Cognitive Health
Podcast Episode 25: Putting Your Distressing Thoughts on Trial
In this episode, I describe a cognitive behavioral approach called putting your thoughts on trial, which is a method to empower you to regulate your emotions in the face of events that seem to create a negative experience. This empowers you to focus on your thoughts, determine if they are valid in the context of Read more
Emotional Regulation and the Brain
This article explains the science behind your emotions and their physiological effects on your body. You will learn about the various neuropathways of your five senses and how the amygdala takes control of your executive functioning. You will learn how to take back this control through a method that empowers you to remain calm and Read more
Listen to the Self-Maintenance of the Brain and Body Podcast
A short 3-5 minute weekly podcast sharing evidence-based self-care tips that can improve your health, performance, and overall wellness. Every Monday, I share a simple and easy-to-implement self-care idea with you and challenge you to create a positive change. Throughout these episodes, I discuss ways to improve sleep hygiene and mental health and strengthen the Read more
Neurological Benefits of Volunteering: Enhancing Mental Health
A natural response hardwired in everyone’s brain is the “helper’s high”—a sense of calmness and happiness that arises when we help others. Life can be challenging and filled with stress, and many people face increased mental difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, addiction, or ADHD. During tough times, actively seeking opportunities to perform acts of Read more
Why Your Past Dictates Your Current Emotional Well-Being
“While we may not be able to control all that happens to us, we can control what happens inside us.”—Benjamin Franklin “If you think what I am saying is boring, get up and stand in the hall!” Yells my 6th-grade teacher as he sees me yawning. It was 1989 at Monticello Elementary school in Monticello, Read more
Preventing Suicide Through Early Treatment of Sleep-Related disorders
A vast amount of research demonstrates that sleep deprivation and sleep disturbances put one at risk for suicide. The various organizations within the U.S. continue to fail at developing effective suicide prevention strategies, and their failure to place emphasis on sleep is one example of this failure. Current methods focus solely on those currently under Read more
Book Review: This is Your Mind on Plants
Michael Pollan does a fantastic job explaining the history of opium, caffeine, and mescaline (peyote) and explaining how the perception of these three plant-born substances has changed as government policies and the world’s perception of these three chemicals offered by the plants have morphed. He describes the positive and negative aspects of these mind-altering chemicals. Read more
The Power of the Day Time Nap & Daniel Pink’s Nappaccino
Napping for 10-25 minutes during the lowest lagged portion of your day can give you about a three-hour reboot; adding some caffeine before the nap can give you a six-hour reboot.
Book Review: LIMITLESS Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life
“I’m a firm believer that we all have incredible superpowers that are waiting to be awakened.” Jim Kwik. This is a very true statement, and you can learn to uncover your superpowers in Jim Kwik’s book Limitless. He refers to them as superpowers because once you cultivate new talents and capabilities that everyone has within Read more
Meet Your Brain Janitor: The Glymphatic System
Every night while you sleep, your brain janitor is hard at work cleaning up the damaging brain waste accumulated throughout the day as your brain performs its functions. The human body is a fantastic machine that self-regulates and repairs, and rejuvenates the entire body during sleep. One of these rejuvenating systems is the brain’s janitorial Read more