A programmer's guide to managing stress

I spent 80 hours+ binging every single Andrew Huberman podcast online , The Huberman stress protocol:

As a developer , I used to be stressed out of my mind…

Then I spent 80 hours+ binging every single Andrew Huberman podcast online.

Here’s what I found.

The Huberman stress protocol:

I used to have ZERO idea how to control my stress.

But when I got a burnout .

I looked everywhere and somehow landed on Andrew Huberman's podcast.

It changed my life.

Here's his stress protocol:

Is being a programmer stressful :

“Most people are taught how to drive a car.

But most people are not taught how to drive their nervous system.”

we know how to to fix bugs , but we don't know how to solve our bugs

This is the problem with stress we all experience it.

But we don’t know how to control it.

Stress and anxiety can get the best of us at the worst times.

## Deadlines 

## New Programming Language/Framework 

## Legacy Applications 

## Toxic workplace 

## Speaking with difficult clients

It paralyzes us into submission.

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You feel like you can’t escape it.

Base on this report , 94% of software engineers report feeling stress at work.

And many of software engineers have suicidal thoughts when under stress.

It’s a deadly epidemic that we don’t talk about enough.

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But we also have an incredible inner power to withstand unimaginable levels of stress.

Yet to overcome it, we need to understand what stress actually is.

Do you really understand how your brain works, or are you just interested in the latest technology?

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Stress is the body's built-in response to perceived threats and demands.

is like a antivirus that detect and prevent malware attacks.

The hypothalamus tells the adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenaline.

Our heart pounds faster. Muscles tense. Senses sharpen.

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t’s a survival mechanism.

It prepares our mind and body for potential action and response.

But most of us were never taught how to control it.

And when left unchecked, it can ruin your life.

Is a Malware now .

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Andrew Huberman's guide to managing stress :

So what do you do?

First, recognize that there are 2 main forms of stress.

Identify which one you face:

## Acute stress - intense bursts from immediate pressures 

## Chronic stress - drawn out from lingering issues

recognize malicious source code. Clarity leads to control.

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Second, adopt Huberman’s "stress-is-enhancing" mindset.

Rather than a sign of struggle, properly framed stress can boost performance.

It acts like a laser, focusing energy with pinpoint efficiency.

Combined with a growth mindset, stress becomes fuel to expand your abilities.

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By changing your thought patterns, stress enhances performance profoundly.

4 research-backed tools to leverage this superpower through your physiology and thoughts:

you are a programmer you can alter the source code of your brain when you want .

Tool 1: The ‘Wim Hof’ :

MethodYou can deliberately induce acute stress states through rapid breathing.

By doing rounds of 30-40 fast, full breaths, you:

## Increase oxygen intake 

## Flood your body with adrenaline

Then, in this heightened state, practice mental control.

As your body courses with energy, hold your breath and consciously stay calm.

This builds the skill of remaining calm and clear-headed even as stress molecules flood the body.

Tool 2: Physiological Sigh:

Huberman calls this the most thoroughly grounded method to calm down:

// 1. Inhale rapidly 

// 2. Exhale slowly

The slow exhale reduces heart rate and blood pressure.

The torso softens. The mind clears.

"i gave you the code source just use it."

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The physiological sigh restores us to baseline equilibrium.

The beauty of it? You can do it anytime, anywhere.

So next time you face an emotional storm, take control of your breath.

The power is within us. Just breathe.

Tool 3: Reframe ‘Mind is Like a Muscle’:

Stress bubbles up because we are stretching beyond our comfort zone.

Not because we are failing. It's the expansion of our minds in real-time.

It’s like our muscles: stressing our muscles during workouts stimulates and grows them.

But unlike our muscles, our brain doesn’t experience a temporary, feel-good ‘pump.’

Instead, you’re often met with frustration, inadequacy, and doubt as you struggle to grasp new concepts.

Yet you can learn to embrace these cognitive growing pains.

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Tool 4: Verbs, Not Labels:

Your word choice with praise and feedback is paramount.

Specifically, replace labels like "gifted" or "talented" with action verbs on effort invested.

For example, "It was great that you persisted through multiple approaches to solve that bug.

"This encourages the behaviors tied to growth.

When you describe other geeks as “gifted”, this is a big red flag.

Labeling them like this undermines their future performance when they inevitably face challenges.

They don’t have the ingrained behaviors tied to growth to fall back on.

Reward the actions, not the traits.

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Tying this all together, stress becomes your unlikely optimization platform.

The key is realizing it can expand limits, not confirm them.

do your job read the code source of your brain , detect bugs , fix them to be better ..

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