As the unprecedented health crisis persists, I have been reflecting on the links between our minds and bodies, and how to care for ourselves and loved ones when we face extreme stress. Though we often view our minds and bodies as separate, they are constantly impacting each other, whether or not we acknowledge it.
Leaders like Zaretta Hammond, Brené Brown, and Dr. Bruce Perry provide insight into the stress that our brains and bodies experience, and why it is challenging to reach the same levels of productivity or complex thought as we did before the pandemic. First, the brain and body are always connected, and they are sending signals back and forth constantly, even when we are asleep. We are not a brain in a jar, or a disconnected body. Our physiological processes, thoughts, and emotions impact each other throughout every moment of our lives. To demonstrate this, let’s go through a quick exercise together.
Noticing Brain-Body Links
1. Pause to think about a time you felt angry.
Notice how you feel when remembering your anger.
Does your heart rate speed up, or does your breathing change? What else do you feel in your body?
When I did this I felt my heart rate speed up, and my breathing became quicker and shallower.
2. Take a slow, deep breath and exhale to reset.
3. Now, think about a time when you were joyful.
Notice how you feel when remembering your joyful moment.
Does your heart rate or breathing change?
When I tried this, I noticed a shift in my eyes, an automatic smile, and a sense of calm.
“Respond from the center of the hurricane, rather than reacting from the chaos of the storm.”
– George Mumford
What Can We Do About It?
The main job of our incredibly complex brains is to keep us alive, starting with the brainstem, which constantly scans our environments for threats. Though we can thank the brainstem for keeping us alive, on the flip side, it may be sending us signals of danger during the pandemic. If we are feeling emotionally unsafe or unwell in the current reality, we can get stuck in fear mode more frequently.
To fight against this, check out the below “Regulation” strategies, which tell our brains that we are physically safe.
Regulate - Strategies for Physical Safety:
Stay hydrated throughout the day
Eat healthy food
Include signs of safety in our environment - soft light, soothing music, calming smells
Breathe deeply - mindfulness practices, yoga, exercise, and body scans can help us focus on our breath.
Move our bodies every day
Once we feel physical safety, our brains’ main focus shifts to relational safety - our innate need for belonging. Like our physical safety, our relational safety looks very different than it did before the pandemic, so we must adjust how we satisfy those needs. With physical distancing, it is even more important to connect with loved ones. As Brené Brown states, “we are wired for connection.” Zaretta Hammond explains that “Relationships are not just emotional; they have a physical component” and “exist at the intersection of mind-body.” Below are some suggestions for seeking relational safety during this time.
Relate - Strategies for Relational Safety:
Connect with loved ones on video and phone
Safely spend time with loved ones in person
Allow each other to process feelings in a non-judgemental way
Laugh together - watch funny shows on video, host virtual game nights
Continue to check on each other as the new reality of physical distancing persists
Finally, once our bodies feel physical and relational safety, only then can we effectively engage in more complex thought through the brain’s cortex. As Zaretta Hammond writes, “Relationships ... are the precursor to learning.” As Daniel Goleman puts it, when we are in “emotional distress, one cost is the effectiveness of working memory: we can’t think straight.” Below are some tips for engaging in complex thought or “Reason” as the pandemic continues.
Reason - Strategies for Complex Thought:
Practice Regulate and Relate strategies daily
Give ourselves grace, knowing our needs for physical and relational safety come first
Adjust our expectations for the timing and amount of complex thought we can sustain
Leverage others’ perspective; Have virtual co-working sessions over phone or video
Tap into your work style preferences using a tool like the Myers Briggs Type Indicator
These Regulate > Relate > Reason strategies are generalized, so keep in mind that everyone is different. Let’s continue to prioritize mind-body strategies for ourselves and others throughout 2020 and beyond.