What does your stress monster look like?
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We've all had to deal with stress. It can feel bad and overwhelming, but it’s actually really important. In this episode, we'll hear why our bodies evolved to deal with danger in this way and how it still affects us today. We'll climb a metaphorical mountain to find out how stress can help us sometimes. Oh, and there are lots of monsters that suddenly showed up a Brains On headquarters and maybe they were released by an ancient artifact and no one can find the instruction manual and ohmigoodness the monsters have gotten into the kitchen and what is that smell and oh no what just crashed and why isn't anyone helping deal with these monsters????
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LOUISE: You're listening to Brains On, where we're serious about being curious.
Brains On is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
MARC SANCHEZ: OK. I know I left the keys to the Explorer somewhere around here, but I've looked literally everywhere.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, this is so hard. Why can't I figure this thing out? Lousy puzzle.
MARC SANCHEZ: Seriously, I need these keys! I'm supposed to go meet Gungador for our three-legged race tournament. If I'm late, we'll miss the race, and we won't make it to the finals, and Gungador will be so sad, and I can't stand thinking of that big guy upset at me.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Jeez, this is impossible.
MARC SANCHEZ: Come on, Sanden. Quit playing with that Rubik's Cube and help me find the keys.
[CRUNCHING]
Look at me. I'm so worried, I'm stressed eating taco shells, and they're just empty.
SANDEN TOTTEN: I don't have time. I already told my fans that I'd post a video of me solving this today. If I can't deliver, they're going to unsubscribe. They'll unsubscribe, Marc. Unsubscribe. Besides, this is not a Rubik's Cube. It's the next big thing in puzzle technology. I call it the Totten's Cube.
MARC SANCHEZ: Whatever. Put down your invention and please help me.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, I didn't invent this. I found it when I was helping Molly do research for the stress episode. It was in the library next to that big ancient looking book.
MARC SANCHEZ: The one that had that spooky note on it that says "touch not, leave alone?"
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, is that what it meant? I thought it said "touch, not leave alone." Anyway, yeah, that one.
MARC SANCHEZ: I know what can help you with your stress. Find my keys.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Fine, I'll look for your keys. This puzzle thing has me so wound up, I have a lot of energy to burn anyway. I feel all fidgety and weird. Here, you work on the Totten's Cube.
MARC SANCHEZ: OK, fine. Fine.
[CUBE SHIFTING]
Sanden, I think I solved it. This thing is glowing.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Marc, don't freak out, but there's some kind of creature on your shoulder, like a spiky little rabbit with antlers and a tail.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
MARC SANCHEZ: There's a hairless monkey thing with wings on your shoulder.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Hey, guys. I'm really afraid I won't pass my keytar exam and I need some help. Can you-- you have monsters on your shoulders.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ruby, you have a monster on your shoulder.
[CREATURE SPEAKING]
RUBY GUTHRIE: Wait, what in the gremlin-- get off of me, you weird, hairy beetle.
MARC SANCHEZ: It's eating my taco shells. Quit it.
[CRUNCHING]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hey shoulder gremlin, put down that remote.
[STATIC]
What is going on?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm Molly Bloom, and my co-host today is Louise from Brooklyn, New York. Hi, Louise.
LOUISE: Hi, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: Today's episode is all about stress. So Louise, what comes to mind when you think about stress?
LOUISE: When I think about stress, I usually am always fidgeting with something, like hands, or fidgets, and stuff. I also get very overwhelmed.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, that is a feeling I connect with stress, too. It's that big feeling of overwhelming, kind of too many things for my brain to process at once. We all go through that, and we get lots of questions about stress, too, like this one.
LIZZIE: Hi. My name is Lizzie from Abington, Pennsylvania. My question is what is stress, and why do we have it? Can stress be good for us?
MOLLY BLOOM: So Louise, what are some things that make you feel stressed out?
LOUISE: Well, when I'm stressed out, I'm usually running late, which happens a lot.
MOLLY BLOOM: Me, too.
LOUISE: I usually start getting sweaty, and I fidget a lot, and I get really annoyed because I can't control the situation, so yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yes. I get that kind of stress, too. Like when something is out of your control, that can be very, very stressful. So when you see other people around you experiencing stress, how do you react to that? Does it make you stressed out? Do you try to calm them down? Do you just kind of give them some space?
LOUISE: Well, usually I sometimes try to help them calm down, but most of the time it's out of my control because it's their situation and I can't really fix it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Very wise. How does your body feel when you get stressed out?
LOUISE: My body just like goes crazy, really. It's just my heart is racing, I sweat.
MOLLY BLOOM: So yeah, in my body when I get stressed out, I have that kind of almost like there's like ants under my skin crawling around, making my heart beat fast. And yeah, stress can feel bad, but it's actually a really important thing. Stress is how our bodies get ready to deal with danger.
LOUISE: Stress is like our body's way of going into survival mode.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's right. In fact, it's so important. We've evolved or changed as a species over generations so that our stress alarm system is finely tuned. Here's how it works. Imagine it's long, long ago, and you are an ancient ancestor of a human.
LOUISE: So like way back before cars, or clothes, or even spoken language?
MOLLY BLOOM: Exactly. You live in the plains with your extended family. You hunt, you gather, you eat, you sleep.
LOUISE: Sounds chill.
MOLLY BLOOM: Then, out of nowhere, there's a lion.
[LION SNARL]
[LOUISE SHOUTS]
MOLLY BLOOM: It's hungry.
LOUISE: Not chill. Not chill. What do I do?
MOLLY BLOOM: Get stressed out. It can save your life.
LOUISE: All right. Time to activate stress survival mode.
MOLLY BLOOM: Exactly. You see the lion, your body gets stressed, and it goes into survival mode. Now suddenly your body is filling up with large amounts of three very important chemicals, cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine.
LOUISE: Oh, I feel kind of weird, and wired, and worry.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's normal because these stress chemicals wake your body up and get your blood pumping to your muscles, so now you have lots of energy.
[LION SNARL]
LOUISE: Yikes. So what do I do?
MOLLY BLOOM: Typically, when we're stressed, our bodies get ready to do one of three things. We can fight, flee, or freeze.
