Leading Neuroscientist: Stress Leaks Through Skin, Is Contagious, Gives You Belly Fat! Dr Tara Swart

Dr. Tara Swart, a neuroscientist and author, discusses the power of the brain in building mental resilience and overcoming stress. She highlights the potential of visualization, as seen in an experiment where weightlifters increased muscle mass by merely imagining lifting weights. Stress, she explains, is contagious, with cortisol affecting not only the individual but also those around them, potentially leading to health issues like abdominal fat. Dr. Swart emphasizes the importance of neuroplasticity, noting that the brain can change and grow through deliberate practice and challenges. She also touches on the significance of sleep, social connections, and maintaining a positive mindset for overall well-being.

• Visualization can significantly impact physical development and performance.
• The brain has untapped potential that can be harnessed through mental exercises and visualization techniques.

"They lifted no weights for two weeks; they just sat there and visualized themselves lifting weights. They had a 13% increase in muscle mass."

• This quote highlights the power of visualization in enhancing physical attributes without actual physical activity, demonstrating the brain's potential.

• Stress is contagious and can affect those around us through physiological means.
• Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, impacts both the individual and their environment, influencing factors like fat storage and emotional states.

"Cortisol is the main stress hormone, and it will leak out of our sweat about this far around us, go into the skin of everybody else, and it's going to impact them."

• This quote explains the physiological mechanism of stress contagion, emphasizing the influence of cortisol on others.

• The brain is capable of growth and adaptation well into adulthood.
• Engaging in challenging activities can enhance brain functions such as emotional regulation and problem-solving.

"The brain is actively growing and changing till we're about 25. But from 25 to 65, if you do things that are intense enough to force your brain to change, you will actually improve the highest functions of the brain."

• This quote underscores the concept of neuroplasticity, suggesting that the brain can continue to develop through deliberate and challenging activities.

• There is a critical connection between physical health and brain function.
• High-performing individuals often neglect the physical conditions required for optimal brain performance.

"These high-performing executives were kind of acting like their body was just the vehicle that was moving their brain around from meeting to meeting."

• This quote illustrates the disconnect between physical health and brain performance, highlighting the importance of maintaining physical well-being for cognitive function.

• Leaders' stress levels can significantly impact their teams and organizations.
• Effective stress management is crucial for leaders to maintain a healthy work environment and prevent negative physiological effects.

"Your stress levels as a leader, as a CEO, are going to have more impact on everybody else than the rest of the people put together."

• This quote emphasizes the responsibility of leaders to manage their stress to prevent its negative effects from spreading to others.

• Oxytocin is a hormone that facilitates bonding and trust between individuals.
• Physical touch, eye contact, and shared experiences can increase oxytocin levels, enhancing interpersonal connections.

"Eye contact with the mom is hugely important, so most people are right-handed, so they'll be holding their baby in their left arm so they can still use their dominant hand to do stuff."

• This quote explains the role of eye contact in bonding, particularly between a mother and child, and how it affects emotional resonance.

• Sleep is essential for brain health, facilitating memory consolidation, emotional processing, and detoxification.
• The glymphatic system cleanses the brain during sleep, which is crucial for preventing neurodegenerative diseases.

"The glymphatic system is a very active kind of Waterway Channel cleansing system of the brain. It takes seven to eight hours to complete the cleaning."

• This quote highlights the importance of adequate sleep duration for brain detoxification and overall health.

• Co-sleeping enhances emotional and psychological bonding through the release of oxytocin.
• Sleeping together is fundamental to maintaining strong emotional connections and overall well-being.

"Co-sleeping is fundamental to our survival. It was physically when we were in the cave, but now I would say emotionally, spiritually, it's fundamental to our survival."

• This quote stresses the importance of co-sleeping for emotional bonding, suggesting that it is crucial for maintaining healthy relationships.

• Physical warmth and skin-to-skin contact are crucial for emotional bonding, love, and trust.
• Sleeping with a partner, despite potential disturbances, can be neuroprotective and enhance resilience.
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV) monitors can measure physiological resilience by tracking heart rate changes.

"The power of sleeping together and cuddling all night is so neuroprotective that I would encourage everybody to do it if they can."

• Sleeping with a partner can provide significant neuroprotective benefits, enhancing emotional and physiological resilience.

"I saw the highest spike of turquoise at that exact time."

• A kiss from a partner can lead to a measurable increase in physiological resilience, as indicated by HRV monitors.

• Intuition involves subconscious wisdom and experience stored in the nervous system.
• There may be gender differences in how intuition is perceived and valued, with women often being more open to it.
• Intuition is an important decision-making tool, often underappreciated by those who rely solely on logic and science.

"Intuition is the lessons that you've picked up along the way that you're not conscious of but they're still stored in your nervous system."

• Intuition is the subconscious accumulation of life lessons, deeply embedded in the nervous system.

"I believe that more men need the science to explain how intuition works."

• There is a perception that men often require scientific validation to accept intuitive concepts.

• Intuition is not solely based in the brain but also involves the gut, which is connected to the nervous system.
• The brain-body connection is bi-directional, with each influencing the other.
• Awareness of this connection can enhance one's ability to anticipate health issues.

