health

Mirror Neurons I love when I am in the grocery store or at an event and a random stranger smiles at me. It makes me feel more connected and less anxious especially when I am one of the few Black people in the room. Well it turns out, I am not just a weirdo looking for validation from complete strangers. It’s science! It’s all thanks to my mirror neurons, which are a type of neuron that are active when someone performs an action, or when seeing someone else doing the same or a similar action. These neurons play a key role in our mental well-being. They are like little personal trainers for the brain, helping it to learn and grow continually. And they impact us in a number of positive ways. Just think back to when you were upset about something and someone gave you a warm hug, or spoke to you in a calm tone. It works. So how does it support with mental fitness? Glad you asked. The Power of Mental Fitness Emotional Resonance So if you’ve ever felt emotional during a movie or empathized with a character’s feelings, that was completely because of your mirror neurons. They help you connect with others’ emotions, which of course helps to enhance your empathy and emotional intelligence. For me the movie that taught me this was the Joy Luck Club. I notoriously have a hard time crying, but when the sisters reunited at the end of that movie, I was a blubbering mess. In that same vein, when I struggled with depression comedy shows became an integral part of my healing. I watched them before bed to help me relax and fall asleep. Thank you mirror neurons. Relieving Stress You can also thank mirror neurons if you have ever used yoga or meditation to feel more relaxed. Your mirror neurons mimic the instructor’s calm movements and peaceful mindset, which in turn reduces your stress levels and promotes mental clarity. This is one of the reasons that I begin and end each day with meditation. It helps to increase my calm and feelings of well being throughout the day, and helps me to fall asleep with a clearer mind at night. It sure beats my more angst ridden days when I was waking up and falling asleep to the news. Don’t judge me. Building Relationships Social interactions also activate your mirror neurons, because they help your brain to mirror the expressions and emotions of others, which in the right situations helps foster understanding and connection. This is why it is so important to be mindful of who you spend your time with and to power up with positive emotions before interacting with people whose mood does not help yours. At work, I try to put harder meetings in the morning when I am most energized, a la my morning meditation. In my personal life I have playlists for situations that heighten my anxiety so that I am on 10 when I encounter people who stress me out. I also try really hard not to keep conversations and thoughts positive so that my mirror neurons can help me and the people with whom I am interacting. Learning Your mirror neurons are also at play when you are learning new things. You can thank them for allowing you to imitate the actions of others, which has been proven to accelerate the learning process and enhance your proficiency. I recently learned to swim and I can definitely say they helped there. But when I was in college trying to step, well, let’s just say my mirror neurons must have been otherwise occupied. It was not a pretty sight. Communication Mirror neurons also help us understand non-verbal cues like body language and facial expressions. And we all know that non-verbal communication can be the key to having great chats. Because sometimes it is what is not explicitly said that speaks the loudest. Of course, we should always double check our assumptions with genuine curiosity and respect, before making judgements. I cannot tell you the number of times that someone has asked me what’s wrong when I was simply focusing. Cultural norms play a huge role in non-verbal communication, and all of us don’t express ourselves the same way. So instead of thinking you know, notice the non-verbals and ask when it is appropriate to do so, especially when you don’t know the person. And also please don’t walk around telling people to smile. Ughhh. If you want to see them smile, try smiling at them. It just might work. Mirror Neurons and Mental Health Battling Anxiety and Depression Activities like hanging out with friends, interacting with folks who increase your positive vibrations, or joining group activities can totally help with shaking off anxiety and sadness and leave you feeling more upbeat. But again, you have to be careful that the people you will be around will increase your feelings of safety and connection as opposed to decreasing it. We all have people in our circle who feel like a warm hug, and then we have those who can feel like you wrestled with a forest of cacti. On a down day, maybe don’t spend so much time with the cacti. Maybe choose to engage in a mindfulness activity instead. Studies have shown that watching someone perform a calming activity, thanks to your mirror neurons, can help you internalize their calm state, and enhance your mindfulness and mental stability. How to Boost Mental Fitness with Mirror Neurons At the risk of sounding repetitive, here is a list of ways that you can boost your mirror neurons. Chances are you already know this intuitively, but I would not be doing my English teachers proud if I did not include this paragraph. Parting Thoughts Mirror neurons are like the superheroes of your brain, always working hard to level up your mental game. By tapping into their power, you can boost your mental fitness, relax more, and build