Blog # 6. The Neuroscience of How Affirmations Help Your Mental Health:

Your body constantly adapts to the thoughts running through your mind. When you think, your brain sends signals and releases neurotransmitters that control almost all bodily functions, including your mood and emotions. Over time, repeated thoughts can reshape your brain, cells, and even genes through neuroplasticity.

For example, practicing gratitude can trigger the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, which can boost your mood. In The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science, Norman Doidge describes an experiment where one group physically exercised a finger muscle, increasing strength by 30%, while another group, who only visualized the exercise, saw a 22% increase.

Your thoughts, visualizations, and self-talk have the power to transform your body, brain, and life. Affirmations are a tool to harness this power. Research shows that positive affirmations can help us handle life’s challenges with less defensiveness, fostering a healthier self-image and a more resilient brain. Affirmations, or self-affirmations, are intentional thoughts meant to support and calm your mind and body. They can challenge negative thoughts and beliefs or simply provide encouragement, influencing your thinking patterns, behaviors, health, and emotions.

Your mind naturally conjures images to accompany words. When you use affirmations, the words automatically and involuntarily trigger related mental pictures. This is why affirmations and visualization complement each other so well. You can deliberately combine them for a powerful effect, but it’s not a necessity.

Affirmations Stimulate the Brain’s Reward Centers

Research using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has demonstrated that affirmations activate the brain’s reward centers. These areas, specifically the ventral striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, are the same regions that respond to pleasurable experiences like enjoying your favorite meal or winning a prize. The brain’s reward system is quite potent; for instance, studies show that these circuits can reduce pain and help maintain balance during stress.

The study also found that affirmations increased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate, areas linked to self-related processing. Science indicates that enhanced self-related processing can serve as an emotional buffer against painful, negative, or threatening information. The research provided new insights into the use of future-oriented affirmations. In each identified brain region, the effects of self-affirmation were stronger when participants were given future-based prompts. For example, the statement “Imagine a future where you achieve career success” generated more self-affirming brain activity than “Think about your past career success.” Thus, using future-oriented affirmations can give the practice an extra boost. Positive affirmations activate the brain’s reward circuits.

Proven Benefits of Affirmations

Various scientific studies suggest that positive self-affirmation practices offer numerous benefits. Research shows that self-affirmations can reduce stress that deteriorates health. Experiments have shown that people can increase their physical activity levels using self-affirmations. Affirmations help individuals perceive threatening messages with less resistance, suggesting that self-affirmation can be a tool for coping with everyday challenges. Studies indicate that affirmations make people less likely to dismiss harmful health messages, leading to a greater intention to change for the better. Students facing negative stereotypes in school due to their race, gender, or generational status have improved their academic achievements in college through affirmations. Practicing self-affirmation has effectively lowered stress and rumination, both of which contribute to depression and anxiety. In one study, a brief affirmation exercise enhanced the problem-solving abilities of “chronically stressed” individuals to the same level as those with low stress. Affirmations have been successfully used to treat people with low self-esteem, depression, and other mental health conditions. Evidence suggests that affirmations can improve work performance. According to researchers, spending just a few minutes reflecting on your best qualities before a high-pressure meeting can calm your nerves, boost your confidence, and increase your chances of a successful outcome.

How and When to Use Affirmations:

Affirmations can be employed in any scenario where you desire a positive transformation in your life. They can boost your confidence before significant events or meetings and help reduce negative emotions like anxiety, anger, or impatience. Affirmations tend to be more effective when combined with other positive thinking and goal-setting strategies. For example, as mentioned earlier, affirmations work exceptionally well with visualizations. The strength of affirmations lies in their regular and as-needed repetition. It’s beneficial to recite them throughout your day, especially when you encounter negative or anxious thoughts or face challenging emotional situations. While practicing affirmations, take slow, calming breaths. As you become aware of your breath, focus on the affirmation and the accompanying feelings. Deepen and internalize the experience. Your affirmations should be unique to you and tailored to the specific goals or changes you wish to achieve.

You have the power to influence your physical and mental states. Use this power for your benefit. Your body reflects your mind, even down to the genetic level, and improving your mental habits will yield positive responses from your body. While you can’t change the past, which has shaped your current brain, programmed your cells, and activated certain genes, you can influence the present and future. You have the power, now and moving forward, to choose your perspective and behavior, which will alter your brain, cells, and genes.

You might think of affirmations as unrealistic “wishful thinking,” but consider this: many of us perform repetitive exercises to enhance our physical health, and affirmations are like exercises for our mind and outlook. These positive mental repetitions can reprogram your thinking patterns. Over time and with consistent practice, you can start to think and act differently. It’s about becoming aware of and changing the way you talk to yourself. Since you talk to yourself all the time anyway, why not use it to your advantage?

Sleep Affirmations, Active Recitation Affirmations and Active Listening Affirmations:

 During sleep, especially in deep sleep stages, the subconscious mind is more receptive to suggestions. This can help in embedding positive affirmations more deeply. You don’t need to actively focus on the affirmations, perhaps making it easier to incorporate into your routine.

Listening to affirmations throughout the night can provide continuous reinforcement, leading to stronger neural connections over time. Sleep affirmations can also aid in relaxation and stress reduction, contributing to better sleep quality.