LOUISE: Well, in some cases, I think fighting would work.
[LION GROWL]
But in this case, nope, so flee?
MOLLY BLOOM: If you decide to flee or run away, those stress chemicals will help your body move and think fast, so your daring escape just might work.
LOUISE: Or what if I just stand here very, very still, and hope doesn't see me and go away?
MOLLY BLOOM: That's the freeze response. It can work, too.
LOUISE: It's working. Yes, the line is gone. Phew, my heart is racing.
MOLLY BLOOM: All that is part of stress. You've heard people say survival of the fittest when they talk about evolution.
LOUISE: Of course.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, fitness isn't how many jumping jacks or push ups a living thing can do. It's how well they fit their environment, and for our most successful ancestors, fitness meant that they had stress responses, like that, that kicked in early and often.
LOUISE: Survival of the stressed-est.
MOLLY BLOOM: Right, but nowadays, most of our stress isn't from giant predators.
LOUISE: Right. It's more like tests, or homework, or arguments with your friend, or seeing injustice in the world.
MOLLY BLOOM: And when these things stress us out, we get a lot of those same physical feelings that our ancestors got when they were being threatened by that lion.
LOUISE: We go into survival mode, but a lot of our stressors today aren't the kind of things we can fight or run away from, and freezing usually won't help either.
MOLLY BLOOM: Don't I know it. I've been putting off doing research for this episode because I was so stressed out about it.
LOUISE: How come?
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, Sanden gave me this huge old book to prepare. He said he found it in the stress section of the library with a note that said "touch, not leave alone."
LOUISE: Don't you think it probably meant "touch not, leave alone?"
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, yeah. That does make more sense. Well anyway, it's so old and dusty and kind of creepy looking, and look at these teeny tiny words, and the scary title really had my blood pumping.
LOUISE: The Stress Monster Menagerie and Bestiary of Brain Beings. I see what you mean, but there's no such thing as an actual stress monster, right? I think it's probably just a metaphor for those feelings and actions we were talking about.
MOLLY BLOOM: Agreed. I mean, to be totally honest with you, I didn't read the whole thing but--
SANDEN TOTTEN: Louise, Molly, sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Sanden, what's that on your shoulder?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Well, you see these monster things just kind of appeared on all of our shoulders after I let Marc play with my Totten's Cube. You know that thing I found in the library next to that creepy old book I gave you?
MOLLY BLOOM: The Stress Monster Menagerie and Bestiary of Brain Beings? This book right here? Oh gosh, that cube must be some magical ancient artifact, and you've just released all our stress monsters. What do we do?
LOUISE: Molly, don't panic, but there's now a scaly lobster with the snake tongue on your shoulder, and it's making you sweat.
MOLLY BLOOM: Louise, there's something sitting on your head. It looks like a slimy, hairy, purple thing with one eye, and it's making your left eye twitch.
LOUISE: Oh, no. That only happens when I'm really worked up.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Welcome to the club. Well, let's go find Marc and Ruby, and you can meet their monsters, too. Oh, and bring the book. Maybe you can help us figure out what's going on. Now elevator, please take us to the Brains On labora-kitchen.
ELEVATOR: Going to Brains On labora-kitchen.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, since we still need to finish this episode taping, elevator, please cue the--
[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHILD: (WHISPERING) Mystery sound.
MOLLY BLOOM: Here it is.
[SCRATCHING]
What is your guess?
LOUISE: I think it's a nail filer on a nail because it has this scratchy noise that I feel that sounds like a nail filer rubbing off a nail.
MOLLY BLOOM: Very good guess. Well, we will hear it again, and give you another chance to guess after the credits.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Brains on, on, on.
ELEVATOR: Arriving at the Brains On labora-kitchen.
[ELEVATOR BEEP]
LOUISE: Yikes, it's a mess in here. I give up. It's hopeless.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's just your stress monster telling you to say that. We can figure it out. Stop messing with my glasses, you weird lobster creature.
MARC SANCHEZ: Put that down. It's dangerous.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. That puzzle must be magic. It released these stress monsters, so we just need to find out how to magic these monsters back to wherever they came from. Duck.
LOUISE: Yikes. Wait, nobody threw anything.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, sorry. I mean, is someone cooking duck?
MARC SANCHEZ: My monster is cooking duck l'orange, and it's not going to share with me. This is terrible.
[CREATURE GROWLING]
LOUISE: The puzzle and the book came together, so the answer must be in the book. Let me see it. Rats.
[RATS SQUEAKING]
MOLLY BLOOM: What's wrong?
LOUISE: Nothing, it's just there are rats running around the floor.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, no. Has anyone seen my stress monster? I think it was heading to the Brains On pet rat playpen.
MOLLY BLOOM: This is a disaster.
LOUISE: Hot dog.
MOLLY BLOOM: What now, a monster throwing hot dogs?
LOUISE: No, I mean hot dog, like good news. I found something.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, what is it?
LOUISE: Let me see. There are different responses to stress. There are physical responses, or things that happen to your body.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like sweating, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, muscle twitches, hunger, or headaches.
LOUISE: Then they're also emotional responses or feelings you have.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like feeling sad, or energetic, or tired, or angry, or even numb.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
RUBY GUTHRIE: You're right, stress monster. I'm never going to pass that test. I mean, what's even the point?
[CREATURE BABBLING]
Let's just flop on the couch until we become one with the cushions.
LOUISE: And finally, there are behavioral responses, or changes in how you act.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like fidgeting, eating a lot, moving a lot, or eating very little, and moving very little. Hmm, this is all starting to make sense. Everyone's monsters reflect how they behave under stress, only more so. That's why Ruby is intense.
LOUISE: Yeah, she is being super intense.
MOLLY BLOOM: No, I mean Ruby and her stress monster are now in a matching pair of tents.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
RUBY GUTHRIE: Nobody bother us. We're in here having feelings, and we don't want to be disturbed.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
LOUISE: Isolating yourself is another behavioral change that stress can cause.
MOLLY BLOOM: Check this part out. Research has shown that a little stress can actually help people focus, get more done, or perform better at physical things like sports.
LOUISE: That makes sense. Stress ramps up hormones that help us escape danger. I bet those same hormones can give you energy and focus if you aren't overwhelmed by them.
MOLLY BLOOM: Right. There's a picture here of an upside down U. It's called the inverted U or the Yerkes-Dodson law, named after two psychologists who first documented this effect.
LOUISE: What does an upside down U have to do with this?
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, an upside down U looks like a mountain, right? So imagine you're at that mountain.
LOUISE: There won't be any lions this time.
MOLLY BLOOM: No lions. Promise.
LOUISE: OK. I'm imagining I'm on a mountain.
MOLLY BLOOM: Now, imagine that the more stress you feel, the higher up the mountain you climb. The higher up the mountain you go, the more focused and productive you are. Eventually, you'll be stressed enough that you reach the top.
LOUISE: I feel so pumped up.
MOLLY BLOOM: But if you get more stressed, you keep moving, and since you're already at the peak, the only place to go is down that other side, the back half of the mountain.
LOUISE: Oh, man. I feel less productive, less amped, more stressed. This is awful.
[PANTING]
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. Come back to me. That's how stress often works in the short term, too. At first, it can sharpen our senses, help us get things done. But the longer it goes on and the more stressed we feel, the more bothered we get, and the less we can do. And if we stay stressed for a really long time, it can start to hurt our body, like hurt our heart and weaken our immune system, for example.
LOUISE: Jeez, so how stressed we feel can make a difference in how that stress affects us? Some stress can be helpful. Too much is always bad-- newts.
MOLLY BLOOM: I think the phrase is bad news.
LOUISE: Yes, I know, but I meant there are actual newts on your shoulder right now.
MOLLY BLOOM: What?
SANDEN TOTTEN: My monster was just fidgeting with the remote to our newt aquarium, but don't worry, I definitely stopped it before anything could escape.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. We better keep reading before Sanden's monster starts fidgeting with the keys to the Brains On apiary. Let's see. Oh, this is interesting. It talks about the emotional thermostat.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Emotional thermostat.
LOUISE: The what?
MOLLY BLOOM: The emotional thermostat. So you know like a thermostat is that doohickey in a house that controls how hot or cold it is? Well, we all have something similar for our emotions, and everyone's emotional thermostat is a little different. Some are set up so they get stressed out pretty easily, and others are set up so it takes a lot to worry them.
LOUISE: Why is that?
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, your emotional thermostat is programmed by lots of things. Some of it is your genetics, or the way you were born. Some of it comes from what your life is like. Like is your life pretty easy, or have you had to overcome a lot of obstacles? The emotional thermostat isn't like a real thing in your body. It's just an idea that helps us understand why we all feel things a little differently.
LOUISE: I like that. Emotional thermostat.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Emotional thermostat.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, so we've learned a lot about why stress affects us all differently. Oh, look. The next chapter is titled "How to Get Rid of Stress Monsters."
LOUISE: Finally, this book is actually super useful.
MOLLY BLOOM: I know, it's-- bananas.
LOUISE: Yeah, it's pretty wild.
MOLLY BLOOM: No, no. Watch out. Marc's monster's eating bananas, and it just threw a peel right behind--
LOUISE: Whoa.
MOLLY BLOOM: The book.
LOUISE: It's heading out the window.
MOLLY BLOOM: And into a garbage truck.
LOUISE: And the garbage truck squished it.
MOLLY BLOOM: And now it's driving away.
LOUISE: Oh, no. The garbage truck was hit by a bus.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, it looks like everyone's OK.
LOUISE: But the garbage truck is on fire.
MOLLY BLOOM: But the firefighters are there. They put it out.
LOUISE: Wait, a meteor.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. Everyone's running out of the way, phew.
LOUISE: But the truck is heading right for it.
MOLLY BLOOM: And now, there's nothing left.
LOUISE: It's hopeless. The book was our only shot at getting rid of the stress monsters.
MOLLY BLOOM: Wait, if they're just caused by stress, then we should be able to get rid of them the same way we get rid of any stress. I have an idea. Come on.
While we're speed walking down this very long hallway, I just need to say that we're working on an episode about why we smell the way we do, and we'd like to know if you could smell like anything, what would it be? Louise, do you have a favorite smell?
LOUISE: My favorite smell is when I walk in a bakery and it smells like bread and pastries.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh my gosh, yes. I would love it if I could spray myself with a couple puffs of bakery scent every day. Amazing.
And listeners, we want to hear from you, too. If you could smell like anything, what would it be? Record yourself telling us all about your preferred personal scent, and send it to us at brainson.org/contact, and while you're there you can send us ideas of mystery sounds and questions.
LOUISE: Like this one.
BEN: Hi, my name's Ben, and my question is why is trash stinky?
LOUISE: You can find an answer on our Moment of Um podcast.
MOLLY BLOOM: It's a short daily dose of facts every weekday. Find it wherever you listen to Brains On.
LOUISE: Keep listening.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm Molly.
LOUISE: And I'm Louise. OK, Molly. We made it to the end of the hallway. I can't wait to see what's here. A wall full of every possible flavor of lip gloss, a room full of different swivel chairs for us to test, a machine that doesn't X-ray our bodies but rather our thoughts?
MOLLY BLOOM: This is just the bathroom. I left my phone in here earlier.
LOUISE: Oh.
MOLLY BLOOM: I'm just going to call Megan Gunnar real quick. Megan Gunnar studies stress at the University of Minnesota, particularly how it affects kids.
[PHONE RINGING]
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: Hello.
MOLLY BLOOM: Dr. Gunnar, we need your help. We found an ancient artifact, and it released all these stress monsters, and mine looks like a lobster with a snake's tongue, and he seems nice enough, but he's really freaking me out, and I'm not sure what to do.
LOUISE: So what I think Molly's trying to say is are there any proven ways to help deal with stress?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: Stress is essential for survival. The issue is learning how to regulate it so that you gain the benefits of having these systems with fewer costs.
MOLLY BLOOM: So what do you do yourself when you're stressed out?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: I call people. I mean if I'm stressed and worried, I have friends I call, and my husband. Activating that social network critically important. Play with my grandchildren. I do water aerobics.
