How do you calm alertness?
One of the fastest ways to get into the alpha state is by drinking tea. Specifically, drink black, green, or white tea, all of which naturally contain a substance called Theanine. Drinking just 2 cups of green tea (thanks to the Theanine) generates alpha brain waves and moves you into a state of relaxed alertness.
One of the fastest ways to get into the alpha state is by drinking tea. Specifically, drink black, green, or white tea, all of which naturally contain a substance called Theanine. Drinking just 2 cups of green tea (thanks to the Theanine) generates alpha brain waves and moves you into a state of relaxed alertness.
- Take care of your body. Our bodies and our minds are connected. ...
- Eat well-timed, balanced meals. Food is our fuel. ...
- Watch out for too much caffeine. ...
- Keep a check on sugar intake. ...
- Exercise. ...
- Get enough sleep. ...
- Practice healthy thinking. ...
- Watch for thinking traps.
Stress, anxiety, and depression, coming on the heels of non-stop pressure to achieve, physically interfere with the body's relaxation mechanisms. Meditation, yoga, and breathwork have been shown to have powerful effects on the body and the mind.
It is caused by the frequent activation of the “fight or flight” system, often by overly anxious behavior or stressful situations and circumstances. Hyper-alertness is a common symptom of Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and especially anxiety and panic attacks.
Norepinephrine and orexin (also called hypocretin) keep some parts of the brain active while we are awake. Other neurotransmitters that shape sleep and wakefulness include acetylcholine, histamine, adrenaline, cortisol, and serotonin.
- Get outside. Getting outside and enjoying the fresh air is a great way to renew your energy and give your brain a break. ...
- Be active. Feeling stressed? ...
- Unplug. ...
- Meditate. ...
- Treat yourself. ...
- Drink water. ...
- Keep a journal. ...
- Express your creativity.
Just stepping away from something stressful for a few minutes or taking time away from your normal routines and thoughts can give you enough space and distance to feel calmer. Read a book or a magazine, even if it's only for a few minutes. Run yourself a bath, watch a film, play with a pet or try out a new recipe.
- Take a short walk. Exercise can be a great stress reliever because it helps you blow off steam and releases endorphins even if you have just five or ten minutes. ...
- Breathe deeply. ...
- Visualize relief. ...
- Relax your muscles. ...
- Write it down. ...
- Drink some water.
- Get active. Virtually any form of physical activity can act as a stress reliever. ...
- Meditate. ...
- Laugh more. ...
- Connect with others. ...
- Assert yourself. ...
- Try yoga. ...
- Get enough sleep. ...
- Keep a journal.
Why won t my brain let me relax?
Your emotional brain is overactive.
When the brain's emotional centers and fear centers are overactive, it can be associated with depression and anxiety. If you have this common brain pattern, you may stay busy as a way to distract yourself from your anxious thoughts and feelings of hopelessness.
Another theory explains that relaxation-induced anxiety is caused by an inability to “let go”. People suffering from RIA strongly associate the feelings that accompany relaxation with a lack of control. This lack of control then initiates a stress response causing them to experience anxiety.

- try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, health professional or counsellor. ...
- use calming breathing exercises.
- exercise – activities such as running, walking, swimming and yoga can help you relax.
Hypervigilance can have a negative effect on your life. It can affect how you interact with and view others, or it may encourage paranoia.
Alertness is the state of active attention by high sensory awareness such as being watchful and prompt to meet danger or emergency, or being quick to perceive and act. It is related to psychology as well as to physiology.
The thalamus serves as a relay station for almost all information that comes and goes to the cortex. It plays a role in pain sensation, attention and alertness.
Nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, trouble sleeping, or increased urination may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
What does norepinephrine do in the body? As a neurotransmitter in your brain and spinal cord, norepinephrine: Increases alertness, arousal and attention. Constricts blood vessels, which helps maintain blood pressure in times of stress.
Level | Summary (Kruse) |
---|---|
Conscious | Normal |
Confused | Disoriented; impaired thinking and responses |
Delirious | Disoriented; restlessness, hallucinations, sometimes delusions |
Somnolent | Sleepy |
- Develop Healthy Sleep Habits. Sleep is our body's method of resetting and replenishing itself—including (and especially) the brain. ...
- Eat a Healthy Diet. There's a deeper connection between the brain and the gut than most people realized. ...
- Meditation/Mindfulness Exercises. ...
- Get Outside. ...
- Exercise.
What activities slow down the brain?
Researchers theorize that a less active brain uses less of the body's energy. Experts say there are a number of ways to calm your brain, including meditation, active listening, and mindful eating.
- Exercise. It might sound strange to talk about exercise as being restful, but moving the body creates changes that help clear the mind as well as relax the body, especially if you are experiencing chronic stress. ...
- People-Watching. ...
- Nature. ...
- Meditation. ...
- Animals. ...
- Play.
- When tense, we often breathe from the upper chest. A full, deep breath helps relieve tension.
- Take a deep breath, letting your abdomen expand fully.
- Hold it for about 3 seconds.
- Let your breath out all at once (with a sigh if you want).
- As you exhale, relax your jaw and shoulders. Think calm…
Foods naturally rich in magnesium may, therefore, help a person to feel calmer. Examples include leafy greens, such as spinach and Swiss chard. Other sources include legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety.
Spend a few minutes stretching out your neck, shoulders, arms and lower back. This is also a great way to refocus your mind and relieve mental stress. Walking: You can walk for 30 minutes or an hour for exercise, but even a brisk 10-minute walk can naturally calm your nerves. Try to take your walks in nature.
- Be prepared. You're less likely to freeze up if you're well prepared. ...
- Psych yourself up. Instead of dwelling on what could go wrong, rev up some positive energy. ...
- Learn ways to chill. ...
- Don't be afraid of the nervous feeling. ...
- Look after yourself.
- Remember that nobody is perfect. ...
- Pay less attention to what other people are saying or doing. ...
- Don't take on too much. ...
- Change the way you think. ...
- Accept what you can't do and ask for help if you need it.
- Be active—Take a dance break! ...
- Close your eyes, take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
- Write three things you are grateful for.
- Check in with yourself—take time to ask yourself how you are feeling.
- Laugh!
- Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check. ...
- Avoid Stimulants. ...
- Get Enough Sleep. ...
- Just Breathe. ...
- Practice Mindfulness. ...
- Exercise. ...
- Do What You Enjoy. ...
- Where to Get Help.
Some common mental symptoms of anxiety include:
Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom. Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry. Having difficulty controlling worry. Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety.
What produces heightened alertness and energy?
Stimulants are a class of drugs that speed up messages travelling between the brain and body. They can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident or energetic. Stimulants include caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines and cocaine.
A type of drug that increases the levels of certain chemicals in the brain and increases alertness, attention, energy, and physical activity. Central nervous system stimulants also raise blood pressure and increase heart rate and breathing rate.
Many things can alter how alert you feel, such as how much sleep or caffeine you've had. Being overly alert or not alert enough can also be a sign of certain mental health conditions, like anxiety, mania, or depression. Scientists have learned a lot about how the brain regulates being asleep or awake in general.
- dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine®)
- dextroamphetamine/amphetamine combination product (Adderall®)
- methylphenidate (Ritalin®, Concerta®).