Your brain is constantly predicting the future. And what does it use to make those predictions? Your memories. Join me as we explore the fascinating science behind how memory shapes anxiety—and a simple practice you can use to help retrain your brain’s predictions.

Discover how:

• The same brain systems used for memory are also used to imagine the future.
• Recalling positive memories can lower stress hormones and reduce negative emotions.
• Reflecting on the meaning of those memories strengthens emotional resilience.
• Even painful experiences can improve future predictions through “redemptive reflection.”

When you reframe the past, you can reduce anxiety about the future.

For full show notes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/reframe-your-past-rewire-your-anxiety

Send us Fan Mail

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com

If you’re trying to reduce anxiety, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the advice out there.
After more than 80 episodes of Calm Your Caveman, I wanted to answer a simple question:
Where should you start? If I had to pick the most powerful foundations for anxiety management, these would be my six pillars: three physical habits that strengthen your brain and body, and three mental habits that shape how your mind responds to stress.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:38 - Where should you start with anxiety management?
02:18 - Why physical habits optimize your stress response
03:50 - Pillar #1: Exercise and brain chemistry
05:21 - Pillar #2: Going outside in the sun
06:51 - Pillar #3: Sleep and anxiety regulation
07:14 - Mental pillars of anxiety management
07:45 - Pillar #4: Manage your dopamine budget
12:04 - Pillar #5: Meditation/prayer
14:15 - Pillar #6: Meaning/purpose
16:09 - Summary and how to start building the 6 pillars

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/the-6-pillars-of-anxiety-mastery

Send a text

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com

Sleep is one of the most powerful tools for managing anxiety—but it’s not just about how much you sleep. Research shows that when you sleep also matters. In this episode, we explore how sleep timing affects anxiety, sleep quality, and overall health.

You’ll learn:

• Why night owls often experience higher anxiety
• How artificial light disrupts your circadian rhythm
• The surprising role sunlight plays in cellular energy production
• Practical strategies to gradually shift your sleep schedule
• What to do if insomnia makes sleep optimization difficult

⏱️ Timestamps

00:18 - Why sleep schedule matters for anxiety
01:36 - Health risks linked to late sleep schedules
04:22 - Artificial light and circadian rhythm disruption
08:10 - Mitochondria, energy production, and light exposure
13:10 - How to shift your sleep schedule
17:09 - When sleep strategies don’t work

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/the-sleep-schedule-fix-that-helps-anxiety

Send a text

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com

Feel like you know lots of anxiety tools, but can’t seem to turn them into habits? In this episode, I share four ideas that make new habits dramatically easier:

• Let learning “soak in” instead of forcing it
• Start smaller than you think you should
• Don’t do everything—pick what fits you
• Add variety so your brain stays engaged

If you want your brain to respond to stress with confidence instead of anxiety, this episode gives you a practical roadmap to get there.

🎧 Listen now and take one small step.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:18 - Why anxiety change depends on building new habits
02:21 - Listening itself is a form of practice
04:38 - Start extremely small and stay consistent
08:03 - Choose strategies that are a good fit
10:56 - Variety strengthens habits and prevents burnout

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/how-to-make-new-habits-without-burning-out

Send a text

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com

Ever had a day where anxiety completely hijacks you—and you know all the tools, but can’t seem to use them? This episode is different. Instead of teaching something new, I walk you through how I used the strategies we’ve already discussed… on myself… during a day when I was stuck, overwhelmed, and spiraling.

We’ll practice how to:

• Identify the hidden story driving your anxiety
• Interrupt doomscrolling and emotional overwhelm
• Rebalance how your brain sees demands vs. resources
• Use perspective to regain clarity and agency
• Shift out of paralysis and back into purposeful action

This is practical psychology in action—tools you can use the next time stress feels unmanageable.

🎧 Listen now and practice alongside me.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:18 - Why this episode focuses on application, not new tools
01:08 - A day I got stuck in anxiety and doomscrolling
01:36 - My brain dump to uncover the hidden narrative
04:33 - What past generations endured—and what that reframes
11:09 - Actively noticing everyday caretakers
14:24 - Moving from helplessness back into agency and action

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/what-to-do-when-anxiety-takes-over-your-day

Send a text

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com

What if one of the most powerful ways to support struggling teens isn’t trying to fix them—but teaching them how to show up for each other? In this episode, Adriana speaks with Dr. Gregory Hudnall, founder of Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer school program that trains students to recognize when a friend is struggling, listen with empathy, and guide them toward help. The program is now active in schools worldwide and is reshaping how communities think about mental health support.

We discuss:

• Warning signs families, educators, and peers should notice
• Resources for those struggling with suicidal thoughts
• Resources to help prevent suicide in those around you
• How communities can create cultures where no one feels invisible

⏱️ Timestamps

00:18 - Introduction to Dr. Greg Hudnall and Hope Squad
01:10 - How personal loss led to a mission of prevention
08:10 - Why traditional adult-only approaches weren’t enough
14:42 - The importance of connectedness and belonging
32:36 - Warning signs and how to start conversations when something feels off
42:10 - Suicide prevention resources available for individuals and families

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/suicide-prevention-with-dr.-greg-hudnall

Send a text

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com

When life feels out of control, anxiety spikes. But here’s something you can control — a 3-minute daily practice that research shows can reduce rumination and depression, boost stress resilience, and help your brain shift out of threat mode. It’s called savoring, and it starts with noticing one small pleasant moment. It’s not about “forcing happiness” it’s about training your brain to notice resources — not just threats — so you can move from a stress response into a challenge response. Tiny practice, powerful nervous system shift.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:30 – The “arena of control” and reducing anxiety
02:04 – A 3-minute practice with major psychological benefits
05:46 – Three steps for savoring
09:19 – Using savoring during crisis

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/how-to-lower-anxiety-when-life-feels-out-of-control

Send a text

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com

Perfectionism doesn’t just push you — it pressures you. And that pressure fuels anxiety. When your brain believes your worth depends on your performance, mistakes feel like threats — not feedback.

This week on the podcast:
✨ Why perfectionism drives anxiety
✨ How to shift into a growth mindset
✨ A simple practice to teach your brain that mistakes don’t define you

Life isn’t a performance. It’s a classroom. 🎧

⏱️ Timestamps

00:30 – Perfectionism and the fixed mindset
02:05 – How perfectionism showed up in my life
03:38 – Internal conflict about perfectionism
05:24 – The practice that rewired my perfectionist beliefs
11:12 – How self-acceptance helps you accept others
14:37 – How to write your own affirmations

For full shownotes, including resources mentioned, go to: https://www.calmyourcaveman.com/episodes/letting-go-of-perfectionism

Send a text

🌐 https://www.calmyourcaveman.com