What does your brain sound like? Does it have its own soundtrack? Why are these important questions? Your brain’s internal soundtrack could help you cope with stress, fall asleep more quickly, and give you more energy throughout the day. Here’s a little background: In the 90’s, brain researchers from Russia teamed up with musicians and […]
Rewiring the Brain for Willpower
The burger or the salad? The treadmill or the sofa? Spend or save? Throughout the course of a single day, choices like these test our willpower repeatedly . . . and sometimes the choices we make can leave us feeling like a failure. If you’ve ever made a vow to practice better self-control, you know […]
Tara Brach shares one way to find true refuge
Think about the last time you had a stressful day. Maybe you snapped at someone you love. Or you rushed yourself and made a critical mistake. Our knee-jerk responses to stress and difficulties often turn into reactions we regret . . . . . . and that only compounds the problem. But here’s one strategy […]
How Brain Training Helps Regulate Emotions
What if your doctor’s brain felt your pain – from being pricked with a needle all the way to surgery? It might be tough for them to get anything done, huh? Jean Decety, PhD, and his colleagues from the University of Chicago wanted to see whether physicians empathized with pain differently from the general population. […]
Rewiring the Brain to Buffer Social Pain
Being excluded hurts. Whether it’s being the last pick for dodgeball in recess or missing an important social gathering, being left out can cause substantial emotional pain. But what can you do about it? It’s just part of life, right? That answer wasn’t good enough for Dr. Paolo Riva and his colleagues at the University […]