Why is Your Mind-Body Connection Important?
In other words, our minds can affect how healthy our bodies are each day.
On the other hand, what we do with our physical body (what we eat, how much we exercise, even our posture and breathing) can impact our mental state (again positively or negatively). This results in a complex interrelationship between our minds and bodies. Some would argue there is no “connection.” It’s all the same. It’s all one. It’s just “us”.
How the Brain Connects with the Rest of the Body
The brain and body are connected through neural pathways made up of neurotransmitters, hormones, and chemicals. These pathways transmit signals between the body and the brain to control our everyday functions, from breathing, digestion and pain sensations to movement, thinking and feeling. The same neurotransmitters involved in thought and emotion also have receptors in the various organs of the body. What this means is that not only are your thoughts and emotions physical processes, but they also have an effect on the systems in your body.Your digestive system has been referred to as “the second brain” because it is so rich in nerve endings and receptor sites. These nerves in your digestion have many of the same receptors as the ones in your brain. So when you have certain thoughts or emotions, the release of neurotransmitters are going to have an effect on your digestive system. We’ve all had the experience of a nervous stomach, or felt the effects of anger in our gut. The organ systems of the body release neurotransmitters that have an effect on our brains, and this can then affect our thoughts and emotions. The human body is a complex system of feedback loops.
Your Emotional Cortex
The emotional cortex is the part of the brain that deals with emotions. It includes the amygdala, the hippocampus and the pre-frontal cortex. The emotional cortex is activated when our bodies face a stressful situation.- The pre-frontal cortex helps us to think through what to do.
- The hippocampus regulates memory and emotions.
- The amygdala turns on the fight, flight or freeze response, also known as the sympathetic nervous system, and helps to store memories of a stressful event.
Your Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
The fight, flight or freeze response is an example of how the brain and the body are connected. As a survival type of response, it was originally designed to help us react automatically in dangerous situations (such as an attack by a wild animal) by fighting back, running or hiding.If our bodies feel under attack, even without an immediate threat of danger, the brain turns on the fight, flight or freeze response and the body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones automatically send a signal to our lungs to breathe faster and shallower, our heart to beat faster, our skin to sweat and our muscles to tighten. Blood pressure and blood sugar rise automatically too and the immune system is suppressed. This is why some patients’ blood pressure can go up when they visit the doctor. It is also why chronic (ongoing) stress may cause us to get sick more often.
Physical Symptoms of Your Fight, Flight or Freeze Response
The fight, flight or freeze response is also known as the physiology of stress. Even when we do not feel distressed, the body may experience stress. Physical symptoms of the fight, flight or freeze response include:- dizziness
- lightheadedness
- difficulties with focusing
- tunnel vision
- blushing
- dry mouth
- difficulties with swallowing
- breathing problems
- chest tightness
- heart-pounding
- muscle tension
- trembling
- sweating
- butterflies in the stomach
- nausea
- a need to use the washroom.
How Your Emotions Can Affect Physical Symptoms
All physical symptoms have an emotional element. When we are injured, for instance, we feel the pain physically, psychologically and emotionally. We may start focusing on the pain and feel anxious, angry, sad or distressed. We may then start thinking negatively and withdraw from those around us. Because of the injury, we may engage in less activity for fear that we will be in more pain if we move. Over time, this may result in stiffness or weakness and deconditioning (muscle loss), which can cause more pain and distress.How Your Thoughts and Feelings Affect Your Health
Your brain produces substances that can improve your health. These substances include endorphins, which are natural painkillers, and gamma globulin, which strengthens your immune system. Extensive research shows that what your brain produces depends in part on your thoughts, feelings, and expectations. If you’re sick, but you have hope and a positive attitude, and you believe that you’ll get better, your brain is far more likely to produce chemicals that will boost your body’s healing power. As a result, you get better more quickly.
For example, during a panic attack, your body experiences a surge in adrenaline, cortisol, and immune-system activity. That’s a combustible mix for the heart. If that arousal happens too often (people with the worst forms of the disorder can have attacks several times a day), it can cause the heart to beat erratically, increasing heart attack risk. Indeed, one study showed that people with panic disorder (about 3 percent of American adults, twice as many women as men) face a 47% higher risk for heart disease. To counter this type of feeling, you can teach your clients stress management techniques and yoga.
How to Improve Your Mind-body Connection
The power of negative thoughts are potent, an accumulation of these thoughts contribute to your mind sensing that you’re in danger. Reducing the negative stories we tell ourselves will reduce our reaction to stress, therefore reducing illnesses and diseases.
1. Become Aware of Your Thoughts
What kind of words pass through your mind on a daily basis? Are they positive words that affirm and empower you? Or are they toxic, negative words that bring you down?
2. Change the Way You Talk to Yourself
After identifying what kind of thoughts you think, the next time you experience a negative thought, stop and flip it around to become positive. If your thought was “I am bad at my job” change that to “I am amazing at my job, I’m organized, I complete all of my tasks on time and I enjoy what I do.” Changing the way we talk to ourselves has a massive impact on the chemical reactions in our bodies. Less negative chatter leads to less stress.
3. Change Your Emotional State
To fully influence the mind-body connection, not only do you need to say the positive words, but you need to feel them. Thoughts need to be in alignment with your emotional state, otherwise, the thought will not get past the brain. A sure way of changing your emotional state is through gratitude. Gratitude acts as a reset button, once you change your emotional state through gratitude, it becomes much easier to feel all of your positive thoughts.
Mind-Body Fitness Coaching
The Mind-Body Fitness Coach is a great add-on credential for yoga teachers, Pilates instructors, and holistic-minded fitness trainers.You’ll gain a broad knowledge of mind-body exercises and fitness concepts, strategies and methods. You will discover a wide variety of scientifically proven mind-body practices to enhance health, reduce stress and give your clients great joy.
More Coaching Careers
Becoming a Certified Wellness Coach is the perfect addition for the fitness professional who wants to offer more all-inclusive wellness services to clients.
The time is now for you to enjoy this exciting and rewarding career, which offers you personal fulfillment while improving the lives of others.
Spencer Institute certification programs are open to anyone with a desire to learn and help others. There are no prerequisites. That’s it for now. Take action!