The part of the brain that is heavily involved in survival activities is also involved in mediating appetite. This means that trauma or stress can dysregulate the neuro-physiological networks involved in the regulation of appetite, leading to maladaptation. For example, acutely stress out a lab rat and it becomes hypophagic (its appetite is surpressed). Chronically stress out the same rat (please don't try this at home?) and it becomes hyperphagic(its appetite is stimulated). Although this process is also applicable to humans, it is far from straightforward as humans are extremely complex. There are several factors that can mediate whether Continue reading
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Your body is a powerful biofeedback device. It communicates with your awareness centre about your state of being. The term 'soma' is a Greek word that means 'body.' The subconscious intelligence of the body that evaluates environmental and viscera risk factors while alerting the brain accordingly via its sensory nerves is what is referred to as The Somatic Intelligence. Your somatic intelligence is designed to draw your attention to a potentially state of unease before it becomes a full blown disorder. Unfortunately, many of us override or are complete unaware of our bodily cues to self-regulate. This could lead to Continue reading
Do you know that regular singing can help you manage anxiety and stress? Singing aloud is perhaps one of the most underrated stress management activities. Singing is a powerful neuro-exercise that has the ability to not only change your mood but also your physiological state. The management of your exhalation (out-breathe) that is consistent with singing aloud triggers a neuro-regulation of safety in your heart’s pacemaker, leading to a physiological shift from a defensive mode of stress to a safety mode of relaxation, tranquility and healing. In this clip, I explain in detail how this process works and how singing Continue reading
Like many modern cars that are equipped with an adaptive cruise-control with the capability to know when to cruise, accelerate, slow down or shutdown, the human nervous system contains an inbuilt adaptive mechanism that constantly evaluates risks and safety in your environment to determine whether or not it should cruise, mobilise or immobilise survival energy. In humans, the immobilisation defence system (such as, dissociation, numbness, passing out, frozenness, vasovagal syncope etc.) is as crucial for survival as the mobilisation defence system (such as, hyperarousal, hyper-vigilance, insomnia, panic attacks and anxiety, etc.). These two systems are designed to enhance your chances Continue reading
Your physical and emotional wellness is strongly connected to the quality of your social affiliations. The brain is a relational organ that requires constant social interactions to stay in a positive state that supports cognitive and emotional resilience. The resiliency of your entire nervous system is encoded in its regular cues of safety and love it derives from its environment. Social isolation is by far a bigger risk factor regarding shorter life expectancy than smoking, obesity, diabetes or even hypertension. Humans rapidly degenerate into an immuno-suppressive state in an environment of chronic social deprivation. Isolation compromises your immunity and leaves Continue reading
If you missed my Q&A session on mental health, you can catch up here. Continue reading
Hope is the unwillingness to give up on life in spite of raging adversities. It is the resolution to continue to climb the upward-steps of life, even though you can’t see the entire stair-case. Hope is not just psychological, it is also bio-chemical, meaning that it can readapt your cognition, emotions and physiology. Hope affects almost all the hormones/neurotransmitters in your body, including your stress hormones, growth hormones, reproductive hormones, sex hormones, motivation hormones, and so on. In fact, your entire endocrine system is at the mercy of your willingness or unwillingness to hold-on to hope when the goings of Continue reading
[Please Note: This clip contains some background noises as it was recorded while on a trip to the beautiful Linton Falls in West Yorkshire] Stress is an adaptive response of the body to a perceived threat. Your stress response (fight-flight-freeze response) is an attempt of the nervous system to enhance your chances of survival. Although the neuro-physiological mechanism of your stress response is largely automatic, humans have an enduring capacity to mediate and influence the autonomic stress response through the power of mindful awareness and relaxation-based activities. You can learn to manually interrupt your fight/flight cycle by initiating a neurophysiological Continue reading
Your body is the external interpreter of your internal emotions. Whatever repressed emotions or feelings you continue to repress will eventually find their expression through your somatic (bodily) symptoms. In stressful moments of life, listening to your body is critical to diminishing the hyperarousal of your body that is often induced by the over-activation of the fight-or-flight response. By listening to your body and accurately evaluating its basic, adaptive and homeostatic needs at a given time (e.g. rest, sleep, water, food, exercise, social interaction, self-compassion, self-care, relaxation, gratitude, support, respite, appreciation, solitude. etc.) and meeting that need as much as Continue reading
Productivity is always connected to levels of happiness, although few people will admit it. Humans are creatures of momentum. Stagnation suffocates self-fulfilment and stifles serendipity. Two parameters are key to gauging your happiness-meter in life; progress and relationships. The degree to which you think your life is moving forward will influence your subjective assessment for personal happiness. Similarly, the quality of your close relationships will decide your stress or happiness levels. In this 60 sec video, I focus on the science of progress and share a simple but powerful key to improving productivity, thereby boosting the readings on your happiness-meter. Continue reading