We're all under chronic stress — and the mistake we make when we try to relax

Prof. David Spiegel from Stanford University explains that stress is a physiological response, not just a mental one, and suggests dealing with it directly rather than suppressing it. He recommends techniques such as focused breathing, meditation, and hypnosis, and emphasizes the importance of social support as a shield against the effects of stress. His research showed that self-hypnosis shortened medical procedures in children, and that support groups extended the lives of metastatic breast cancer patients by an average of 18 months.

Prof. David Spiegel, a stress expert from Stanford University, argues that stress is not just a mental state but a distinct physiological response. Many tend to suppress or avoid dealing with it, but according to him, denial is not an effective strategy. Instead, one should identify the source of stress and act to change the situation. Spiegel recommends physical relaxation techniques: focused breathing, meditation, and hypnosis. A study he conducted showed that children who learned self-hypnosis experienced shorter medical procedures. Spiegel is a co-founder of the self-hypnosis app Reveri. He emphasizes the importance of social support: a long-term study at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute showed that married cancer patients, especially men, are in better condition than singles. In another study, women with metastatic breast cancer who participated in support groups lived an average of 18 months longer. Spiegel believes the coronavirus pandemic harmed mental health because social connections themselves became a stress factor. He recommends physical activity as a coping tool, as it harnesses the body for constructive action and signals to the brain that there is a capacity for control.