Episode #178: What a 100yo Japanese Smoker Taught Me About Stress? – Featuring Salim Najjar

What if the stress you're trying to eliminate is actually what your body needs to become stronger?

Despite focusing on nutrition, hormones, and exercise, I still struggled with stress, mental clarity, and feeling constantly stuck in fight-or-flight mode.

That's why I was excited to sit down with Salim Najjar.

Salim is a former CEO and human performance educator who specializes in heart rate variability (HRV), nervous system health, and stress resilience.

During our conversation, we explored why chronic stress may contribute to inflammation and unhealthy aging, what HRV can reveal about your body's ability to recover, and why constantly trying to eliminate stress might not be the answer.

We also discussed how everyday habits like checking your phone first thing in the morning, drinking caffeine, poor sleep, and overtraining can affect your nervous system. Salim shared his perspective on unresolved emotional trauma, mental health medications, wearable health trackers, and how elite athletes like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan developed the ability to perform under pressure.

I hope this conversation helps you rethink your relationship with stress, better understand your nervous system, and find ways to improve both your physical and mental well-being.

Enjoy the episode, God bless, and I'll see you in the next one!

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(01:05) Timeline

(08:38) Your Body Is the Best Biohacking Technology

(09:50) Silence Matters

(11:28) Chronic Stress, Inflammation & Aging

(14:15) Stress Can Be Your Best Friend

(17:25) Sleep and Nervous System Recovery

(19:25) How Phones Affect Stress and Sleep

(22:06) Morning Caffeine and Cortisol

(23:41) What Is HRV?

(25:30) Understanding Your HRV Score

(30:00) Diet, Genetics, and HRV

(33:35) Exercise, Recovery, and Resilience

(36:17) Mental Health Medication

(39:25) How to Improve Nervous System Health

(40:52) Problems With Modern Healthcare

(47:34) My Personal Healing Journey

(49:45) How Trauma Affects the Nervous System

(53:37) Emotional Suppression and Childhood Conditioning

(57:04) The Mindset of Elite Athletes

(1:01:05) How to Train Your Mind

(1:03:02) Wearable Devices and HRV Tracking

(1:06:00) Vagus Nerve Stimulation

(1:09:36) The Okinawa Longevity Paradox

(1:10:58) Prayer, Gratitude, and Stillness

(1:11:49) How to Work With Salim

(1:13:25) Final Thoughts

Free HRV Quiz and Guide: https://thathrvguy.com/hrv-quiz?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=dylan-gemelli-podcast-2026

Website: https://thathrvguy.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thathrvguy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thatHRVguy

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thathrvguy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salimnajjar/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salimm.najjar

X: https://x.com/thatHRVguy

Disclaimer: This episode shares personal experiences and the guest's perspectives, including health claims that have not been clinically established. It is intended for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice.

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