17 Secrets to Master Your Stress, Calm Your Nerves & Thrive

Angela Cavallo remembers everything about that spring afternoon in 1982.

She recalls the calmness of that day. Hearing the rustling trees, singing birds and the calmness of her neighborhood in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Then, out of nowhere, she hears a sound she will never forget.

Her son Tony had been working underneath their 1964 Volkswagen Beetle in their garage when disaster struck. The car jack failed, sending the 3,000-pound vehicle crashing down onto his body. Angela ran to the garage, and to her horror, saw her son struggling to breathe beneath the crushing weight.

Despite being an ordinary, loving mother with no special training or physical conditioning, in that moment, Angela Cavallo became superwoman.

Without hesitation, she rushed to the rear of the car, gripped the bumper with both hands, and lifted the 3,000-pound vehicle off her son’s chest. Even more remarkably, she held the car elevated for over five minutes until neighbors arrived to pull Tony from under the car.

How could this be? How could she possibly have accomplished this? How could she defy the fundamental limitations of the human body and the unforgiving laws of physics?

The answer lies in a biological system embedded within us all.

The Stress Response.

The Stress Response: “Fight or Flight”

When Angela saw her son in danger, her body flipped into fight-or-flight mode:

• Her hair stood on end

• Her heart started racing

• Her pupils widened

• And her blood pressure shot up

Most astonishing of all, Angela didn’t consciously activate any of these bodily responses. Her body took over and did what it needed to do in a stressful situation.

So What Is the Fight or Flight Response?

We have all heard the saying that stress kills.

But ironically it’s one of the main reasons as to why humans have survived as a species. And it’s not just about survival. This powerful fight-or-flight mechanism fuels incredible accomplishments too.

Because performance, whether that’s at your job, at the gym, or even with your family, does not come when you have 0 stress. It comes from having just the right amount of it.

As Tim Ferriss says: “Embracing stress is like a superpower.”

He’s right. This stress response allows people just like you and me to do extraordinary things.

• It’s what gave Edmund Hillary the ability to become the first person to summit Mount Everest.

• It’s what gave Serena Williams the drive to win the 2015 French Open even with the flu.

And most importantly it helps people like you and I to exceed at work, lift heavy weights, and even navigate our day-to-day lives.

Imagine a U-shaped curve: too little stress leaves us with low energy, while too much drowns us in overwhelm. But hit that sweet spot and stress becomes a powerful catalyst for achievement and growth.

Here’s the catch: this amazing biological system is only designed to activate for short bursts before quickly shutting off.

We experience stress, tackle the challenge, and then return to homeostasis—our body’s natural “rest and digest” state.

Ancestrally, we’d run from a lion, escape becoming prey, and then settle back into calm. But in today’s modern world, our stress response—that fight-or-flight feeling—is constantly being triggered.

Your email notification dings, your phone won’t stop buzzing, bills pile up, your son needs new hockey gear, and that project deadline creeps closer by the minute. To your body, each of these feels like a predator lurking in the bushes.

I was amazed to learn, through biohacking and holistic health that it’s not the stress response itself that harms us—it’s the continuous and repetitive activation of this response system that makes our bodies vulnerable to disease.

The goal isn’t to eliminate stress—it’s to build a nervous system resilient enough to handle it.

So, let’s dive deeper, y’all.

Consider this your practical field guide for reclaiming your nervous system in a world that seems designed to hijack it.

Stress Response 101

When Angela saw her son trapped under the 3,000-pound vehicle, she didn’t stop to think, “Hmm, I should probably increase my heart rate, dilate my pupils, produce adrenaline, and redirect blood to my extremities.”

Her body just did it—instantly, without a second thought.

While we can consciously control some actions, like raising a hand, or letting out a laugh, so many other biological processes happen without us even noticing like blinking, our breathing, or even activating our sweat glands. We don’t have to manage these things—they just happen.

That’s all thanks to the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).

You might have heard about the Autonomic Nervous System lately—maybe on TikTok, at school, from your weird biohacker friend or in the news. It’s gaining a lot of buzz, and for good reason. The ANS plays a crucial role in how we respond to stress, and it’s split into two key branches that balance each other out.