"Your memories and your cognition and your IQ are in your brain, but your intuition is in your brain and your gut."

• Intuition is linked to both brain and gut, highlighting the interconnectedness of the body's systems.

"Every single part of your body has nerve cells or nerve pathways in them."

• The entire body, including the gut, is connected through nerve pathways, facilitating the brain-body connection.

• The pandemic has led to a mental health crisis due to increased stress, anxiety, and loss.
• Different age groups have been affected differently, with unique challenges for each.
• There is a lack of planning for future mental health repercussions.

"We have not paid any attention to the consequences of what happened to us."

• Society has largely ignored the long-term mental health effects of the pandemic.

"This is going to be a mental health crisis."

• The pandemic was predicted to result in a significant mental health crisis.

• The pandemic has renewed appreciation for nature and the importance of spending time outdoors.
• Having a purpose beyond oneself is crucial for mental health and longevity.
• Engaging in creative activities and appreciating beauty can enhance well-being.

"Time spent in nature actually has a really positive impact on your physical health, your mental health, and your longevity."

• Nature exposure is beneficial for overall health and longevity, reinforcing the need for outdoor activities.

"Having a purpose that transcends yourself is really important to your mental health."

• Finding a purpose beyond personal gain is essential for mental health and well-being.

• Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt throughout life.
• Engaging in new learning experiences can improve brain function and cognitive abilities.
• Neuroplasticity challenges the notion that brain development is fixed after a certain age.

"When I was at medical school, we did not know about neuroplasticity."

• The concept of neuroplasticity is relatively new, altering previous beliefs about brain development.

"The brain is actively growing and changing till we're about 25."

• The brain continues to change and adapt well into adulthood, highlighting the importance of lifelong learning.

• Social connections can influence personal behaviors and attitudes, such as health habits and relationship dynamics.
• Limiting one's social circle to positive influences can enhance mental and emotional well-being.
• Empathy and face-to-face interactions are crucial for maintaining healthy social relationships.

"In your social group, if someone gets divorced, you're more likely to get divorced in the next year."

• Social behaviors can be contagious, affecting personal decisions and life outcomes.

"You want to be with people who are growing too, who are open to challenge."

• Surrounding oneself with growth-oriented individuals is important for personal development and mental health.

• Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience and learning.
• People often seek neuroplasticity to change habits, thought patterns, and behaviors that do not serve them well.
• Key to changing habits is identifying patterns, understanding consequences, and deliberate practice of new behaviors.

"When people hear about neuroplasticity... they want new habits, they want new ways of thinking."

• Neuroplasticity is often pursued to develop new habits and ways of thinking, moving away from negative or unproductive patterns.

"Spot the pattern and step one is 50% of the battle."

• Recognizing and acknowledging a pattern in behavior is critical and constitutes half the effort needed to change it.

• Awareness: Identify recurring patterns and behaviors that lead to undesired outcomes.
• Focused Attention: Understand the triggers and consequences of these behaviors.
• Deliberate Practice: Actively practice new behaviors to replace old patterns.
• Accountability: Having external support or self-monitoring to stay on track.

"The process for that which is underpinned by neuroplasticity... is raised awareness."

• Changing habits involves becoming aware of one's actions and the underlying beliefs driving those actions.

"You are basically the sum of every decision that you've made in your life."

• The decisions and actions taken over time define who we are, emphasizing the importance of conscious decision-making.

• Generational trauma refers to psychological effects passed down from one generation to the next due to historical injustices or events.
• Epigenetics involves changes in gene expression due to environmental factors, which can affect stress responses across generations.

"Generational trauma... is related to specific times of Acts that were placed onto particular marginalized groups."

• Historical events and injustices can have lasting psychological effects on subsequent generations.

"Intergenerational epigenetic trauma is about how some external event actually changes the expression of your genes."

• Environmental stressors can alter gene expression, affecting traits like stress resilience in future generations.

• Maternal stress can affect fetal development, potentially leading to increased susceptibility to stress and anxiety in the child.
• Managing stress during pregnancy can positively impact the child's future mental health.

"If the mother is stressed... that cortisol is going through the placenta into the baby's blood supply."

• Stress hormones like cortisol can affect fetal development, emphasizing the importance of managing stress during pregnancy.

• Grief is a deeply personal and overwhelming emotion that requires full processing to heal.
• Avoiding emotional processing can lead to unresolved issues resurfacing later.

"You have to process all the emotions and you kind of have to surrender to it a bit."

• Fully experiencing and processing emotions is necessary for healing from grief and loss.

• Myelination: Strengthening of neural pathways through repetition, making them faster and more efficient.
• Synaptic Connections: Formation of new neural connections as a result of learning and practice.
• Neurogenesis: Creation of new neurons, primarily in the hippocampus, facilitated by factors like aerobic exercise and diet.

"Myelination... means that what's happening there is myelination."

• Repeated actions strengthen neural pathways through myelination, enhancing skill and efficiency.

"Neurogenesis... is a little embryonic nerve cells that float around in the brain actually becoming fully formed."

