A Calm Brain: Unlocking Your Natural Relaxation System - Hardcover

Devi, Gayatri

3.53

234 ratings by Goodreads

9780525952695: A Calm Brain: Unlocking Your Natural Relaxation System

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525952691 ISBN 13: 9780525952695

Publisher: E P Dutton, 2012

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A successful life doesn’t mean you have to experience chronic stress. Now, Dr. Gayatri Devi shows in A Calm Brain how you can cultivate an optimal mental and physical state of focused peaceful awareness by tapping into your body’s hard-wired natural relaxation system.

Our ancestors used the fight-or-flight mechanism to protect themselves from predators. We use it to fend off daily crises. In a world filled with too many toys, too much technology, and too many choices—how can we possibly keep up? Our bodies have been trained to react to the beeps and alarms of all our different technologies, be it the ever present cell phone, an angry text message, or a frantic voicemail. The result is chronic stress and a learned inability to relax.

With a warm, lucid voice, Dr. Devi shares stories from her medical practice of ordinary people—suffering from migraines, neck pain, gastrointestinal upsets, and sleep deprivation— trying to work through life’s difficulties. With practical advice she shows just how to promote a higher “vagal tone,” and delivers the best news yet: you don’t need more drugs. Here are the keys to more tranquil, productive, and enjoyable life.

Dr. Devi explores a paradigm shift in our understanding of the brain’s relaxation mechanisms. It is hard for our brains to talk our bodies into feeling calm, but our bodies have strong wiring that makes true enduring calm possible. The body does this through the vagus nerve, a powerful conduit that taps directly into our brain’s built-in relaxation system. This revolutionary science can transform your work life and your home life.

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Review:

"A welcome alternative approach to overtaxing our brains and then reaching for the pill bottle--should warrant serious attention."--Kirkus

"A Calm Brain brings the power of cutting edge neuroscience to everyday life. For anyone who wants to take charge of the 21st century while remaining calm, focused and productive - this is the book for you"--Henry S. Lodge M.D., author of The New York Times bestseller Younger Next Year

"A Calm Brain shows readers why the brain craves calm, and how this will improve your health and happiness. Blending stories, science, and practical advice, it offers a path to a calmer life."--Paul J. Zak, author of The Moral Molecule

"Dr. Devi explores the brain of tranquility in this wonderful book filled with practical ideas that can bring composure to our mind and body in the rush of our daily turbulent and multitasking lives."--Kevin Nelson M.D., author of The Spiritual Doorway in the Brain

"Simple and powerful techniques for breaking the vicious cycle of stress and poor health. Grounded in the best science, this is a wonderful prescription for leading happier and more productive lives." --P. Murali Doraiswamy M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Mental Fitness Lab, Duke University

About the Author:

Dr. Gayatri Devi is a neurologist and the director of the New York Memory and Healthy Aging Services. A clinical associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine, she is the president of the not-for-profit National Council on Women’s Health. She lives in New York City.

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