Episode Details

Today we’re taking a deep dive into stress: what causes it, how it affects us, and the various ways we can treat it.

As someone who has lived in a huge city for a long time and who travels frequently, stress has wrecked me in various ways — but I know I’m definitely not alone. Gallup reports that 55% of Americans are regularly stressed during the day, and things just seem to be getting worse, as stress-related mental health issues are notably more common in Gen-Z than previous generations.

So, clearly, this is a big issue, especially within the United States — but the silver lining is that we do have the tools and knowledge necessary to reduce those statistics. That’s why I was keen to sit down with one of the foremost stress experts, Jim Poole, President and CEO of Solace Lifesciences.

Solace Lifesciences is a neuroscience company focused on personalized evidence-based wellness and performance. They created NuCalm, the world's first and only patented technology clinically proven to lower stress and improve sleep quality — without drugs. And by managing the stress response, NuCalm also helps with muscle recovery, healing, focus, productivity, and emotional balance.

I’ve tried hundreds of different biohacks and technologies, and I fall off of most of them after a few weeks. But when I find a modality or device that’s this effective, I just become obsessed with it (like happily making myself look like a crazy person on the plane obsessed). I’ve used NuCalm nearly every day since I got one, and it’s really like meditating on steroids.

Interesting in trying out the NuCalm yourself? You can save $500 using the code “luke500” at NuCalm.com.

10:07 — What are some of the most common causes of stress?

• Everything in modern life causes stress
• The biggest culprits are technology, the increasing pace of our world, and our food supply
• Stress is an even more insidious problem than many people think, as most of us aren’t aware of the long-term implications of constant stress on mankind and our planet
• There’s a cultural issue with work in the USA, with people wearing stress as a badge of honor, but this does seem to be moving in a positive direction
• The epidemic of overprescribing our children
• When you’re a teenager, your brain is developing — and adding drugs that suppress the central nervous system is really dangerous
• What we can learn about stress from Provo, Utah

17:58 — The experience of starting to use NuCalm

• NuCalm has a cumulative effect
• How learning the mechanism of action behind a biohacking device helps with compliance
• I’ve been meditating for a long time and I can do it just about anywhere, but it’s crazy how different I feel when I combine my practice with NuCalm

20:47 — How stress affects your brain and body

• Self-awareness isn’t always enough to stop a stress response, especially when related to trauma
• What you should know about your amygdala, cortisol, and adrenaline
• Reacting Vs. Responding
• How your brain changes when you have a fight or flight response
• A perceived threat is just as real as a real threat to your brain and body
• Why focusing on mindfulness is the best thing we can do to minimize our unnecessary stress responses
• The intimacy we have with our own stress (and that we never