Juna Bobby MD, EdMFounder, MindBodySpace LLC · RELAX TO SOAR™️ Method Workshops • Mindbodyspace Podcast • NYU SOM M.D. • Harvard Ed.M. • Juilliard Resilience Faculty

Chronic stress and your brain + Medical Doctor Harvard Trained Educator shows how to balance stress

5 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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1:05

In this instructional segment, the speaker explains that merely pushing through stress is unsustainable because chronic stress damages the brain’s prefrontal cortex and heightens amygdala reactivity. To interrupt this cycle, they recommend a simple 60‑second breathing exercise—about five breaths per minute (one inhale‑exhale every 12 seconds). This brief pause re‑engages the prefrontal cortex, improves clear thinking, planning, and emotional regulation, and gradually rewires the brain’s stress response when practiced daily. The speaker concludes with a call to follow for more evidence‑backed tips and to request a Braintalk guide by commenting “brain.”

Chapters

Just trying to push through may work sometimes, but it's not good for the long run because you're not correcting how your brain responds to stress. So before you push through, take 60 seconds to slow down your breath to about 5 breaths per minute. So that's one inhale exhale about every 12 seconds. Just put a timer on and try that. Slowing your breath even for 1 minute will help you bring that prefrontal cortex back online, the thinking part of your brain, so that you can clearly think, plan, and regulate your emotions. So chronic stress impairs our prefrontal cortex structure and function while increasing amygdala reactivity, which is where our fight, flight, or flee stress response comes from. The cycle of chronic stress responses then over time impairs your brain's ability to handle stress. So when you feel the urge to push harder, just pause, take those 60 seconds and slow that breath down. Then see how you feel. Check in with yourself. Do this on a daily basis to rewire your brain's reaction to stress. Follow for more evidence-backed tips and DM or comment "brain" to get your first Braintalk guide.