1. The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): Fight, Flight, or Freeze

The Sympathetic Nervous System is the part of the ANS that kicks into gear when danger looms—it’s behind the famous “fight or flight” response.

Back in the day, when a tiger was hot on our heels, we had a few options: fight it off, run for our lives, or freeze in hopes it wouldn’t notice us. Today, the threats might look different (think a looming deadline or a heated argument), but the response is wired into us just the same.

Scientists have studied this reaction extensively, sometimes using scary movies to startle subjects or tracking heart rate spikes during stressful situations.

Here’s what happens in your body when the SNS flips the switch to “emergency mode”:

• Increases heart rate and force of contraction
  Your heart pounds harder and faster to pump more blood—crucial for sprinting away from that metaphorical tiger (or your overbearing boss).

• Dilates bronchioles in the lungs for better oxygen intake
  You need extra stamina, so your lungs open up to gulp in more air.

• Redirects blood flow from digestive organs to skeletal muscles
  Who cares about digesting lunch when survival is on the line?

• Increases blood glucose levels through gluconeogenesis for energy
  This gives you a quick burst of energy for a sprint—great in a pinch, but not so great if it’s happening daily for months on end.

• Dilates pupils to enhance visual perception
  Your eyes lock in, hyper-focused on the threat ahead.

Our bodies are incredibly smart. When danger strikes, it prioritizes short-term survival by revving up certain functions and shutting down others. Why waste energy on long-term processes like cellular repair or digestion when you’re running from a tiger?

2. The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PSNS): Rest and Digest

That’s where the Parasympathetic Nervous System comes in.

This branch of the ANS takes over when the coast is clear. Picture yourself after a huge meal, slumped on the couch, totally relaxed. That’s the PSNS at work—and ideally, this is the state we should be in most of the time.

Here’s what happens when the PSNS activates:

• Decreases heart rate and promotes recovery after stress
  The danger is gone; it’s time to slow down and let your body heal.

• Stimulates digestive processes and salivation
  Now you can properly break down that meal and absorb nutrients.

• Constricts pupils to protect the retina
  No need for hyper-vigilance—your eyes can relax.

• Promotes urination and defecation
  Let’s be real: no one’s using the bathroom with a tiger lurking nearby.

• Facilitates sexual arousal
  Relaxation mode means your body can focus on connection—not exactly a priority during a chase.

• Increases insulin secretion to lower blood glucose
  Time to store those nutrients back in your cells and rebuild your energy reserves.

When Stress Sticks Around: The Chronic Activation Trap

As Robert Sapolsky points out in Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, a quick burst of stress is no big deal; it’s actually kinda helpful when you’re dodging danger.

But when that stress response doesn’t shut off—when it’s on repeat because of, say, endless work deadlines, social media drama, or worrying about skyrocketing rent—that’s when things get ugly.

Chronic stress effects start creeping in, and your body pays the price

The Cost of Chronic Stress on Your Heart

Here’s how chronic stress can lead to cardiovascular diseases:

• Hypertension: Stress spikes your blood pressure temporarily, but chronic stress leads to persistent hypertension—a silent killer straining your heart and vessels day after day .

• Heart Failure: Over time, the heart’s left ventricle, a key pumping chamber, can weaken, becoming one of the strongest predictors of cardiac risk .

• Inflammation: The constant stress response damages blood vessels, triggering inflammation. This creates fertile ground for atherosclerotic plaque buildup, narrowing arteries and accelerating atherosclerosis .

• Stress-Related Stroke Risk: Damaged vessels and high blood pressure dramatically increase the likelihood of stroke, a life-altering consequence of unrelenting stress .

Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, and Diabetes

When you are chronically stressed your cells stop responding to insulin properly, meaning glucose can’t get into them efficiently. Instead, it just builds up in your bloodstream, and trust me, high blood glucose levels are not good news .

This sets the stage for metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels that together skyrocket your risk for serious health issues .

