In partnership with
Hi, it’s Ray.
We’ve all felt it: the shallow breathing, the racing heart, and that "tight" feeling in your chest right before a big exam or a high-stakes presentation. Usually, we label this as "Anxiety" and try to calm down. We tell ourselves to "relax," but (spoiler alert) telling a stressed brain to relax is like telling a hurricane to "chill out." It doesn't work.
We don't try to eliminate stress. We repurpose it. Stress is simply a state of high autonomic arousal. It’s your body dumping resources into the system to help you survive a "Threat." If you view that threat as "Danger," you freeze. But if you view it as a "Challenge," you enter a state of High-Octane Focus. Today, we’re looking at how to flip the switch from panic to performance.
1. The HPA Axis (The Alarm System)
When you perceive a challenge, your Hypothalamus signals your pituitary and adrenal glands to release a cocktail of hormones: Adrenaline (Epinephrine) for immediate energy and Cortisol for sustained effort.
This is the HPA Axis. In a state of fear, this system triggers the "Amgydala Hijack," shutting down your Prefrontal Cortex (your logic center). But in a state of focus, these same chemicals sharpen your senses and increase the speed of neural transmission. The difference isn't the chemistry; it's the Appraisal.
2. The Yerkes-Dodson Law (The Arousal Curve)
Neurobiology shows there is an "Optimal Zone" of stress for learning. If you have zero stress, you’re bored and your brain won't perform Acquisition. If you have too much stress, you’re overwhelmed.
The Science: This is the Yerkes-Dodson Law. High performance happens at the "peak" of the curve. This is where Norepinephrine (alertness) and Acetylcholine (focus) meet. According to a study from Harvard Business School, people who reframed their anxiety as "Excitement" performed significantly better than those who tried to "Calm Down."
3. The "Challenge" vs. "Threat" Response
Your heart beats faster during stress to pump oxygenated blood to your brain and muscles.
The Threat Response: Your blood vessels constrict (vasoconstriction), prepping you for injury. This limits blood flow to the brain, causing "Brain Fog."
The Challenge Response: Your blood vessels stay dilated (vasodilation). Your brain gets a massive surge of oxygen and glucose.
By simply acknowledging that your racing heart is "pumping energy to my brain to help me focus," you can physically shift your body from a Threat response to a Challenge response. This is called Arousal Reappraisal.
Better results don't always require more supplements.
Most supplement routines are built on guesswork.
SuppCo fixes that. They help you audit product quality, optimize your budget, and track the exact nutrient density of your stack. You take the right dosages from trusted sources. Nothing more, nothing less.
Plus, their core features are free. Not a trial. Just free.
Download the SuppCo app to see what you're actually taking. Then start building a routine that makes sense for your body and your budget.
Your workouts aren't random. Your supplements shouldn't be either.
How to Flip the "Stress Switch"
To turn your next "Anxiety Spike" into a "Focus Window," use this protocol:
Arousal Reappraisal: When you feel the physical symptoms of stress, say out loud: "I am excited. My body is giving me the energy I need to crush this Lore." This shifts the neural processing from the Amygdala to the Prefrontal Cortex.
Physiological Sighs: If the arousal gets too high (past the peak of the curve), use the Physiological Sigh: two quick inhales through the nose followed by a long exhale through the mouth. This triggers the Vagus Nerve to lower your heart rate almost instantly.
The "Externalize" Protocol: Write down exactly what you are worried about. This performs a "Cognitive Offload," preventing the "Anxiety Lore" from clogging up your Working Memory.
The "Action" Trigger: Stress is "Mobilized Energy." If you don't use it, it turns into "jitters." Immediately do one small, high-focus task (like a 2-minute Active Recall). This "channels" the adrenaline into the learning framework.
Why I "Use" the Nerves
I used to get terrified before recording a video or writing a complex synthesis. Now, I wait for the heart palpitations. I see them as my "Turbo Button." I think, "Okay, the Adrenaline is here. The system is primed. Let's go." I don't want to be calm; I want to be Activated. Calm is for the "Midnight Janitor" phase; Activation is for the "Battle" of learning.
Final Thought
Stress isn't the enemy of intelligence; it’s the catalyst for it. Your brain evolved to learn most intensely when the stakes are high. Stop trying to "relax" and start leaning into the energy. Your "Anxiety" is just "Focus" waiting for a mission.
I’m off to go use some "High-Arousal" energy on a difficult data set. My heart is racing, and I’ve never felt more ready.
Stay activated and use the stress.
Ray
