Health & Fitness
Your Heart Controls Your Brain
This blog describes the science of the heart that you do not hear in the text books. The more you learn about the Heart, the more you will want to make it strong as possible.
Everyone knows his or her heart is important, “if it stops, you stop”. But there’s a LOT more to your heart than just a pump. Science is finally catching up with lots of religious texts and philosophers of old that had the heart at the center of our being/soul and where thought came from. Your heart actually sends far more signals to your brain, then your brain sends to your heart. Most of the things I’ll be talking about came from this research article: www.brainenhancement.net/uploads/Heart_Head_Interactions[1].doc Check it out for a much more in-depth study. As one learns more about this amazing organ, it will help in many different ways and you might see why training it is more important than you think.
HeartMath studies define a critical link between the heart and brain. The heart is in a constant two-way dialog with the brain. Our emotions change the signals the brain sends to the heart and the heart responds in complex ways. Research has shown that the heart communicates to the brain in four major ways: neurologically (through the transmission of nerve impulses), biochemically (via hormones and neurotransmitters), biophysically (through pressure waves) and energetically (through electromagnetic field interactions). Communication along all these conduits significantly affects the brain’s activity. Moreover, research shows that messages the heart sends the brain can also affect performance.
The heart communicates with the brain and body in four ways:
- Neurological communication (nervous system)
- Biophysical communication (pulse wave)
- Biochemical communication (hormones)
- Energetic communication (electromagnetic fields)
The data suggest that as people experience sincere positive feeling states, in which the heart’s rhythms become more coherent, the changed information flow from the heart to the brain may act to modify cortical function and influence performance. These findings may also help explain the significant shifts in perception, increased mental clarity and heightened intuitive awareness many individuals have reported when practicing the HeartMath techniques. Some can be found here: http://www.appliedmeditation.org/dome/201/stimulation/HeartMath , and a lot of it has to do with breathing rhythmically and deep, and being more aware of yourself; control for both of which can be increased in the gym or on the roads if you are conscious about it.
The heart’s electrical field is up to 100 times greater in amplitude than the electrical activity generated by the brain. This field, measured in the form of an electrocardiogram (ECG), can be detected anywhere on the surface of the body. Furthermore, the magnetic field produced by the heart is more than 5,000 times greater in strength than the field generated by the brain, and can be detected a number of feet away from the body, in all directions, using SQUID-based magnetometers. The electromagnetic field extends indefinitely throughout space and describes the electromagnetic interaction. It is one of the four fundamental forces of nature (the others are gravitation, the weak interaction, and the strong interaction).
This is probably why they have found that your heart has a direct impact on the brain of other people around you. So if you are going to try to become a telepathic, you better start training your heart!!! If you can learn to control your breathing and heart rate in stressful situations like working out at high intensities, you will be much more prepared to handle stressful situations in life with a calm healthy mental and physical state. When your body is in Psycho physiological Coherence, your will have positive emotions and your body recovers quickly to stresses. When you are annoyed on the road and screaming at other cars, everything is out of balance and you are in a very negative non-coherent psycho physiological state; your heart rate, blood pressure rhythm, and breathing will be all over the place.
Being thankful instead of selfish is much better for you than for others. I always say, EVERY argument you have with a loved one or others stems from being selfish. Using breathing and positive emotions will help you get through stressful times and be more appreciative. Of course there are some stresses that time will only heal, but this can help with the small stuff.
Other cool heart facts: The heart is the first organ to appear and starts pumping before you have blood. The heart has over 50,000 independent neurons, it’s own intrinsic nervous system. So you can think with your heart; and with the understanding of the electromagnetic fields, we can generalize that you have MUCH more socioperception (combination of reason, sensation and emotion that is based in relationship and interrelationship) in our relationships. The heart also manufactures and secrets hormone blends, one of which is oxytocine: the Love Hormone, bringing together feelings of compassion, love, harmony and peace.
Hopefully this excites you to learn more about this amazing organ! I do believe we haven’t even scratched the tip of the ice berg yet, but lets keep digging! For more information, HeartMath has been researching all of this stuff for 20+ years now. Have a great day!
