Stress Nation

A provocative deep dive into how technology is wrecking our hormones and our health—and the powerful tools you need to reclaim your well-being and thrive.

Stress Nation provides answers to the lingering questions many people have about why they constantly feel tired, lonely, anxious, disconnected, and unwell, explaining in both humorous and poignant prose how the technology that was supposed to make our lives easier is actually one of the leading causes of chronic stress, dysregulated cortisol, and dangerously inadequate sleep. Equal parts commentary and practical guide, this book offers solutions that empower readers to manage their stress, improve their sleep, and implement scientifically supported methods to break the cycle of device addiction.

In this book, readers will discover:

• How cortisol—the Master Hormone and your body's overworked alarm system—can become dangerously imbalanced, ruin your health, and leave you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.
• How Silicon Valley went for your attention instead of your well-being – and how that's warped the way we sleep, date, parent, and even think.
• Practical, empowering ways to unplug, reconnect, and start living like a human again – not a device-controlled zombie.

Stress Nation is both your wake-up call and game plan that delivers on its promise of a clearer mind, healthier body, and better life.

Foreword ix

Introduction: How My Fascination with Cortisol Turned into a Solution for a Burned-Out, Tech-Addicted World xiii

Part 1 Your Body: Cortisol, Chaos & Why You’re So Damn Tired 1

1 Cortisol: The Hormone Running Your Life (and Ruining It) 3

2 Sleep: Nature’s Reset Button—Ruined by Your Phone 25

3 Hot Flashes, Mood Swings & Midlife Mayhem? Blame Cortisol, Not Just Estrogen 47

4 Stress, Anxiety & Clickbait: The Unholy Trinity Wrecking Your Hormones 75

Part 2 Technology: How Screens Are Frying Your Brain and Your Love Life 89

5 Your Phone Is Smarter Than You Think— and It’s Playing You 91

6 Why Kids Can’t Sleep, Focus, or Play Anymore (Hint: It Glows) 113

7 When ‘Followers’ Replaced Friends: Rebuilding Real Connection In Real Life 131

8 Dating Apps Are Designed to Keep You Swiping (Not Satisfied) 151

Part 3 The Reset: Less Doomscrolling, More Doing 173

9 Suck It (Literally): How Our Lozenges Help You Un-frazzle 175

10 JOMO Is the New FOMO: Outsmarting Burnout, Brain Fog & Bad Habits 191

Conclusion: From Screen Zombie to Real-Life Rockstar What Actually Works (and What to Ignore Forever) 211

About the Author 221

References 223

Index 239

JUSTIN HAI is the Co-Founder and CEO of Rebalance Health, a company redefining hormone and stress management through clinically backed, award-winning innovation. A serial entrepreneur with a background in product design, biotech, and wellness, Hai has launched multiple ventures including Alastin Skincare (acquired by Galderma), GLO Pharmaceuticals, and Rebalance Health. He holds degrees from RISD and Pepperdine and has earned recognition from Fast Company, CNBC, Inc., and NASA. Under his leadership, Rebalance has been named Glossy Beauty’s Wellness Brand of the Year, won Best in Small Business for Innovative Product, and was honored in TIME’s 2024 Best Inventions list of menopausal solutions. Driven by personal experience and scientific rigor, Hai’s work empowers people to take back control of their health—and Stress Nation is the manifesto for doing just that.

In Stress Nation: Escape the Technology Trap, Eliminate Stress, and Reclaim Rest, serial entrepreneur Justin Hai exposes the invisible but devastating toll that modern technology has taken on our minds, bodies, and relationships. From sleepless nights to chronic anxiety and emotional disconnection, the symptoms are everywhere—and they’re no accident.

Blending hard science with sharp cultural commentary, Hai explains how our cortisol-driven stress response is being hijacked by screen addiction, digital overload, and algorithms engineered to keep us hooked. But this isn’t just a wake-up call—it’s a lifeline. Inside, you’ll discover a clear, evidence-based roadmap to rebalance your hormones, improve your sleep, restore focus, and reconnect with yourself and others.

Equal parts eye-opening and empowering, Stress Nation offers a practical tool kit for anyone ready to break free from the digital grind and build a life rooted in real connection, rest, and resilience.

PRAISE FOR STRESS NATION

“Justin’s insightful book highlights how stress is no longer limited to teenagers but affects people of all ages, largely due to our addiction to technology. He skillfully identifies how our dependency on smartphones has created a significant imbalance in the way we manage our lives. Technology has become essential to our daily routines, creating a reliance that disrupts our natural balance. What’s remarkable is that, instead of merely pointing out the problem, Justin took action and launched a company to help solve it—making a real difference in people’s lives.”
—PATRICK HOPF, Founder, Board Member and former CEO of Sleep Number Beds

“A compassionate, clear-eyed, and practical guide to finding and keeping calm in an increasingly demanding and chaotic world.”
—JO LAWSON, CEO, LUUM, Inc. and Former Apple Inc. Executive