• Neurogenesis involves the growth of new neurons, essential for learning and memory, supported by aerobic exercise and diet.

• Regular aerobic exercise promotes neurogenesis and enhances brain plasticity.
• Consuming dark-skinned foods rich in antioxidants supports brain health and neurogenesis.

"If you are regularly doing aerobic exercise... the turnover of those cells in your brain is about 13-14%."

• Aerobic exercise significantly boosts the growth and development of new brain cells.

"Eating black beans instead of white beans or eating blueberries instead of strawberries."

• Choosing darker versions of foods can provide higher levels of antioxidants beneficial for brain health.

• Sleep, regular physical activity, and stress management are foundational for supporting neuroplasticity.
• Advanced practices like intermittent fasting can further enhance brain health if foundational habits are in place.

"Sleeping roughly eight hours a night... having regular sleep and wake times seems to have an additional benefit."

• Consistent sleep patterns are crucial for maintaining and enhancing brain function and plasticity.

"Fasting and calorie restriction... have brain health and longevity benefits."

• Intermittent fasting can improve brain health and resilience, provided basic health habits are well-established.

• Engaging in new cognitive challenges, like learning to DJ, helps form new neural pathways in the brain.
• Developing self-esteem and confidence involves understanding feelings, setting goals, repetition, and accountability.
• Identifying and counteracting negative recurring thoughts with positive affirmations can boost confidence and self-esteem.

"I want to learn to DJ. I've been learning for about 12 months now. That feels like a big cognitive challenge for me."

• Learning new skills can create new pathways in the brain, illustrating neuroplasticity.

"If you can identify what that is and create a positive affirmation that's like the opposite of it or something that counteracts it, then that can be a great way to get started."

• Positive affirmations can help counteract negative thoughts and build confidence.

• The language we use with ourselves is crucial due to neuroplasticity; repeated statements become beliefs.
• Metacognition involves understanding and altering one's own thinking to change mental narratives.

"How we speak about ourselves, how do we know that matters? I mean, it's neuroplasticity."

• Repetitive language influences brain belief systems through neuroplasticity.

"Sometimes saying to myself I'm safe is that's what I need to hear, not I'm beautiful and I'm amazing."

• Affirmations should address underlying issues rather than superficial desires.

• Manifestation involves aligning thoughts, beliefs, and actions, not just wishful thinking.
• Vision boards are effective when viewed as action boards, requiring proactive efforts.

"I believe in manifestation based on your brain, so your thoughts, your beliefs, your actions."

• Manifestation is grounded in cognitive science, linking thoughts to actions and outcomes.

"I do believe in vision boards, but I call them action boards because I see them as a representation of what I want, but I still have to go out there and make those things happen."

• Vision boards should inspire actionable steps rather than passive wishing.

• To attract desired traits in others, one must embody those traits themselves.
• Relationships reflect psychological evolution and wounds; balanced relationships require self-awareness and growth.

"Make sure you are the things on that list because we'll rise to the level of our values and we'll fall to the level of our wounds."

• Personal growth and self-awareness are essential for attracting and maintaining healthy relationships.

"People who focus on what they want don't typically get what they want. People who focus on what they have to offer typically get what they want."

• Offering value to others often results in receiving desired outcomes.

• Neurodiversity includes conditions like dyslexia, ADHD, and autism, representing non-typical brain functions.
• Increased diagnoses may reflect better recognition and understanding rather than an actual rise in cases.

"Neurodiversity is basically anything that doesn't fall into the category of a typical brain."

• Neurodiversity encompasses a range of conditions that diverge from typical brain function.

"I think that a lot of it is to do with better diagnosis."

• Improved diagnostic practices contribute to the perceived rise in neurodiverse conditions.

• Indigenous practices like humming and chanting can enhance creativity and regulate the nervous system.
• These practices have historical roots and potential health benefits.

"Doing things like humming and chanting are actually really beneficial."

• Traditional practices can have modern applications for creativity and well-being.

• Mindset significantly impacts physical aging; positive self-perception can improve physical health.
• Experiments show that living as a younger version of oneself can lead to physical improvements.

"After one week, the people in that group were taller because their posture improved."

• Positive psychological priming can result in tangible physical benefits.

"Your eyes haven't got worse; they haven't even stayed the same; they've got better."

• Rejecting negative expectations can lead to unexpected improvements in physical abilities.

• The language we use can empower or disempower us; choosing words carefully can influence mindset and behavior.
• Recognizing personal responsibility in choices enhances empowerment.

"I really need to not say the word need associated with things because I will then probably develop a psychological and maybe somewhat of a physical need for that thing."

• Language choice affects psychological and physical dependencies.

"If you ask someone why they don't exercise, they'll typically blame it on some force."

• Shifting language from disempowering to empowering frames alters perception and behavior.

• Acknowledging the brain's potential can lead to significant life improvements.
• Visualization and gratitude practices can shift the brain from fear to trust, facilitating change.

"Spend five minutes sitting down and visualizing those things being true and then give gratitude for that."

• Visualization and gratitude can initiate positive change by altering brain states.

"Be very clear on what it is that you want."

• Clarity in desires is the first step toward achieving personal goals.