Calm Your Caveman

Big highs can often be followed by unexpected lows — and your dopamine system plays a major role in that. In this episode, we explore how to manage your “dopamine budget” to stay more emotionally steady, especially around intense experiences and seasonal shifts.

You’ll learn how to work with (not against) your brain by:
• Anticipating post-high dips
• Using self-binding to avoid overconsumption
• Engaging in effortful, rewarding activities
• Leveraging short periods of abstinence to reset sensitivity

With the holidays in mind, we also look at how to navigate common dopamine traps, so your mood stays more balanced, even during high-stimulation periods.

Timestamps
[00:00:45] - Applying Dopamine Knowledge in Real Life
[00:01:54] - Managing Post-Trip and Post-Goal Depression
[00:11:06] - Self-Binding and Dopamine Management
[00:14:59] - Diet Changes and Dopamine
[00:20:13] - Embracing Pain for Pleasure
[00:23:36] - Learning to Enjoy the Ride


For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to:
https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/practical-tips-for-mastering-the-dopamine-danceine Dance

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Is your anxiety actually a dopamine problem? When your brain is constantly chasing stimulation, it can leave you feeling restless, depleted, and unable to enjoy what used to feel good. In this episode, we explore how modern life pushes your dopamine system into overdrive—and why that can make anxiety feel like it’s running the show. Drawing on insights from dopamine experts, we break down how to reset the balance. Less overstimulation, more stability, and a clear path back to calm.

Timestamps

[00:01:05] - Evolutionary Perspective on Dopamine

[00:05:33] - Why Mismanaged Dopamine Causes Anxiety

[00:08:54] - The Concept of Dopamine Budget

[00:11:27] - Pain and Pleasure Balance

[00:19:54] - Addiction and Its Impact On Anxiety

[00:21:43] - A Better Way to Manage Your Dopamine 

[00:24:51] - Addiction Is Good At Hiding From You

[00:28:01] - Getting Help With Addiction

For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to:
https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/manage-your-dopamine-budget-for-anxiety-relief

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Why does body image anxiety persist, even when your appearance changes? In this episode, we explore why common solutions like weight loss or cosmetic fixes often don’t resolve the deeper issue. The focus shifts to something more lasting: your relationship with your body.

Through personal experience and research-backed strategies, we break down how to:

• Use mindfulness to step out of critical thought loop
• Reframe the way you interpret your appearance
• Build a sense of identity beyond how you look, leading to a healthier way to relate to yourself.

Timestamps
[00:01:02] - Cosmetic Surgery May Worsen Mental Health
[00:04:52] - The Psychological Impact of Weight Loss
[00:06:02] - The Importance of Your Mental Story
[00:08:33] - Mindfulness and Body Image
[00:09:52] - The Role of Evolutionary Psychology
[00:13:01] - Understanding Survival Instincts
[00:15:13] - Finding a Greater Purpose
[00:16:54] - Visualizing Your Future Self
[00:19:57] - Connecting with Ancestry
[00:23:23] - Practice Makes New Brains


For full show notes including resources mentioned go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/body-image-anxiety

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What if calm isn’t something you find, but something you practice? In this episode, we explore how mindfulness meditation can reshape your response to anxiety and why consistency matters more than intensity. The focus is on making it manageable—starting small so it naturally fits into your day.
We also look at what sets mindfulness apart from other forms of meditation, and how it helps redirect attention and reframe situations as they arise. A steady approach, more presence, and a skill you can build over time.

Timestamps
[00:01:13] - Difference between mindfulness and transcendental meditation
[00:03:30] - Defusing from emotions: You are the sky, not the cloud.
[00:07:33] - The importance of practicing mindfulness to make it automatic.
[00:13:42] - How to practice mindfulness in daily life.
[00:16:23] - Handling unpleasant sensations and emotional pain with mindfulness.
[00:20:49] - Mindfulness while doing physical activity


For full show notes including resources mentioned go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/cultivating-mindfulness-simple-steps-to-soothe-anxiety

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Music can do more than lift your mood. It can actively calm your nervous system. In this episode, we explore the science behind music as a tool for anxiety, and why it works.  We also look at how certain sounds—like vocal tones—signal safety to the brain, and how to use that intentionally. Plus, practical guidance on building a personalized playlist you can turn to in high-stress moments.

Timestamps

[00:01:05] - Music listening as a tool for anxiety
[00:02:04] - Vocal prosody calming anxiety
[00:06:03] - The Safe and Sound Protocol
[00:10:31] - Creating a playlist for anxiety.

