When Your Brain Can’t Think, Think Safety First |
Your brain will deprioritize executive function when stressed.
Taking just a short moment to calm yourself can help you better access problem solving.
Environments that allow for self-regulation see better executive function.
I don’t understand what’s happening. I’ve mixed up all the right environmental ingredients. I have set a timer and broken my tasks into steps. I am highly motivated to finish my book, maybe admittedly a little “under pressure” with the deadline approaching. I know what to do, but I can’t get going. What is happening in my brain?
A good cry and short break later, I have my answer: I was attempting to think deeply when my brain wasn’t able to do so. Feeling like our thoughts freeze or at least don’t work as well when we’re stressed is a very human experience. Yet, it’s easy to overlook when it’s happening.
Why stress impairs executive function
Our brains are built well to survive and have an autopilot mode that sends resources to what we think will help us survive in moments of stress or threat. For example, when our brains perceive a threat, they may trigger the release of chemicals in our brains and bodies that cause rapid physiological changes, like increased heart rate and changes in our vision and hearing. This probably rings true to you; you’ve been startled and felt the quick jolt of your muscles tightening, and the increase of your heartbeat’s force and speed. What we often take for granted is the trade-off of these very important reactions: when our brains prioritize safety, they deprioritize use of the prefrontal cortex, where executive function and problem-solving mainly take place. In short, brains perceiving threats think less effectively.
Students can attest to the very real experience of having their brains freeze when feeling stressed or unsafe. They’ve studied thoroughly, can recall the information, then stress gets its tentacles wrapped around their brains, and poof! The thoughts are gone, replaced with a sense of overwhelm that silences their problem-solving abilities. (This is why allowing students to calm themselves before testing or have a bit of time to transition is so impactful.)
Need more proof? Think of when you’re really upset in traffic, or when you’re frantically looking for something you need right away. You may do or say things outside of the norm for you because you’re reacting from a threatened nervous system. You may miss an obvious solution because your brain is locked in on the problem.
How to help your brain when stressed
What’s important here is twofold: First, we need to remember that calm brains best use executive function. If we, or our child, partner, or student, are dysregulated, we won’t be able to effectively access problem solving or other executive functions. We need to take time to calm–with breaths, with a break, with emoting–before we try to verbalize or engage in next steps.
Second, the environment we create and maintain will have a significant impact on how people perform. The best executive function happens in spaces that are designed to allow for regulation and social safety. A stealth “bonus” of creating emotionally safe environments is that in these spaces, people are more likely to unmask and feel safe enough to self-advocate. Teachers get to see the full span of student strengths and growth when students are able to make mistakes, talk about what they need, and test out executive function strategies. Employers are able to enjoy the full problem-solving and innovative abilities of employees when they are able to access all of their executive functions in a space that allows for exploration, iteration, and regulating when needed.
The next time your body sounds the dysregulation alarm, consider helping yourself calm before you lean into the problem that upset you. While it may take some time up front, you will likely find that your brain is able to utilize your executive function and process through the challenge much better than if you forced yourself to push through. These moments of regulation can lead to better self-awareness and add to your calming toolbox, and maybe even help you finish a book!
LePera, Nicole. How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self. HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021.
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