The exercise is really critical, and regular exercise. You can't do anything better for your brain than regular exercise, and for school age kids, that means run around have fun with your friends. Roll down a hill. Play in a creek. Have a good time. So those are important things.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, so moving your body, reaching out to friends and family. Check and check.
LOUISE: What about meditation?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: Yes, meditation because part of what you're learning with that is to say, I don't have to get wound up in every emotion that comes through my body. I can acknowledge it, but I don't have to chase it. I can just say, OK, and I can accept it. Gratitude for the good things is powerful. That, compassion for others, compassion for yourself.
LOUISE: So my emotions can help fight stress, too?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: You know, that sense of compassion, and love, and care, and so on. These are all very important stress regulating emotions, and not worrying about yourself so much. Being able to do some things for others, along with your parents oftentimes is a great way to keep things in perspective.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. This is super helpful. When you're doing all these things, you're helping regulate your stress, which basically means getting that stress level to a more manageable level, not getting rid of it all together, right?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: It's all about regulating yourself and the people around you, supporting them in their regulation, not trying to get rid of stress. Oh heavens, that would be so boring.
LOUISE: OK, Megan. Thank you. This is so helpful.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, I think we have everything we need to start taming these stress monsters. Let's go.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Brains On.
LOUISE: Everyone. Everyone.
[CREATURES BABBLING]
[WHISTLE BLOW]
STRESS MONSTER: Louise, may I?
LOUISE: Sure, stress monster. Didn't know you could talk.
STRESS MONSTER: Listen up, everyone. My girl Louise has something to say.
LOUISE: Wow, thank you so much. Stress can be helpful. Just like each one of our stress monsters is unique, the way we deal with stress is unique, too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah. I like to play piano when I'm feeling stressed. I'll give it a try.
[PIANO MUSIC]
MARC SANCHEZ: OK. Yeah, and going for a run helps me a lot, so BRB.
SANDEN TOTTEN: I feel really calm when I'm in nature. You know, toes in the grass, sniffing flowers, hugging trees.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Writing really helps me. I sit and doodle, or maybe write about what happened that day, and if the stress gets to be too much, I talk to my friends or to my parents, and that always really helps, too.
[PANTING]
MARC SANCHEZ: I'm back.
[PANTING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Wow, look at all our stress monsters. They're getting so tiny. Cute even.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Look. The more I think about flowers, the sleepier he gets. Roses, geraniums, dahlias, daffodils.
LOUISE: My stress monster calms down when I meditate.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, wow. How long have you been meditating, Louise?
LOUISE: A couple of years.
MOLLY BLOOM: And how does it feel when you meditate?
LOUISE: I feel calm and at peace with myself and my body.
MOLLY BLOOM: Do you meditate with anyone?
LOUISE: I usually meditate with my dad.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's nice. Can you lead us in a meditation that helps you when you're stressed out?
LOUISE: Sure.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK.
LOUISE: Everyone sit down or lie down on the floor. Take a few deep breaths. Then, you're going to take your focus on your toes and feet. Now you're going to make your feet feel soft, warm, and relaxed.
Now imagine that warm feeling move up your legs, and move up towards your belly, to your chest, and through your arms, so that your whole body feels relaxed. Finally, take a deep breath, and when you exhale, let go of all of your stress.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh my goodness, everyone. Open your eyes. The stress monsters. They're gone.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yay. Oh, I kind of miss mine. His creme brulee with mayonnaise was unconventional, but surprisingly tasty.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Don't worry. They're always with us. We just can't always see them.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Phew, good to know. Way to go, team. Now can someone film me? My fans want to see me finally solve this Totten's Cube.
MARC SANCHEZ: Sanden.
LOUISE: No
RUBY GUTHRIE: No
MOLLY BLOOM: No, don't do it, Sanden.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Here I go.
MARC SANCHEZ: No.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: We evolved a long time ago to have strong reactions to stressful, scary, or dangerous things, like a lion trying to eat us.
LOUISE: We still have these same stress reactions, though there are fewer lions chasing us these days.
MOLLY BLOOM: Some stress can be good. It can help us focus and get energy.
LOUISE: But too much stress can be overwhelming and get in the way.
MOLLY BLOOM: Just like each of us has different reactions to stress, there are different things we can do to get our stress monsters to chill out. That's it for this episode of Brains On.
LOUISE: This episode was produced by Molly Bloom, Rose DuPont, Shahla Farzan, Anna Goldfields, Ruby Guthrie, Marc Sanchez, Sanden Totten, Anna Weggel, and Nico Wisler.
MOLLY BLOOM: This episode was sound designed by Eduardo Perez and mixed by Derek Ramirez. We had engineering help from Gary O'Keefe and Jess Berg. Special thanks to Vicky Kreckler, Ben Rooney, and Claire Laporte. Our executive producer is Beth Perlman, and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati, Joanne Griffith, and Alex Shaffer.
LOUISE: Brains On is a nonprofit Public Radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: You can support the show and help us keep making more episodes at brainson.org.
LOUISE: You can donate, check out our merch, buy our books, or tell your friend about us.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's brainson.org/contact. Louise, are you ready to go back to that mystery sound again?
LOUISE: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: Let's hear it one more time.
[SCRATCHING]
Any different thoughts? Last time you thought nail file. Sticking with nail file?
LOUISE: I think so, yeah.
Hi, I'm Benny from Austin, Texas, and that was the sound of my mom filing her nails.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're right.
LOUISE: Yay.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice work. Do you file your nails?
LOUISE: Not a lot, but I went to the nail salon recently, so.
MOLLY BLOOM: So that's fresh in your mind.
LOUISE: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: I like to file my nails when I'm stressed out, so I think this sound is perfect for this episode. It's very relaxing to me to sit and file my nails. Nice work. Excellent ears.
CREW: (SINGING) Brains On.
MOLLY BLOOM: And now it's time for the Brain's Honor Roll. These are the incredible kids who keep this show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high fives.
[LISTING HONOR ROLL]
[AUDIO LOGO]
We'll be back soon with more answers to your questions.
LOUISE: Thanks for listening.