So, chronic stress doesn’t just mess with your blood sugar and muscles; it rewires how you relate to food itself. Pair that with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, and you’ve got a recipe for diabetes and other serious conditions down the line.

It’s a vicious cycle: stress spikes cortisol, cortisol fuels cravings and poor eating habits, and those habits pile onto the metabolic chaos already brewing in your body. Yikes.

Stress Literally Rewires Your Brain

After months of elevated cortisol, the dendrites in your hippocampus—a region critical for memory and emotional regulation—can shrink by up to 30% in volume.

Meanwhile, neurons in the amygdala (let’s call her Amy, the overzealous stress alarm) expand their connections, cranking up the volume on danger signals. The result? Your brain becomes hyper-tuned to stress, creating a vicious feedback loop where stress perception intensifies while your ability to dial it down weakens. It’s like your brain is stuck on high alert, and “calm” is nowhere on the radar.

These are just a few of the many things that chronic stress can do to your body

As Dr. Bruce McEwen, renowned neuroscientist and stress researcher, explains:

"It's not the stress itself that makes us sick—it's that prolonged stress forces our bodies to sacrifice essential maintenance functions. We aren't designed to run our defensive systems at full throttle while simultaneously keeping our regenerative systems operational. Something has to give."

6 Signs You're Too Stressed Out

You don't need an MRI or a lab test to know when your too stressed out.

Here are six red flags I lived through and that you might be experiencing:

1. You Wake Up Tired—Even After 8 Hours of Sleep.

2. You Can't Handle Stress Like You Used To

3. Your Workouts Feel Flat or Exhausting

4. You're Emotionally Numb or Overly Sensitive

5. Caffeine Doesn't Work (Or Works Too Well)

6. You Crash Midday or Can't Wind Down at Night

What To Do

Here’s the reality check: Life will always contain stressors. However, there are plenty of tools to deal with stress.

1. BREATHE MOTHERF*CKER

It was the night of the biggest show of my life. I was going to play for a crowd of 500 people at Dallas Market Hall in less than an hour. Through a leap of desperation, I pulled up YouTube and searched for something like "breathwork for social anxiety." Then, I stumbled upon a video by Certified Health Nut, a random guy with a big beard and a man bun who was absolutely ripped.

Moments later, while everyone else was ripping beer bongs downstairs, I was doing some crazy nasal breathing with this dude on YouTube shouting, "Breathe, motherfucker!" through the screen.

That night, everything changed. For the first time in a long time I finally felt stress free.

Here are my go to techniques for embracing stress and becoming more resilient to it.

4-7-8 Breathing

Right before every meal, I close my eyes, breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8. The long exhales are what trigger your body to relax.

Research by Dr. Andrew Huberman shows this pattern specifically activates parasympathetic response within 90 seconds.

I do this video every time.

Inhale, Inhale, Big Sigh

Take one inhale, fill up 75%, and then take another, all the way, hold for a bit, then hit a long moan of an exhale.

This quickly reduces stress hormones and lowers blood pressure.

Daily Breathwork Practice

Breathe with Sandy is my favorite guy.

He combines amazing breath work patterns and nervous system regulation tactics like humming and chanting. He even plays the hand pan!

Action Step

Try 3 minutes of box breathing before a stressful event (meeting, workout, cold plunge) and notice how your body shifts. Track your heart rate before and after if you want to see the changes in real time.

Remember: Your breath is always with you. It's the most powerful tool you already own—you just need to learn how to use it.

2. MAKE A SAFE LIVING SPACE

One of the most powerful triggers of the stress response is the feeling of danger nearby.

When we feel unsafe, our bodies can never fully relax into the parasympathetic state. The key is to make your mind, body and environment feel as safe as possible. 

Mind Protocol: The "I Am Safe" Downshift

When overwhelm hits, deploy this rapid reset: Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds, hold that breath for 3 seconds, then execute a long, slow exhale for 8 seconds, whispering the mantra "I am safe, I am safe"

Make A Safe Home

1. Primal Security: Your nervous system won't chill if your environment feels physically vulnerable. Dial-in basic security: solid locks, perhaps an alarm system. And yes, a well-trained Doberman named Rex doesn't hurt for peace of mind. This foundational security layer tells your ancient brain that the perimeter is clear .

