How to rewire your brain for better sleep
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Struggling with sticking to a healthy bedtime and tired of daytime fatigue? Your mind may be to blame.
How you think about sleep and how you prioritize it in your daily life can have a significant impact on your quality of rest. If you view rest as a chore or waste of time, it likely won’t top your mental to-do-list.
But, changing your mindset on snoozing can give you a boost. Try these tips to mentally rewire your brain for better sleep and get motivated to make healthy rest a part of your lifestyle.
1. Rethink Your Perspective on Sleep
How you view rest (whether positive, negative, dismissively, or with anxiety) can significantly affect your quality of sleep. Learn to see sleep in a new light by reminding yourself of the immense value healthy habits bring to our lives.
Every minute of shuteye is precious. During sleep, your body actively restores, renews and heals. No matter what you value in life, it’s almost a guarantee that sleep plays a direct role. Here are just a few reasons why sleep should be a top priority, according to the Harvard Health Sleep website:
- It affects how you look.
- It affects your fitness.
- It affects your health.
- It affects your brain.
- It affects your relationships.
- It affects your job.
What are your core priorities? Is there a fitness goal you are trying to achieve, do you want to be more present for your family, or do you want to simply stay healthy? Keep this awareness in mind as you begin rewiring your mind and improving your sleep habits.
When you feel like there is too much to do in your day to make time for rest or you are struggling to put your iPad down late at night, remind yourself of the reasons why you want to sleep better.
2. Put Stress In Its Place
Although being cognizant of the value of sleep is important, it is also essential to not preoccupy your mind with negative thoughts and stress if sleep doesn’t come easyly.
Not only can this create sleep anxiety, but researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital found that people who ruminate on stress or try to avoid it were more likely to have insomnia symptoms. Other stress-relief tactics like positive reframing, religion and venting did not increase insomnia.
If you are stressing over snoozing, try positive affirmations – replace thoughts like “I can’t get to sleep and I have so much to do tomorrow!” with statements like “I will fall asleep soon and feel well-rested tomorrow”. If you are not physically tired, get out of bed and read or relax to music in a dim room until you feel sleepy.
Other studies also found that people with higher levels of gratitude experienced better sleep. Gratitude also has real effects on sleep-boosting neurotransmitters! Remind yourself of what you are thankful for before bed rather than you to-do list or stressful thoughts.
You can also neutralize stress and sleep-stealing thoughts with relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation and visualization. Try different things to see what works for you, and incorporate these habits into your daily routine.
3. Plan for Better Rest
An evening pre-bed routine helps prepare you mentally and physically for rest. Your body and mind know that it is time to start winding down, and that sleep is soon to follow. Your nighttime routine should have a consistent pattern and timing every night, and should allow enough time to get adequate rest in.
Two hours before bedtime, you might start with a warm bath or shower. Slip into pajamas, begin dimming lights, and drop the thermostat to cool your bedroom. Start weaning yourself off of smartphones, laptops and television. Stop checking emails and Facebook, and make a conscious effort to be calm and tranquil.
Include habits that relax you and release stress as mentioned above. Try reading, journaling, listening to calm music, stretching, a crossword puzzle, meditation, a cup of decaf tea – anything that puts you in the mood for slumber. When it’s close to bedtime, wash your face, brush your teeth, and slip into your cozy bed ready for sleep.
4. Set Gradual Goals
When it comes to sleep, small changes are often best for long-term results. Set gradual and attainable goals for getting more sleep or adjusting your bedtime and wake time. You might start by sleeping 15 minutes more per night, or shifting your bedtime or alarm 15 minutes earlier.
Think of what you hope to accomplish, and set gradual steps for getting there. You can even make it a game where you compete against your personal best, or work together with a partner for encouragement.
5. Track Your Sleep
For many people, tracking sleep habits and improvements toward goals can be motivating and encouraging. Use a journal or try sleep apps to monitor when you are sleeping and waking. Tracking rest can help you see where you can improve, and many apps also provide helpful insight into ways your routine affects sleep.
6. Reward Yourself for Reaching Goals
We are mentally wired to enjoy and seek rewards after we do things. One study on obesity found that people who set goals, monitored progress, and rewarded themselves for changing unhealthy habits had the most success at weight loss. While obesity and sleep are different, the behavioral aspects of changing habits are similar, and links between goals and rewards have been studied many times.
Plan a few small and healthy rewards to treat yourself as you reach your better sleep goals. Think about small motivators that will encourage you. Examples might include saving episodes of a favorite show on DVR, having a small piece of dark chocolate, listening to your favorite song in the morning, indulging in a new book or new workout gear, or a spa treat.
7. Stay Consistent
Consistent routines and sleep/wake times are an important part of good sleep hygiene and of developing new habits, as well.
Your internal sleep clock operates best with consistency, and studies even show consistent sleep wake times with healthier body weight. When you plan your sleep schedule, pick times that you can stick to within one hour all week long, even on the weekends.
Stick with your goals and the new routine, but don’t get discouraged if you slip up for a day or two – you can always jump back in.
Remember, focus on the benefits of rest and make a conscious effort to prioritize sleep. Seek ways to deal with stress, and make better rest a reality by planning and sticking to a consistent schedule, with goals and rewards to motivate you along the way.
What encourages you to sleep better? How do you make a rest a priority in your routine?
- Share
- Pin it
- Tweet
- Share
Struggling with sticking to a healthy bedtime and tired of daytime fatigue? Your mind may be to blame.
How you think about sleep and how you prioritize it in your daily life can have a significant impact on your quality of rest. If you view rest as a chore or waste of time, it likely won’t top your mental to-do-list.
But, changing your mindset on snoozing can give you a boost. Try these tips to mentally rewire your brain for better sleep and get motivated to make healthy rest a part of your lifestyle.
1. Rethink Your Perspective on Sleep
How you view rest (whether positive, negative, dismissively, or with anxiety) can significantly affect your quality of sleep. Learn to see sleep in a new light by reminding yourself of the immense value healthy habits bring to our lives.
Every minute of shuteye is precious. During sleep, your body actively restores, renews and heals. No matter what you value in life, it’s almost a guarantee that sleep plays a direct role. Here are just a few reasons why sleep should be a top priority, according to the Harvard Health Sleep website:
- It affects how you look.
- It affects your fitness.
- It affects your health.
- It affects your brain.
- It affects your relationships.
- It affects your job.
What are your core priorities? Is there a fitness goal you are trying to achieve, do you want to be more present for your family, or do you want to simply stay healthy? Keep this awareness in mind as you begin rewiring your mind and improving your sleep habits.
When you feel like there is too much to do in your day to make time for rest or you are struggling to put your iPad down late at night, remind yourself of the reasons why you want to sleep better.
2. Put Stress In Its Place
Although being cognizant of the value of sleep is important, it is also essential to not preoccupy your mind with negative thoughts and stress if sleep doesn’t come easyly.
Not only can this create sleep anxiety, but researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital found that people who ruminate on stress or try to avoid it were more likely to have insomnia symptoms. Other stress-relief tactics like positive reframing, religion and venting did not increase insomnia.
If you are stressing over snoozing, try positive affirmations – replace thoughts like “I can’t get to sleep and I have so much to do tomorrow!” with statements like “I will fall asleep soon and feel well-rested tomorrow”. If you are not physically tired, get out of bed and read or relax to music in a dim room until you feel sleepy.
Other studies also found that people with higher levels of gratitude experienced better sleep. Gratitude also has real effects on sleep-boosting neurotransmitters! Remind yourself of what you are thankful for before bed rather than you to-do list or stressful thoughts.
You can also neutralize stress and sleep-stealing thoughts with relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation and visualization. Try different things to see what works for you, and incorporate these habits into your daily routine.
3. Plan for Better Rest
An evening pre-bed routine helps prepare you mentally and physically for rest. Your body and mind know that it is time to start winding down, and that sleep is soon to follow. Your nighttime routine should have a consistent pattern and timing every night, and should allow enough time to get adequate rest in.
Two hours before bedtime, you might start with a warm bath or shower. Slip into pajamas, begin dimming lights, and drop the thermostat to cool your bedroom. Start weaning yourself off of smartphones, laptops and television. Stop checking emails and Facebook, and make a conscious effort to be calm and tranquil.
Include habits that relax you and release stress as mentioned above. Try reading, journaling, listening to calm music, stretching, a crossword puzzle, meditation, a cup of decaf tea – anything that puts you in the mood for slumber. When it’s close to bedtime, wash your face, brush your teeth, and slip into your cozy bed ready for sleep.
4. Set Gradual Goals
When it comes to sleep, small changes are often best for long-term results. Set gradual and attainable goals for getting more sleep or adjusting your bedtime and wake time. You might start by sleeping 15 minutes more per night, or shifting your bedtime or alarm 15 minutes earlier.
Think of what you hope to accomplish, and set gradual steps for getting there. You can even make it a game where you compete against your personal best, or work together with a partner for encouragement.
5. Track Your Sleep
For many people, tracking sleep habits and improvements toward goals can be motivating and encouraging. Use a journal or try sleep apps to monitor when you are sleeping and waking. Tracking rest can help you see where you can improve, and many apps also provide helpful insight into ways your routine affects sleep.
6. Reward Yourself for Reaching Goals
We are mentally wired to enjoy and seek rewards after we do things. One study on obesity found that people who set goals, monitored progress, and rewarded themselves for changing unhealthy habits had the most success at weight loss. While obesity and sleep are different, the behavioral aspects of changing habits are similar, and links between goals and rewards have been studied many times.
Plan a few small and healthy rewards to treat yourself as you reach your better sleep goals. Think about small motivators that will encourage you. Examples might include saving episodes of a favorite show on DVR, having a small piece of dark chocolate, listening to your favorite song in the morning, indulging in a new book or new workout gear, or a spa treat.
7. Stay Consistent
Consistent routines and sleep/wake times are an important part of good sleep hygiene and of developing new habits, as well.
Your internal sleep clock operates best with consistency, and studies even show consistent sleep wake times with healthier body weight. When you plan your sleep schedule, pick times that you can stick to within one hour all week long, even on the weekends.
Stick with your goals and the new routine, but don’t get discouraged if you slip up for a day or two – you can always jump back in.
Remember, focus on the benefits of rest and make a conscious effort to prioritize sleep. Seek ways to deal with stress, and make better rest a reality by planning and sticking to a consistent schedule, with goals and rewards to motivate you along the way.
What encourages you to sleep better? How do you make a rest a priority in your routine?
If you have trouble falling asleep, you aren’t alone. One in four Americans develops insomnia at some point — and while most people recover, sleep problems can sometimes last for months or even years[ * ]. Lack of sleep may be tied to stress, anxiety, trauma, sensory sensitivity, autism, and a variety of other causes.
At Brain Harmony, we’ve worked with thousands of patients, many of whom came in struggling to sleep well. We have a wealth of therapeutic methods, brain-based technology, and other tools that can help you retrain your nervous system for rest and relaxation.
If you’re having trouble sleeping, we can help. Here’s a look at why sleep is important, and how you can use brain-focused occupational therapy to get deeper, more restorative sleep.
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is essential to both mental and physical health. It’s during sleep that your brain recharges itself, gets rid of waste byproducts that accumulate throughout the day, and organizes knowledge, experiences, and memories[ * ].
Sleep also affects mood and behavior. We see a lot of patients (especially children) who come in with severe behavioral or emotional problems. It turns out they aren’t sleeping well; after we work to improve their sleep, their issues improve almost immediately.
When you look at the research, perhaps that isn’t so surprising. Studies show that poor sleep increases depression, anxiety, anger, stress, confusion, and fatigue[ * ][ * ]. Cognitive function declines as well — people who don’t sleep well have slower reflexes, worse memory, and trouble focusing[ * ].
Finally, lack of sleep disrupts hormone production and metabolism, which can lead to weight gain and further issues with mood and mental performance[ * ].
If you’ve ever tried to function without sleep, you know how important it is to your wellbeing. Even a few nights of bad sleep can have a profound effect on how you think and feel.
Treatment Methods to Improve Sleep
At Brain Harmony we use a variety of methods to improve sleep. Our licensed therapists will work with you to create a personalized plan of care based on your unique needs.
We’ll start by measuring your baseline sleep performance, as well as a variety of cognitive functions. Based on the results, we’ll figure out exactly what to do to help you get a good night’s rest.
If you’re struggling with chronic stress or anxiety, for example, we may suggest the Safe and Sound Protocol, a 5-day brain training program that calms down nervous system activity and promotes relaxation at the physiological level.
If it takes you a long time to fall asleep, we may recommend therapeutic exercises to wind your brain down at the end of a long day.
If you have sensory sensitivity and find the feel of sheets and pillows, sounds, changes in temperature, and other sensory experiences unpleasant at night, we can use brain training technology and exercises that help you reorganize your brain, decreasing your sensory sensitivity so you can fall asleep comfortably.
You may also benefit from Alpha Stim AID, a cutting-edge technology that sends tiny electrical signals through your brain, activating areas of your brain that can help you fall asleep. Many of our patients also see improvements in anxiety and depression after using Alpha Stim.
Our plan of care changes based on your unique needs. Whatever you’re struggling with, we’ll find the best approach to help you improve.
How Brain Harmony Helped Anne Sleep Better
At only eight years old, Anne was one of our younger sleep patients. She came to therapy for irritability, oppositional behavior, and tantrums that often lasted for hours. She also shared feelings of self-loathing and guilt.
After taking Anne through a few assessments, our licensed occupational therapists discovered that she wasn’t sleeping well. Even when she slept through the night, Anne’s sleep quality was low. She wasn’t waking up well rested, and the lack of sleep was affecting her mood and behavior.
We recommended that Anne try the Safe and Sound Protocol to help calm her nervous system and create a feeling of comfortable safety. We also suggested the DreamPad, a special pillow that converts music to gentle, soothing vibrations only the user can hear. Further we used a muli-sensory tool to better integrate her sensory system so she was less reactive to sensory input.
Here’s a testimonial from Anne’s Mother, shortly after Anne started her Brain Harmony plan of care:
“Brain Harmony recommended Anne start with the DreamPad pillow at night. I was shocked what a difference this pillow made right from the start. We began using the pillow every night which changed our lives. Almost immediately she began to have ‘good days’. We don’t go anywhere without her DreamPad!“
If you’re having trouble sleeping, we want to hear about it. Schedule a free consultation to talk to one of our licensed therapists about your needs. Together, we can figure out a plan of care to help you enjoy deep, restorative sleep, every night.
Struggling with sticking to a healthy bedtime and tired of daytime fatigue? Your mind may be to blame.
How you think about sleep and how you prioritize it in your daily life can have a significant impact on your quality of rest. If you view rest as a chore or waste of time, it likely won’t top your mental to-do-list.
But, changing your mindset on snoozing can give you a boost. Try these tips to mentally rewire your brain for better sleep and get motivated to make healthy rest a part of your lifestyle.
1. Rethink Your Perspective on Sleep
How you view rest (whether positive, negative, dismissively, or with anxiety) can significantly affect your quality of sleep. Learn to see sleep in a new light by reminding yourself of the immense value healthy habits bring to our lives.
Every minute of shuteye is precious. During sleep, your body actively restores, renews and heals.
2. Put Stress In Its Place
Although being cognizant of the value of sleep is important, it is also essential to not preoccupy your mind with negative thoughts and stress if sleep doesn’t come easily.
Not only can this create sleep anxiety, but researchers at the Henry Ford Hospital found that people who ruminate on stress or try to avoid it were more likely to have insomnia symptoms. Other stress-relief tactics like positive reframing, religion and venting did not increase insomnia.
If you are stressing over snoozing, try positive affirmations – replace thoughts like “I can’t get to sleep and I have so much to do tomorrow!” with statements like “I will fall asleep soon and feel well-rested tomorrow”. If you are not physically tired, get out of bed and read or relax to music in a dim room until you feel sleepy.
3. Plan for Better Rest
An evening pre-bed routine helps prepare you mentally and physically for rest. Your body and mind know that it is time to start winding down, and that sleep is soon to follow. Your nighttime routine should have a consistent pattern and timing every night, and should allow enough time to get adequate rest in.
Include habits that relax you and release stress as mentioned above. Try reading, journaling, listening to calm music, stretching, a crossword puzzle, meditation, a cup of decaf tea – anything that puts you in the mood for slumber. When it’s close to bedtime, wash your face, brush your teeth, and slip into your cozy bed ready for sleep.
4. Set Gradual Goals
When it comes to sleep, small changes are often best for long-term results. Set gradual and attainable goals for getting more sleep or adjusting your bedtime and wake time. You might start by sleeping 15 minutes more per night, or shifting your bedtime or alarm 15 minutes earlier.
5. Track Your Sleep
For many people, tracking sleep habits and improvements toward goals can be motivating and encouraging. Use a journal or try sleep apps to monitor when you are sleeping and waking. Tracking rest can help you see where you can improve, and many apps also provide helpful insight into ways your routine affects sleep.
6. Reward Yourself for Reaching Goals
We are mentally wired to enjoy and seek rewards after we do things. One study on obesity found that people who set goals, monitored progress, and rewarded themselves for changing unhealthy habits had the most success at weight loss. While obesity and sleep are different, the behavioral aspects of changing habits are similar, and links between goals and rewards have been studied many times.
Plan a few small and healthy rewards to treat yourself as you reach your better sleep goals.
7. Stay Consistent
Consistent routines and sleep/wake times are an important part of good sleep hygiene and of developing new habits, as well.
Your internal sleep clock operates best with consistency, and studies even show consistent sleep wake times with healthier body weight. When you plan your sleep schedule, pick times that you can stick to within one hour all week long, even on the weekends.
Stick with your goals and the new routine, but don’t get discouraged if you slip up for a day or two – you can always jump back in.
Remember, focus on the benefits of rest and make a conscious effort to prioritize sleep. Seek ways to deal with stress, and make better rest a reality by planning and sticking to a consistent schedule, with goals and rewards to motivate you along the way.
What encourages you to sleep better? How do you make a rest a priority in your routine?
There are evidence-based tricks to make yourself feel better
By Sara Sanchez • Published March 29, 2021 • Updated on March 30, 2021 at 12:09 pm
This story originally appeared on LX.com
More than a year into a pandemic prioritizing your own wellness may feel like an impossible task. Data from a Kaiser Family Foundation poll showed about 4 in 10 adults report symptoms of anxiety or depression. It’s the new normal.
But can we actually teach ourselves to feel better? One class taught by a professor of psychology at Yale tried to do exactly that.
Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather.
Watch LX News special mental health coverage all this week. Tune in to LX News every morning at 8am EST/7C/7P and every night at 8pm EST/7C/7P as we spotlight the crisis in America.
Prior to the pandemic, Laurie Santos taught ‘Psych 157: Psychology and the Good Life’ for one semester in 2018. According to the New York Times, it became the most popular course in the school’s history. That same year the course was made available to the public for free on Coursera called “The Science of Well-Being.” As the pandemic started to spread, enrollment numbers saw dramatic increases. In total, more than 3.3 million people have signed up according to Coursera.
“You know, we’re so worried about our physical health, we can sometimes put our mental health on the back burner, but the research really shows that that’s not a great strategy,” Santos says. “We often think that focusing on our happiness is not really the thing to pay attention to during a pandemic.” Santos explains that evidence shows our happiness impacts everything from our performance at work to the function of our immune system.
Santos says countless people send cards and write thank you notes about how the class has changed their lives.
“The research shows there’s a ton you can do,” she says “Most of our happiness comes from our mind. These are the things that are completely under your control, even if you feel like you’re in a rut or having a tough time.”
In the 1990s, neuroscientists made a surprising discovery. Up until then, the belief was that adult human brain cells don’t reproduce and have a fixed number. But research started to show exercise, among other things, could create new neurons.
Neuroscientists like Tracey Shors at Rutgers University have spent decades researching how changes in habits could create measurable changes in the brain.
Shors created the MAP program that combines physical exercise and mindfulness techniques to create positive change in the brain. Shors’ program combines 20 minutes of sitting meditation with 10 minutes of walking meditation, followed by 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. It is designed to be effective and efficient at creating positive change.
“I think it’s important to realize that our brain is basically who we are,” Shors says. “It’s a physical being, and I think if you can kind of grasp that for what it is, you can be more determined to keep it healthy.” She explains if people committed to keeping their physical brain in shape the way they do their bodies, they would see results. Studies have shown the MAP program reduces signs of depression, anxiety, and signs of trauma, and can increase self-esteem and quality of life.
Emma Million, a post-doctoral fellow at Columbia and former student of Dr. Shors, believes information like the MAP research could be highly beneficial to people who are dealing with anxiety and trauma.
“It was really important to her and also to myself that the people who could benefit the most have access to this information,” Million said, “so rather than it existing in academic circles and purely scientific conferences, we wanted to reach it out to the general public because everyone can benefit from these practices.”
Research like this aims to take neuroscience out of the lab and into the world. Pushkin Media and Laurie Santos also explore research that is accessible and easily applied in the podcast The Happiness Lab.
Santos explains there are a few behaviors that research shows can improve well-being
Expressing Gratitude
Santos explains the research shows that focusing on what your grateful for can make a big difference. “The simple act of noticing the blessings that you have in life can end up changing your mind in really interesting ways” Santos explains that gratitude can help with self-regulation during stress. One way to focus on what you’re grateful for is through a journal. End your day by writing down three to five things you’re grateful for.
Social Connection
While the pandemic may have made socializing harder, committing to doing it safely can have big benefits, Santos says. “Every available study of happy people suggests that happier people are more social, they spend more time with friends and family members, they just are around other people more often.” Research suggests that taking the time to schedule a socially distant walk or connect via video chat could improve happiness.
Being Present
Taking the time to try and focus on the present moment can make you feel better, whether it’s through a meditation practice or just taking the time to notice small things. Santos says the key here is to focus on being nonjudgemental. “The research shows that baby steps here can be incredibly important,” she says.
We all want to be happier, right? In order to achieve that goal, we must first rewire our brain.
Here’s why. In our culture, we place so much emphasis and pride in our ability to manage numerous priorities. We rise early, tackle our work, stay late, go home, and hopefully have some energy left for family time and maybe even some fun.
“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” – Buddha
People nowadays take less vacation, work longer days, and retire at a later age. As a result, our brains are stressed and pushed to extreme limits – even unhealthy limits. In short, many of our lives are difficult.
So what can we do about this culture that’s been ingrained into the fabric of our society? Perhaps the best – maybe even the simplest – thing to do is to change our brains. If we can change our brains, we can change our lives!
I know – you are probably thinking that this sounds hard. Well, it’s not easy but it’s not impossible, either. And it’s certainly easier than trying to change the way our society works.
Use these 7 tips to rewire your brain for powerful life changes.
Brain Tip #1: Embrace a Positive Lifestyle
Despite of the difficulties facing our daily lives, we can indeed embrace a lifestyle of positive thinking and positive habits. Turning negative habits into positive ones requires both resilience and time management.
There are many different ways in which you can embrace a more positive lifestyle – practice affirmations, express gratitude, place inspirational material (such a quotes, religious scripture, etc.) around you, read uplifting books, meditation, exercise… just find something that helps you unwind and enjoy life. And most importantly – keep doing these things.
Embracing the positive will change your brain little by little.
Brain Tip #2: Monitor Your Self Talk
Self-talk is that continuous stream of thoughts that run through your brain every day. These thoughts can be positive, negative, or neutral. Please understand this concept: if your thoughts are continuously negative, you are going to become a pessimist. If your thoughts are positive, you are going to be an optimist. Optimism = happiness + success!
Again, what you think you become. We cannot continuously have negative thoughts and expect live a positive life.
Utilize Brain Tip #1 to start changing your self-talk and your brain!
Brain Tip #3: Take time to visualize your goals and aspirations
Jack Canfield, the world-renowned author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” and one of world’s foremost authorities on success, states that the daily practice of visualizing your dreams as already complete can drastically quicken your realization of your dreams, goals and ambitions.
Visualization is a remarkably simple practice: just sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and image your goals and aspirations as already completed. Look through your own eyes as to what you would see, feel, and hear if you met these goals and aspirations.
And you only need a few minutes each day. Visualize when you first awake, after meditation or supplication, or at another time when you are the most relaxed.
Brain Tip #4: Take action that supports your goals.
By following the first four brain tips, you should be ready to take some action! You’re embracing a positive lifestyle, watching your self-talk and visualizing your goals. Good for you!
And here’s a promise: if you take action on your goals and aspirations, your life is going to become easier and more fulfilling. You’ll probably discover that the challenge lies in staying consistent and motivated. Know that everyone feels these things, and some people drive on and make their dreams a reality, anyways!
You’re here reading this article, so you already have the determination and drive. Take action and keep going!
Brain Tip #5: Know your purpose
It may sound cliché, but life is too short to live it for someone or something else. Taking ones purpose for granted or setting it aside because of demands placed on us is wasteful and unfulfilling. After all, this is your happiness that we are talking about!
When your brain clearly understands your purpose in this lifetime, it reverberates through your entire being. The big secret is to finding your purpose.
Ask yourself two simple questions: (1) Do you know what you love doing, or can you find out? and (2) Can you make an impact doing what you love?
Brain Tip #6: Know that your brain can be changed
‘Neuroplasticity’ is an actual medical term that refers to the brain’s amazing ability to form new neural connections throughout life. That’s right – your brain can literally grow through your own conscious efforts.
A wonderful book on this is called “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life” by Dr. Daniel Amen, one of the world’s most prominent and sought-after psychiatrists in the world, whom Dr. Mehmet Oz (“Dr. Oz”) calls “One of the most gifted minds in medicine.”
Dr. Amen writes comprehensively on the fact if you make a conscious decision to make changes in your life, no matter how big or how small, you can willfully make it happen.
Brain Tip #7: Know that anything is possible
We’ve walked on the moon, created electricity, discovered flight, mapped the human genome, mass produced automobiles… all through the power of our brain. And here’s the thing… the only person who believed it was possible was the mind that first conceived it.
It Takes Effort to Rewire Your Brain!
Your brain is an absolutely amazing gift, and you have something incredible waiting to be discovered. Maintain a positive attitude, create positive energy, and your brain will do the rest. What will you try to rewire your brain?
There are evidence-based tricks to make yourself feel better
By Sara Sanchez • Published March 29, 2021 • Updated on March 30, 2021 at 12:09 pm
This story originally appeared on LX.com
More than a year into a pandemic prioritizing your own wellness may feel like an impossible task. Data from a Kaiser Family Foundation poll showed about 4 in 10 adults report symptoms of anxiety or depression. It’s the new normal.
But can we actually teach ourselves to feel better? One class taught by a professor of psychology at Yale tried to do exactly that.
Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get alerts for local breaking news and weather.
Watch LX News special mental health coverage all this week. Tune in to LX News every morning at 8am EST/7C/7P and every night at 8pm EST/7C/7P as we spotlight the crisis in America.
Prior to the pandemic, Laurie Santos taught ‘Psych 157: Psychology and the Good Life’ for one semester in 2018. According to the New York Times, it became the most popular course in the school’s history. That same year the course was made available to the public for free on Coursera called “The Science of Well-Being.” As the pandemic started to spread, enrollment numbers saw dramatic increases. In total, more than 3.3 million people have signed up according to Coursera.
“You know, we’re so worried about our physical health, we can sometimes put our mental health on the back burner, but the research really shows that that’s not a great strategy,” Santos says. “We often think that focusing on our happiness is not really the thing to pay attention to during a pandemic.” Santos explains that evidence shows our happiness impacts everything from our performance at work to the function of our immune system.
Santos says countless people send cards and write thank you notes about how the class has changed their lives.
“The research shows there’s a ton you can do,” she says “Most of our happiness comes from our mind. These are the things that are completely under your control, even if you feel like you’re in a rut or having a tough time.”
In the 1990s, neuroscientists made a surprising discovery. Up until then, the belief was that adult human brain cells don’t reproduce and have a fixed number. But research started to show exercise, among other things, could create new neurons.
Neuroscientists like Tracey Shors at Rutgers University have spent decades researching how changes in habits could create measurable changes in the brain.
Shors created the MAP program that combines physical exercise and mindfulness techniques to create positive change in the brain. Shors’ program combines 20 minutes of sitting meditation with 10 minutes of walking meditation, followed by 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. It is designed to be effective and efficient at creating positive change.
“I think it’s important to realize that our brain is basically who we are,” Shors says. “It’s a physical being, and I think if you can kind of grasp that for what it is, you can be more determined to keep it healthy.” She explains if people committed to keeping their physical brain in shape the way they do their bodies, they would see results. Studies have shown the MAP program reduces signs of depression, anxiety, and signs of trauma, and can increase self-esteem and quality of life.
Emma Million, a post-doctoral fellow at Columbia and former student of Dr. Shors, believes information like the MAP research could be highly beneficial to people who are dealing with anxiety and trauma.
“It was really important to her and also to myself that the people who could benefit the most have access to this information,” Million said, “so rather than it existing in academic circles and purely scientific conferences, we wanted to reach it out to the general public because everyone can benefit from these practices.”
Research like this aims to take neuroscience out of the lab and into the world. Pushkin Media and Laurie Santos also explore research that is accessible and easily applied in the podcast The Happiness Lab.
Santos explains there are a few behaviors that research shows can improve well-being
Expressing Gratitude
Santos explains the research shows that focusing on what your grateful for can make a big difference. “The simple act of noticing the blessings that you have in life can end up changing your mind in really interesting ways” Santos explains that gratitude can help with self-regulation during stress. One way to focus on what you’re grateful for is through a journal. End your day by writing down three to five things you’re grateful for.
Social Connection
While the pandemic may have made socializing harder, committing to doing it safely can have big benefits, Santos says. “Every available study of happy people suggests that happier people are more social, they spend more time with friends and family members, they just are around other people more often.” Research suggests that taking the time to schedule a socially distant walk or connect via video chat could improve happiness.
Being Present
Taking the time to try and focus on the present moment can make you feel better, whether it’s through a meditation practice or just taking the time to notice small things. Santos says the key here is to focus on being nonjudgemental. “The research shows that baby steps here can be incredibly important,” she says.
Did you have to think about your answer for a moment?
Did you answer “no”?
You’re not alone. And you’re not stuck.
With a little work, you can rewire your brain and find the happiness you desire.
Happiness
While the issue of happiness is a complicated one, too many people report being unhappy with their lives. A study of American adults, for example, showed that their Happiness Index number is a mere 31 out of 100.
Of course, several stressors come into play: money worries, work problems, health concerns, political anxiety, among many other issues that might keep us from being happy. The truth is, none of that is what’s holding us back from our happiest lives.
According to psychologist Shawn Achor, even when we are successful and things are going well, we aren’t happy. Instead, we believe we always need more to be happy. As he puts it,
You got good grades, now you have to get better grades, you got into a good school and after you get into a better one, you got a good job, now you have to get a better job, you hit your sales target, we’re going to change it.
And the end result?
We’ve pushed happiness over the cognitive horizon, as a society.
If we continue with this way of thinking, nothing we do will ever be enough to make us happy.
Don’t worry, though—happiness is within your reach. You don’t have to be stuck in this pattern of thinking, although creating change and a new way of being does require some effort. One key component is the power of positive thinking.
Positive Thinking
It’s not what you’re thinking about—it’s how you’re thinking about it. Or, in Achor’s words,
90 percent of your long-term happiness is predicted not by the external world, but by the way your brain processes the world.
The way you think about things matters, and it can change how you feel about your life.
Take your stressful job, for example. You might think that your circumstances make it difficult, but Anchor found that
75 percent of job successes are predicted by your optimism levels, your social support and your ability to see stress as a challenge instead of as a threat.
Those are all things within your power to modify. Thinking about your job with optimism and initiative can change how happy you are.
Positive thinking can do more than help you hate your job less. Research shows that positive thinking helps you see more possibilities in your life. That means you can see your potential, you can build new skillsets, and you can create the life you want to live.
If you adopt a mindset of positive thinking, you’ll be able to apply this to all areas of your life. Even if your job isn’t ideal or if money is tight, positive thinking will help you identify the parts of your life that are indeed good and working for you.
It might appear that this is easier said than done. It’s one thing to say you want to think positively, but it’s another thing entirely to put it into practice when you get a flat tire, your heel snaps off in the street, and you get splashed by a car driving by.
So how do you cultivate positive thinking?
Gratitude
It turns out that simply expressing gratitude daily can make a big difference in the way you perceive the world. Achor goes so far as to say you can
in just 21 days, if you’re training it correctly.
His method is simple: each day, record three things you’re grateful for. Do this for 21 days.
It might not sound like much, but Achor reports that the results are impressive: participants do this for 21 days, and
their brain starts to retain a pattern of scanning the world not for the negative, but for the positive first.
They train themselves to think positively—in other words, they train their way to happiness.
It shouldn’t be surprising that gratitude can have that kind of effect. Research has shown incredible benefits from expressing thanks, including better sleep, improved physical health, and stronger self-esteem. When you’re thinking positively, happiness is bound to follow.
There are plenty of other ways to express gratitude. What matters is that you’re doing it consistently and daily. Try setting a reminder on your phone if you need to. In fact, try incorporating gratitude into your morning routine, before you ever get out of bed.
Do whatever it takes to express gratitude—you might be surprised at how different you feel in three weeks.
Rewire Your Brain
Happiness won’t just happen to you, and no one can give it to you—that power lies within you alone. If you’re ready to love your life, then start today! Express gratitude, change the way you think, and live happily.
When he was referred to me, Hashim was a teenager who was living in a constant state of anxiety and panic. He had developed a panicky brain that, I discovered, was due to the continual, angry, verbal violence between his parents, with him in the middle. It was as if he had PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He trembled almost continually and complained that he felt chronically terrified and would often feel stabbing, anxious and panicky sensations for no apparent reason. His thoughts were in an endless whirl that made studying and concentration very difficult.
A few years earlier, the family had moved from the Middle East to North America and with all the torment going on at home, Hashim was finding it impossible to make friends, fit in at school and navigate his new culture. He referred to his life as a miserable mess.
One of the secrets of rewiring your brain and breaking up anxious and panicky patterns is to recognize that it is very often caused by a protective self-reinforcing cybernetic loop that has established itself within the body. This cybernetic loop cycles between the individual’s protective fear system in the brain, which is controlled by the amygdala, and the fight or flight adrenaline system, which is controlled by the adrenals in the kidneys. The system is designed to protect the individual from harm but it can get itself stuck on automatic.
You see, the amygdala gets turned on because of some very fearful and unpleasant trauma in the environment, in this case the continual shouting matches and angry exchanges between his parents. When there is trouble in the environment, the amygdala sends a signal to the adrenal system that the body is under imminent threat and needs to get ready for a fight. The adrenals oblige by pumping adrenaline into the blood stream to get the body ready for a battle.
Unfortunately, the amygdala, now senses adrenaline in the bloodstream and stays on high alert expecting trouble at any moment. This high alert state sends another signal back to the adrenals to pump more adrenaline into the bloodstream to get ready for that upcoming battle. It’s a never ending cycle and a major cause of panic attacks and ADD and PTSD type symptoms.
Does this sound familiar? Have you ever felt this way? No fun, is it?
Fortunately, there are a number of very effective and clinically proven ways of rewiring your brain and breaking up the sensations and patterns associated with chronic anxiety and panic attacks, regardless of their causes.
In our ten weeks together, I taught Hashim how to calm his breathing. Breathing properly is a vital skill in managing episodes of anxiety and panic. Rough breathing affects our heart rate which, in turn, sends mixed messages to the brain. Once he started to get the hang of smooth breathing, he found he was becoming calmer more of the time. Next, I showed him how to use very effective cranial electrostimulation tools and modalities to improve his sleep. More importantly, I showed him how to use each sleep cycle to reprogram his thinking and feelings, while he slept, to interrupt the anxious panic patterns and to remain calm, cool and collected in previously scary situations.
His panic and anxiety symptoms subsided, his concentration improved, he was able to focus better on his schoolwork, his grades soared, the bullying stopped and he made new friends.
Then another wonderful thing happened: Hashim discovered Post- Traumatic Growth. Post Traumatic Growth is the discovery that once the stressors have been removed from your life, your brain and body have the capacity to heal themselves and grow beyond well the point when the stressors started.
Hashim’s intellectual development surged and boosted his peak mental performance. He had awakened his mind. He is now at university in a different city, he has a lovely girlfriend and his world has opened up for him. Way to go, Hashim!