For full show notes including resources mentioned go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/harmonize-your-anxiety-the-power-of-music-listening

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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.

Timestamps
[00:01:05] - Why break the high alert habit
[00:01:52] - Gallup 2019 Global Emotions Report statistics
[00:03:40] - Illustration using a zebra's response to stress
[00:06:35] - Evolutionary adaptation and the modern environment
[00:09:35] - Differentiating between challenge and threat responses to stress
[00:12:05] - The role of cell phones in maintaining high alert
[00:13:48] - Practical strategies for managing phone usage
[00:17:05] - The impact of news consumption on stress levels
[00:18:04] - Importance of digital fasting and setting boundaries
[00:18:36] - "Busy Busy Busy"


“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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Time in nature isn’t just refreshing. It has measurable effects on your mind and body. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Christopher Minson to explore how natural environments can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and why our physiology responds so strongly to them. We look at concepts like forest bathing, fractal patterns, and what makes nature uniquely calming. You’ll also get practical ways to bring more nature into your routine, including the “20-5-3 Rule” for consistent exposure. A simple shift in environment, with meaningful effects on how you feel day to day.


Timestamps
[00:00:46] - Meet Dr. Christopher Minson: His Background and Research
[00:07:51] - The Immediate Benefits of Nature Exposure on Mental Health
[00:13:26] - The Physiological Impact: Lowering Cortisol and Stress
[00:17:36] - The "Nature Dose" App: Measuring Your Nature Exposure
[00:21:56] - Optimal Time in Nature: The 25-3-5 Rule for Mental Health
[00:26:31] - Long-Term Effects of Nature Exposure on Well-being
[00:31:00] - Practical Tips for Incorporating Nature into Daily Life
[00:35:36] - The Importance of Green and Blue Spaces
[00:40:11] - Protecting and Valuing Nature for Health
[00:42:16] - Where to Find More Information


For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to:
https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/dr-christopher-minson-on-nature-therapy-anxiety-relief-in-the-great-outdoors

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Your environment shapes more than your surroundings. It shapes how you feel. In this episode, we explore how small changes to your physical space can reduce anxiety by influencing how your brain interprets what’s happening around you. Instead of tackling anxiety head-on, we look at indirect ways to shift it: through movement, organization, and intentional design. We also touch on how modern environments differ from what we evolved for, and how that mismatch can increase stress. Simple adjustments to light, sound, and natural elements can create a space that supports calm rather than tension.

Timestamps

[00:01:01] - How Physical Actions Produce Calm
[00:03:57] - Evolutionary Adaptation and Modern Mismatches
[00:05:34] - Minimize Low Frequency Sounds
[00:07:43] - What Light Does to Your Anxiety
[00:11:25] - How Bringing Nature Inside Helps
[00:13:16] - Fractals and Their Relaxing Effects
[00:17:49] - Using Fragrance to Create Calm
[00:18:36] - Your Home Can Make It Easier to Feel Calm


For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to:
https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/arrange-your-living-space-for-minimum-anxiety-

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Running out of energy doesn’t just leave you tired — it can make anxiety feel louder. In this episode, we explore the idea of an “energy budget” and how managing your physical and mental resources can support emotional balance. Drawing from my personal experience with chronic fatigue, we break down how to pace yourself, prioritize what matters, and build in enough recovery to stay steady.

Timestamps
[00:01:03] - How I Became Aware of My Energy Budget
[00:03:38] - Managing Your Energy Budget
[00:06:56] - How Your Energy Budget Affects Anxiety

For full show notes including resources mentioned go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/anxiety-and-your-energy-budget-

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Some anxiety strategies only work when your brain is calm enough to use them. In this episode, we take a more layered approach, looking at how your level of distress changes what’s actually helpful in the moment. When intensity is low, you have access to more cognitive tools. As it rises, simpler, more automatic responses become important. Instead of forcing one method to work everywhere, this episode focuses on matching the tool to the moment — and practicing ahead of time so the right response is there when you need it.

Timestamps
[00:0:48] - Tools For High and Low Anxiety
[00:02:49] -  How Practice Makes More Tools Available
[00:03:28] - Examples of Practicing Making Hard Strategies Easier
[00:06:01] - Summary of Concepts


For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to:
https://www.calmyourcaveman.com//episodes/know-your-context-foundational-anxiety-management-strategies-part-ii

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