2. Proprioceptive Calm: Utilize a weighted blanket during sleep or relaxation . The deep pressure stimulation enhances serotonin and melatonin production while reducing cortisol, mimicking a secure embrace and promoting profound rest .

3. Olfactory Optimization: Your sense of smell is a direct line to your nervous system. Use high-quality essential oils like Lavender or Frankincense known for their calming properties.

4. Auditory Entrainment: Play binaural beats, particularly in the Theta (4-8 Hz) range for deep relaxation and meditation.

Red Light Therapy

Modern lighting, especially blue light after sunset, is a major nervous system disruptor.

It fools your brain into thinking it's still daytime, suppressing melatonin production, delaying sleep onset, reducing sleep quality, and jacking up next-day cortisol levels.

This keeps your system artificially 'on' when it desperately needs to wind down .

• Blue Light Protocol:

  • Blockers are Non-Negotiable: Don high-quality blue-light-blocking glasses religiously after sundown .

  • Screen Software: Install f.lux on all digital devices to automatically warm screen temperatures in the evening .

  • Go Red: Swap bedroom bulbs for red lights, which help relax the body at night.

  • Ancestral Wind-Down: Institute a candlelit hour before bed. Read a physical book, journal, or simply relax in the warm, natural glow .

Action Step

Tonight, swap just one commonly used evening light bulb in your house for a red bulb. Commit to wearing blue blockers consistently after dinner for the next week.

3. SLEEP LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT

Sleep is genuinely the only period when your body can fully recover.

Here’s how you can achieve amazing sleep consistently:

• Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Aim for a regular bedtime and wake-up time every day. Try to be in bed before 11:30 pm and ensure you get at least 7.5 hours of sleep.

• Optimize Evening Lighting: After sunset, significantly reduce exposure to bright lights, especially LEDs. Opt for red-light sources or traditional incandescent bulbs instead.

• Cool Your Bedroom: Lowering your body temperature promotes sleep. Keep your bedroom cool, ideally at 65°F (18°C) or slightly cooler.

• Create a Dark and Quiet Sanctuary: Ensure your bedroom is as dark and quiet as possible. If complete silence is difficult or uncomfortable, consider using pink or white noise.

• Minimize Electromagnetic Exposure: Turn off your Wi-Fi router, switch your phone to airplane mode, and keep electronic devices as far away from your bed as possible .

• Establish a Relaxing Bedtime Ritual: Wind down before sleep with calming activities. This could include gentle breathing exercises or reading a physical book.

• Consider Sleep-Supportive Supplements

  • Magnesium Breakthrough (contains 9 forms of magnesium)

  • Sleep Breakthrough (GABA, L-theanine, Glycine- vitamin b6)

  • 1-5 tbsp of Raw Honey

Action Step

Implement a "digital sunset." Power down all electronic devices at least 90 minutes before your intended bedtime. Use only red light or candlelight to illuminate your space during this wind-down period.

4. FOAM ROLL AND GET A MASSAGE

One of my best friends Peter, who happens to be one of my most chill friends, any time someone asks man I am so stressed, he always says without hesitation “when was the last time you foam rolled”

He's onto something crucial.

Bodywork, whether it’s using a foam roller or getting a massage, is one of the most effective ways to melt away stress and soothe your nervous system . Releasing physical tension through methods like these can directly signal your body to relax and shift out of a stressed state .

I personally try to incorporate some foam rolling daily, often focusing on areas like my IT band with a long roller. Additionally, I aim for a weekly reflexology massage to target specific nerve points .

Action: Treat yourself to a massage, perhaps later in the day to help wind down – don't be afraid to ask for deep tissue work if you need it! For daily maintenance, grab a foam roller or even a simple lacrosse ball to work on tight spots yourself .