Active Listening Affirmations:

Actively listening to affirmations while awake allows you to consciously engage with the content, which can enhance focus. You can immediately feel the effects of positive affirmations, such as increased motivation or a boost in mood. You can choose specific times during the day to listen to affirmations, such as during meditation, exercise, or while commuting. Active listening can be combined with mindfulness practices, helping to reinforce the affirmations through conscious repetition and visualization.

Active Recitation of Affirmations:

Frame your affirmations in a positive manner. Instead of saying, “I am not stressed,” say, “I am calm and relaxed.” Or for example, “I am confident” rather than “I will be confident.” The more specific your affirmations, the more impactful they can be. Instead of “I am successful,” try “I am successful in my career and achieve my goals.” Short and simple affirmations are easier to remember and repeat. They should be easy to integrate into your daily routine. Tailor your affirmations to your personal goals and values. This makes them more meaningful and effective. Infuse your affirmations with high frequency emotion. Feel the positive emotions as vivid and compelling associated with the affirmation as you repeat it. For example, “I am filled with joy and gratitude.” Repeat your affirmations regularly. ideally daily. Consistency helps reinforce the positive messages in your subconscious mind. Combine your affirmations with visualization. Picture yourself achieving your goals and embodying the qualities you affirm irrespective of your current circumstances.

Examples of Effective Affirmations:

“I am confident and capable in everything I do.”

“I attract positive energy and opportunities.”

“I am healthy, happy, and radiant.”

“I am worthy of love and respect.”

“I am healthy wealthy and wise.”

Which is Better?

All three methods can be effective, and the choice depends on your personal preferences and goals. Some people find a combination of all approaches works best for them. For example, you might listen to affirmations actively during the day and use sleep affirmations at night to reinforce the messages.

https://youtu.be/zO3bI1gAmVs

Use Affirmations to Regain Health, Loose Unwanted Fat, Heal your Body of Disease and get into Shape:

Why Fast?  

Weight Loss: Fasting reduces calorie intake and increase fat burning. During fasting, your body uses stored fat for energy, which leads to weight loss.

Improved Blood Sugar Control: Fasting enhances insulin sensitivity, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Reduced Inflammation: Fasting decreases inflammation markers in the body, which is beneficial for overall health and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Enhanced Brain Function: Fasting improves brain function and protect against neurodegenerative diseases by promoting the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Heart Health: Fasting improves heart health by reducing blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglycerides.

Longevity: A multitude of studies indicate that fasting can extend healthspan and lifespan for many years by promoting cellular repair processes like autophagy.

Boosting Motivation: Affirmations keep you motivated by reinforcing your commitment to your fitness journey. For example, saying, “I am dedicated to making healthy choices every day” are powerful and will keep you focused.

Building Self-Confidence: Positive affirmations can improve your self-esteem and body image, compelling you to stick to your fitness routine when done repetitively. Statements like, “I love and appreciate my body at every stage” will foster a positive relationship with your body.

Creating a Positive Mindset: Affirmations will shift your mindset persuasively from negative to positive, helping you overcome obstacles and stay consistent. For instance, “Every day, I am getting closer to my ideal weight” will keep you on track.

Reducing Stress and Emotional Eating: Affirmations support managing stress and reduce emotional eating by promoting a calm and focused mind. Phrases like, “I am in control of my body and my choices” helps you manage cravings and make healthier decisions.

Combining Fasting and Affirmations, to maximize the benefits of fasting and affirmations, you can integrate them into your daily routine:

Morning Routine: Start your day with a period of fasting and repeat your affirmations while listening to theta waves. This can set a positive tone for the day and help you stay committed to your goals.

Mindful Eating: When you break your fast, do so mindfully. Use affirmations to reinforce healthy eating habits, such as “I choose foods that nourish my body.”

Exercise: Incorporate affirmations into your workout routine. For example, “Every workout brings me closer to my goals” keeps you motivated during exercise.

By combining the physical benefits of fasting with the mental reinforcement of affirmations and brain wave entrainment, you can create a holistic approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle at any age.

Belief plus Effort = A New Brighter Reality.

https://youtu.be/f6ldgWddm8s

The Electromagnetic Field and Brain Waves:

Our body mind state is essentially electromagnetic and chemical and is largely responsible for how we feel, think and every other aspect of our behavior to include our strengths and weaknesses. The good news is that our brain neural network is malleable and can be modified in accordance with our desires and intentions in order to achieve a preferable altered reality through brain wave entrainment in combination with Affirmations. Understanding and balancing these brain waves can significantly impact your overall mental health and personal growth.

Quantum Mechanics and Consciousness:

Athene’s theory suggests that individuated consciousness arises from quantum processes in the brain. These processes might influence how neurons interact at a fundamental level, potentially affecting our thoughts, behaviors, and personality traits.

Big Five Personality Traits:

Neuroticism: Linked to emotional instability and anxiety. Higher levels of neuroticism are associated with increased thickness and reduced area and folding in certain brain regions.

Extraversion: Associated with sociability and enthusiasm. Brain regions involved in reward processing, such as the prefrontal cortex, show different activity levels in extraverted individuals.

Openness: Related to creativity and open-mindedness. This trait is linked to greater connectivity in brain networks involved in cognitive flexibility.

Agreeableness: Reflects altruism and cooperation. Variations in brain regions related to social cognition, like the prefrontal cortex, influence this trait.

Conscientiousness: Involves self-discipline and organization. Higher conscientiousness is associated with better functioning in brain areas responsible for planning and impulse control.