Latest news with #neuroscientist
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Terrible night's sleep? Here's how to make it through the day – and maybe even enjoy it – one step at a time
Ah, sleep – 'nature's soft nurse' to Shakespeare, 'the foundation of our mental and physical health' to the less poetically minded neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman. By now, you hopefully know that getting a consistent seven to eight hours of shuteye is crucial for everything from your short-term decision-making to your long-term health, and you're familiar with all the usual advice on getting it (have a consistent bedtime, make your bedroom really dark, no double espressos at 9pm). But one question that's considered less is: what if you have one restless night? How do you best get through the day – and what can you do to avoid a single interrupted slumber snowballing into several? Let's take it one hour at a time. When you first drag yourself out of bed, it's tempting to click the kettle straight on – but should you hold off your first hot drink of the day until you're a bit less bleary-eyed? Increasingly, influencers advise delaying your first hit of tea or coffee for anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes after you wake up – the rationale being that caffeine mostly works by blocking the brain's receptors for a molecule called adenosine, which ordinarily promotes relaxation by slowing down neural activity. Adenosine levels are at their lowest when you wake up, and so in theory, you might be 'wasting' your first brew of the day by glugging it when there's nothing for the caffeine to block. This seems plausible, but it's also worth noting that caffeine's effects take about 10 minutes to kick in, and it's about 45 minutes before levels peak in the bloodstream. Caffeine's also not just good for getting you going: if you're planning a workout or a morning walk, it can help things along by producing feelgood endorphins and increasing the amount of fat you're able to burn. Some people suggest that waiting a while before your first cup helps to avoid afternoon drowsiness, but according to an evaluation of the scientific literature published last year, 'There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion upon waking is somehow responsible for an afternoon 'crash'.' 'Keep your caffeine intake limited to your usual amount – or one cup of coffee or tea if you don't normally rely on caffeine – and make sure it's before noon to avoid damaging your sleep the next night,' says longevity specialist Dr Brittany Busse. 'But drink a decent amount of water alongside your morning brew to make sure you're adequately hydrated.' Stick to the one-water-per-caffeinated drink rule throughout the day to keep your energy levels up – and if you happen to have any on hand, consider a scoop or two of the workout supplement creatine, which a 2024 study suggests is 'a suitable candidate for reducing the negative effects of sleep deprivation'. Most commonly used by bodybuilders, creatine works by 'buffering' the body's energy stores, and it now turns out that this process occurs in the brain as well as the muscles, which might help you focus after a fitful night. Your next job is to get out in the sun as soon as possible, which might be an hour or so after you wake up if it's winter in the UK. Exposure to morning sunlight signals the brain to reduce melatonin production (the sleep hormone) and increase cortisol, making you feel more alert. 'When you see sunlight, either by walking outside or sitting next to a sunlit window for about 10 minutes, this helps to keep your body's sleep cycle online,' says Shawna Robins, the author of Powerful Sleep. 'It's like setting a sleep-wake timer inside your brain.' Sunlight also stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood, alertness and a sense of calm and focus. Some of these effects might be more noticeable if you go outside – window glass blocks some of the wavelengths of light that help to produce vitamin D, for instance – but research continues. In general, popping outside is probably a better bet, but if all you can do is see a bit of sun while you're doing the washing up, it's better than nothing. Do cold showers help to wake you up? It could depend on how you feel about them. A short, sharp blast of cold water can give you a boost of endorphins and adrenaline, and up your oxygen intake and levels of alertness. On the other hand, if it's already cold in your house or you can't stand cold water, the cure might be worse than the problem. If you're looking for the best of both worlds, consider a contrast shower, or alternating between hot and cold for intervals of 15-60 seconds – it's a lot more psychologically manageable to sluice yourself with chilly water when you know that relief is on the way. The toaster is probably your next temptation, but don't over-rely on carbs to energise you through the day. 'What you eat and drink can really influence recovery after a bad night's sleep,' says Dr Rostislav Ignatov, chief medical officer at The Haven Detox in Massachusetts, US. 