Turn On Your Brain . . . Part II

The last post introduced Brain Balancers and Brain Benders as 2 of 4 Brain Basics needed to chart the course for peak plasticity and pave the path to overall good health.  Here are Brain Basics 3 and 4:

Brain Boosters

Physical exercise is necessary to keep the body and brain in top form. Make sure to start the oxygen flowing even if it’s just from walking. Stretching in the morning also helps to wake everything up -- including your brain. Whatever you do, get the blood and endorphins moving! Go to the gym, go for a run, ride a bike, take the stairs, swim. Try yoga which is both meditative and physical and has the added benefit of mentally directing the brain.  Competitive sports also do this because the challenge is to be both physically and mentally alert. Exercise is important now and at every life stage. It will keep you physically fit, clear your mind, help you focus and become psychologically therapeutic. It boosts metal processing and can protect the brain from decline in old age. Most people agree that they feel better and perform better when they exercise. Your brain will say the same.

Brain Bolsters
You are what you eat. So take a minute to think about your intake. A balanced diet is a must and more and more research suggests that vitamin supplements are, too. Antioxidants (cleansers that ward off deterioration), omega-3 acids (promote brain development and function), folic acid (blood levels), selenium (mood), complex carbohydrates (function) and vitamins B (function), C and E (antioxidants) can all be found in fresh foods or taken as supplements. Berries, grapes, prunes, spinach, salmon, flaxseed, walnuts, almonds, yogurt, oat bran, garlic and tuna are just some of the many foods that provide one or more brain bolsters. Gingko Biloba (memory) is probably the most commonly known supplement and fish oil high in omega-3 (farm grown, no mercury) is said to be the brain’s best friend -- for life. Feed your body, feed your brain.  For more information, check out www.lifeextension.com.

Activity engages brain plasticity and apathy encourages brain atrophy. Complacency turns the brain “off.” New challenges keep it “on.” So, go ahead and challenge the brain with new activity and new ideas.  Make exercise a priority and exercise your right to be the best you can be. Direct your thoughts to the positive and keep physical and emotional chaos in perspective through the ability to balance.  Provide nourishment and get the opportunity to live life a little larger, a lot happier, and definitely healthier.  RELAX. SET. GO.

Turn On Your Brain . . . Part I

Brain plasticity, or brain fitness, thrives on stimulation but depends on balance.  Complacency, redundancy and everyday routine constrict brain plasticity, but so does the constant beating of over exertion caused by stress and habitually negative influences.  You may not be able to control genetics but you can orchestrate how you live.  What you put in is what you get out.  You have the input so use it!

Use it to nourish your brain.  Use it to keep life positive.  Use it to teach the brain new tricks.  Use it to teach yourself some new tricks.  Four brain basics are all you need to chart your course for peak plasticity and pave the path to overall good health.  To keep the post on the short side, I deliver them in two parts.  Part I:

Brain Balancers
The brain does listen and the squeaky wheel does get the grease, so when chaos starts to take over and things seem to be in overdrive, put an emphasis on balance.  Put the emphasis on good energy.  Think positively.  Think that anything and everything great is possible.  Take a minute to RELAX. SET. GO.  Tell your brain to slow everything down, especially when you are at the height of stress.  Take a deep breath and direct the brain to process, balance and restore.  Stay away from the negative.  Make a visual for it and push it out the door.  Destructive thoughts are just that, especially when they fuel an already stressful situation.  If you give them weight, so will the brain and plasticity will bear the burden.  Plasticity is pliable.  Mold your thoughts . . . Mold your brain. You have your fingers on the clay!

Brain Benders
Brain benders are defined as physical and intellectual dexterity exercises.  Dexterity exercises challenge our dominant sides and help break comfort zones.  It’s basically doing the opposite of what comes naturally.  If you are right handed, try using your left hand instead.  Not so easy to do . . . and that’s what makes it so good for the brain.  You have to think about it.  You have to direct the brain to do something different . . . to be flexible.  Learn to play an instrument or a new dance step and you will find the same benefit. Pretty much any physical action that challenges your brain to break a dominant pattern can be considered a brain bender.  And the more variety, the better.  