Brains On is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
MARC SANCHEZ: OK. I know I left the keys to the Explorer somewhere around here, but I've looked literally everywhere.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, this is so hard. Why can't I figure this thing out? Lousy puzzle.
MARC SANCHEZ: Seriously, I need these keys! I'm supposed to go meet Gungador for our three-legged race tournament. If I'm late, we'll miss the race, and we won't make it to the finals, and Gungador will be so sad, and I can't stand thinking of that big guy upset at me.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Jeez, this is impossible.
MARC SANCHEZ: Come on, Sanden. Quit playing with that Rubik's Cube and help me find the keys.
[CRUNCHING]
Look at me. I'm so worried, I'm stressed eating taco shells, and they're just empty.
SANDEN TOTTEN: I don't have time. I already told my fans that I'd post a video of me solving this today. If I can't deliver, they're going to unsubscribe. They'll unsubscribe, Marc. Unsubscribe. Besides, this is not a Rubik's Cube. It's the next big thing in puzzle technology. I call it the Totten's Cube.
MARC SANCHEZ: Whatever. Put down your invention and please help me.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, I didn't invent this. I found it when I was helping Molly do research for the stress episode. It was in the library next to that big ancient looking book.
MARC SANCHEZ: The one that had that spooky note on it that says "touch not, leave alone?"
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, is that what it meant? I thought it said "touch, not leave alone." Anyway, yeah, that one.
MARC SANCHEZ: I know what can help you with your stress. Find my keys.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Fine, I'll look for your keys. This puzzle thing has me so wound up, I have a lot of energy to burn anyway. I feel all fidgety and weird. Here, you work on the Totten's Cube.
MARC SANCHEZ: OK, fine. Fine.
[CUBE SHIFTING]
Sanden, I think I solved it. This thing is glowing.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Marc, don't freak out, but there's some kind of creature on your shoulder, like a spiky little rabbit with antlers and a tail.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
MARC SANCHEZ: There's a hairless monkey thing with wings on your shoulder.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Hey, guys. I'm really afraid I won't pass my keytar exam and I need some help. Can you-- you have monsters on your shoulders.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Ruby, you have a monster on your shoulder.
[CREATURE SPEAKING]
RUBY GUTHRIE: Wait, what in the gremlin-- get off of me, you weird, hairy beetle.
MARC SANCHEZ: It's eating my taco shells. Quit it.
[CRUNCHING]
SANDEN TOTTEN: Hey shoulder gremlin, put down that remote.
[STATIC]
What is going on?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm Molly Bloom, and my co-host today is Louise from Brooklyn, New York. Hi, Louise.
LOUISE: Hi, Molly.
MOLLY BLOOM: Today's episode is all about stress. So Louise, what comes to mind when you think about stress?
LOUISE: When I think about stress, I usually am always fidgeting with something, like hands, or fidgets, and stuff. I also get very overwhelmed.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, that is a feeling I connect with stress, too. It's that big feeling of overwhelming, kind of too many things for my brain to process at once. We all go through that, and we get lots of questions about stress, too, like this one.
LIZZIE: Hi. My name is Lizzie from Abington, Pennsylvania. My question is what is stress, and why do we have it? Can stress be good for us?
MOLLY BLOOM: So Louise, what are some things that make you feel stressed out?
LOUISE: Well, when I'm stressed out, I'm usually running late, which happens a lot.
MOLLY BLOOM: Me, too.
LOUISE: I usually start getting sweaty, and I fidget a lot, and I get really annoyed because I can't control the situation, so yeah.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yes. I get that kind of stress, too. Like when something is out of your control, that can be very, very stressful. So when you see other people around you experiencing stress, how do you react to that? Does it make you stressed out? Do you try to calm them down? Do you just kind of give them some space?
LOUISE: Well, usually I sometimes try to help them calm down, but most of the time it's out of my control because it's their situation and I can't really fix it.
MOLLY BLOOM: Very wise. How does your body feel when you get stressed out?
LOUISE: My body just like goes crazy, really. It's just my heart is racing, I sweat.
MOLLY BLOOM: So yeah, in my body when I get stressed out, I have that kind of almost like there's like ants under my skin crawling around, making my heart beat fast. And yeah, stress can feel bad, but it's actually a really important thing. Stress is how our bodies get ready to deal with danger.
LOUISE: Stress is like our body's way of going into survival mode.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's right. In fact, it's so important. We've evolved or changed as a species over generations so that our stress alarm system is finely tuned. Here's how it works. Imagine it's long, long ago, and you are an ancient ancestor of a human.
LOUISE: So like way back before cars, or clothes, or even spoken language?
MOLLY BLOOM: Exactly. You live in the plains with your extended family. You hunt, you gather, you eat, you sleep.
LOUISE: Sounds chill.
MOLLY BLOOM: Then, out of nowhere, there's a lion.
[LION SNARL]
[LOUISE SHOUTS]
MOLLY BLOOM: It's hungry.
LOUISE: Not chill. Not chill. What do I do?
MOLLY BLOOM: Get stressed out. It can save your life.
LOUISE: All right. Time to activate stress survival mode.
MOLLY BLOOM: Exactly. You see the lion, your body gets stressed, and it goes into survival mode. Now suddenly your body is filling up with large amounts of three very important chemicals, cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine.
LOUISE: Oh, I feel kind of weird, and wired, and worry.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's normal because these stress chemicals wake your body up and get your blood pumping to your muscles, so now you have lots of energy.
[LION SNARL]
LOUISE: Yikes. So what do I do?
MOLLY BLOOM: Typically, when we're stressed, our bodies get ready to do one of three things. We can fight, flee, or freeze.
LOUISE: Well, in some cases, I think fighting would work.
[LION GROWL]
But in this case, nope, so flee?
MOLLY BLOOM: If you decide to flee or run away, those stress chemicals will help your body move and think fast, so your daring escape just might work.
LOUISE: Or what if I just stand here very, very still, and hope doesn't see me and go away?
MOLLY BLOOM: That's the freeze response. It can work, too.
LOUISE: It's working. Yes, the line is gone. Phew, my heart is racing.
MOLLY BLOOM: All that is part of stress. You've heard people say survival of the fittest when they talk about evolution.
