Self-regulation is the ability to regulation reactions to strong emotions that may come up in including, anger, anxiety, sadness, stress, etc. Self-regulation allows individuals to understand and manage these behaviors, reactions, and feelings from things that happen around us in a health way.
How to Self-Regulate Using Neuropsychology
Self-regulation is built upon 4 components based off of Self-Regulation Theory:
- Standards of desirable behavior
- Motivation to meet standards
- Awareness of situations and thoughts that break standards
- Internal strength to control urges – willpower
Utilizing different neuroscience based self-regulation techniques can help release chemicals and improve functioning in specific parts of our brain that help us better regulate our emotions.
Below are some helpful hacks to self-regulate utilizing neuropsychology:
- Stressed? Breathe utilizing physiological sigh (Huberman)
- Anxious? Walk for amygdala deactivation
- Sad? Acknowledge your feelings and move your body to release endorphins
- Impulsive or Angry? Dilate your gaze (look outside the window to blunt noradrenaline release so you can think clearly)
- Low Motivation? Focus on one spot on your screen for 1 minute to release noradrenaline – pupillary convergence increases focus
- Low Self-Worth & Insecure? Write down your strengths. This engages logical thinking which overrides the limbic system
The better we are able to understand and address our own emotions and impulses, the better we are able to make sense of our environment, adjust to it, and meet our goals.
