Our stress response is designed to help us survive an immediate threat. Let’s say you spot a saber-toothed tiger headed your way. The amygdala, a neural network involved in the processing of memory and emotions (primarily fear), sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is the part of your brain that communicates with […]
The Importance of Breathing
It’s been a rollercoaster week of coronavirus panic, hoarding, closings, strict social distancing and economic turmoil. It’s left many of us, including me, reeling. So often when we feel stressed, panicked or anxious, we forget to breathe. Yet, one of the best ways to calm the body is to breathe. Slowly. Deeply (from the diaphragm, […]