5. DO YOGA NIDRA DAILY

Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) otherwise known as Yoga Nidra is like plugging your nervous system into a fast charger. Twenty minutes can reduce cortisol, rebalance alpha and theta brainwaves, and trigger a dopamine reset—without sleep.

NSDR Protocol

• 20-minute session after lunch

• Practice midday or after workout for recovery

• Here is my favorite video.

6. GET OUTSIDE

This might seem so cliche, just go outside some more right?

Thanks bud as if we don't already have enough to stress over. But seriously, instead of thinking you're just doing nothing, think about all the amazing things that happen to your body when you go bathe in the Forest.

• Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku): Japanese research shows that just 40 minutes in a forest drops your cortisol (that nasty stress hormone) by 12.4% compared to being in the city.

• Earthing/Grounding: Just put your bare feet on the ground for 20+ minutes. Science shows it reduces inflammation and improves heart rate variability.

• Sunlight & Nature Connection: Morning sunlight kicks off serotonin production, resets your body clock, pumps up vitamin D, and helps you bounce back after stress. Just 30 minutes of morning rays can seriously boost your mood and help you sleep better.

Action Step:

Commit to a 10-minute "light and ground" morning walk this week. Just step outside barefoot shortly after waking up and notice how your mood, energy, and sleep quality improve. Trust me, it works!

7. DO A COLD PLUNGE OR CRYOTHERAPY DAILY

You might be wondering? Aren’t cold plunges stressful?

Cold plunges are controlled stress—with a payoff.

They stimulate your sympathetic nervous system in a hormetic way and help your body handle stress better. Studies show cold exposure boosts dopamine by up to 250%, improves vagal tone, and enhances parasympathetic recovery.

• Morning Cold Shower: Start with 15 seconds at the end of your shower, gradually building to 2-3 minutes.

• Contrast Therapy: Alternating 1 minute hot, 30 seconds cold for 3-5 cycles. This practice dramatically improves blood flow and teaches the nervous system to transition between states.

• Breathe through it with long exhales to activate parasympathetic tone

• Practice post-plunge stillness or grounding to anchor the reset

Action Step: End your next shower with 30 seconds of cold. Focus on nasal breathing and feel your nervous system reboot.

8. EXERCISE

Exercise isn't just for muscle—it directly trains your central nervous system to handle physical and mental load.

• Walk, swim or bike 30 minutes a day

• Life heavy things 3 days a week.

• Play sports, have fun.

Action Step

Do one heavy training session this week—deadlifts, squats, or pull-ups. Go on a nice long walk.

9. STIMULATE YOUR VAGUS NERVE

The vagus nerve is the main line of your parasympathetic nervous system—your rest-and-digest state. Stimulating it helps your body shift out of stress and into repair.

Vagal Tone Protocol:

• Gargle for 30 seconds in the morning

• Hum, chant, or sing (bonus: stack with driving)

• Try a cold face dunk (10–20 seconds in a bowl of ice water)

• Try the Apollo Neuro. A new vibration device that helps me a ton with stress.

Action Step: After a long day, dunk your face in cold water for 20 seconds. Breathe slowly and feel your nervous system exhale.

10. GO ON A TECH BREAK

Throw your phone in the river. Yes.

Your phone is the most accessible nervous system disruptor in your pocket. Every ping, swipe, and scroll spikes dopamine and keeps your sympathetic system activated—burning out your attention, energy, and sense of calm.

Try These

• Notification Batching: Schedule specific times to check messages rather than responding to each alert

• Tech Sunset: Electronic devices off 90 minutes before bed to allow proper melatonin production

• Morning Grace Period: No phone for the first hour after waking to set proper nervous system tone for the day

Action Step: Set a 2-hour phone-free window each morning. Use the time for grounding, breathwork, or just silence. Watch your mental bandwidth come back online.

11. Eliminate Toxins

Surprisingly it can be our household cleaning items and cosmetics that give us the most amount of stress,

Home Detox Essentials:

• All glass Tupperware

• Our Place cookware

• Dr. Bronner's Soap

• Natural skincare

• Water Filter

• Air Filter

• Learn more about detoxing your home here.

