Transcript *:
Three Reasons Why We Need to Pay Attention to Brain Health
Hello dear friends.
I’ve been focusing a lot on brain and mental health in my clinical tips. This is for three main reasons:
- We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, and psychiatric diagnoses are increasing in our youth at an alarming rate.
- The solutions our society has been given for this acceleration of emotional distress have been ineffective. They have been based solely on improving access to interventions that aren’t addressing the root of the problem.
- There still exists a mental health stigma that brain-based disorders are related to personality defects or a lack of willpower. This is just not true.
If we want to change this trajectory, we must do things differently.
Our society has come to a turning point where we need to refocus psychiatric care on integrative brain health treatments. It has become crucial that we address the causes of brain imbalances and offer more holistic treatment approaches.
Our Fast-Paced, Distracted Society
I’ve previously reviewed the various factors that can impact brain health. Now, I want to highlight a cognitive area that many are struggling with, regardless of having a diagnosis. This is a lack of focus.
Problems with sustaining attention can be for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is our fast-paced society. There are so many things vying for our attention. Besides everyday stressors, disturbing global events, countless social media notifications, and various forms of technology bombard us on a day-to-day basis. It’s challenging for our brains to handle this overload and makes it hard for it to weed out distractions versus serious threats.
In this clinical tip, I want to help you and your brain with much needed discernment.
First, I will briefly review the many reasons why one may be having a hard time with staying on task. Specifically, I will discuss eight main ways our attention gets hijacked. Then, I will share how essential oils can help in addressing the underlying brain imbalances that result.
As always, all the references and links will be provided in the resource section in the video transcript.
So, let’s get started.
Eight Reasons Why You Can’t Focus and Concentrate
1. Stress and Overwhelm
As I mentioned, the stress and overwhelm resulting from our modern world are probably the most common reasons for the inability to focus or concentrate.
Being in a constant state of urgency can impact brain processing and cognitive functioning. In fact, it literally causes functional changes in the brain! Chronic overwhelm is linked to an enlargement of the “fight and flight” area (the amygdala) and shrinkage of the memory center (the hippocampus).
A bombardment of emotional triggers can also “shutdown” the area of the executive function, the prefrontal cortex (PFC). These shifts in brain function make rational decision-making, planning, organization, focus, and follow through more difficult.
All these effects result in negative thinking and “brain fog.” Hence the expression, “stress makes you stupid.”
2. Lack of Sleep
Sleep is important for many reasons. For the brain, sleep aids in:
- memory consolidation
- forming neural pathways for integrating new information
- cleansing via the glymphatic system– the “brain detox” system which aids in the removal of “neurotoxic substances” and enhances circulatory and lymph flow
- providing mood support, healing, rejuvenation, and energy
Our society has been trading busyness for sleep for too long. The result is less brain power to be productive during the day.
3. ADHD (Attention Deficit & Hyperactivity Disorder) & ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
People with ADHD and ADD have distinct brain patterns that make it hard for them to focus. Dr. Amen, a renowned psychiatrist, has classified seven types of ADHD/ADD, each with their own complex brain patterns. One commonly shared pattern among all of them is overactivity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC).
When people with ADD/ADHD try to concentrate, PFC activity decreases rather than increases. This is why being told to “try harder” or “focus more” usually makes the problem worse for those with ADHD/ADD.
Assessing the causes and balancing the brain patterns is essential for those struggling with ADD/ADHD. * This can be accomplished with neurotransmitter and supplement recommendations, gut-brain support, nutritional interventions, lifestyle, and essential oils.
*Note: Irlen syndrome is a visual processing problem where certain colors of the light spectrum can irritate the brain. It can be confused for ADD and often co-occurs with it. This syndrome should be considered in those with ADHD/ADD and who have difficulty reading. Learn more here.
4. Hormonal Imbalances
Stress impacts hormones and hormones influence brain neurotransmitters. For example, there is evidence that thyroid hormone plays a role in dopamine output, a key signaling molecule for focus. Correcting hormonal imbalances will therefore support brain health.
5. Gut Health
If the brain is inflamed from a gut issue, it will have systematic effects on the body and mind. This is due to the intricate bidirectional relationship of the gut-brain. Oftentimes, addressing gut issues will improve mental and cognitive symptoms.
6. Lack of Brain Food
Not providing the brain with the vital nutrients it needs can cause issues with mental and emotional balance. Many people who are on elimination and restrictive diets should take heed, as this could negatively impact the brain.
7. Not Being Aware of Priorities or Embracing Acceptance
Not being aware of one’s own values and/or not accepting a current situation can keep one stressed and fixated on the problem. Rather than focusing on solutions for what is most urgent, one gets easily sidetracked. This can be due to a brain imbalance or an emotional or spiritual crisis.
8. Medications
Medications such as antianxiety drugs, antihistamines, and common heart medications can impact memory and cognition. Talk to your doctor if you think you are being negatively affected by a prescription.
Essential Oils for Boosting Focus and Brain Power
Now that we know some of the root causes of focus issues, let’s look at one of my favorite holistic solutions, essential oils.
Essential oils directly impact brain and cognitive health through (1) modulating hormones and brain signaling patterns, (2) shifting brain electrical activity, and (3) protecting the nervous system (neuroprotection). They accomplish these aspects through the direct interaction of their aromatic molecules with our cellular receptors.
Integrative medicine can seamlessly merge with clinical psychoaromatherapy to offer comprehensive brain health support. These plant secondary metabolites can be used in naturopathic and functional medicine to address the root causes of mental and brain health issues.
Below is a list of how essential oils can specifically address the eight common causes of attention problems we discussed.
Stress and Overwhelm: Essential oils excel at helping to soothe the brain and decrease stress through their calming physiological and aromatic properties. They also directly impact our endocrine system’s response to stress. They can literally help to shift us out of an alarm state with one sniff.
Sleep: Being mindful of sleep hygiene is important to ease trouble falling and staying asleep. Essential oils can be incorporated into your nightly rituals to help calm down your brain for more restful slumber.
ADHD: Above, I alluded to how essential oils can support brain health via their three main neurophysiological mechanisms and by addressing the root causes of imbalances. In my podcast interview on the Essential Oil Revolution with Dr. Stoychev, we dive deeper into naturopathic medicine approaches to support ADHD and using essential oils to optimize brain balance.
Hormones: Essential oils help modulate hormones through a variety of mechanisms. For example, they have a direct interaction with our brain and stress response system. This in turn helps to balance hormonal levels.
Gut Health: Essential oils can support the microbiome and aid digestion.
Food for the Brain: Essential oils aid assimilation of vital nutrients to the brain.
Priorities and Acceptance: Not being mindful of priorities and trying to control uncontrollable situations can be the result of an underlying imbalance in the brain’s emotional centers, such as within the limbic system or temporal lobes. Essential oils can help by directly accessing the emotional brain and balancing emotions.
Medications: Essential oils can help support the brain as the body adjusts to changes in neurochemistry.
Focusing In on Reasons You Can’t Focus: Summing It Up
To summarize, there are eight main reasons that you may not be able to focus. These include stress and overwhelm, lack of sleep, ADD/ADHD, hormonal imbalances, gut issues, not nourishing your brain, not prioritizing, and medications.
Essential oils can be an ally in addressing these main causes and assist in rebalancing the brain through various holistic ways.
I hope you found this information helpful in uncovering why you may be having issues with focus and attention and comfort in knowing there are solutions.
Coming up in Part II, I will review some of my favorite essential oils that you can use to help keep your brain on track and enhance productivity and energy. So, stay tuned.
Feel free to share your thoughts below.
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Resources
- Have Our Amygdalas Have Been Hijacked? The Mental Health Crisis in America and Why Psychiatric Care Needs Holistic Help (My article with references)
- Mind-Body Medicine: Naturopathic Doctors as Support Agents for Mental Health (My article with references)
- Integrative Resources for Mental Health, Emotional Balance, and Back-to-School Stress (My clinical tip with resource links)
- The Digital Hustle Is Hurting Our Teens | Opinion (Newsweek)
- Who Needs Sleep? Why We Sleep and How Slumber Can Benefit Your Brain, Hormones, and Whole Body (My article with references)
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) (Amen Clinics)
- Feeling Fatigued? My Favorite Herbs and Essential Oils to Boost Focus, Energy, and Cognition Health (Part 3: My Top Essential Oils for Attention, Mood, and Brain Vitality) (My article with references)
- Eight Reasons Why You Can’t Focus and Concentrate & Four Essential Oils to Help You Pay More Attention (My article with references)
- Essential Oils for Stress Relief and Mental Health: A Review (My clinical tip with references)
- Three Ways Essential Oils Support Brain Health for Better Mood, Memory, and Cognition: Part I (My clinical tip with references)
- A Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Approach to Supporting the Brain Using Essential Oils: Essential Oils for the Brain Part 2 (My clinical tip with references)
- Naturopathic Medicine and Essential Oils for ADHD with Dr. Stoychev, ND, RD (Ep. 388 of the EOR)
- Essential Oils for Hormones: Holistic Support for Healthy Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, Thyroid, and Oxytocin Balance (My article with references)
- Your “Gut Brain” – Why You Need to Know About Your “Second Brain” and How it Influences Your Mood (My article with references)
- Caution: These Drugs Can Cause Memory Lose (AARP)
- PsychoAromatherapy: Using Essential Oils for Better Mental Health with Jade Shutes, World Renowned Clinical Aromatherapist (Ep. 405 of the Essential Oil Revolution)
- An Update: Do Essential Oils Harm Our Microbiome? (Ep. 394 of the Essential Oil Revolution)
- Irlen Screening (Amen Clinics)
*Transcript has been edited for grammar and ease of reading.
Disclaimer: This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. (Affiliation link.)
This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.
Thanks Pixabay and Canva.
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