'I recommend you focus on foods that provide steady energy and support your brain, like fruits or leafy greens. Lean proteins such as eggs, chicken or yoghurt help maintain your energy without the crashes you get from sugary snacks.' One five-minute option: scramble a couple of eggs in a pan, and pour half a boiled kettle over a colander of spinach to wilt it. Supplements can help too, but choose wisely. 'Magnesium is a great option if you're feeling tired or wired,' says Ignatov. 'It promotes relaxation and can help improve the quality of your next sleep cycle. A small dose of vitamin B12 can also fight off fatigue and support energy production without overstimulating your system like caffeine might – the key is to keep your body's natural rhythms intact so you don't disrupt your sleep later at night.' If caffeine makes you jittery, there's some evidence that taking L-theanine, a supplement that commonly comes in capsule form, alongside it can mitigate its negative effects on your attention, and make you better at cognitively demanding tasks. Should you work out? If you're already running on fumes, this is probably not the best day to shoot for a personal best in the 5k, but there's a simpler option. 'When people are feeling very tired, I recommend 'exercise snacks' – short bursts of physical movement throughout the day,' says wellness expert Dr Megan Lyons. 'That could mean one to two minutes of activity, like standing up to do 20 jumping jacks, 20 bodyweight squats, or walking around the office for two minutes. Even better is getting outside.' If you're in the mood for something more sedate, something as simple as a short burst of yoga might help – one small study suggests that a guided sun salutation can reduce stress and get your parasympathetic nervous system (which favours relaxation) online for the rest of the day. Once you've made it to the office – or through the school run – try to avoid the lure of almond croissants and easy energy. 'What people tend to do after a bad night is turn to a lot of caffeine and sugar, because our brains crave quick energy when we feel low on it,' says Lyons. 'While these things may work in the moment, they're setting you back in the long run – caffeine lets us borrow energy rather than create it. And sugar can set us on a blood sugar rollercoaster, which leads to crashes and cravings for more. Focus on stabilising blood sugar by getting adequate protein and fibre throughout the day – these nutrients don't provide that immediate burst of energy, but many of the things that provide them, such as vegetables and fruits, also provide phytonutrients that give us sustained energy. Protein also keeps us satisfied throughout the day, reducing cravings for sugary or processed foods.' If you're really struggling (and you've got the option) a power nap can be just what you need to get through the afternoon. Just don't make it too long. 'Limit naps to 15-30 minutes a day, ideally before 3pm,' says Dr Marissa Alert, a psychologist and sleep expert. 'Longer or late-afternoon naps could make it harder to fall asleep at night.' Set an alarm and use box breathing to get yourself in a good state for sleep: picture a square, and visualise yourself travelling along the sides of it as you take a deep breath in for a count of four, hold it for the same count, breathe out, and hold again. Alternatively, if setting up pillows on your desk isn't an option, just trying this without letting yourself nod off can leave you refocused and ready for any unfortunate last-minute meetings. Once you've made it through the work day, your next priority should be setting yourself up for a restful evening – though that doesn't necessarily mean going to bed extra-early. 'You should be looking to stick to your normal bedtime,' says Alert. 'As tempting as it may be to crash early, it's best to tough it out – going to bed too early can leave you tossing and turning since your body isn't used to being asleep at that time. It's also important to remember that sleep can't be forced, so try to avoid worrying about whether you'll get enough rest, especially close to bedtime. Fixating on how well you'll sleep or how much you'll sleep right before bedtime can trigger physical arousal and heighten anxiety, making it even harder to fall asleep.' There is another way to think about it: when your brain thinks that something might be wrong, its priority shifts to protecting you. In this heightened state of alertness, sleep takes a back seat because your brain is focused on keeping you safe, not relaxing. That's why it's better to signal to your brain that it's time to relax, with a calming bedtime routine that puts your brain into rest mode. Don't start doom scrolling; reading fiction, even on an e-reader, is a great option – one study suggests that a 30-minute bout has similar stress-reducing effects to a half-hour yoga session. Doing it on the highest brightness setting for four hours might delay your sleep by a few minutes, but that's about it. When it's time for some shuteye, do a bit more box breathing, make your bedroom as dark as you can, and let yourself drift off. Tomorrow's another day.
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
What to do when you've had a poor night's sleep
Ah, sleep – 'nature's soft nurse' to Shakespeare, 'the foundation of our mental and physical health' to the less poetically minded neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman. By now, you hopefully know that getting a consistent seven to eight hours of shut-eye is crucial for everything from your short-term decision-making to your long-term health, and you're familiar with all the usual advice on getting it (have a consistent bedtime, make your bedroom really dark, no double espressos at 9pm). But one question that's considered less is -what if you have one restless night? How do you best get through the day – and what can you do to avoid a single interrupted slumber snowballing into several? Let's take it one hour at a time. READ MORE When you first drag yourself out of bed, it's tempting to click the kettle straight on – but should you hold off your first hot drink of the day until you're a bit less bleary-eyed? Increasingly, influencers advise delaying your first hit of tea or coffee for anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes after you wake up – the rationale being that caffeine mostly works by blocking the brain's receptors for a molecule called adenosine, which ordinarily promotes relaxation by slowing down neural activity. Adenosine levels are at their lowest when you wake up, and so in theory, you might be 'wasting' your first brew of the day by glugging it when there's nothing for the caffeine to block. This seems plausible, but it's also worth noting that caffeine's effects take about 10 minutes to kick in, and it's about 45 minutes before levels peak in the bloodstream. Caffeine's also not just good for getting you going: if you're planning a workout or a morning walk, it can help things along by producing feelgood endorphins and increasing the amount of fat you're able to burn. Some people suggest that waiting a while before your first cup helps to avoid afternoon drowsiness, but according to an evaluation of the scientific literature published last year: 'There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion upon waking is somehow responsible for an afternoon 'crash'.' 'Keep your caffeine intake limited to your usual amount – or one cup of coffee or tea if you don't normally rely on caffeine – and make sure it's before noon to avoid damaging your sleep the next night,' says longevity specialist Dr Brittany Busse. 'But drink a decent amount of water alongside your morning brew to make sure you're adequately hydrated.' Stick to the one-water-per-caffeinated drink rule throughout the day to keep your energy levels up – and if you happen to have any on hand, consider a scoop or two of the workout supplement creatine, which a 2024 study suggests is 'a suitable candidate for reducing the negative effects of sleep deprivation'. Most commonly used by bodybuilders, creatine works by 'buffering' the body's energy stores, and it now turns out that this process occurs in the brain as well as the muscles, which might help you focus after a fitful night. Your next job is to get out in the sun as soon as possible. Exposure to morning sunlight signals the brain to reduce melatonin production (the sleep hormone) and increase cortisol, making you feel more alert. 'When you see sunlight, either by walking outside or sitting next to a sunlit window for about 10 minutes, this helps to keep your body's sleep cycle online,' says Shawna Robins, author of, Powerful Sleep. 'It's like setting a sleep-wake timer inside your brain.' Sunlight also stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood, alertness and a sense of calm and focus. Some of these effects might be more noticeable if you go outside – window glass blocks some of the wavelengths of light that help to produce vitamin D, for instance – but research continues. In general, popping outside is probably a better bet, but if all you can do is see a bit of sun while you're doing the washing up, it's better than nothing. Do cold showers help to wake you up? It could depend on how you feel about them. A short, sharp blast of cold water can give you a boost of endorphins and adrenaline, and up your oxygen intake and levels of alertness. On the other hand, if it's already cold in your house or you can't stand cold water, the cure might be worse than the problem. If you're looking for the best of both worlds, consider a contrast shower, or alternating between hot and cold for intervals of 15-60 seconds – it's a lot more psychologically manageable to sluice yourself with chilly water when you know that relief is on the way. The toaster is probably your next temptation, but don't over-rely on carbs to energise you through the day. 'What you eat and drink can really influence recovery after a bad night's sleep,' says Dr Rostislav Ignatov, chief medical officer at The Haven Detox in Massachusetts, US. 'I recommend you focus on foods that provide steady energy and support your brain, like fruits or leafy greens. Lean proteins such as eggs, chicken or yoghurt help maintain your energy without the crashes you get from sugary snacks.' One five-minute option: scramble a couple of eggs in a pan, and pour half a boiled kettle over a colander of spinach to wilt it. Supplements can help too, but choose wisely. 'Magnesium is a great option if you're feeling tired or wired,' says Dr Ignatov. 'It promotes relaxation and can help improve the quality of your next sleep cycle. A small dose of vitamin B12 can also fight off fatigue and support energy production without overstimulating your system like caffeine might – the key is to keep your body's natural rhythms intact so you don't disrupt your sleep later at night.' If caffeine makes you jittery, there's some evidence that taking L-theanine, a supplement that commonly comes in capsule form, alongside it can mitigate its negative effects on your attention, and make you better at cognitively demanding tasks. Should you work out? If you're already running on fumes, this is probably not the best day to shoot for a personal best in the 5k, but there's a simpler option. 'When people are feeling very tired, I recommend 'exercise snacks' – short bursts of physical movement throughout the day,' says wellness expert Dr Megan Lyons. 'That could mean one to two minutes of activity, like standing up to do 20 jumping jacks, 20 bodyweight squats, or walking around the office for two minutes. Even better is getting outside.' If you're in the mood for something more sedate, something as simple as a short burst of yoga might help – one small study suggests that a guided sun salutation can reduce stress and get your parasympathetic nervous system (which favours relaxation) online for the rest of the day. Once you've made it to the office – or through the school run – try to avoid the lure of almond croissants and easy energy. 'What people tend to do after a bad night is turn to a lot of caffeine and sugar, because our brains crave quick energy when we feel low on it,' says Dr Lyons. 'While these things may work in the moment, they're setting you back in the long run – caffeine lets us borrow energy rather than create it. And sugar can set us on a blood sugar rollercoaster, which leads to crashes and cravings for more. 'Focus on stabilising blood sugar by getting adequate protein and fibre throughout the day – these nutrients don't provide that immediate burst of energy, but many of the things that provide them, such as vegetables and fruits, also provide phytonutrients that give us sustained energy. Protein also keeps us satisfied throughout the day, reducing cravings for sugary or processed foods.' If you're really struggling (and you've got the option) a power nap can be just what you need to get through the afternoon. Just don't make it too long. 'Limit naps to 15-30 minutes a day, ideally before 3pm,' says Dr Marissa Alert, a psychologist and sleep expert. 'Longer or late-afternoon naps could make it harder to fall asleep at night.' Set an alarm and use box breathing to get yourself in a good state for sleep – picture a square, and visualise yourself travelling along the sides of it as you take a deep breath in for a count of four, hold it for the same count, breathe out, and hold again. Alternatively, if setting up pillows on your desk isn't an option, just trying this without letting yourself nod off can leave you refocused and ready for any unfortunate last-minute meetings. Once you've made it through the work day, your next priority should be setting yourself up for a restful evening – though that doesn't necessarily mean going to bed extra-early. 'You should be looking to stick to your normal bedtime,' says Dr Alert. 'As tempting as it may be to crash early, it's best to tough it out – going to bed too early can leave you tossing and turning since your body isn't used to being asleep at that time. It's also important to remember that sleep can't be forced, so try to avoid worrying about whether you'll get enough rest, especially close to bedtime. Fixating on how well you'll sleep or how much you'll sleep right before bedtime can trigger physical arousal and heighten anxiety, making it even harder to fall asleep.' There is another way to think about it: when your brain thinks that something might be wrong, its priority shifts to protecting you. In this heightened state of alertness, sleep takes a back seat because your brain is focused on keeping you safe, not relaxing. That's why it's better to signal to your brain that it's time to relax, with a calming bedtime routine that puts your brain into rest mode. Don't start doom scrolling; reading fiction, even on an e-reader, is a great option – one study suggests that a 30-minute bout has similar stress-reducing effects to a half-hour yoga session. Doing it on the highest brightness setting for four hours might delay your sleep by a few minutes, but that's about it. When it's time for some shuteye, do a bit more box breathing, make your bedroom as dark as you can, and let yourself drift off. Tomorrow's another day. – Guardian
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Terrible night's sleep? Here's how to make it through the day – and maybe even enjoy it – one step at a time
Ah, sleep – 'nature's soft nurse' to Shakespeare, 'the foundation of our mental and physical health' to the less poetically minded neuroscientist and podcaster Andrew Huberman. By now, you hopefully know that getting a consistent seven to eight hours of shuteye is crucial for everything from your short-term decision-making to your long-term health, and you're familiar with all the usual advice on getting it (have a consistent bedtime, make your bedroom really dark, no double espressos at 9pm). But one question that's considered less is: what if you have one restless night? How do you best get through the day – and what can you do to avoid a single interrupted slumber snowballing into several? Let's take it one hour at a time. When you first drag yourself out of bed, it's tempting to click the kettle straight on – but should you hold off your first hot drink of the day until you're a bit less bleary-eyed? Increasingly, influencers advise delaying your first hit of tea or coffee for anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes after you wake up – the rationale being that caffeine mostly works by blocking the brain's receptors for a molecule called adenosine, which ordinarily promotes relaxation by slowing down neural activity. Adenosine levels are at their lowest when you wake up, and so in theory, you might be 'wasting' your first brew of the day by glugging it when there's nothing for the caffeine to block. This seems plausible, but it's also worth noting that caffeine's effects take about 10 minutes to kick in, and it's about 45 minutes before levels peak in the bloodstream. Caffeine's also not just good for getting you going: if you're planning a workout or a morning walk, it can help things along by producing feelgood endorphins and increasing the amount of fat you're able to burn. Some people suggest that waiting a while before your first cup helps to avoid afternoon drowsiness, but according to an evaluation of the scientific literature published last year, 'There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion upon waking is somehow responsible for an afternoon 'crash'.' 'Keep your caffeine intake limited to your usual amount – or one cup of coffee or tea if you don't normally rely on caffeine – and make sure it's before noon to avoid damaging your sleep the next night,' says longevity specialist Dr Brittany Busse. 'But drink a decent amount of water alongside your morning brew to make sure you're adequately hydrated.' Stick to the one-water-per-caffeinated drink rule throughout the day to keep your energy levels up – and if you happen to have any on hand, consider a scoop or two of the workout supplement creatine, which a 2024 study suggests is 'a suitable candidate for reducing the negative effects of sleep deprivation'. Most commonly used by bodybuilders, creatine works by 'buffering' the body's energy stores, and it now turns out that this process occurs in the brain as well as the muscles, which might help you focus after a fitful night. Your next job is to get out in the sun as soon as possible, which might be an hour or so after you wake up if it's winter in the UK. Exposure to morning sunlight signals the brain to reduce melatonin production (the sleep hormone) and increase cortisol, making you feel more alert. 'When you see sunlight, either by walking outside or sitting next to a sunlit window for about 10 minutes, this helps to keep your body's sleep cycle online,' says Shawna Robins, the author of Powerful Sleep. 'It's like setting a sleep-wake timer inside your brain.' Sunlight also stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood, alertness and a sense of calm and focus. Some of these effects might be more noticeable if you go outside – window glass blocks some of the wavelengths of light that help to produce vitamin D, for instance – but research continues. In general, popping outside is probably a better bet, but if all you can do is see a bit of sun while you're doing the washing up, it's better than nothing. Do cold showers help to wake you up? It could depend on how you feel about them. A short, sharp blast of cold water can give you a boost of endorphins and adrenaline, and up your oxygen intake and levels of alertness. On the other hand, if it's already cold in your house or you can't stand cold water, the cure might be worse than the problem. If you're looking for the best of both worlds, consider a contrast shower, or alternating between hot and cold for intervals of 15-60 seconds – it's a lot more psychologically manageable to sluice yourself with chilly water when you know that relief is on the way. The toaster is probably your next temptation, but don't over-rely on carbs to energise you through the day. 'What you eat and drink can really influence recovery after a bad night's sleep,' says Dr Rostislav Ignatov, chief medical officer at The Haven Detox in Massachusetts, US. 'I recommend you focus on foods that provide steady energy and support your brain, like fruits or leafy greens. Lean proteins such as eggs, chicken or yoghurt help maintain your energy without the crashes you get from sugary snacks.' One five-minute option: scramble a couple of eggs in a pan, and pour half a boiled kettle over a colander of spinach to wilt it. Supplements can help too, but choose wisely. 'Magnesium is a great option if you're feeling tired or wired,' says Ignatov. 'It promotes relaxation and can help improve the quality of your next sleep cycle. A small dose of vitamin B12 can also fight off fatigue and support energy production without overstimulating your system like caffeine might – the key is to keep your body's natural rhythms intact so you don't disrupt your sleep later at night.' If caffeine makes you jittery, there's some evidence that taking L-theanine, a supplement that commonly comes in capsule form, alongside it can mitigate its negative effects on your attention, and make you better at cognitively demanding tasks. Should you work out? If you're already running on fumes, this is probably not the best day to shoot for a personal best in the 5k, but there's a simpler option. 'When people are feeling very tired, I recommend 'exercise snacks' – short bursts of physical movement throughout the day,' says wellness expert Dr Megan Lyons. 'That could mean one to two minutes of activity, like standing up to do 20 jumping jacks, 20 bodyweight squats, or walking around the office for two minutes. Even better is getting outside.' If you're in the mood for something more sedate, something as simple as a short burst of yoga might help – one small study suggests that a guided sun salutation can reduce stress and get your parasympathetic nervous system (which favours relaxation) online for the rest of the day. Once you've made it to the office – or through the school run – try to avoid the lure of almond croissants and easy energy. 'What people tend to do after a bad night is turn to a lot of caffeine and sugar, because our brains crave quick energy when we feel low on it,' says Lyons. 'While these things may work in the moment, they're setting you back in the long run – caffeine lets us borrow energy rather than create it. And sugar can set us on a blood sugar rollercoaster, which leads to crashes and cravings for more. Focus on stabilising blood sugar by getting adequate protein and fibre throughout the day – these nutrients don't provide that immediate burst of energy, but many of the things that provide them, such as vegetables and fruits, also provide phytonutrients that give us sustained energy. Protein also keeps us satisfied throughout the day, reducing cravings for sugary or processed foods.' If you're really struggling (and you've got the option) a power nap can be just what you need to get through the afternoon. Just don't make it too long. 'Limit naps to 15-30 minutes a day, ideally before 3pm,' says Dr Marissa Alert, a psychologist and sleep expert. 'Longer or late-afternoon naps could make it harder to fall asleep at night.' Set an alarm and use box breathing to get yourself in a good state for sleep: picture a square, and visualise yourself travelling along the sides of it as you take a deep breath in for a count of four, hold it for the same count, breathe out, and hold again. Alternatively, if setting up pillows on your desk isn't an option, just trying this without letting yourself nod off can leave you refocused and ready for any unfortunate last-minute meetings. Once you've made it through the work day, your next priority should be setting yourself up for a restful evening – though that doesn't necessarily mean going to bed extra-early. 'You should be looking to stick to your normal bedtime,' says Alert. 'As tempting as it may be to crash early, it's best to tough it out – going to bed too early can leave you tossing and turning since your body isn't used to being asleep at that time. It's also important to remember that sleep can't be forced, so try to avoid worrying about whether you'll get enough rest, especially close to bedtime. Fixating on how well you'll sleep or how much you'll sleep right before bedtime can trigger physical arousal and heighten anxiety, making it even harder to fall asleep.' There is another way to think about it: when your brain thinks that something might be wrong, its priority shifts to protecting you. In this heightened state of alertness, sleep takes a back seat because your brain is focused on keeping you safe, not relaxing. That's why it's better to signal to your brain that it's time to relax, with a calming bedtime routine that puts your brain into rest mode. Don't start doom scrolling; reading fiction, even on an e-reader, is a great option – one study suggests that a 30-minute bout has similar stress-reducing effects to a half-hour yoga session. Doing it on the highest brightness setting for four hours might delay your sleep by a few minutes, but that's about it. When it's time for some shuteye, do a bit more box breathing, make your bedroom as dark as you can, and let yourself drift off. Tomorrow's another day.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Your Brain's Youthfulness (or Lack of It) Could Predict How Long You Live
We celebrate our birthdays on the same day each year, but the truth is that different parts of our bodies are aging at different speeds. New research suggests brain age could be a strong predictor for lifespan. This comes from a team from Stanford University, who applied a blood analysis technique on records of 44,498 individuals in a UK health research database, aged between 40 and 70 years old. The analysis gave them an estimated biological age for 11 key organs in the body, including the brain. These organ ages were then compared against the health records of the participants, for up to 17 years. Generally, the more 'aged' organs a participant had, the higher their risk of dying within the follow-up period. Related: If one organ had to be chosen as the best single representative, it would be the brain: the data showed that people with a younger brain age tended to have a longer lifespan. "The brain is the gatekeeper of longevity," says neuroscientist Tony Wyss-Coray, from Stanford University. "If you've got an old brain, you have an increased likelihood of mortality. If you've got a young brain, you're probably going to live longer." The blood test used here works by measuring protein levels, and matching those proteins to the organs that produce them. Through some complex calculations, this indicates how well each organ is functioning – whether they're working more like a brand new, souped-up sports car, or a dilapidated old vehicle on the verge of collapse. As you might expect, the older an organ was – essentially, the more wear and tear indicated by its proteins – the more likely the chances of disease in that organ. The greater the number of 'elderly' organs, the greater the likelihood of disease or an early death. It was the brain stats that really stood out though. People with "extremely aged" brains (in the top 7 percent in terms of old age) were almost twice as likely to die over a 15-year period, compared to those whose biological brain ages were more in line with their chronological age. Those with "extremely youthful" brains had a 40 percent lower risk of dying within the study period. There were other interesting associations too: Alzheimer's disease was around 3.1 times more likely in extremely aged brains compared to normally aged brains. Extremely youthful brains, meanwhile, were 74 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's than those closer to chronological age. We know that a whole host of factors combine to increase or decrease our chances of dying or developing diseases, and previous studies have shown that poverty, obesity, and physical activity might all have an impact on brain aging. And brain aging is just one variable linked to lifespan – everything from how carefully you cross the road to your eating habits adds up to determine how long you're going to live, so we can't say brain aging is the direct cause here. What's more, there's likely to be two-way feedback here, with disease also contributing to organ aging. However, it's important to understand which variables can make the most difference, and to get as full a picture as possible of the contributors to disease and mortality, in order to maximize our chances of aging healthily. "This approach could lead to human experiments testing new longevity interventions for their effects on the biological ages of individual organs in individual people," says Wyss-Coray. "The cost will come down as we focus on fewer key organs, such as the brain, heart and immune system, to get more resolution and stronger links to specific diseases." The research has been published in Nature Medicine. This Foot Scan Could Stop Your Small Cut From Costing You a Limb Here's Why Weather Can Trigger Your Migraines, And How to Ease The Pain A Simple Daily Habit Could Help Lower Your Blood Pressure
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
If anxiety is in my brain, why is my heart pounding? A psychiatrist explains the neuroscience and physiology of fear
Heart in your throat. Butterflies in your stomach. Bad gut feeling. These are all phrases many people use to describe fear and anxiety. You have likely felt anxiety inside your chest or stomach, and your brain usually doesn't hurt when you're scared. Many cultures tie cowardice and bravery more to the heart or the guts than to the brain. But science has traditionally seen the brain as the birthplace and processing site of fear and anxiety. Then why and how do you feel these emotions in other parts of your body? I am a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who researches and treats fear and anxiety. In my book 'Afraid,' I explain how fear works in the brain and the body and what too much anxiety does to the body. Research confirms that while emotions do originate in your brain, it's your body that carries out the orders. While your brain evolved to save you from a falling rock or speeding predator, the anxieties of modern life are often a lot more abstract. Fifty-thousand years ago, being rejected by your tribe could mean death, but not doing a great job on a public speech at school or at work doesn't have the same consequences. Your brain, however, might not know the difference. There are a few key areas of the brain that are heavily involved in processing fear. When you perceive something as dangerous, whether it's a gun pointed at you or a group of people looking unhappily at you, these sensory inputs are first relayed to the amygdala. This small, almond-shaped area of the brain located near your ears detects salience, or the emotional relevance of a situation and how to react to it. When you see something, it determines whether you should eat it, attack it, run away from it or have sex with it. Threat detection is a vital part of this process, and it has to be fast. Early humans did not have much time to think when a lion was lunging toward them. They had to act quickly. For this reason, the amygdala evolved to bypass brain areas involved in logical thinking and can directly engage physical responses. For example, seeing an angry face on a computer screen can immediately trigger a detectable response from the amygdala without the viewer even being aware of this reaction. The hippocampus is near and tightly connected to the amygdala. It's involved in memorizing what is safe and what is dangerous, especially in relation to the environment – it puts fear in context. For example, seeing an angry lion in the zoo and in the Sahara both trigger a fear response in the amygdala. But the hippocampus steps in and blocks this response when you're at the zoo because you aren't in danger. The prefrontal cortex, located above your eyes, is mostly involved in the cognitive and social aspects of fear processing. For example, you might be scared of a snake until you read a sign that the snake is nonpoisonous or the owner tells you it's their friendly pet. Although the prefrontal cortex is usually seen as the part of the brain that regulates emotions, it can also teach you fear based on your social environment. For example, you might feel neutral about a meeting with your boss but immediately feel nervous when a colleague tells you about rumors of layoffs. Many prejudices like racism are rooted in learning fear through tribalism. If your brain decides that a fear response is justified in a particular situation, it activates a cascade of neuronal and hormonal pathways to prepare you for immediate action. Some of the fight-or-flight response – like heightened attention and threat detection – takes place in the brain. But the body is where most of the action happens. Several pathways prepare different body systems for intense physical action. The motor cortex of the brain sends rapid signals to your muscles to prepare them for quick and forceful movements. These include muscles in the chest and stomach that help protect vital organs in those areas. That might contribute to a feeling of tightness in your chest and stomach in stressful conditions. The sympathetic nervous system is the gas pedal that speeds up the systems involved in fight or flight. Sympathetic neurons are spread throughout the body and are especially dense in places like the heart, lungs and intestines. These neurons trigger the adrenal gland to release hormones like adrenaline that travel through the blood to reach those organs and increase the rate at which they undergo the fear response. To assure sufficient blood supply to your muscles when they're in high demand, signals from the sympathetic nervous system increase the rate your heart beats and the force with which it contracts. You feel both increased heart rate and contraction force in your chest, which is why you may connect the feeling of intense emotions to your heart. In your lungs, signals from the sympathetic nervous system dilate airways and often increase your breathing rate and depth. Sometimes this results in a feeling of shortness of breath. As digestion is the last priority during a fight-or-flight situation, sympathetic activation slows down your gut and reduces blood flow to your stomach to save oxygen and nutrients for more vital organs like the heart and the brain. These changes to your gastrointestinal system can be perceived as the discomfort linked to fear and anxiety. All bodily sensations, including those visceral feelings from your chest and stomach, are relayed back to the brain through the pathways via the spinal cord. Your already anxious and highly alert brain then processes these signals at both conscious and unconscious levels. The insula is a part of the brain specifically involved in conscious awareness of your emotions, pain and bodily sensations. The prefrontal cortex also engages in self-awareness, especially by labeling and naming these physical sensations, like feeling tightness or pain in your stomach, and attributing cognitive value to them, like 'this is fine and will go away' or 'this is terrible and I am dying.' These physical sensations can sometimes create a loop of increasing anxiety as they make the brain feel more scared of the situation because of the turmoil it senses in the body. Although the feelings of fear and anxiety start in your brain, you also feel them in your body because your brain alters your bodily functions. Emotions take place in both your body and your brain, but you become aware of their existence with your brain. As the rapper Eminem recounted in his song 'Lose Yourself,' the reason his palms were sweaty, his knees weak and his arms heavy was because his brain was nervous. Leer en español. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University Read more: Pain and anxiety are linked to breathing in mouse brains – suggesting a potential target to prevent opioid overdose deaths Medication can help you make the most of therapy − a psychologist and neuroscientist explains how New research supports brain cell transplantation as a treatment for some neurological disorders Arash Javanbakht does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
