Friederike Fabritius explains what brain chemistry has to do with our resistance to stress and how we can use it to our advantage.
You are a neuroscientist and research how our brain can work more efficiently. Your most exciting finding?
Friederike Fabritius: That the permanent stream of information that floods us every day via PC and smartphone can literally shrink our brains. Constant information and multitasking permanently damage our brain power.
What does “shrink” mean exactly?
Constant exposure to media can measurably reduce the volume of the brain in some areas, especially in the frontal lobe, where the areas for rational action are located. In the long term, this increases the risk of dementia, among other things.
Sounds scary – especially since every German is online for an average of two days a week…
That’s why we should take more digital breaks and get used to doing one thing at a time in peace. Otherwise we put our brain in a permanent state of alarm. It is flooded with cortisol, a stress hormone. This causes increased activity in the amygdala, the brain center for negative emotions and fear. Then you easily get into a negative spiral, become more sensitive to stressors, react more quickly than before, irritated, attacked, sensitive or anxious.
Some people seem to handle stress better than others, don’t they?
Research shows that every human being has an individual, genetically determined structure of brain chemistry: the neurosignature. Some have a very high stimulus threshold, need a lot of action and feel rather bored in everyday life. These are the ones who go skydiving or climb high mountains for leisure. For others, a minimal change in daily routine is enough to make them feel highly stressed. If you know your own neurosignature and understand what nature has given you, it is easier to find the right level at which you feel stimulated but not overwhelmed.
If two people go jogging and one person enjoys it while the other hates it, the health effects are also different. Jogging fans produce more of the reward hormone dopamine, while non-runners activate the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol instead. The wrong type of sport is therefore counterproductive. I’ve forced myself to do yoga for years, even though it’s not my thing. Today I’m doing strength training and I’m absolutely happy with it.
So we shouldn’t be influenced by trends, but rather listen to our own needs?
Definitive. People are partially obsessed with the subject of self-improvement. In doing so, they often neglect their actual constitution. Let’s say I’m a controlled, introverted character with a stressful job that’s unpredictable and requires frequent presentations. Then I can either try to fill my scarce free time with breathing and relaxation exercises in order to reduce my constantly high stress level, at least for a short time. Or, the more effective way: I plan my life so that it corresponds more to my nature. Find me a job that doesn’t drain me completely, where I can find a comfortable routine. Then I don’t have to constantly optimize. It’s exhausting to work against your own weaknesses. Better to use your strengths.
They say sport is the best doping for our brain. Why?
There is nothing better to do for the brain than exercise. It has a motivating effect, increases mood and concentration, makes us smarter and more capable of learning. Sport not only strengthens the body, but also the mind.
At the same time you emphasize: Sometimes a long nap would be better than the meditation workshop…
Exactly, sleep should be the top priority! How often do I hear from working mothers: In the evenings, when the children are asleep, I make important job calls and plan projects. My request: Don’t do that, lie down with the children. Sleep is like a washing machine for our brain: toxins are flushed out of our brain and new important messenger substances are produced. Many executives ask me during coaching: How can I sleep more efficiently, i.e. high-quality, but shorter? Sorry, but I have to disappoint everyone: there is no getting around seven and a half to eight hours of sleep. But I steer well rested but not into burnout, I am efficient, I can think clearly. And don’t forget: good sleep saves a lot of make-up, that’s the best cosmetics.
What if I’ve understood that, but still can’t find a way out of the stress loop?
Concentrate on “quick wins”. For example: from now on, end every lunch break with a ten-minute walk. Or: have all the ingredients for a healthy muesli or smoothie ready in the evening so that the effort is minimal the next morning. Make it easy for your brain by setting specific goals, such as exact times for new rituals like the midday walk. And don’t buy chips or chocolate if you have a weakness for them. Don’t eat what’s not in the house. The next supermarket purchase? Get done right after a good meal. After all, if you shop for groceries when you are full, you will buy more thoughtfully and healthily. Basically, if something is planned in advance, you need less willpower. It’s overestimated anyway – automatisms are more effective.
That’s the great thing: Despite the given structures, I can always put myself in a state of contentment. For this I developed the model Fun – Fear – Focus. With fun, the joy, I describe all activities that increase our dopamine production. For example, cuddling the pet or talking to your best friend on the phone. Fear means that I need a certain amount of thrill, i.e. the release of the stimulating messenger substance norepinephrine. For one, that means skydiving, for the next a bike ride.
And focus, the concentration, succeeds when I direct my attention to just one thing, immerse myself completely in it, for example when gardening or reading. Then acetylcholine forms in the brain, a substance that sharpens our perception. We can mix this magical cocktail ourselves, we don’t have to wait for luck to bring us luck. Oh yes: ice bathing is also possible! Or take a cold shower. The cold stimulus gives us a short-term alarm, but studies show that norepinephrine and dopamine levels remain elevated over time. In the long term, this acts as a vaccination against stress.
Continue reading You can find more information in the books by neuroscientist Friederike Fabritius: “Neurohacks: Brain-friendly and happier work” and “Flow@work: Brain-friendly management” (Campus Verlag).