Stress Management to Increase Brain Power


So another of the keys to increased brain power is relaxation? Sounds counter intuitive doesn't it, when all around us we are seeing people create and sustain stress chemistry in their body to increase income and production. However, stress hormones actually stop neurogenesis just as effectively as ethyl alcohol does, so it is very important that we manage the stress chemistry we have and only use it when we are actually under attack, when we need to move effectively in order to save our lives.
If I am surprised by a gas bill that is higher than expected, then I need to begin to relax as quickly as I can, and for guys, it can take 20 minutes to actually clear the stress hormones from my brain and the rest of my body. Deep breathing is a very effective tool, belly breathing like a baby does before we train them out of it, is a cheap and powerful antidote. In fact, regular deep breathing and focus on relaxation helps me keep my body filled up the DHEA, the antiaging hormone, which is a good thing for a 61 year old late life parent.


I remember reading about research done with the Navy's Top Gun pilots that indicated the most effective pilots going through that training were the pilots who were able to change their brain waves from beta brain waves, or focused external awareness to alpha waves, or relaxed external awareness and back again frequently. In other words they did brief periods of brain work and then relaxed briefly also. HearthMath is a wonderful tool to facilitate that kind of brain activity.