18
Ge#ng to a Calm Brain Gayatri Devi, MD, FAAN, FACP Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology New York University School of Medicine President Na>onal Council on Women’s Health Immediate PastPresident American Medical Women’s Associa>on

GeYng to a Calm Brain

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Ge#ng  to  a  Calm  Brain      

Gayatri  Devi,  MD,  FAAN,  FACP    

Clinical  Associate  Professor  of  Neurology    New  York  University  School  of  Medicine  

President    Na>onal  Council  on  Women’s  Health  

Immediate  Past-­‐President  American  Medical  Women’s  Associa>on  

Page 2: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Why  Calm?  

•  Debra’s  story  •  Defini>on  •  Medical  benefits  – Anxiety  disorders  – Lifestyle  Illnesses  

•  Other  benefits  – Efficiency  – Social  pay  offs    

Page 3: GeYng to a Calm Brain

The  Neurology  of  Calm  

•  Overview  •  Modern  Deterrents  to  Calm  •  The  Anatomy  of  Calm  •  The  War  of  the  Brains  (Top  vs  BoRom)  •  Vagal  Tone  and  Calm  •  Paren>ng  and  Calm  •  Ge#ng  to  Calm  &  Why?  

Page 4: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Modern  Deterrents  to  Calm  

•  Urban  environments  •  Informa>on  /  Forge#ng  •  Mul>-­‐tasking  •  Sleep  •  Choices  •  Digital  Interac>on  –  Constant  Availability    

•  Gender  roles  •  “Down>me”  vs.  “wasted  >me”  for  children  –  Being  bored/  need  for  entertainment  

Page 5: GeYng to a Calm Brain

The  anatomy  of  calm  

Page 6: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Anatomy  of  Calm  

Page 7: GeYng to a Calm Brain

The  War  on  Calm  

Page 8: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Our  Brain-­‐Body  Connec>on  

Page 9: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Vagus  Nerve  

Page 10: GeYng to a Calm Brain

The  Buddha  Nerve  

Page 11: GeYng to a Calm Brain

What  is  the  simplest  way  to  calm?  

Page 12: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Sleep  &  the  glympha>c  System  •  What’s  enough  sleep?  

•  6  hrs/day  for  two  weeks  •  1-­‐2  nights  of  no  sleep  

•  Memory    •  Efficiency  •  Housekeeping  for  the  brain  •  Sleep  related  issues  –  Alzheimer’s  disease  and  sleep  –  15-­‐33%  of  all  fatal  crashes  –  Obesity  –  Hypertension  –  Anxiety  and  depression  

Page 13: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Amyloid  Plaque  in  the  Brain  

Page 14: GeYng to a Calm Brain

The  Calm  of  Children  

•  Jerome  Kagan  •  43  children    

•  Age  21  months,  videotaped  •  shyness,  behavioral  inhibi>on  &  vagal  tone  •  Two  years  later,  22  confident  kids  as  confident,  21  anxious  kids  more  anxious  

•  104  two  year-­‐olds  and  paren>ng  style  •  Children  more  irritable  &  fearful  (low  vagal  tone)  had  more  anxious  moms    (also  with  low  vagal  tone)  

Page 15: GeYng to a Calm Brain

ADHD  &  environmental  factors  

•  267  families,  low  socioeconomic  status  •  Followed  from  6m  -­‐  42  m  •  Child  and  maternal  variables  rated  •  34  hyperac>ve  kids,  34  controls  (24  boys/gp)  •  Correlates  of  ADHD  in  kindergarten:  

•  2/3  maternal  variables    –  Overs>mula>on-­‐  advanced  play  (42  months)  – Maternal  interference-­‐  (6  months)    

•  1/30  child  variables  –   late  motor  matura>on  

Page 16: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Calm  in  Children  

•  Choices  •  Scheduling  •  Fear  •  Paren>ng  •  Powerful  Children  •  Giled  Children  •  Playing  /  Concussions  

Page 17: GeYng to a Calm Brain

Ge#ng  To  Calm  •  Disconnect  •  Cul>vate  sleep  hygiene  •  Cul>vate  Uni-­‐tasking  –  Flow  

•  Reduce  choices-­‐  as  a  parent,  as  a  person  •  Aim  for  one  schedule  free  day  a  week  •  Aim  for  face  to  face  contact  •  Make  small  workplace  changes  •  Engage  your  inner  Buddha-­‐  your  vagus  nerve  •  To  meditate  or  to  not  meditate?  •  Four  legged  Buddhas    

Page 18: GeYng to a Calm Brain

The  Wall  Street  Journal  “The  Doctor's  Dog  Will  See  You  Now.”  Melinda  Beck,  12/10