12. Get a Stress Buddy

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved." - Victor Hugo

A big thing in handling stress is having someone to do it with. Get a stress buddy. 

13. MINERALIZE YOUR WATER

Every nerve impulse in your body depends on mineral-powered electricity.

Mineral Protocol:

• Magnesium

• Trace minerals

• Diamond Sea Salt (lowest heavy metal content I found)

• Electrolytes pre and post-workout

Action Step : Add ½ tsp - 2 tsp of high-quality salt to your morning water.

14. EAT FOR YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM

The more nutrient dense foods you eat the better you support your nervous system.

Nervous System Nutrition Protocol:

• Wild-caught salmon or sardines (DHA = brain fuel)

• Grass-fed beef liver or organ blends

• Fermented veggies + mineral salts

• Blueberries

• Avocados

• Almonds

Foods That Break Your Nervous System:

1. Artificial Sweeteners

2. Seed Oil-Laced Condiments

3. Trans Fats + Hydrogenated Oils

4. Gluten (for many people)

5. Foods High in Heavy Metals

6. Moldy Foods (Mycotoxins)

7. High-Fat + High-Carb Meals

8. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

9. Ultra-Processed "Frankenfoods"

10. Processed Sugar

Action Step

Audit your fridge, pantry, and coffee stash. Replace 3 neurotoxic foods with nervous system-friendly swaps: wild fish, pastured eggs, grass-fed meats, fermented veggies, or organic fruit.

15. Use Binaural Beats

Binaural beats are like DJing your own brainwaves.

They help you shift into focus, rest, or flow.

Entrainment Protocol:

• Theta (4–8 Hz) for recovery and meditation

• Beta (14–30 Hz) for productivity sprints

• This is my favorite site. Try it out here.

Action Step

Try a 15-minute theta session during breathwork or NSDR. Feel the mental fog melt.

🧘‍♂️ Jack’s Top Supplement Picks for Stress Relief & Recovery

1. Kion Essential Aminos Acids (Code Koolhealth)
Supports recovery, mental clarity, and neurotransmitter production.

2. BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough
My #1 for deep sleep and calming the nervous system.

3. BiOptimizers MassZymes (Digestive Enzymes)
When stress hits, digestion slows. MassZymes keep my gut working so I actually absorb my nutrients.

4. Kion Sleep (Code Koolhealth)
A clean sleep formula with magnesium, glycine, and other natural sleep inducers.

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16. NEUROFEEDBACK/BIOFEEDBACK

Neurofeedback is the ultimate nervous system mirror.

You wear sensors, get real-time feedback on your brainwave activity, and train your system for calm, clarity, and control. It's been used to treat anxiety, ADHD, trauma, and burnout with wild results. 

Neurofeedback Protocol:

• Search for local neurofeedback clinics

• Look into at-home systems like Mendi, or Sens.AI

• Use it 1–2x/week to train brainwave balance 

Action Step

Google a neurofeedback center near you. Book a session. Track how your focus or mood shifts in the next 48 hours. 

17. PEMF THERAPY

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy helps restore your cellular voltage. It's like bioelectric grounding—amplified. PEMF improves circulation, lowers inflammation, enhances mitochondrial function, and supports CNS recovery—especially post-training or during high stress. 

PEMF Protocol:

• Use PEMF mats like HigherDOSE, Pulse Centers, or BioBalance

• Stack with red light or breathwork for deep recovery

• Great before meditation, after workouts, or pre-sleep 

Action Step

Test a local PEMF session or borrow a mat from a friend. Feel your nervous system hum back to life. 

THE LAST WORD

Anything else I missed? Comment down below would love to learn more from you guys.

You train your body to move. You train your mind to focus. So why not train your nervous system to handle life?

Love you all.

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I’m grateful to my partners who create amazing health & wellness products.

• Kion

• Bioptimizers

• Alitura

• Nootopia

Disclaimer. I am not a doctor. This is just some random stuff I learned on the internet. Pretend it’s a story. Ok bye.