What will I learn about: why psychological uncertainty causes more stress than a guaranteed bad outcome, and learn how to physically release anticipation to stay grounded in the present?

Understand why psychological uncertainty causes more stress than a guaranteed bad outcome, and learn how to physically release anticipation to stay grounded in the present.

What will I learn about: use a 'Stress Inventory' to categorize your anxieties, allowing you to take action on what you can influence and peacefully set down what you cannot control?

Learn how to use a 'Stress Inventory' to categorize your anxieties, allowing you to take action on what you can influence and peacefully set down what you cannot control.

What will I learn about: how to transform a fear-based threat response into an empowering challenge response by intentionally reframing your negative self-talk?

Discover how to transform a fear-based threat response into an empowering challenge response by intentionally reframing your negative self-talk.

What will I learn about: how intentional bursts of controlled discomfort, known as hormetic stress, act as a workout for your nervous system to build lifelong resilience?

Find out how intentional bursts of controlled discomfort, known as hormetic stress, act as a workout for your nervous system to build lifelong resilience.

What will I learn about: the mindset shift that accepts some stress as healthy and normal, focusing your daily energy on empowered management rather than impossible elimination?

Master the mindset shift that accepts some stress as healthy and normal, focusing your daily energy on empowered management rather than impossible elimination.

The Stress Prescription

7 Days to More Joy and Ease

Elissa Epel

★ 4.7 / 5(103 ratings)

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Categories:

Health & Nutrition Mindfulness & Happiness

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that certain types of stress can actually be a 'prescription' for better health and a longer life?
💡What if you could completely transform your relationship with anxiety and find lasting ease in just seven days?
💡Have you ever wondered what the secret is to building a 'stress-resilient' mind that thrives even during your most challenging days?

Listen to The Stress Prescription — Free Audiobook

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Key Takeaways from The Stress Prescription

✓Understand why psychological uncertainty causes more stress than a guaranteed bad outcome, and learn how to physically release anticipation to stay grounded in the present.
✓Learn how to use a 'Stress Inventory' to categorize your anxieties, allowing you to take action on what you can influence and peacefully set down what you cannot control.
✓Discover how to transform a fear-based threat response into an empowering challenge response by intentionally reframing your negative self-talk.
✓Find out how intentional bursts of controlled discomfort, known as hormetic stress, act as a workout for your nervous system to build lifelong resilience.
✓Master the mindset shift that accepts some stress as healthy and normal, focusing your daily energy on empowered management rather than impossible elimination.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from The Stress Prescription

Mind Map

The Stress Prescription

Core Philosophy+

Day 1: Embrace Uncertainty+

Day 2: Relinquish Control+

Day 3: Reframe the Threat+

Day 4: Controlled Discomfort+

Day 5: The Green Effect+

Day 6: Deep Rest & Breathing+

Day 7: Cultivate Gratitude+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

What is the overarching goal of the seven-day process outlined in the book?

A. To completely banish all stress and anxiety from your daily life.
B. To avoid any situations that might trigger a physiological stress response.
C. To respond to unavoidable stress in a more balanced and empowered way.
D. To learn how to control every potential outcome in your future.

Question 2 of 8

According to the study involving a computer game and hidden snakes, which group of participants experienced the highest level of psychological stress?

A. The group that received a shock every time a snake appeared.
B. The group that received a shock only some of the time.
C. The group that never received a shock but was told they might.
D. The group that received a severe shock at the very beginning of the game.

Question 3 of 8

When creating a 'Stress Inventory' on Day Two, what is the recommended action for stressors that you put a box around because you have absolutely no control over them?

A. Brainstorm creative workarounds to slowly gain control over them.
B. Delegate them to someone else who has more authority in your life.
C. Keep them at the top of your list so you can monitor them closely.
D. Acknowledge the emotions they cause and consciously choose to set them down.

Question 4 of 8

What is the key difference between how a lion and a gazelle experience a stress response on the Savanna?

A. The gazelle experiences a threat response, while the lion experiences a challenge response.
B. Only the gazelle experiences a true physiological stress response.
C. The lion's stress response is fueled by fear, while the gazelle's is fueled by instinct.
D. The gazelle's response triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, while the lion's triggers the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 5 of 8

How do practices like High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and finishing a shower with cold water help build resilience?

A. They permanently lower your baseline heart rate so you never feel physical stress.
B. They distract your mind from psychological stressors by focusing on physical pain.
C. They introduce controlled discomfort, which trains the parasympathetic nervous system to manage future stress.
D. They eliminate the body's natural fight-or-flight reflex over time.

Question 6 of 8

What did researchers discover regarding the 'green effect' and stress during the COVID-19 lockdowns?

A. Indoor plants provided the exact same stress relief as full immersion in a forest.
B. People with access to green spaces had lower stress levels, regardless of factors like income and age.
C. Access to nature only lowered stress for younger demographics who exercised outdoors.
D. Only people living in highly rural areas experienced the stress-reducing benefits of nature.

Question 7 of 8

In the 4-6-8 breathing method, why is the exhalation phase the longest?

A. It forcefully expels toxins that accumulate in the lungs during a stress response.
B. It gently raises the heart rate to prepare the body for the next challenge.
C. It distracts the brain from negative thoughts more effectively than inhaling.
D. It activates the relaxation response and helps clear stress hormones.

Question 8 of 8

What is described as the primary psychological benefit of cultivating a daily gratitude practice?

A. It guarantees that you will stop experiencing negative emotions.
B. It counteracts the brain's natural negativity bias.
C. It helps you ignore the things in your life that you cannot control.
D. It replaces the physical need for deep restorative rest.

The Stress Prescription — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Day One: Face the future on your own terms
3Day Two: Put down what you cannot control
4Day Three: Feel challenged, not afraid
5Day Four: Build resilience with controlled discomfort
6Day Five: Connect to nature
7Day Six: Breathe deeply, rest fully
8Day Seven: Build a practice of gratitude

The Stress Prescription Summary & Overview

The Stress Prescription (2022) offers a practical seven-day guide to reducing anxiety and cultivating joy. Combining scientific research with accessible advice, it leads readers through techniques like mindfulness, gratitude, and harnessing hormetic stress to build resilience and embrace ease. With a different empowering theme each day, it provides a roadmap to a calmer, more purposeful life.

Who Should Listen to The Stress Prescription?

Working professionals
People going through a stressful period
Anyone looking to build resilience to stress

About the Author: Elissa Epel

Elissa Epel is a health psychologist who studies the effects of stress on aging. She’s a professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, and the director of the Aging, Metabolism and Emotions Center. In addition to The Stress Prescription, she’s also a coauthor of the New York Times best-seller The Telomere Effect.

The Stress Prescription

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to The Stress Prescription — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from The Stress Prescription

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

The Stress Prescription — Full Chapter Overview

The Stress Prescription Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to The Stress Prescription?

About the Author: Elissa Epel

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