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Stress is often described as emotional or mental, but this class reframed it as something far more physical. Stress is a biological response shaped by environment, habits, and repeated internal patterns. When the body remains in that response too long, tension, restless sleep, inflammation, and low energy quietly become the norm.

Wayne Mesiano approached the topic by widening the lens first. Stress, he explained, does not exist in isolation. It is influenced by daily choices, relationships, and the systems people move through. Over time, those inputs register in the body—and the nervous system adapts, often at a cost.

When stress overrides healthy habits

One of the clearest takeaways was how stress can override even solid lifestyle efforts. Stress alone can raise blood sugar, disrupt recovery, and blunt the benefits of nutrition and sleep. In that sense, stress is not the trigger itself, but the internal reaction that follows—and that reaction is measurable.

The automatic stress response

Wayne broke down how stress operates through the autonomic nervous system, which reacts faster than conscious thought. Fight, flight, and freeze are survival states designed to protect, but when they stay activated, regulation breaks down. Hormones like adrenaline and cortisol begin to accumulate, affecting energy, inflammation, and cardiovascular balance.

Mindfulness, simplified

Mindfulness was presented without mystique. Wayne defined it plainly as paying attention. He outlined four shared principles across many practices: sitting upright, staying receptive, focusing attention (often on the breath), and letting go of judging how well it is going. The goal is not to control the mind, but to stop chasing every thought.

Breathing that shifts the nervous system

The practical focus centered on breath, with one key instruction: make the exhale longer than the inhale. Stress shortens breathing. Lengthening the exhale helps the body release tension and supports the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing regulation to return naturally.

The class emphasized starting small—just a few minutes—and choosing one positive habit to begin alongside one pattern to reduce. Mindfulness, practiced consistently, becomes a skill that carries into daily life, changing how stress is experienced rather than avoided.