Stress & The Brain - Let's Talk Science

Let's be real - stress and anxiety make you feel like shit. At times I've felt as if I was in a tornado of negative thoughts that I couldn't escape. That's of course on top of heart palpitations, sweating, and sometimes even back pain. Not fun. It's what ultimately led me on my journey that to teaching and sharing EFT/ Tapping.

So, What's Happening In The Brain?

Our brains are a like a data processor. When information enters into the brain, it first enters into the limbic system. The limbic system is the home of our behavioral and emotional responses. It's also where the amygdala resides. The amygdala is the alarm center of the brain. It's there to protect you. But, if you suffer from chronic anxiety, it's likely misfiring, constantly telling your body that you are in fight/or flight, when in reality you don't need to be.

When the amygdala starts firing, it sends cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream so that you can fight off the beast, or run away from the predator. But when there is no beast to fight or run from that cortisol results in heightened anxiety levels. What is there to protect you, ends up causing you pain.

When too much info is entering the limbic system at once, it can get backed up, like a clogged pipe. In order for it to function properly, you need to acknowledge your emotions so that you can move through them and not run from them. EFT Tapping is a gentle modality that can help with this process.

How Does Tapping Help?

Tapping studies, like the this one, by Dr. Peta Stapleton, show that tapping can reduce the amount of cortisol pumping through the body by up to 40%! And the best part - this can happen within minutes! Feeling calmer and more in control is quite literally at your finger tips!

Rewiring the Brain

Brain plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity, is possible! This is the brain's ability to modify, change, and adapt both structure and function throughout life and in response to experience. Put simply, this means we can rewire our brains! We can teach our brains how to respond differently to stress. We don't have to have a physical and sometimes debilitating response to stress. We don't have to stay stuck in spiraling thoughts of negativity. Change is possible!

Watch this video for more details about how stress impacts the brain, and what we can do to change it!