In this powerful conversation, we sit down with Justin Hai, serial entrepreneur, product designer, and founder of Rebalance Health. Justin’s work spans biotechnology, health, and consumer innovation, earning recognition from Forbes, Time, NASA, and more. His bestselling book, Stress Nation, explores how modern life has rewired our biology—and what we can do about it. Inspired in part by his wife’s diagnosis with Cushing’s disease, Justin dove deeply into the science of cortisol and the hidden toll of chronic stress.
Together, we unpack the truth about cortisol as the body’s master alarm system—not a villain, but a hormone designed to protect us. The real problem, Justin explains, is that our always-on digital world keeps triggering that alarm. From constant notifications to late-night scrolling, our nervous systems rarely power down. We explore practical, achievable strategies to protect sleep, set tech boundaries, and reclaim human connection. The path forward isn’t about rejecting technology; it’s about using it wisely so we can restore balance and truly recover each night.
The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway
“Remember what it used to feel like when you were dating your partner and you would flirt and you'd have fun and you'd laugh? Do that tonight because that's going to bring your cortisol crashing down. You guys are going to reconnect in a new fun way and you're going to sleep like a baby.”
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Produced by NOVA