The same goes for intellectual dexterity. Crossword puzzles, educational classes, reading, logic games and quizzes all bend the brain to think differently and stay flexible.  If you tell the brain you can’t do something, it won’t even try.  So push yourself just a little and you will see results.  Switch it up when it gets too easy or routine and always keep exercising your right to bend your brain. 

Remember, the brain responds to the direction we give it.  We should be directing it all the time.  Keep it positive.  Keep it pliable.  RELAX.  SET.  GO.

The Heart of Stress is the Brain

Even though people correctly relate stress to the heart, the reality is that the heart of stress is the brain. It’s true. Stress threatens the very thing that makes us think, yet we rarely think about it all. So, think about this: The entire body’s response to stress begins with the brain. So does the ability to manage it.

The brain sets off the chain reaction that sends the stress signal to every other organ in the body. Stress hormones and adrenalines released in the brain trigger shifts in emotion and memory. They also signal the heart to beat faster, the lungs to increase the respiratory rate, and the immune system to become suppressed. They send more blood to vital organs which means less blood for non-vital organs like skin, the gastrointestinal track and stomach. Pretty much everything goes into either overdrive or under-drive. Acute stress sends the body reeling and chronic stress inhibits the body’s ability to balance back from the stress response. Either way, it's not good for your health.

It may not make sense that you can use your brain to tell your brain what to do but that is exactly what RELAX. SET. GO. does. And, managing stress is a big part of it. When you RELAX., you call on the brain to balance. When you SET., you tell the brain to respond in a positive manner. When you GO., you put the response into motion. You connect 'thought' to physiology and stress response.  The response is connected to brain plasticity and brain plasticity is connected to everything.

Brain plasticity is the ability of the brain to adapt, to change and to be challenged throughout the duration of our lives. It is the brain’s willingness to fight against gradual deterioration and some say, to foster the idea of the brain’s very own regenerative fountain of youth. The old adage is true, the mind is a terrible thing to waste. Even more true today, it is a terrible thing to waste away because of the mind.

Think of the brain as a robust mound of clay that can either stay moist and pliable or become dry and shrivel up. The plasticity of the clay, or in this case the brain, is the key to maintaining maximum function. You have to work the clay to keep it flexible. The same goes for the brain and keeping it fit and nimble from now through old age is an opportunity of a lifetime. Just scratching the surface of brain plasticity opens new doors and new thoughts about staying healthy and aging gracefully. More to come. RELAX. SET. GO.

Distractions and Memory Lapses . . . More Tell Tale Signs

Disadvantaged by Distractions: Even under the best circumstances, most people experience periods where they find it difficult to stay focused or able to concentrate on a specific task. Instead, their attention is divided and disadvantaged by distractions. Distractions are everywhere and can be external, such as a television in the background, or internal, such as emotional spinning over a personal issue. Under stress, lack of focus is worse because the ability to filter out distractions is further compromised by the fact that the effects of stress are distracters themselves. Anxiety, headaches, fatigue, frustration and any kind of personal overload are likely to contribute to a kind of temporary, stress induced A.D.D. Add these to the more tangible external distractions and the ancillaries begin to overshadow the important. They will not be ignored! As a result, attention ricochets and focus is all but lost. When this happens, productivity becomes challenged and to make matters worse, it becomes more and more difficult to properly process, retain and recall information.

Absent Minded Memory Lapses: Attention and memory are closely connected and they are both huge quality of life issues. It’s frustrating to see productivity decrease and it’s downright scary when you can’t seem to remember a thing or find yourself questioning the things you do remember. This can cause even greater stress because of the doubt and confusion that absent minded memory lapses create. If you are not focusing then you are basically skimming, which is a way of going about daily routines in auto pilot. The less focus, the less likely that even simple information like names or where you put something will not be registered, easily recalled, or even retained in memory at all. It can wreak havoc when you find yourself unable to recall details of a morning meeting or a conversation that you had with someone only a day earlier. Have you ever forgotten something you just reminded yourself to do? If you have ever thought you were losing your mind because you couldn’t remember something, then stress, not diminishing brain capacity, is the likely culprit.

Attention = Retention. Whether it’s positive or negative, the squeaky wheel gets the grease because the squeaky wheel calls for attention. Pay attention to the tell tale signs but don’t wait until their squeak is a shriek! Once you recognize them, you will be able to focus on the important and filter out the irrelevant.  RELAX. SET. GO. . .

Emotional Discord

There is nothing more easily and negatively triggered by stress than emotional discord.  This post is about the onset of extreme emotional behavior due to chronic and/or acute stress.  It’s not pretty and it is definitely not the positive energy that RSG strives to create and embrace.  So brace yourself.  These tell tale signs mean it’s time to take notice.

Tension Talk (TT):  This best describes the tone of voice that strikes a sharp, annoyed or condescending chord.  Tension Talk is generally associated with impatience, mounting anger and a shift in disposition.  Chronic stress can cause everything to tense up which means the tension has to eventually let out in one way or another.  Even the kindest people can become callous and argumentative when they reach their limit.  Unfortunately, there is a tendency to subject this poor temperament on the people who deserve it the least and who will tolerate it the most.  Not only do we hurt the ones we love but we hurt the ones we can.  

Public Display of Drama (PDD):  Also disruptive is the tendency for people to lose their cool by verbally lashing out in a crude public display of drama. Even when the emotion is justified, the conduct is not.   In this scenario, a person will create conflict or react harshly to something that under less stressful circumstances would otherwise be diverted, dealt with or not seen as a problem at all.  This unbecoming performance makes everyone uncomfortable and is generally followed by a feeling of intense embarrassment on the part of the dramatist. Stress may cause the drama but common sense knows it went too far.  Harboring guilt doesn’t do anything and apologies may do damage control but neither should not be used as a crutch for flare-ups.  Like Tension Talk, PDD is easily ignited bad behavior that is hard to excuse, even at the height of stress.

Mini Meltdowns:  Mini meltdowns are sudden outbursts of explosive and irrational behavior associated with uncontrollable fits of anger and frustration.  They come and go quickly but in their wrath and fury, can leash an assault that leaves an aftermath of emotional devastation.  Mini meltdowns are dangerous because they are as extreme in terms of pressure on the body as they are an extreme digression from otherwise normal behavior and character.  They are mentally ravaging due to the intensity of rage and can result in painful headaches and total exhaustion if not something more serious like a dangerous spike in blood pressure which can lead to arrhythmia.

Unlike PDD, most people who have mini meltdowns are too self absorbed to take notice and accept accountability.  When they do, mini meltdowns can be insensitively mocked and dismissed as periods of temporary insanity, no matter how much damage they have done.  Indeed, the outbursts don’t make sense in relation to common sense.  They tend to happen most often when someone is on the brink of a situational abyss; impending divorce, job loss, looming financial debt, and any other significant life issues where a person feels victimized and/or completely out of control. If mini meltdowns become even remotely common meltdowns, they should be addressed with a medical professional.

Mini Breakdowns:  Where meltdowns are extended outward, breakdowns are driven inward.  They are periods where the feeling of not being able to cope and the desire to disengage becomes the governing force.  Depression, overarching sadness, hopelessness, desperation, apathy and lethargy become the main emotions that preside over the fate of their captive.  And captive is exactly what it feels like. The emotional weight is so heavy that it can paralyze but most people have no choice but to trudge through the day to day until the weight starts to lift.  It’s when the breakdown represents prolonged inertia or decline of emotional and physical health, that it must be met with medical attention as soon as possible.  

If you have given into any of these emotional pitfalls, even occasionally, both the behavior and the stress need to be addressed.  The key as always, is that you can choose how to manage it all and always maintain self control.  Whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up if you’ve entered a bad place.  The exit door is open, accessible and desirable as long as you RELAX.  SET.  GO.

The Spiraling Effect

If I had a nickel for every time I felt guilty about not doing something, I would be a rich woman.

If I spent have as much time actually doing the things that I spend way too much time thinking about doing, I would be far more productive and have more time on my hands.

If I stopped putting so much pressure on myself to accomplish everything I think I should be doing, I would have a lot less stress in my life and feel a greater sense of accomplishment.

If I had a lot less stress in my life, I would be virtually free from captivity of stress related ailments and admittedly, the occasional spell of out of body bad behavior.
Stress starts the chain reaction but even more so, it begets a vicious cycle. . .a spiraling effect.  What should be infrequent becomes every day. What should be forbid becomes tolerated. What should be addressed becomes overlooked. We are hardly to blame but we have no one to blame but ourselves . . . a vicious cycle, indeed! Here are three tell tale signs that the cycle is spiraling into your life.

Restless Sleep: Stress can get into sleep cycles which results in the feeling of not having slept at all. Whether it is insomnia, a restless night of tossing and turning or deep dreams that zap the very energy meant to be replenished, stress will wreak havoc on your ability to get a good night sleep. In addition, teeth grinding, night sweats and snoring are all danger signs that stress is making the body work overtime with no regard to the sleep patterns, especially uninterrupted REM sleep, that are critical to maintaining good health.

Fighting Fatigue: Fatigue and stress are a bad combination. Stress causes fatigue and being tired all of the time escalates the level of stress on any given situation. The more exhausted a person is, the more sleep is needed, yet chronic stress is more likely to result in sleep deprivation. Fatigue affects productivity, the ability to think clearly and to the deftness to act quickly. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can actually effect drivers in the same manner as being intoxicated.

Tension Headache: Tension headaches happen when the muscle and skeleton around the neck and scalp tighten. They are the most common result of stress and can last hours or days depending on the person. As part of the vicious cycle, tension headaches are often caused by and greatly exacerbated by fatigue. The more tired and stressed you are, the more likely they are to occur and to last. They are rarely debilitating but can temporarily effect fine motor skills, productivity and overall mood, which nonetheless, can feel debilitating!

All of this and more can change but it will take you to break the cycle and end the spiraling effect. As promised, the next several posts will point out more of the tell tale signs that signal the need to reclaim a consistently healthy and treasured quality of life. As for now, if you take just one stressor off your emotional plate, you will begin to see a change. So, RELAX. and think about something that you can stress less about. SET. your mind to making that commitment. And GO. enjoy a full but more manageable plate. I am not going to feel guilty about moving items from today’s To Do list onto tomorrow’s. If it’s not a hard deadline, then I’m going to allow myself the flexibility. What will you allow yourself today? RELAX. SET. GO.

Question Stress

Almost everything we do, emotional and physical, is affected by stress. To be fair, it’s true that not all stress is bad. Stress that brings about short term, manageable pressure can motivate action, stimulate creativity and set off an adrenaline rush that will make anyone feel great. However, what goes up must come down so as the adrenaline spike balances out, so will that rush of empowerment. As discussed in the last post (Chain Reaction), it’s how and when adrenal levels come down that make all the difference in how much stress a person can manage. And that can make all the difference in the wear and tear on both emotional and physical health.

Everyone has a barometer for stress and how they deal with it. Some people wear it like a badge of honor, ready to conquer and control. Others relinquish every emotion to stress and become totally consumed by it. Some people try to escape the obvious by ignoring stress completely and others see stressors as problems to be solved like items on a To Do list. Regardless of how you or anyone else deals with stress, in order to manage it, you have to recognize it and question it.

How does it affect the way you physically feel?
How does it affect your state of mind?
How does it affect your productivity?
How does it affect your behavior?
How long does it take to rebound from the affects of stress?

What is stress doing to you or more importantly, what is stress robbing from you? Quality of life? Time? Perspective? Clarity? Memory? Sleep? Energy? Optimism? Your health? All of the above . . . and likely even more? RELAX. Take some time and really think about all of this. SET. The narrative you choose will have everything to do with the way you manage stress. GO. How you deal with stress from this day on is up to you!

Over the next several posts, I will discuss common symptoms that are caused by stress including: tension headaches, fatigue, restless sleep, tension talk, public display of drama, mini meltdowns, mini breakdowns, inability to focus and memory loss.  More to come . . . less to stress.