Do you often find yourself doing two things at once? More than two things at once? How about greeting a friend while on the phone while cleaning, feeding the dog and answering emails?
Our world is busier than ever. While technology increases the pace of our lives, our brains are often struggling to catch up. What's worse, while the pace ramps up… our anxiety does, too.
New York Times bestselling author Dr. Mike Dow has an evolutionary method that will help you overrule your brain's limitations, calm your climbing anxiety and meet the demands of the busy world around you so that you can take control of your life.
In his new book, Heal Your Drained Brain: Naturally Relieve Anxiety, Combat Insomnia, and Balance Your Brain in Just 14 Days, Dr. Mike provides a detailed 14-day brain-balancing plan to raise your feel-good neurotransmitters and restore your brain health.
Change your diet and exercise so that your brain moves from drained to balanced.
Liberate yourself from the seven pitfall thought patterns through energy-based cognitive therapy to go from pessimistic to resilient.
Apply cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia to go from fatigued to refreshed.
Add relaxation therapy, pranayama, self-hypnosis, gratitude, kindness, connection and mindfulness to supercharge your brain balancing and go from feeling good to great.
What's more, this book is packed with delicious, brain-healthy recipes, exercises to transform stress-inducing thought patterns and so much more. Wherever you are on your brain-healing journey, Heal Your Drained Brain will help you elevate your lifestyle, reclaim your sanity and live out your days with peace and tranquillity within, no matter how busy it gets 'out there'.
How to Calm Stress Using Autogenic Training
The following excerpt from Heal Your Drained Brain demonstrates how to calm or relax a stress response using a method known as autogenic training.
Autogenic training balances drained brains by shifting the activity from sympathetic nervous system dominance to parasympathetic nervous system dominance.
A balanced brain is mildly parasympathetic dominant with short-lived sympathetic nervous system activation when stressors are present. A balanced brain also easily recovers from sympathetic nervous system activation when stressors are present. A balanced brain also easily recovers from sympathetic nervous system activation and short-term spikes of stress hormones, shifting easily back into the rest-and-digest response of the parasympathetic nervous system. If your brain is drained, this practice is yet another tool to add to your brain-balancing toolbox.
Here's a simple version of autogenic training. Say these phrases silently to yourself in a comfortable seated or lying position.
I am completely calm.
My arms are heavy. (six times)
I am completely calm.
My arms are warm. (six times)
I am completely calm.
My legs are heavy. (six times)
I am completely calm.
My legs are warm. (six times)
I am completely calm.
My heart beats calmly and regularly. (six times)
I am completely calm.
My breathing is calm and regular. (six times)
I am completely calm.
My abdomen is warm. (six times)
I am completely calm.
My forehead is pleasantly cool. (six times)
I am completely calm.
You can use the following sentence if you need to wake up from the relaxation therapy and return to an alert state.
Arms firm, breathe deeply, open eyes.
If you'd like to stay in this relaxed state (e.g., when using this practice in bed before sleep), skip this last phrase: