Always feeling “on” isn’t just exhausting—it can quietly drive anxiety. In this episode, we explore how constant alerts, notifications, and stimulation keep your brain in a state of high alert, and why that’s so hard on a system built for something slower. Drawing on insights from The Way Out and global stress data, we look at how this pattern shows up in everyday life, and why it’s so common. The focus isn’t on disconnecting completely, but on breaking the high-alert habit in small, practical ways so you can shift back toward feeling calm.


[00:00:00] - Introduction to breaking the high alert habit
[00:01:17] - Gallup 2019 Global Emotions Report statistics
[00:03:05] - Illustration using a zebra's response to stress
[00:06:00] - Evolutionary adaptation and the modern environment
[00:09:00] - Differentiating between challenge and threat responses to stress
[00:11:28] - The role of cell phones in maintaining high alert
[00:13:13] - Practical strategies for managing phone usage
[00:16:30] - The impact of news consumption on stress levels
[00:17:29] - Importance of digital fasting and setting boundaries
[00:18:01] - "Busy Busy Busy" song from Sandra Boynton’s Philadelphia Chickens


“BusyBusyBusy” Song from Philadelphia Chickens used in this podcast episode by permission. Book copyright © 2002, 2023 by Sandra Boynton. Recording copyright ℗ 2002 by Sandra Boynton. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to:
https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/break-the-high-alert-habit-

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