???? Become a Patron: https://patronite.pl/radionaukowe ???? Make a one-time support: https://suppi.pl/radionaukowe ???? Listen on streaming: https://ffm.bio/radionaukowe ???? Subscribe: / @radionaukowe ???? Website: https://radionaukowe.pl ???? Facebook: / radionaukowe ???? Instagram: / radionaukowe ❌ Twitter: / radionaukowe ???? Visit LAMU: / @letniaakademiamlodychumyslow ???? See more: • Radio Naukowe recommends ???? Contact: [email protected] How is it possible that we behave differently when something (or someone) “upsets us”? Why do we say and do things in anger that we later regret? - This is our feature, ours as animals, because it applies not only to humans, which is essential from the point of view of survival - says Dr. Alicja Puścian, a behavioral neurobiologist from the Marceli Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, on Radio Nauka. ???? https://patronite.pl/radionaukowe​​​ ???? https://radionaukowe.pl/ It's interesting, isn't it? It would seem that such reactions are impractical. However, at their source lie automatisms that protect us from threats. - Emotions serve to efficiently react to events in the environment around us. In some cases, there is no time to think - explains the researcher. And then, for example, in the case of danger and emotions of fear, we react automatically, because lightning-fast processes take place in the brain. - Information about the threat is initially sent bypassing the neuronal circuits that would allow for the regulation of behavior. This goes through a "shortcut" that immediately recruits the entire organism to action. Arousal increases, breathing quickens – explains Dr. Puścian. After a while, the areas of the brain that are responsible for regulating behavior “are informed” about what is happening, but then it is harder for us to control ourselves, because the body is already in a state of arousal. – That is why emotions get out of control. But it does not mean that we cannot regulate them – she emphasizes. The scientist gives a classic example of fear here, but this mechanism is also triggered when, for example, we get angry. – When something happens that causes a certain threshold to be exceeded, beyond which automatic systems must react – adds Dr. Puścian, emphasizing that these automatisms are also “us”, they are an integral part of us, like the eye or legs. Fortunately, there are ways to regain balance faster. It is important to know that emotions are strongly connected with the vegetative (autonomous) nervous system that co-controls, for example, the speed of the heartbeat. And this is where we can act. – You can “send” information to your autonomic nervous system that things are better, that you can calm down – says Dr. Puścian. – In addition to a fast heartbeat, muscle tension, one of the most important signals of high stress is the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood. You can deal with this by imitating the so-called physiological sigh of relief. You take two breaths, one after the other, the first deeper, the second a little shallower, and you make a deep, long exhalation… And so on several, a dozen or so times, as many as you need. With this method, we supply more oxygen to the lungs and support the excretion of carbon dioxide. And because we are a system of interconnected vessels, other systems in the body also begin to respond and the entire body calms down. This is one of the most effective methods – emphasizes the researcher. This is one of the methods to use in a moment of crisis, but you have to remember that you have to take care of your emotions every day. Getting enough sleep and eating healthy are of great importance. This is really important for the brain to function well, it must have all the necessary components. In the podcast, we also talk about where emotions live, how to calm down by regulating your breathing, but also how to stimulate yourself to action using the opposite method. We take up the difficult topic of distinguishing scientific from non-scientific content in the field of neurobiology and psychology of emotions and talk about the importance of representation in the research community (Dr. Puścian is a member of the Council of Women in Science at Nencki). A juicy, knowledge-packed episode! A must-see! https://www.nencki.edu.pl/people/pusc... / nenckiwomeninscience https://www.nencki.edu.pl/education/i... Image from a miniature: a French engraving from 1840, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Image Library. ???? Radio Naukowe - turn on your knowledge! ???? #RadioNaukowe #KarolinaGłowacka #AlicjaPuścian ????