Hi Kira Leskew here, understanding how our brain states work can really help our performance
at work and & life. I am going to explain the basics
so Stay Tuned.
As a business leader, you probably spend a lot of time trying to put your best performance,
and part of that is your ability to think, be creative, listen to what is happening in
the moment, interpret specific situations and interpret and predict trends. While doing
all of this, you need to be manage the interpersonal relationships of a variety of different people:
your staff, your customers, your suppliers, and many others.
We use our brains for all of this, but do you actually know when you are in a positive
brain state, that is conducive to high performance, or when you are in a brain state that is in a negative
zone, where high performance (and a positive subjective experience) is far less likely?
By being aware of our mental and emotional states, we can change these states, and actually
quite rapidly, to do this, we need to be aware (mindfulness in action) and we have training
(both skills and practice) at changing those states. Mindfulness is one great way of detecting
those states, and once we know where we are at, we have the ability to move towards more
positive states, which will positively impact both performance, and our subjective experience
of life and to enjoy it more. So, here goes with the brain states, and please
note that your brain has all of these going on at any given time, we are talking about
which ones are dominant at any particular time. I am going through the states from the
most active ones (negative association) to the least active ones (positive association)
Beta brain state (14 hertz to 40 hertz) Alpha brain state, which is 7.5 to 14 hertz, theta
brain state, which is between 4 and 7 hertz, and Delta brain state, which is between a
half and 4 hertz. Hertz means cycles per second, so 40 Hertz is 40 cycles per second, the higher
the Hertz the more cycles per second in your brain, the lower the Hertz, the fewer cycles
per second in your brain. I am going to start my explanation at the
high end of Beta brain state (most cycles per second) up to 40 Hertz, and that is actually
a negative zone. This is true for the whole scale, the fewer the Hertz, the more positive
our subjective (emotional) experience is, and the better our performance is (until we
get to the sleep states!) These high beta brain states are pretty negative states, they
are associated with depression, anxiety, anger, feeling overwhelmed, and in the extreme mental
illness, such as schizophrenia. As we come to the lower end of Beta, where hopefully
a lot of us spend a lot of our time, we have the more normal regular waking states, having
conversations, doing logical work. In this video, talking to you, I would be in low Beta
Brain State. The majority of you listening to me would also most likely be in a lower
beta brain state, unless you are feeling totally freaked out, oh drat, my life is so stressful,
I don't know which way to turn. You might be in a higher beta brain state. These ranges
are dynamic and not static. As your emotions change, your brain states change
as well, and they are changing all the time. Which makes mindfulness even more important,
knowing when you are in a good place, and when maybe you need to check yourself before
you say something, or make a big decision. So if I have a really upsetting experience,
I will be in a higher Beta brain state, until I use my mindfulness skills to bring it lower.
Below that, we have Alpha Brain State, which to me is one of the most exciting brain states
that we can access through Mindfulness in Action, or if you are so inclined, through
meditation. Alpha brain state is characterized by super-relaxation. And there are 2 unofficial
zones: high alpha which is both relaxed and alert, and is a VERY high performance state.
Many people may not have had this experience, but it is well worth the effort to develop.
The lower end of Alpha you will have felt for sure when day-dreaming, when waking up
naturally (without an alarm) or when falling asleep. That zone is also essential
for both high performance and for good mental health. Missing out on it on a regular basis
makes both the High Alpha High Performance Zone, and the low Beta much more difficult
to access. Your brain needs this regularly to function optimally.
We can also access this zone naturally when we are doing things that have super focus.
You may have heard of the Athlete's High the descriptions of this definitely match the
characterizations of the Alpha Brain State: they are able to have tremendous performance,
take in a ton of information, make really quick decisions, and act on them very quickly.
It is like they are anticipating what is going to happen next. These people report that even
though their bodies are working at the top end of their limits, their subjective experience
is one of relaxation and ease. I have personally experienced this state, and I can say that
it is true. They process a huge amount of data on the fly ACCURATELY.
Other people that access this state regularly are musicians, computer programmers, other
artists, surgeons, lawyers, and anybody else that feels like they are totally in the moment,
totally relaxed, and performing at a high level of excellence at the same time.
This brain state is also associated with super-learning. If you have ever met anybody that can read
a really long detailed book, and almost memorize the whole thing, that person is most likely
skilled at accessing Alpha brain state easily. This skill is positive, but it makes mindfulness
of what you are doing even more important. You want to be aware of what you are taking
in, in this brain state, and make sure that it is positive and not negative, as you will
take it in on a deep level. This can also happen easily out in nature,
especially if you are noticing your surroundings (mindfulness in action) and connecting with
the environment. Hiking, mountain climbing, skiing, kayaking and many others. It can also
happen in extreme sports, although this can be different: it has the extreme focus and
relaxed concentration, but it has the adrenaline instead of the relaxation, which is different than alpha
brain state, which is characterized by the deep relaxation along with high performance.
Below that, we have Theta Brain state, which is very rare for most people in a waking state,
even highly accomplished meditators. For most people, you will access this during sleep,
REM sleep specifically. And I mention it because you need it regularly during sleep in order
to access the more positive brain states when awake.
Highly trained meditators can access this when meditating, as can people that can relax
really deeply, while staying awake. It is characterized by a oneness with everything.
I had an experience like this when I was skiing at Whistler Canada a few years ago.
As I was going down the mountain, I felt as if I was the mountain. I felt like
I could reach out my hand and touch the trees and even go beyond the trees.
And you know that the runs are very big and very wide. It was a very expansive experience, and it was so beautiful.
And the weather was far from perfect, but because I was totally present, I felt totally alive and
expansive. It was one of the most incredible, most beautiful, most amazing
experiences in my life. And I remember it very clearly even though it was a few years ago.
I didn't have equipment there to measure my brain waves, but to me, this experience can exemplify what the Theta Brain state is like.
The final brain state is Delta brain state,
and this is almost always a sleeping state. Even the best meditators in the world cannot be fully in
this state (without other brain wave types) unless they are asleep, although they can
be very close. This is when we don't have any thoughts at all.
It is highly regenerative to your body, your brain and your emotions, and you need it on
a regular basis to be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. It is very healing
on all levels. You have to have good quality sleep to access Low Beta and
High Alpha when you are awake. If you want to learn more about this
please check out my website for developing skills in mindfulness in action
for business professionals at www.theeagleinstitute.com
The link is in the cards for this video and in the notes below, so check it out.