No.1 Neuroscientist: Stress Leaks Through Skin, Is Contagious & Gives You Belly Fat!- Dr.

Tara Swart

The Diary of a CEO

00:26 😰 Stress is contagious as cortisol, the main stress hormone, can leak from one person's sweat
and affect others.

01:21 🧠 Our brains continue to grow and change from 25 to 65, improving higher functions like
emotional regulation, problem-solving, and bias control.

03:19 💼 CEOs' stress levels can have a significant impact on their organization, and managing stress is
crucial for leadership.

13:18 🤰 Hormones like cortisol and sex steroids can affect individuals' physiological responses and
interpersonal dynamics, including menstrual synchronization and stress contagion.

22:08 💪 Physical exercise can help reduce stress by sweating out excess cortisol from the body.

22:21 📝 Managing stress involves strategies like aerobic exercise and journaling to reduce cortisol and
negative thoughts associated with stress.

24:00 📝 Quality sleep is crucial for the brain's health and managing stress levels. Ideally, 8 hours and
15 minutes in bed is recommended for most people.

25:52 📝 The brain has a glymphatic system that actively cleanses toxins during sleep, taking 7 to 8
hours. Sleeping on your side is recommended for this process.

30:28 📝 Co-sleeping or sleeping together can promote bonding, warmth, and the release of oxytocin,
enhancing emotional connections.

37:52 📝 Intuition is the result of stored wisdom and experiences in your nervous system, and it may
be more readily acknowledged by women, though both men and women possess it.

44:11 🧠 Understanding Pandemic Impact: The psychological effects of the pandemic, such as isolation
and loss, have not been fully acknowledged or planned for, and their long-term consequences are
not well understood.

46:32 🌿 Nature's Healing: Spending time in nature has positive effects on physical and mental health,
and it's essential to make time for it even as we return to our old routines.
47:27 💖 Purpose Beyond Self: Having a purpose that transcends personal gain, like volunteering or
helping others, is crucial for mental health and overall well-being.

52:05 🧐 Neuro-Aesthetics: Incorporating creative activities and aesthetics into daily life, like art,
music, and nature, has a profound impact on mental health, physical health, and longevity.

53:16 🔄 Embracing Ancient Wisdom: The solutions to our current challenges may lie in the timeless
wisdom of our ancestors, making it unnecessary to reinvent the wheel.

01:07:04 🧠 Understanding beliefs: To address behaviors, it's crucial to dig below thoughts into the
beliefs that underlie them.

01:07:48 📝 Deliberate practice: Changing behavior involves deliberate practice, replacing old habits
with new ones through consistent effort.

01:09:56 💪 Three steps to change: Recognize patterns, understand consequences, and set intentions
for who you want to become.

01:12:44 🧬 Generational trauma and epigenetics: Trauma can affect gene expression, but resilience
and healing are possible through understanding and effort.

01:26:57 ‍Neuroplasticity and exercise: Aerobic exercise can accelerate neurogenesis, benefiting
memory and cognitive function. Weight training has different brain-related effects.

01:28:17 🧠 Visualization can lead to muscle growth, demonstrating the power of our thoughts in
shaping our bodies.

01:30:01 🍇 Opt for darker-skinned foods like black beans, blueberries, and dark chocolate, as they
contain antioxidants (anthocyanins) beneficial for brain health.

01:31:10 💤 Create conditions for neuroplasticity by getting enough sleep, being physically active,
managing stress, and maintaining hydration.

01:33:32 🧠 Building self-esteem and confidence involves identifying negative thoughts, creating
positive affirmations, and changing your inner narrative.

01:39:26 🧩 Neurodiversity encompasses a range of brain differences, and the increase in diagnoses
may be due to better recognition and adaptation to the changing world.
01:49:26 🧠 Our thoughts and perceptions can have a significant impact on our physical health and
well-being.

01:50:35 📏 Posture and musculoskeletal coordination can improve when individuals change their
behavior to match a younger age, as shown in a study with octogenarians.

01:53:20 The words we use can significantly affect our behavior, as seen in an experiment with
medical students who walked more slowly when exposed to words associated with retirement.

01:57:38 🧘 Visualizing and expressing gratitude for your desired outcomes can shift your brain from a
fear state to a trust state, facilitating personal change.

02:00:33 🎭 Overcoming limiting beliefs, especially those imposed by others, can lead to embracing
one's creativity and potential for personal growth.