Need a boost? More calm? Balance brainwaves naturally!

There was a time when I had a career in neurofeedback. In an unexpected twist of fate, I’d been hired to wear a lab coat and dive into the land of EEG machines measuring and recording people’s brain waves, use software to convert this activity into sound, and employ various techniques for restoring electrical balance in brain function. Typically after being affected by real or perceived, emotional or physical trauma, but also for athletes wanting a competitive edge, or those wanting to improve cognitive ability. Knowing nothing about brain function at the time, I was recruited solely for my experience in energetic and soul-level restoration work.

You see, the neurofeedback technicians before me had been suffering sudden ailments after working with their clients, holed up in a small room together, as all manner of emotions and trauma stored in the body were being processed. My job was to not only master the tech heavy science, but to also implement best practices and a safe healing environment for technicians and clients both.

Over 5 years, I witnessed a range of results, from the “meh” to fully miraculous. By the time the brain health clinic closed in 2012, I’d picked up a couple of techniques to help reduce racing thoughts, calm our nervous system, and elevate mood that we’d used alongside the technology. Stuff we can do at home - without equipment.

The easiest tips to explain raise Alpha frequencies; often known as the “feel good’ brainwaves associated with relaxation, active meditation or flow state, and reduced physical pain. It also helps relieve us from subconscious fears. Touching our thumb and ring finger tip together on our non-dominant hand, and focusing on the sensation of gently rubbing them together is a super easy way to invite our brain raise to this activity. So too, does touching the tip of our tongue to the roof of our mouth. If you try it right now, you’ll find one spot is particularly ticklish. That’s the spot!

The other trick lowers overactive high frequencies in our temporal lobes. This helps balance our nervous system, reduce stress and quiet racing thoughts. If you start at your earlobe and trace with your finger up and around the outer shell of your ear, you’ll end up at a little divot where your ear meets your head (the incisura terminalis if you need to look it up). From there, move your finger straight up about 2 inches toward the crown of your head. Find this spot on both sides and gently rest your finger tips there. Take a few deep relaxing breaths, and If you can visualize, either imagine yourself in a beautiful place in nature, or envision a gentle stream with leaves smoothly floating downward over smooth stones. Picturing details and vibrant colours if you’re able. If not, slowly relaxing muscles from head to toe also works. Start with your ears and face, then neck, shoulders… you get the idea. Keep it up for 10+ minutes daily if you can.