Even in times of uncertainty, stress can make you stronger

Posted by :

An exclusive inside look with your free CNN account

💪 even in this era of uncertainty, stress can make you stronger

Somehow, it's already fall. And while we're a far cry from the early days of the pandemic, things still feel rather unsettled. The stress of wondering when (and if) life will return to normal can be difficult to manage.

The way we think about that stress could have an impact on our longevity, research shows. Those who viewed their stress as negative were 43% more likely to die prematurely than those who didn't think it impacted their health, according to a 2012 study.

"The researchers concluded that it wasn't stress that was killing people," psychologist Kelly McGonigal, a lecturer in organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business, wrote in her book about stress. "It was the combination of stress and the belief that stress is harmful."

Next week, CNN is launching Stress, But Less, a free six-part newsletter course aimed at teaching you how to manage stress and even harness it to become more resilient. It's part of CNN's new Life, But Better initiative to help our readers learn how to live healthier, happier lives. CNN Insiders get early access to Stress, But Less. Sign up here to start receiving this series in your inbox.

Here's a peek at some of what you can expect to see in CNN's Stress, But Less guide:

what the
experts do

Did you know that the quality of your breathing directly affects the quality of your life?

The way you breathe impacts heart rate, blood pressure, stress response and even your brain state. And, yes, you can even leverage your breathing for better sleep, said CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas, a breathing, mobility and mind-body coach in pro sports.

The act of breathing is a voluntary movement you can control, she said. Try this breathing exercise by Santas, and place your hands on your ribs to monitor and guide their movement.

Once you get the hang of this technique, combine deep breathing and stretching with this pre-sleep yoga routine that reduces muscle pain and tension.

Sign up here to unlock your free, early access to Stress, But Less.

🔋 recharge your batteries

Between the demands of the anchor seat and his previous job covering the Trump and Obama administrations as CNN's chief White House correspondent, Chief Domestic Correspondent Jim Acosta knows a few things about coping with stress. Here are his top tips:

Acosta de-stresses on overseas trips by getting in touch with nature. Here he's at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary near Brisbane, Australia, in 2014. (Courtesy of Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary)

Exercise. "I became an avid runner during the Trump years and now run between 3-5 miles per day. Even if I haven't slept much I try to get outside and run to decompress and get the creative juices flowing."
Chill. "Like most folks I enjoy watching movies and sports and I've been known to binge-watch some shows. I've been gravitating towards feel good shows like 'Ted Lasso.' As a huge DC sports fan, I try to get to as many Nats games as possible. And I follow the Washington football team despite the team's lack of a mascot or winning record of late."
Find your bliss. For Acosta, it's finding moments to experience nature, whether at home or on overseas trips. "I often enjoyed snapping pics of the wildlife that can be found at or around the grounds of the executive mansion. Hawks, rabbits, raccoons, field mice, ducks (and ducklings!) and the occasional deer. I found a family of rabbits on the Ellipse that I still check on every now and then."