How to Hack Your Stress and Engineer Your Tears to BOOST Longevity | Jeff Krasno

Dave Asprey

Jan 23, 2025

Episode description

What if the key to living longer isn’t avoiding stress—but mastering it

Jeff Krasno, founder of Commune and renowned stress expert, joins Dave to reveal why most of us have stress all wrong. In this fascinating conversation, Jeff redefines how we think about stress—showing how it can be your greatest ally instead of your worst enemy. From his groundbreaking new book Good Stress to the ancient practices that have stood the test of time, Jeff shares how to unlock the hidden potential of stress to build resilience, foster connections, and boost longevity.

You’ll discover why crying is an emotional biohack, how to spot the fine line between good and bad stress, and why the modern world keeps us stuck in a chronic stress loop—and how to break free. Jeff also dives into the science of emotional regulation, the role of connection in health, and the radical power of embracing discomfort to create balance and ease in your life.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to turn stress into a tool for resilience and longevity

• Why Jeff calls chronic ease the root of modern disease

• The science of tears: how crying regulates stress and boosts health

• How you can build a “psychological immune system” for emotional regulation

• The key to balancing good stress and avoiding burnout

• Why discomfort is the path to growth—and how to embrace it

Resources:

• 2025 Biohacking Conference: https://biohackingconference.com/2025

• Jeff Krasno’s Website – https://www.jeffkrasno.com/

• Preorder Good Stress – https://www.onecommune.com/goodstressbook#preorder

• Follow Jeff on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jeffkrasno

• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com

• Dave Asprey’s Website: https://daveasprey.com

• Dave Asprey’s Book – Smarter Not Harder: https://daveasprey.com/books

• Dave Asprey’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveasprey

• Upgrade Collective – Join The Human Upgrade Podcast Live:

Episode description

What if the key to living longer isn’t avoiding stress—but mastering it

What You’ll Learn:

• How to turn stress into a tool for resilience and longevity

• Why Jeff calls chronic ease the root of modern disease

• The science of tears: how crying regulates stress and boosts health

• How you can build a “psychological immune system” for emotional regulation

• The key to balancing good stress and avoiding burnout

• Why discomfort is the path to growth—and how to embrace it

Resources:

• 2025 Biohacking Conference: https://biohackingconference.com/2025

• Jeff Krasno’s Website – https://www.jeffkrasno.com/

• Preorder Good Stress – https://www.onecommune.com/goodstressbook#preorder

• Follow Jeff on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jeffkrasno

• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com

• Dave Asprey’s Website: https://daveasprey.com

• Dave Asprey’s Book – Smarter Not Harder: https://daveasprey.com/books

• Dave Asprey’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveasprey

• Upgrade Collective – Join The Human Upgrade Podcast Live:

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Flush stress hormones by crying

Emotional tears have a unique chemical signature and contain stress hormones like ACTH, meaning crying is a literal way to flush stress out of your body.

#emotion

#stress

Reintroduce beneficial stressors to combat chronic disease

The modern world's focus on comfort and convenience has stripped away the beneficial Paleolithic stressors we evolved with, leading to chronic disease.

#chronic-disease

#hormesis

Recognize cortisol's importance for health and vitality

Low cortisol is four times more deadly than high cortisol, and it's essential for functions like maintaining blood pressure and waking up.

#blood-pressure

#cortisol

Balance your immune system to prevent cytokine storms

An over-agitated immune system, like in a cytokine storm, is dangerous, so the goal should be a balanced immune system, not just a boosted one.

#immune-system

Strengthen psychological immunity through exposure to insults

Just as your physiological immune system builds antibodies through exposure, your psychological immune system can be strengthened by experiencing and processing insults.

#resilience

Choose toxin-free ceramic cookware to avoid PFAS chemicals

To avoid toxic PFAS 'forever chemicals' commonly found in nonstick pans and even air fryers, use toxin-free ceramic cookware like Our Place.

#PFAS

#toxin

Engage in difficult conversations to foster empathy and connection

Leaning into difficult conversations with people you disagree with can be a form of 'good stress' that builds empathy and connection.

#relationships

#stress

Utilize intentional pain to enhance dopamine sensitivity

Brief, intentional, and conscious exposure to pain, like in an ice bath, can improve dopamine signaling and sensitivity for up to six weeks.

#cold-therapy

#dopamine

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