Angry? How the 90-second rule helps you better control your emotions

The 90-second rule: This is how a neuroscientist's simple trick against stress works.

In our everyday lives, we are constantly confronted with challenges – be it at work, with family , with friends, or even physically. Especially when several things come together, it can be difficult to maintain a positive mindset. It's not always possible, but there are some wellbeing trends that are supposed to help you calm down. Breathing exercises, special apps, meditation – all things that require active action and concentration. Nice in theory, but in stressful moments most people simply don't have the head for it. This is precisely why a neuroscientist's approach to managing emotions is so interesting: the 90-second rule.

The 90-second rule, developed by American neuroscientist (or more accurately, neuroanatomist) and author Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, is a deceptively simple tool for controlling emotions. When stress, sadness, anger, or panic are triggered in us, it unleashes a flood of stress hormones in the body. However, if we don't continue to feed the emotion through reflection, the physiological reaction reaches its peak and passes after about 90 seconds.

In her 2008 book "My Stroke of Insight," Dr. Taylor writes, "When a person reacts to something in their environment, a 90-second chemical process occurs in the body; after that, any remaining emotional reaction is simply the person's decision to stay in that emotional loop." She explains in her later book, "Whole Brain Living," that emotions can initially take over the body, but don't necessarily determine what happens next. In interviews and lectures, she refers to this as the "90-second life cycle of an emotion." This rule isn't about avoiding feelings.

How to apply the 90-second rule

It's about leaving space between feelings and stories. The rule itself is very simple and not complicated: You don't write a diary, you don't recite a mantra, you don'tmeditate . You simply pause for 90 seconds. If you're feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or helpless, just pause instead of reacting immediately. You can stand, sit on a chair or the floor, or even lie down. The first few times you do this, set a timer for 90 seconds and just wait. You don't have to try to actively breathe anything away; just try to do nothing.

You can apply the 90-second rule, for example, during a tense discussion, between meetings, in the morning right after waking up when the first thoughts of the day trigger stress , or even before falling asleep when you're lost in a constant stream of thoughts. It doesn't solve the problem, it doesn't erase the emotions. But it gives you time, and the urgency subsides, and you have more of your capacity to face the problem.

Why the 90-second rule helps manage emotions

In an age when we're expected to be constantly available, highly functional, and emotionally balanced, the idea of ​​not reacting seems almost radical. Waiting 90 seconds before freaking out? It's embarrassingly simple. And strangely effective. You might not always remember to apply the rule, but just give it a try. The more you apply something, the more proficient you'll become at it.

A similar version of this article appeared on Vogue.in .

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