The Neuroscience of Restriction - February 2021

The Neuroscience of Restriction

7 Ways to Lift the Lockdown Lows

Why do restrictions cause such a reaction in us?

First, we are alarmed, we are told there is something serious to worry about, we enter the intense stress state of ‘fight, flight, freeze’, then the action we are told to do is freeze – that’s your only option, and that doesn’t work well for most of us. It’s been going on for so long, and in some parts of the world so severe, that there would be identifiable changes in brain structure and function as a result.

Brain scans of some would reveal activation and even growth in the amygdalae in response to long term stress. These parts of the brain trigger the release of more stress hormones, like cortisol, and try to help us cope with higher levels of them by recruiting parts of the emotional and thinking brain (particularly areas of the prefrontal cortex). The larger and stronger the amygdalae the greater feelings of fear, anger and aggression can be. The larger and more active the amygdalae in response to stress the harder it is to recruit the other more ‘sensible’ brain areas to deal with the stressors. So the stressful situation can feel like it is getting worse, not better with time, but what is happening inside our brains is not out of our control.

7 ways to lift the lockdown lows.

It is not simple. Even something that feels like such a little positive thing to do can seem monstrous and really hard when you are in this restricted and stressed state. It can help to make suggestions, like the ones on this list, part of your pre-planned actions – these are deliberate actions you can take, by saying to yourself ‘if I feel like this, then I will do this’.

So, what can you do?

Give yourself permission for low moments.

Resilience is not built on the foundation of always putting on a brave face and pushing on. You don’t build physical resilience without waking up the next morning after a full-on training session and feeling at least a little ache. Mental resilience is no different - there will be challenges, and you will ache. Emotions are complex, especially in stressful situations, and each one has the right to have time on the mental stage and be experienced fully. Like a good stretch, low emotions have their time in the workout of life. When you can name what you are feeling and lean into it, get to know it, you can hold it for a moment, see it through and come out the other side. If the complex emotion has nowhere to go it will come out somewhere in the end. Better to meet its eye in the moment and build the skill of moving through the experience respecting all parts of yourself fully. That is how healthy resilience grows.

Stand in front of the mirror and watch yourself smile.

Even if you fake it, some positive changes will make it. Neurochemistry responds quickly and remarkably to our facial expressions and visual input. A smile itself triggers the release of tiny neuropeptides that help decrease stress. Looking at yourself smile compounds the positive effects by lighting up positively associated areas in your visual cortex, sensory processing (parietal) regions and your reminiscent memory. Just try it and see if you can deny it.

Get outside and get to know something green.

Lack of time in a green environment can be a predictor of stress. There are increasing levels of evidence that prove that time spent in even a small space of lush nature has a positive impact on the human body and mind. Time outside, even just lying on the grass looking up at the leaves on a tree, can: reduce anxiety; improve heart rate variability; calm the nervous system; reduce blood pressure; and boost mood. So if it feels like there is nothing to do, why not do it outside.

Breathe in, and breathe oooooouuuuut.

It can be as simple as a sigh. There is an extraordinary shift in your nervous system when you sigh or even yawn. It’s probably the fastest way to go from the ‘fight, flight freeze’ side to the ‘rest and digest’ side of your autonomic nervous system. A yawn in the middle of the day is actually a pretty clear clue from your body to you that you need to spend more time on the rest and digest (parasympathetic) side.

Our minds don’t relax as easily as our bodies. The brain is hard-wired to revert to thought. Rumination, unhelpful loops of thinking and overthinking, a mess of distractibility, is very common in us humans. It’s more common in a nervous system that spends too much time in ‘fight, flight, freeze’ mode, or sympathetic dominance. Just turning your attention and becoming aware of your breath is enough to start to put you back in your body and help settle your overactive mind.

Lower the bar

‘Cleaning the house while your kids are in quarantine is like brushing your teeth while you’re eating a cookie’ – said a great friend named Jo. You don’t need to have examined the curriculum and developed a week one home school program, the kids don’t need a 3 course dinner just because you’re at home…some work will just not get done and if you’re comfortable at home with your trackies on – know we all are! If everyone has had enough good stuff to eat, you’ve had a wash and you’re getting good sleep – that’s enough. If you can get outside together and go for a walk or a ride – bonus! Relish in the relaxation of a few low bar days without the guilt. It’s like the one random sick day you took from school because you just wanted to do nothing – it never hurt anyone. It’s not going to be a habit, this will all be over sooner if we do the right thing.

Dine yourself into a better disposition

It takes certain inputs for you to make important little outputs. Your body needs things to be able to make feel good chemical communicators like oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine. Pop these items on your shopping list and get creative in the kitchen: turkey; nuts; seeds; cheese (yes please!); bananas; eggs; avocados; oily fish; apples; beans and leafy greens.

Learn the art of the sensational hug

Some of us face periods of isolation completely solo, without company or vital physical contact. From the time we are in our Mother’s womb we are cushioned, bathed and even fed by our amniotic fluid. We even start practicing breathing with it. It literally fills up our senses. It is deeply symbolic of the origins of the vital importance of touch and our other senses. So if we can’t have a hug with someone, how can we hug ourselves? You could try taking a bath; weighted blankets or wrapping yourself uptight; taking your time brushing your hair and grooming; workout with resistance bands; holding yoga poses; listening to uplifting music through headphones; drinking through a straw, or have a warm cuppa.

We are all learning through these unusual times, about ourselves and each other. The best any of us can do is give a good idea a try and see if it makes a difference for us. If these self-help suggestions are just not enough and you feel further brain health assessment and treatment plans are your best option for optimal success please explore and find the best fit for you.

Stay safe and be easy on yourself.