What can I try to help with how brains make feelings?

When you notice a feeling starting, pause and name it out loud: "I am feeling frustrated right now." Research shows that naming an emotion (called "affect labelling") actually reduces its intensity by engaging the prefrontal cortex. Map your body signals: draw an outline of a person and colour in where you feel anger (maybe hot face, tight fists), sadness (maybe heavy chest), and worry (maybe tummy butterflies). Knowing your personal signals helps you catch feelings early. When a big feeling arrives, try the physiological sigh: breathe in through your nose, then take a second small breath in on top of the first, then breathe out slowly through your mouth. This activates your vagus nerve and calms your nervous system within seconds.

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How Brains Work4 of 16

How Brains Make Feelings

1 min read

Feelings are messages from your brain and body.

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