Reducing Stress during Covid-19 Pandemic

The human brain’s primitive part is called the “Amygdala” and this is also known as the “Fear Centre”. This part of the brain magnifies the danger and looks to escape by going into “Fight or Flight” mode. This response of the body to a perceived threat is meant to help us and pass quickly but most of us are collectively spending a very long time in this mode which causes our sympathetic nervous system to secrete Cortisol hormone (Stress Hormone). The cycle of negative thoughts, feelings, and sensations can automatically trap us in a permanent bad mood. Researches show that our brain remembers these bad mood loops. As a result, it suppresses our immune system and affects our vital organs and people start to experience digestive issues, anxiety, depression, High blood pressure, sleep problems, and weight gain, etc.

The good news is that we can choose to change our personal response by paying attention to our bodies and mind and boost our immune systems. If we bring our conscious awareness to these thought patterns and start observing them and letting them pass without being attached then fewer triggers are available for stress response and it will break the cycle of rumination. By doing this we activate our Prefrontal cortex of the brain which is responsible for executive function and when functioning properly it gives us a cool, calm mind. Albert Einstein’s prefrontal cortex was incredibly well developed. Many studies in Neuroscience have found that the brains of Meditators have a well-developed Prefrontal cortex (PFC) just like Einstein. Developing the PFC area of the brain with regular meditation has tremendous benefits including less anxiety, better decision-making ability, emotional regulation, and good mental health. in short, we can say Meditation cools and quiets the Brain’s primitive “Fear Centre” Amygdala and researches have proven that the amygdala becomes less active for regular meditators. Meditators get fresh brain generation a process called “neurogenesis” which synchronizes the brain hemisphere. Doing Meditation just means mental exercise to keep the mind healthy.