Research in the burgeoning field of neurocardiology has shown that the heart sends more signals to the brain than it receives, influencing emotions and cognitive functions. The heart’s electromagnetic field changes according to emotional states, impacting not only our bodies but also people around us. This underlines the heart’s role in emotional experience and interpersonal communication.
Nurturing the Connection
The heart-brain connection can be nurtured through a variety of ways that encompass mental, emotional, and physical aspects. Here are some novel methods:
Breathing Exercises: Breathing exercises are simple yet powerful techniques that can be used to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance heart-brain coherence. One of the most effective is box breathing, a method often used by Navy SEALs to calm the mind and body under stress. Here’s how to do it:
- Inhale for a count of four.
- Hold the breath for a count of four.
- Exhale for a count of four.
- Hold the breath out for a count of four.
This is one box. The goal is to work towards doing this exercise for at least five minutes at a time, several times a day. Over time, this practice can help stimulate the vagus nerve and promote a greater sense of calm and coherence between the heart and brain.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT): EFT, also known as “tapping”, is a powerful tool that combines elements of traditional Chinese medicine and modern psychology.
Finding a qualified EFT coach that resonates with you is extremely important, but here is a brief explanation on setting up your own tapping session.
By tapping on certain meridian points on the body while focusing on a specific emotional or physical issue, it’s thought that EFT can help to alleviate stress and improve emotional health. Here’s a basic guide to start practicing EFT:
- Identify the issue: Choose a specific problem that you’d like to address with EFT.
- Create a setup statement: This is a sentence that acknowledges the issue and also confirms a self-acceptance despite the problem. For example: “Even though I feel anxious about this presentation, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
- Begin the tapping sequence: Tap about five to seven times on each of the nine meridian points in the following order: side of the hand (karate chop point), eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the
- Chin: This point is located midway between the point of your chin and the bottom of your lower lip. Tap here while maintaining the focus on your issue and reciting the setup statement.
- Collarbone: This point is located where the sternum, collarbone, and the first rib meet. Use a fist or flat hand to tap this point while repeating your setup statement.
- Under the arm: This point is located about four inches beneath the armpit. Tap here while repeating the setup statement.
- Top of the head: This is the crown of your head. Tap here while repeating the setup statement.
Perform at least three rounds of this tapping sequence. After completing the sequence, take a deep breath and reassess your feelings and physical sensations. If necessary, you can repeat the sequence until you feel relief.
Sound Therapy: Sound therapy uses different aspects of sound to improve emotional and physical health and well-being. There is a lot happening in the Wellness Community with Sound Healing, so my advice is to find a Sound Therapy Practitioner who has extensive knowledge and experience if you are using sound in a therapeutic way. If you don't have access to that, a simple way to support yourself with sound is the technique of binaural beats. Binaural beats can induce the same mental state associated with meditation practice, but more quickly.
Here’s how you can incorporate binaural beats into your routine:
- Choose the right frequency: Binaural beats are available in different frequencies, each corresponding to a different state of consciousness. For instance, delta waves (0.5-4 Hz) for deep sleep, theta waves (4-7 Hz) for deep relaxation and meditation, alpha waves (7-12 Hz) for light relaxation and creativity, and beta waves (12-30 Hz) for normal waking consciousness.
- Use headphones: For binaural beats to work, you need to listen to them with headphones. The beats work by sending two different frequencies to each ear. Your brain perceives a third frequency, which is the difference between the two.
- Sit back and relax: As the sounds work their magic, try to clear your mind and let yourself relax.
Incorporating these techniques into your daily routine can greatly enhance the heart-brain connection, leading to better emotional stability, less stress, and improved overall health.