7 Ways to Tone Your Vagus Nerve for Better Mental Health
The vagus nerve is the most complex and important nerve in the entire human body. This nerve connects the gut to the brain and serves as a crucial player in the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) branches of the autonomous nervous system. Feel full and sleepy after a big meal? Heart […]
Anxiety & Intolerance of Uncertainty: What Is It and Ways to Combat It
As a general rule, most people prefer certainty to uncertainty. However, we’ve all heard that the only things we can be certain about are death and taxes. So what about everything else? How do most people cope with uncertainty? When is fear of the unknown too much? And when can it become a risk factor […]
How to Beat the Anxiety Epidemic – It Starts With Exercise: Interview with Dr. Jennifer Heisz
Can exercise really beat anxiety? Can it be used as medicine to treat both the mind and body? According to an expert in brain health, Dr. Jennifer Heisz, the answer is a resounding “Yes.” Dr. Heisz is a neuroscientist, the Director of the NeuroFit Lab at McMaster University, and the author of the book, Move The Body, Heal The Mind: […]
Social Stress: What is It and How to Tackle It Head-On
When feeling worn down, stressed, and burned out starts to cloud the mind, it’s time to pinpoint the cause and tackle it head-on. Millions of articles talk about how stress affects a person’s psychological health and wellbeing. But what about the cause of stress? Does a person’s social environment play a role? It absolutely does, […]
New Research Finds Sleep is a Self-Care Essential For Better Mental and Brain Health
Sleep, or trying to sleep, accounts for one-third of our lifespan, but 27% of Americans claim they have problems falling asleep at night. How can we improve these statistics? Understanding what’s really going on inside our brains during sleep and how this activity directly impacts our quality of life may be a good place to […]