LOUISE: Of course.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, fitness isn't how many jumping jacks or push ups a living thing can do. It's how well they fit their environment, and for our most successful ancestors, fitness meant that they had stress responses, like that, that kicked in early and often.
LOUISE: Survival of the stressed-est.
MOLLY BLOOM: Right, but nowadays, most of our stress isn't from giant predators.
LOUISE: Right. It's more like tests, or homework, or arguments with your friend, or seeing injustice in the world.
MOLLY BLOOM: And when these things stress us out, we get a lot of those same physical feelings that our ancestors got when they were being threatened by that lion.
LOUISE: We go into survival mode, but a lot of our stressors today aren't the kind of things we can fight or run away from, and freezing usually won't help either.
MOLLY BLOOM: Don't I know it. I've been putting off doing research for this episode because I was so stressed out about it.
LOUISE: How come?
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, Sanden gave me this huge old book to prepare. He said he found it in the stress section of the library with a note that said "touch, not leave alone."
LOUISE: Don't you think it probably meant "touch not, leave alone?"
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, yeah. That does make more sense. Well anyway, it's so old and dusty and kind of creepy looking, and look at these teeny tiny words, and the scary title really had my blood pumping.
LOUISE: The Stress Monster Menagerie and Bestiary of Brain Beings. I see what you mean, but there's no such thing as an actual stress monster, right? I think it's probably just a metaphor for those feelings and actions we were talking about.
MOLLY BLOOM: Agreed. I mean, to be totally honest with you, I didn't read the whole thing but--
SANDEN TOTTEN: Louise, Molly, sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Sanden, what's that on your shoulder?
SANDEN TOTTEN: Well, you see these monster things just kind of appeared on all of our shoulders after I let Marc play with my Totten's Cube. You know that thing I found in the library next to that creepy old book I gave you?
MOLLY BLOOM: The Stress Monster Menagerie and Bestiary of Brain Beings? This book right here? Oh gosh, that cube must be some magical ancient artifact, and you've just released all our stress monsters. What do we do?
LOUISE: Molly, don't panic, but there's now a scaly lobster with the snake tongue on your shoulder, and it's making you sweat.
MOLLY BLOOM: Louise, there's something sitting on your head. It looks like a slimy, hairy, purple thing with one eye, and it's making your left eye twitch.
LOUISE: Oh, no. That only happens when I'm really worked up.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Welcome to the club. Well, let's go find Marc and Ruby, and you can meet their monsters, too. Oh, and bring the book. Maybe you can help us figure out what's going on. Now elevator, please take us to the Brains On labora-kitchen.
ELEVATOR: Going to Brains On labora-kitchen.
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, since we still need to finish this episode taping, elevator, please cue the--
[MUSIC PLAYING]
CHILD: (WHISPERING) Mystery sound.
MOLLY BLOOM: Here it is.
[SCRATCHING]
What is your guess?
LOUISE: I think it's a nail filer on a nail because it has this scratchy noise that I feel that sounds like a nail filer rubbing off a nail.
MOLLY BLOOM: Very good guess. Well, we will hear it again, and give you another chance to guess after the credits.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Brains on, on, on.
ELEVATOR: Arriving at the Brains On labora-kitchen.
[ELEVATOR BEEP]
LOUISE: Yikes, it's a mess in here. I give up. It's hopeless.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's just your stress monster telling you to say that. We can figure it out. Stop messing with my glasses, you weird lobster creature.
MARC SANCHEZ: Put that down. It's dangerous.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. That puzzle must be magic. It released these stress monsters, so we just need to find out how to magic these monsters back to wherever they came from. Duck.
LOUISE: Yikes. Wait, nobody threw anything.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, sorry. I mean, is someone cooking duck?
MARC SANCHEZ: My monster is cooking duck l'orange, and it's not going to share with me. This is terrible.
[CREATURE GROWLING]
LOUISE: The puzzle and the book came together, so the answer must be in the book. Let me see it. Rats.
[RATS SQUEAKING]
MOLLY BLOOM: What's wrong?
LOUISE: Nothing, it's just there are rats running around the floor.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Oh, no. Has anyone seen my stress monster? I think it was heading to the Brains On pet rat playpen.
MOLLY BLOOM: This is a disaster.
LOUISE: Hot dog.
MOLLY BLOOM: What now, a monster throwing hot dogs?
LOUISE: No, I mean hot dog, like good news. I found something.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, what is it?
LOUISE: Let me see. There are different responses to stress. There are physical responses, or things that happen to your body.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like sweating, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, muscle twitches, hunger, or headaches.
LOUISE: Then they're also emotional responses or feelings you have.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like feeling sad, or energetic, or tired, or angry, or even numb.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
RUBY GUTHRIE: You're right, stress monster. I'm never going to pass that test. I mean, what's even the point?
[CREATURE BABBLING]
Let's just flop on the couch until we become one with the cushions.
LOUISE: And finally, there are behavioral responses, or changes in how you act.
MOLLY BLOOM: Like fidgeting, eating a lot, moving a lot, or eating very little, and moving very little. Hmm, this is all starting to make sense. Everyone's monsters reflect how they behave under stress, only more so. That's why Ruby is intense.
LOUISE: Yeah, she is being super intense.
MOLLY BLOOM: No, I mean Ruby and her stress monster are now in a matching pair of tents.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
RUBY GUTHRIE: Nobody bother us. We're in here having feelings, and we don't want to be disturbed.
[CREATURE BABBLING]
LOUISE: Isolating yourself is another behavioral change that stress can cause.
MOLLY BLOOM: Check this part out. Research has shown that a little stress can actually help people focus, get more done, or perform better at physical things like sports.
LOUISE: That makes sense. Stress ramps up hormones that help us escape danger. I bet those same hormones can give you energy and focus if you aren't overwhelmed by them.
MOLLY BLOOM: Right. There's a picture here of an upside down U. It's called the inverted U or the Yerkes-Dodson law, named after two psychologists who first documented this effect.
LOUISE: What does an upside down U have to do with this?
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, an upside down U looks like a mountain, right? So imagine you're at that mountain.
LOUISE: There won't be any lions this time.
MOLLY BLOOM: No lions. Promise.
LOUISE: OK. I'm imagining I'm on a mountain.
MOLLY BLOOM: Now, imagine that the more stress you feel, the higher up the mountain you climb. The higher up the mountain you go, the more focused and productive you are. Eventually, you'll be stressed enough that you reach the top.
LOUISE: I feel so pumped up.
MOLLY BLOOM: But if you get more stressed, you keep moving, and since you're already at the peak, the only place to go is down that other side, the back half of the mountain.
LOUISE: Oh, man. I feel less productive, less amped, more stressed. This is awful.
[PANTING]
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. Come back to me. That's how stress often works in the short term, too. At first, it can sharpen our senses, help us get things done. But the longer it goes on and the more stressed we feel, the more bothered we get, and the less we can do. And if we stay stressed for a really long time, it can start to hurt our body, like hurt our heart and weaken our immune system, for example.
LOUISE: Jeez, so how stressed we feel can make a difference in how that stress affects us? Some stress can be helpful. Too much is always bad-- newts.
MOLLY BLOOM: I think the phrase is bad news.
LOUISE: Yes, I know, but I meant there are actual newts on your shoulder right now.
MOLLY BLOOM: What?
SANDEN TOTTEN: My monster was just fidgeting with the remote to our newt aquarium, but don't worry, I definitely stopped it before anything could escape.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. We better keep reading before Sanden's monster starts fidgeting with the keys to the Brains On apiary. Let's see. Oh, this is interesting. It talks about the emotional thermostat.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Emotional thermostat.
LOUISE: The what?
MOLLY BLOOM: The emotional thermostat. So you know like a thermostat is that doohickey in a house that controls how hot or cold it is? Well, we all have something similar for our emotions, and everyone's emotional thermostat is a little different. Some are set up so they get stressed out pretty easily, and others are set up so it takes a lot to worry them.
LOUISE: Why is that?
MOLLY BLOOM: Well, your emotional thermostat is programmed by lots of things. Some of it is your genetics, or the way you were born. Some of it comes from what your life is like. Like is your life pretty easy, or have you had to overcome a lot of obstacles? The emotional thermostat isn't like a real thing in your body. It's just an idea that helps us understand why we all feel things a little differently.
LOUISE: I like that. Emotional thermostat.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Emotional thermostat.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, so we've learned a lot about why stress affects us all differently. Oh, look. The next chapter is titled "How to Get Rid of Stress Monsters."
LOUISE: Finally, this book is actually super useful.
MOLLY BLOOM: I know, it's-- bananas.
LOUISE: Yeah, it's pretty wild.
MOLLY BLOOM: No, no. Watch out. Marc's monster's eating bananas, and it just threw a peel right behind--
LOUISE: Whoa.
MOLLY BLOOM: The book.
LOUISE: It's heading out the window.
MOLLY BLOOM: And into a garbage truck.
LOUISE: And the garbage truck squished it.
MOLLY BLOOM: And now it's driving away.
LOUISE: Oh, no. The garbage truck was hit by a bus.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, it looks like everyone's OK.
LOUISE: But the garbage truck is on fire.
MOLLY BLOOM: But the firefighters are there. They put it out.
LOUISE: Wait, a meteor.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. Everyone's running out of the way, phew.
LOUISE: But the truck is heading right for it.
MOLLY BLOOM: And now, there's nothing left.
LOUISE: It's hopeless. The book was our only shot at getting rid of the stress monsters.
MOLLY BLOOM: Wait, if they're just caused by stress, then we should be able to get rid of them the same way we get rid of any stress. I have an idea. Come on.
While we're speed walking down this very long hallway, I just need to say that we're working on an episode about why we smell the way we do, and we'd like to know if you could smell like anything, what would it be? Louise, do you have a favorite smell?
LOUISE: My favorite smell is when I walk in a bakery and it smells like bread and pastries.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh my gosh, yes. I would love it if I could spray myself with a couple puffs of bakery scent every day. Amazing.
And listeners, we want to hear from you, too. If you could smell like anything, what would it be? Record yourself telling us all about your preferred personal scent, and send it to us at brainson.org/contact, and while you're there you can send us ideas of mystery sounds and questions.
LOUISE: Like this one.
BEN: Hi, my name's Ben, and my question is why is trash stinky?
LOUISE: You can find an answer on our Moment of Um podcast.
MOLLY BLOOM: It's a short daily dose of facts every weekday. Find it wherever you listen to Brains On.
LOUISE: Keep listening.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're listening to Brains On from APM Studios. I'm Molly.
LOUISE: And I'm Louise. OK, Molly. We made it to the end of the hallway. I can't wait to see what's here. A wall full of every possible flavor of lip gloss, a room full of different swivel chairs for us to test, a machine that doesn't X-ray our bodies but rather our thoughts?
MOLLY BLOOM: This is just the bathroom. I left my phone in here earlier.
LOUISE: Oh.
MOLLY BLOOM: I'm just going to call Megan Gunnar real quick. Megan Gunnar studies stress at the University of Minnesota, particularly how it affects kids.
[PHONE RINGING]
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: Hello.
MOLLY BLOOM: Dr. Gunnar, we need your help. We found an ancient artifact, and it released all these stress monsters, and mine looks like a lobster with a snake's tongue, and he seems nice enough, but he's really freaking me out, and I'm not sure what to do.
LOUISE: So what I think Molly's trying to say is are there any proven ways to help deal with stress?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: Stress is essential for survival. The issue is learning how to regulate it so that you gain the benefits of having these systems with fewer costs.
MOLLY BLOOM: So what do you do yourself when you're stressed out?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: I call people. I mean if I'm stressed and worried, I have friends I call, and my husband. Activating that social network critically important. Play with my grandchildren. I do water aerobics.
The exercise is really critical, and regular exercise. You can't do anything better for your brain than regular exercise, and for school age kids, that means run around have fun with your friends. Roll down a hill. Play in a creek. Have a good time. So those are important things.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK, so moving your body, reaching out to friends and family. Check and check.
LOUISE: What about meditation?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: Yes, meditation because part of what you're learning with that is to say, I don't have to get wound up in every emotion that comes through my body. I can acknowledge it, but I don't have to chase it. I can just say, OK, and I can accept it. Gratitude for the good things is powerful. That, compassion for others, compassion for yourself.
