a neuro-hormone that enhances social instincts and drives people to seek support and strengthen relationships during stressful times. The speaker explains that oxytocin is released as part of the stress response and has protective effects on the cardiovascular system, acting as a natural anti-inflammatory and promoting heart health. She highlights a study that shows people who care for others under stress do not experience an increased risk of death related to stress, illustrating that social connection and support can create resilience against the harmful effects of stress.
🌟 Transforming Stress into Courage and Resilience
In the final paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the transformative power of stress when viewed positively. She suggests that by choosing to see the stress response as helpful, individuals can create a biology of courage. Furthermore, by connecting with others during stressful times, one can foster resilience. The speaker concludes by stating that stress can be a gateway to accessing the compassionate heart and that facing life's challenges with trust in oneself and support from others is a profound and empowering approach to life.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Stress
💡Health Psychologist
💡Perception
💡Social Stress Test
💡Cardiovascular Disease
💡Oxytocin
💡Belief
💡Resilience
💡Caring
💡Meaning
💡Heart
Highlights
The speaker, a health psychologist, confesses that her previous teachings about stress being harmful may have done more harm than good.
A study of 30,000 adults over eight years found that stress only increases the risk of death for those who believe stress is harmful to health.
The belief that stress is harmful is estimated to cause over 20,000 premature deaths per year in the United States, making it a significant cause of death.
Changing one's mindset about stress can lead to a healthier physiological response to stress.
Participants in a study at Harvard University who were taught to view their stress response as helpful experienced less stress and anxiety.
Viewing stress as helpful can lead to a healthier cardiovascular profile, similar to that experienced during moments of joy and courage.
The speaker's goal has shifted from eliminating stress to helping people better manage stress.
Oxytocin, known as the 'cuddle hormone', is also a stress hormone that motivates social support and strengthens close relationships.
Oxytocin protects the cardiovascular system from the effects of stress and helps heart cells regenerate.
Social contact and support enhance the physical benefits of oxytocin, leading to faster recovery from stress.
A study showed that caring for others can create resilience against the harmful effects of stress on health.
The harmful effects of stress on health are not inevitable and can be transformed by how one thinks and acts.
Stress can give access to one's compassionate heart and provide strength and energy through the physical response of the heart.
The speaker suggests that chasing meaning in life is healthier than trying to avoid discomfort.
The advice given is to make decisions based on what creates meaning and trust oneself to handle the stress that follows.
Transcripts
Browse More Related Video
Simon Sinek: Why Leaders Eat Last
What Does Chronic Stress Do To Your Mind And Body
The Science Of Building Extreme Discipline - Andrew Huberman
The Top 7 Belly Fat Burning Hacks For 2024 That Are PROVEN To Work!
The basic principles every PhD student needs to know
How to Humor Your Stress | Loretta LaRoche | TEDxNewBedford
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
Thanks for rating: