The most frustrating thing about anxiety is the fact that you know you're overthinking, you know you're freaking out while there is no reason whatsoever, yet you still do. Controlling your emotion is a mission on its own. It requires so much strength to live with anxiety; it is a constant battle.
Anxiety knocks on my door soon as stress is at company. It took me years to be able to deal with it and overcome it. I have tried so many different means from music and art to counselling - in result together succeeded. With music and art helped calm my mind, they shielded away all the negativity and stress while counselling helped put things in perspective and giving me some clarity.
Why do we face anxiety? And how can we escape it? I've always been fascinated by the human mind. The brain with all it's complex neurons. I felt one way to fight anxiety is to enter its core, its mind.
What is Anxiety?
Have you ever experienced this feeling of walls closing in follow up by intense panics? Anxiety is a disorder, an uncontrollably feeling where one would excessively worry, in constant fear from everyday situations.
My experience with anxiety feels like being in the spinning teacup ride, losing control of the weel and hanging on to it at my tightest grip. Let go and slide off? That sounds like the best solution right at this moment. Let go.
What happens to our brain when we are stressed?
The stress hormone linked to your mood, motivation and fear known as cortisol sets off soon as you experience stress. This alters your immunity, suppresses your digestive system and affects how your body uses its carbs and fats. So keep in mind it may not be your occasional Starbucks trips that prevent you from weight loss.
According to the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, stress also kill new neurons in the brain's hippocampus. That region is connected to the memory, emotion and your learning
Not only stress harms your brain. Your bad habits play its role too.
7 habits that are damaging to your brain.
1. Multi-tasking
Switching from one task to another has its cost - it increases the stress hormone cortisol and rewires your brain to be less effective. Sometimes the best thing to do is doing one thing at a time - that way you'll be able to give your undivided attention and focus to this one task, efficiently achieving it stress-free! So it's OK if you're not a pro at multi-tasking - the end result is what matters!
2. Inactivity
Many as they reach their senior years would prefer to delay retirement and continue staying active in work, creating businesses or staying busy with hobbies. The more active you are, the more productive your brain will be. It's like a machine, keep it aside, and soon it will rust and deteriorate.
3.Headphones
Studies have shown that listening to music at high levels damages our ears - resulting in brain problems like Alzheimer's. Yes, my mum took the "I told you so" opportunity in a heartbeat! She didn't hold back. All those years of our mums and dads telling us off, to remove those headphones or to turn down the music were for a legit reason! - mother knows best!
4.Info overload
Taking in so much information in a short period won't do you any good. It's not about your attention life span; Your brain just needs a break from the information and time to soak up the information and process it.
5. Screen time
I'm old school when it comes to kids and screens, rather than spending all their free time playing video games and staring at their phone screen, out in the great outdoors and being physically active is the way to go. Studies have shown that excessive screen time with kids affects their brain development - their focus and language. Have you ever heard of the term - TV rots your brain? That could be the other literal reason.
6. Sleep deprivation
When you sleep, that's when your brain regains its oxygen and the rest it needs. Not sleeping is like starving your brain, which results in not being able to function quite well throughout the day. When you sleep, the brain takes the opportunity to repair the neurons that it used and damaged all day. It's like you're giving your neurons the chance to relax before they get back to work.
It is also the time for your brain to process information while you're asleep, which then helps you focus during the day. Meantime your brain also clears out toxins and boosts your immunity; Hence why we're advised to get enough rest whenever feeling ill.
7. Meal skipping
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I couldn't agree more. Your brain needs to be fed, and it needs its nutrients to function throughout the day; however, overeating doesn't only lead to unwanted weight gain but as well hardens the brain arteries damaging our mental abilities.
Happy Chemicals
Now that we've exposed the bad habits that are damaging to the brain, the good news is, there are ways to protect your brain! But first, let me introduce you to the brain's happy chemicals.
Dopamine:
Do you know that motivating feeling you get soon as you're rewarded? That energy or feeling is the Neurons that connect or transmit messages between the nerve cells - which wire you to turn on the good feeling.
Serotonin:
Produced in the brain, mostly found in the digestive system as well throughout the central nervous system. This amino acid enters your body through a proper healthy diet - usually found in nuts, cheese and red meat. Serotonin is what makes you feel happy, calm and focused.
Oxytocin:
Known as the "cuddle hormone" is stimulated by trust and touch. Neurons connect when oxytocin flows, which guides your future trust. Our brain makes careful decisions about when to release this good feeling. So you know that moment when you have that feeling in your "gut" that you can trust that person or a certain situation? The sense of safety? That's your oxytocin. So instead of trusting your "gut" trust your "oxytocin"!
Endorphin:
Triggered soon as you feel pain from an injury, endorphin masks your pain for a few minutes then it stops, because feeling pain is crucial for the human body. Laughing and exercising triggers it a bit too, which is why some people start to laugh soon as they feel emotional pain.
Now that we recognized our happy brain chemicals let's look at the 5 good habits to feed your brain.
1. You've got the power!
Recognizing what causes you to stress gives you the upper hand. Remember your cortisol is triggered soon as you start to stress out. You've got the power to build new neural pathways and direct the flow by focusing on something more positive. It takes time you can't achieve that in a day. What I do is meditating every morning - reading, quiet time and reflecting. This helps me start my day on a more positive note and keeps my mind off of what stresses me out. Sometimes when things get too chaotic, I'd take a 5-minute break to clear my mind, read or do some art therapy.
2. Activate your dopamine.
Believe it or not, exercise regularly. Not only that it is a mood booster, but it also improves you physically in every possible way - that is a kind of positive reward you could never reject! Listen to music; Do something that excites you! Whatever makes you feel good.
3. Circle of trust
Sometimes betrayal and constant disappointment lead to trust issues. Not being able to trust anyone, and keeping your guard up will only harm yourself. We can't live our entire lives as lone rangers. Take small steps and slowly bring your guard down. Spend time with your friends because a strong friendship makes a big difference!
4. Stop overthinking and stop worrying!
Serotonin is the neurotransmitter produced by our brain that helps decrease our worries. Constantly worrying about money and what will be and what could've been will not do you any good. Meditate, exercise and eat right or perhaps treat yourself on a spa day, that will help stimulate your serotonin. Do whatever it takes to relax.
5. A day without laughter is another day wasted
Laughing is one of the best medicine to boost your mood and get you out of depression. Laughing triggers endorphin, so humour yourself with an episode or two of Fresh Prince of Bel Air or go to a stand-up comedy show - whatever will make you laugh is what the doctor prescribes.
Sources:
Brainscape - 10 ways to improve your brain every day https://www.brainscape.com/blog/2014/11/10-healthy-habits-brain/ Forbes - 7 Habits that may actually change the brain, according to science - Alice G. Walton https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2016/04/14/7-habits-that-may-actually-change-the-brain-according-to-science/#41d0e8ed5917 Harvard Health Publishing - Better habits, better brain health https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/better-habits-better-brain-health Rediff - 7 bad habits that are killing your brain cells - Vipul Jain https://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/health-7-bad-habits-that-are-killing-your-brain-cells/20190925.htm
Anxiety disorders - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961 Business Insider - 7 bad daily habits that can damage your brain health and cognitive function and how to break them - Thomas Oppong https://www.businessinsider.com/7-bad-habits-that-can-damage-brain-function-cognitive-health-2020-6 NeuroNation - 5 daily habits that damage your brain https://blog.neuronation.com/en/5-daily-habits-that-damage-your-brain/ Active beat - Bad habits that can age your brain - Katherine George https://www.activebeat.com/your-health/bad-habits-that-can-age-your-brain/
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