Meditation & Brain Health: Getting to know Brain Chemicals

Understanding your brain can be a big puzzle piece to overall health.

When you get to know the messengers (chemicals) in your brain, you can see where there might be some mixed messages that could be affecting your stress and emotional levels. 

When we have a deficiency or imbalance in our brain chemical makeup it can look like anxiety, depression or stress and it can also impact our appetite and energy levels.

What are some other signs of a chemical imbalance?

Loss of or excessive appetite 

Low energy 

Extreme mood swings 

Loss of empathy 

Social withdrawal

Addiction 

Insomnia / oversleeping

Let’s take a look at some of the brain’s key chemicals and their roles:

Gaba - Associated with feelings of calm, Gaba is known to calm nerves in the nervous system. When there are high levels of it, focus and mood improves.

Ways to increase Gaba: Practicing yoga and meditation, using herbs such as Valerian, Skullcap, Lemon Balm, Ashwagandha powder, and relaxing with Lavender essential oil.

Glutamate - Associated with learning and memory. This chemical balances out Gaba and is responsible for stimulating the brain creating focus and alertness and helps with learning new things.

Ways to increase Glutamate: Glutamine and L-theanine (also found in green tea), vitamin C and Taurine supplements.

Dopamine - Associated with pleasure, movement, motivation and closely shadowed by addiction. Dopamine is a feel good chemical that many seek to experience again and again. 

Ways to increase Dopamine: Exercise, relaxation techniques (yoga, stretching, meditation), sunlight, listening to music, eating healthy fats, drinking green tea, magnesium supplements.

Serotonin - Associated with feelings of happiness and well-being. Affects our sleep, mood and digestion. Can be induced by exercise and light exposure.

Ways to increase Serotonin: Fresh air/nature! Boosts in oxygen increase more serotonin. Exercise, sun exposure, meditation, practicing gratitude.  

Endorphin - Associated with feelings of euphoria. This chemical is released during exercise, sex and is responsible for excitement. Endorphins also assist in reducing pain and tension in the body.

Way to increase Endorphins: Physical activity, falling in love or thinking about someone you love, smiling, chocolate! 

Be sure to consult with a healthcare provider before introducing any new supplements.

Exercise for your brain

Even though movement and exercise play a big role in boosting the feel good chemicals, another one of the most valuable practices that affects nearly all of our brain chemicals is meditation. 

Meditation is one of the greatest exercises - for your brain - to calm anxiety and decrease depression. It also has the power to increase empathy and compassion and help to promote focus.

It can lower stress responses, create space for mental and emotional clarity by increasing Serotonin, Gaba, Endorphins, Melatonin, growth and longevity hormones. 

There are many forms of meditation and many ways to practice - here are some tips for beginners:

Start small - Begin by sitting (or laying) in meditation for 2 minutes and increasing by 1 minute a day. 

Focus on the breath - The monkey mind may want to distract you but focusing on your in and out breath can help bring you back to the present moment.

Focus on the body - Another point of focus to help center yourself is bringing your attention to your body.  Feel your spine, your feet and notice the sensations that arise.

If you are not ready to jump right in on your own, there are also many useful apps and online videos that assist with guided meditations and timers. ‘Headspace’ and ‘Insight Timer’ are great meditation apps for tracking your progress and keeping you motivated (boost that dopamine!).

Good luck in your brain balancing journey!