A Calm Brain: How to Relax into a Stress-Free, High-Powered Life

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Progressive muscle relaxation has been shown to be a good way to help relax the effects of stress on your body. Similar to a body scan, progressive muscle relaxation involves closing your eyes and focusing on specific parts of your body by tensing and relaxing different areas— from your toes all the way up to your shoulders. Either way, give your mind an outlet. It doesn’t need to be perfect or well formulated. Just get it out there, you can edit and improve the thoughts later. When you get into the habit of doing it, it will feel like a weight has been lifted. You know longer need to carry those thoughts with you as you have left them on the pad of paper. 2. Organize your thinking and draw conclusions There is a need for a solution that is more sensitively attuned to a child or adult’s psychological needs. Environment and Behavior: "Marine Biota and Psychological Well-Being: A Preliminary Examination of Dose-Response Effects in an Aquarium Setting."

The frontal cortex is arguably the most interesting part of the human brain, and it is responsible for all the rational behavior we exhibit that makes life a rewarding experience. It is responsible for long-term planning, emotional regulation, gratification postponement – basically all the qualities a human being needs to be a productive and functioning member of society. We understand what it means to make sacrifices to build wealth for future generations, but we do it at the expense of spending meaningful time with our loved ones today. Slowing down your breath creates a calming response which helps calm the mind of thoughts, images, memories, and perceptions. The great thing about deep breathing and other breathing relaxation techniques is that they can be combined with most other suggestions on this list. 10. Get professional medical advice for mental healthOver time, this tendency to ruminate in bed gets reinforced, like a vicious loop. Then, our brains become conditioned to begin worrying when we lie down at night.

But most importantly for us, it allows for smooth functioning of the anterior cingulate gyrus. The thing about the ACG is that if left unregulated, it has the tendency to spin around wildly, like an unhinged merry-go-around caught in the middle of a windstorm. Unsurprisingly, looking at a bright screen that has access to all of the world’s information all at once before bedtime can absolutely trigger or worsen your racing thoughts. Encourage a family member or friend to join you at least once a week for a nature walk, yoga class, or other relaxing activity like getting together for coffee or lunch. A healthy level of serotonin in the brain is crucial, and one reliable way to boost it naturally is through consistent exercise (it also helps to do it when t Be conscious when you shift your attention from your anxiety to a task at hand and notice how you feel.Your brain responds directly to neurotransmitters – little chemicals inside your body that send messages to your brain about how you should feel, think, act, and more. Many neurotransmitters have been linked to anxiety, including: This is why when a friend decides to scare the shit out of you by hiding around the corner, the very first thing you feel is intense bodily sensation, powered by the adrenaline and norepinephrine release triggering the fight-or-flight response. De Cássia da Silveira e Sá R, et al. (2017). Analgesic-like activity of essential oil constituents: An update. DOI:

And don't forget hobbies. The hobbies you enjoy in your free time can help move your mind away from harmful thoughts toward a more peaceful place. Surely you have a Spotify playlist to pep you up or soothe your soul. Crank it. Just listening to music has relaxation benefits, one study shows Linnemann A, et al. (2015). Music listening as a means of stress reduction in daily life. DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.06.008.And if you’re not going to bug anyone else, go ahead and sing along. You know you want to. 31. Bust a moveAt that moment, while meditating, your mind can rest. Here’s where your mind rests and restores from its constant activity and chatter. Likewise, some other times that’s why you often feel tired and overwhelmed because you spend a lot of time in your mind. Mindfulness meditation is effective at managing emotional stress, lowering blood pressure, improving mental health, and assisting with stress management. When you’re ready, move your focus to your calf muscles, repeating the process of noticing sensations, letting go of thoughts or stories, and visualizing the tension leaving through your breath. This tip requires you to practice the breathing techniques you’ve learned. After taking a few deep breaths, close your eyes and picture yourself calm. See your body relaxed, and imagine yourself working through a stressful or anxiety-causing situation by staying calm and focused.