Knowledge Building:
“Feel good hormones” are hormones and neurotransmitters that are nicknamed because of the happy and euphoric feelings they produce. They affect your mind, mood, and body.
- Dopamine: helps people feel pleasure as a part of the brain’s reward system. Connected to learning and attention, mood, movement, sleep, pain processing and heart rate.
- Serotonin: responsible for boosting mood and also connected to memory, fear, stress, digestion, sleep, breathing, body temperature and addiction.
- Endorphins: are released in response to pain or stress so they are known as the body’s natural pain killers. Released by exercise, meditation, laughter and music.
- Oxytocin: is released during intimate social interactions with loved ones. It stimulates relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety, and fosters trust and psychological stability.
-Source: Harvard Health
In today’s video, we’ll explore 3 key strategies to help leaders develop practices for healthy brain functioning:
Strategy 1: Prioritize Self-Care
Make self-care a priority by ensuring you get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods, stay hydrated, and manage stress effectively. Healthy bodies promote mental clarity, productivity, and quality of work.
Strategy 2: Regular Exercise
Incorporate regular physical exercise into your routine to boost mood, improve cognitive function, and enhance overall brain health.
Strategy 3: Stimulate Cognitive Function
Consistently challenge your brain with activities like reading, puzzles, and learning new skills to boost cognitive function and enhance leadership effectiveness.
By prioritizing self-care, regular exercise, and cognitive stimulation, leaders can support healthy brain functioning and improve their overall well-being and leadership capabilities.