LOUISE: So my emotions can help fight stress, too?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: You know, that sense of compassion, and love, and care, and so on. These are all very important stress regulating emotions, and not worrying about yourself so much. Being able to do some things for others, along with your parents oftentimes is a great way to keep things in perspective.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK. This is super helpful. When you're doing all these things, you're helping regulate your stress, which basically means getting that stress level to a more manageable level, not getting rid of it all together, right?
DR. MEGAN GUNNAR: It's all about regulating yourself and the people around you, supporting them in their regulation, not trying to get rid of stress. Oh heavens, that would be so boring.
LOUISE: OK, Megan. Thank you. This is so helpful.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah, I think we have everything we need to start taming these stress monsters. Let's go.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Brains On.
LOUISE: Everyone. Everyone.
[CREATURES BABBLING]
[WHISTLE BLOW]
STRESS MONSTER: Louise, may I?
LOUISE: Sure, stress monster. Didn't know you could talk.
STRESS MONSTER: Listen up, everyone. My girl Louise has something to say.
LOUISE: Wow, thank you so much. Stress can be helpful. Just like each one of our stress monsters is unique, the way we deal with stress is unique, too.
MOLLY BLOOM: Yeah. I like to play piano when I'm feeling stressed. I'll give it a try.
[PIANO MUSIC]
MARC SANCHEZ: OK. Yeah, and going for a run helps me a lot, so BRB.
SANDEN TOTTEN: I feel really calm when I'm in nature. You know, toes in the grass, sniffing flowers, hugging trees.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Writing really helps me. I sit and doodle, or maybe write about what happened that day, and if the stress gets to be too much, I talk to my friends or to my parents, and that always really helps, too.
[PANTING]
MARC SANCHEZ: I'm back.
[PANTING]
MOLLY BLOOM: Wow, look at all our stress monsters. They're getting so tiny. Cute even.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Look. The more I think about flowers, the sleepier he gets. Roses, geraniums, dahlias, daffodils.
LOUISE: My stress monster calms down when I meditate.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh, wow. How long have you been meditating, Louise?
LOUISE: A couple of years.
MOLLY BLOOM: And how does it feel when you meditate?
LOUISE: I feel calm and at peace with myself and my body.
MOLLY BLOOM: Do you meditate with anyone?
LOUISE: I usually meditate with my dad.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's nice. Can you lead us in a meditation that helps you when you're stressed out?
LOUISE: Sure.
MOLLY BLOOM: OK.
LOUISE: Everyone sit down or lie down on the floor. Take a few deep breaths. Then, you're going to take your focus on your toes and feet. Now you're going to make your feet feel soft, warm, and relaxed.
Now imagine that warm feeling move up your legs, and move up towards your belly, to your chest, and through your arms, so that your whole body feels relaxed. Finally, take a deep breath, and when you exhale, let go of all of your stress.
MOLLY BLOOM: Oh my goodness, everyone. Open your eyes. The stress monsters. They're gone.
MARC SANCHEZ: Yay. Oh, I kind of miss mine. His creme brulee with mayonnaise was unconventional, but surprisingly tasty.
RUBY GUTHRIE: Don't worry. They're always with us. We just can't always see them.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Phew, good to know. Way to go, team. Now can someone film me? My fans want to see me finally solve this Totten's Cube.
MARC SANCHEZ: Sanden.
LOUISE: No
RUBY GUTHRIE: No
MOLLY BLOOM: No, don't do it, Sanden.
SANDEN TOTTEN: Here I go.
MARC SANCHEZ: No.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
MOLLY BLOOM: We evolved a long time ago to have strong reactions to stressful, scary, or dangerous things, like a lion trying to eat us.
LOUISE: We still have these same stress reactions, though there are fewer lions chasing us these days.
MOLLY BLOOM: Some stress can be good. It can help us focus and get energy.
LOUISE: But too much stress can be overwhelming and get in the way.
MOLLY BLOOM: Just like each of us has different reactions to stress, there are different things we can do to get our stress monsters to chill out. That's it for this episode of Brains On.
LOUISE: This episode was produced by Molly Bloom, Rose DuPont, Shahla Farzan, Anna Goldfields, Ruby Guthrie, Marc Sanchez, Sanden Totten, Anna Weggel, and Nico Wisler.
MOLLY BLOOM: This episode was sound designed by Eduardo Perez and mixed by Derek Ramirez. We had engineering help from Gary O'Keefe and Jess Berg. Special thanks to Vicky Kreckler, Ben Rooney, and Claire Laporte. Our executive producer is Beth Perlman, and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavati, Joanne Griffith, and Alex Shaffer.
LOUISE: Brains On is a nonprofit Public Radio program.
MOLLY BLOOM: You can support the show and help us keep making more episodes at brainson.org.
LOUISE: You can donate, check out our merch, buy our books, or tell your friend about us.
MOLLY BLOOM: That's brainson.org/contact. Louise, are you ready to go back to that mystery sound again?
LOUISE: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: Let's hear it one more time.
[SCRATCHING]
Any different thoughts? Last time you thought nail file. Sticking with nail file?
LOUISE: I think so, yeah.
Hi, I'm Benny from Austin, Texas, and that was the sound of my mom filing her nails.
MOLLY BLOOM: You're right.
LOUISE: Yay.
MOLLY BLOOM: Nice work. Do you file your nails?
LOUISE: Not a lot, but I went to the nail salon recently, so.
MOLLY BLOOM: So that's fresh in your mind.
LOUISE: Yes.
MOLLY BLOOM: I like to file my nails when I'm stressed out, so I think this sound is perfect for this episode. It's very relaxing to me to sit and file my nails. Nice work. Excellent ears.
CREW: (SINGING) Brains On.
MOLLY BLOOM: And now it's time for the Brain's Honor Roll. These are the incredible kids who keep this show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high fives.
[LISTING HONOR ROLL]
[AUDIO LOGO]
We'll be back soon with more answers to your questions.
LOUISE: Thanks for listening.
Transcription services provided by 3Play Media.
