Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: The Acclaimed Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping

by Robert M. Sapolsky

the brain constitutes something like 3 percent of your body weight but needs nearly a quarter of the energy.

Being exposed to lots of new information during the day is associated with more REM sleep that night.

In a world of stressful lack of control, an amazing source of control we all have is the ability to make the world a better place, one act at a time.

had a highly orthodox religious upbringing and believed devoutly. Except that now I am an atheist, have no room in my life for spirituality of any kind, and believe that religion is phenomenally damaging.

There’s this idea in a number of disciplines called the 80/20 rule. In retail business, it takes the form of, “20 percent of the customers account for 80 percent of the complaints.” In criminology, it’s, “20 percent of the criminals account for 80 percent of the crime.”

I would apply the 80/20 rule to stress management: 80 percent of the stress reduction is accomplished with the first 20 percent of effort.

Don’t save your stress management for the weekend, or for when you’re on hold on the phone for thirty seconds. Take the time out to do it almost daily.

In the face of terrible news beyond control, beyond prevention, beyond healing, those who are able to find the means to deny tend to cope best.

Those who cope with stress successfully tend to seek control in the face of present stressors but do not try to control things that have already come to pass.

is generally helpful to seek predictable, accurate information. However, such information is not useful if it comes too soon or too late, if it is unnecessary, if there is so much information that it is stressful in and of itself, or if the information is about news far worse than one wants to know.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

In the face of strong winds, let me be a blade of grass. In the face of strong walls, let me be a gale of wind.

Perhaps I’m beginning to sound like your grandmother, advising you to be happy and not to worry so much.