The events we experience in our daily lives inevitably affect us. A small argument we had with our boss, an annoying behavior you witnessed on public transportation, or disagreements we had with our partner... Such situations demoralize us and make us feel unhappy as a result. The first thing most of us want after these daily troubles is to get into our comfortable bed, pull the covers over ourselves and sleep well. However, research has revealed that sleep makes us feel even more unhappy. To put it simply, during sleep our brain makes the events we perceive as bad more obvious. This causes us to feel more unhappy.
Our Brain in Emotional Experiences
We can examine our brain in 3 parts; brainstem, limbic system and neocortex. The limbic system is the part of the brain that can process the information we perceive in the outside world into our inner world at a sensory level. The limbic system, called the center of emotions, undertakes the task of adding emotions to the brain's repertoire. When we experience positive emotions, nerve cells in our brain are activated more than normal. After this activation, endorphin release begins to increase with the experience of positive emotions. Since this enables the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, the person will feel happier, more comfortable and peaceful.
So what happens in our brain in the opposite case, that is, when negative emotions are experienced? When a negative emotion is experienced, the brain increases cortisol release in order to protect its own structure and maintain integrity. While the sympathetic nervous system is activated, there is a decrease in the functionality of the cortex area of the brain. In this case, the person begins to act instinctively, has difficulty concentrating and has problems remembering past memories. As a result, we feel unhappy and restless.
How About Managing Your Emotions?
We examined how effective our brain is on our lives. But if we had to put this into percentage, consciousness is only effective at 3%. The remaining 97% is managed by subconscious mechanisms. Put this situation like this We can explain it with an example; A problem stuck in your mind during the day. You started thinking about this problem. You think and you continue to think for hours. In this process, the brain perceives this thought as important as keeping you alive. It concentrates all its energy on those feelings and thoughts. Thus, "sadness" is experienced much more and more intensely than normal.
Only 5 Minutes a Day!
Spend just 5 minutes for yourself. Wait. Listen to yourself for 5 minutes, away from the stress and responsibilities of daily life. Focus on your breathing. This will allow you to stay in the moment. During this time, you can also close your eyes for a short time if you wish. Then ask yourself. What thoughts and problems did I struggle with today? How many of the actions I took were intentional? In this way, as time passes, you will become more aware of what thoughts you are struggling with. Sometimes we have to accept what is and what is happening as it is and what is happening. It is up to you to accept what is happening for a moment instead of judging and criticizing the outside world. Smile. Keep a smile on your face while walking on the street and talking to people. Share your own experiences with at least one person daily.
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