The Brain Train Center
Attention training and stress management interventions for adults and childrenn
Your Body and Stress
6787 West Tropicana Aveue, Suite 250 Las Vegas, Nevada 89103
Office: (702) 228-8236 Cell: (702) 219-5046
email: braintraincenter@aol.com
It All Begins With the Brain.
The Stress Response
As you interact with your environment throughout the day, your brain responds to things that happen in your daily routine. It scopes everything you come in contact with and based on what your senses tell you, assesses how you should react. A built-in instinctive reflex humans share with other animals is the fight or flight response. This response, initially designed by Mother Nature for self protection during short periods of alarm, sets off a series of physical reactions in case action is needed for self-protection. Heart rate increases, muscles stiffen,blood flow leaves the extremities (hands and feet can feel cold) as circulation rushes towards the middle of your body to support your heart, digestion slows, breathing changes and you feel a rush of adrenaline as all other senses systems shut down so attention may be diverted to the situation at hand. Brain scans show changes in blood flow in the brain as well.
Soldiers repeatedly exposed to stress are at great risk for PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome) and continue to have difficutlies when they return. Biofeedback, especially neurofeedback has been successful in helping returning veterans deal reduce symptoms associated with PTSD. Call for more details.
Any parent who has boys who are asked to stop playing their games to do homework will tell you about problems with irritability and hyper behavior while shifting out of "game" mode.
This fight or flight reflex is only supposed to be for short periods of alarm, after which, the system is supposed to return back to its normal resting state. Unfortunately, for some people, this is not an easy task, especially if they're constantly under stress.. Not being able to return to a restful state can lead to all sorts of problems, both physical and emotional. If a person is constantly in a state of "overarousal" the brain can get "stuck" in unhealthy response patterns resulting in a sort of "burn out." over time. After a while, the unhealthy response can become the way all stress is responded to, whether appropriate or not.
The high arousal state of these professional athletes is appropriate while on the field but problematic for some who can't turn off ithe aggression when off the field. .
It's All About Balance
Before you read any further, check out the video on this page, carefully assess your own reactions as you watch each of the characters react. Did your heart race? Were your eyes opened wide? Did you hold your breath for a split second? How easily were you able to return to the same calm state that you were in before you viewed it? Did your thoughts speed up as the car came closer or are they faster now that it's done? Would you have reacted as cooly as that driver? Obviously, this was a video made for comedic value, but what if the driver were simultaneously speaking on a cell phone? What if he had actually hit the squirrel? Being open and honest with yourself about your body's responses is a crucial component of learning to maintain better control.
