The Mind-Body Connection

Tapping into our bodily states to better understand our big emotions

You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘mind-body connection’.

Like the other organ systems in our bodies (🫁 respiratory, digestive, ❤️ circulatory, 🛡 immune, etc.), the nervous system is interconnected with all of the specialized structures that keep us alive and well.  

This is great news for us neuroscientists at the Ruvvy Resilience Lab, and everyone who wants to better understand their big emotions! 🎉

It can be time consuming and expensive to measure what’s going on in the brain to better understand emotions. 🧪

We can use tools like ‘magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)’ and ‘electroencephalography (EEG)’.

But these tools often require:

  • Specialized facilities 🏢

  • Advanced training 🧑‍🔬

  • High costs 💰

The information we get from MRI and EEG can also be difficult to interpret and may require us to combine data from multiple people to better understand it. 📊

Luckily, the mind and body are connected! 🤝

That means we can also gather useful information about what’s going on in the brain by measuring what’s happening in the rest of the body to better understand big emotions.

You can too!

A common way that we measure biological signals that have meaning for brain function and emotion is using wearable biosensing. 🧠⌚

It sounds fancy, but it’s actually just as simple as wearing a device like a FitBit, Oura Ring, Garmin, or Apple Watch. 

These wearables can measure biological signals like:

  • How slow or fast our heart beats 💓

  • Our body temperature 🌡

  • Our movement patterns 🕺

That information can also tell us about our big emotions: are we stressed 🧨, feeling anxious or on edge? 😰 Or, are we relaxed, calm 🧘‍♀️, and regulated? 😌 

At the Lab and In Your Home! 🧑‍🔬

We’re using wearable biosensing to better understand the big emotions kids have and how we can help teach them strategies to regulate their reactions and manage stress. 👧💥🌱

Do you have a wearable at home? Be a scientist and conduct your own experiment! 🔬👩‍🔬 

  1. When you’re feeling stressed or after you do a workout or household chore, check your wearable and write down what your heart rate is. 📝

  1. Take a few minutes to watch one of our guided exercises to help you calm down and reset. 🧘

  1. After you finish your guided practice, check your wearable again and write down what your heart rate is. 📉

  1. Did the numbers change? How did they change? Are you feeling any different than before? 🤔💭

You have the power to positively shape your emotions and help yourself and the people that you love regulate your reactions and deal with the stressors of daily life. 💪❤️

Thanks for practicing resilience with us! 🙌💙

Ready to learn more?

Read Dr. Ruvvy’s new publication on how scientists and clinicians can use wearables to improve mental health:

Leveraging Biosensors in Clinical and Research SettingsThis work explores the growing use of biosensing devices/systems to track changes in bodily states that may map onto mental health phenomena. It provides guidance for practical use of biosensors in research labs, treatment settings, and every day contexts. By providing fundamental guidance, the eld can better focus on improving reliability and accuracy of biosensors while also considering user experience and diversity in design.440.28 KB • PDF File

The Greenhouse of the Mind:

Resources to Help You Bloom

Drop in for a free, hands-on art session with creative prompts and materials provided. First Thursday of each month
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MoCAD)
4454 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

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