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Power up your health by powering down your phone on weekends

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By Dr Tara Swart

In today’s extremely frenetic work environment, some reports say that we check our phones up to 85 times or more a day. This means our brains have to process a vast amount of information on an hourly basis. How can we ensure that we look after our brain health in this demanding context? People should look after their brain’s health to enhance their performance. Our brains aren’t programmed to be ”switched on” all the time, so a digital detox can be a good way of giving your brain a rest and reducing stress levels. A digital detox can boost creativity and ensure quality time with family and friends.

A digital detox helps…

IMPROVE SLEEP AND REST FOR THE BRAIN

Using a phone or device in bed or just before sleep affects the quality of sleep.

Melatonin – the hormone that helps regulate sleep – is released by the pineal gland into the bloodstream. The blue light that phone and laptop screens emit confuses the gland because darkness is what triggers it to start working.

Long-term lack of sleep also increases chances of developing diseases such as Alzheimer’s, because our brain’s glymphatic system removes toxins from the brain while we sleep.

SOCIAL BONDING/SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY

Oxytocin, the “bonding hormone” – released into the blood via the pituitary gland during times of trust and bonding – is likely to be more in abundance when people can communicate and interact freely over a shared experience and through physical contact. Putting down devices and spending time interacting with family can help to increase levels of oxytocin, which improves communication and trust.

COMBATING STRESS

We generally feel under constant pressure to respond to e-mails and messages immediately. Being aware of e-mails coming into your inbox can cause stress and an increase in levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Some studies have even suggested that knowledge of unread e-mails in your inbox can reduce your effective IQ. Our brains aren’t good at multitasking, so having to constantly overlap work and leisure by, for example, responding to e-mails at the weekend, can tire us out mentally. It’s important that we use our weekends and holidays to give our brains time and space to recharge and relax.

A digital detox at the weekend can be the first step towards achieving this.

 

Dr Tara Swart, is a renowned neuroscientist, leadership coach and medical doctor. 

This article was originally published in the Times.

 

Good Leader v bad – it’s all to do with how the brain is used

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By Timothy Maurice Webster

If you took the brain of a good leader versus a poor leader out their heads and put them on a table, would there be a difference?

This is the question neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, author of Neuroscience for Leadership, answers in her research. A brain operating in a compromised state due to poor nutrition, sleep deprivation and extended exposure to stress, weakens a leader’s capacity to lead. Leaders attempting to steer their teams through complexity while operating with a brain that didn’t get enough sleep are doing so with less than their full IQ.

Swart’s work at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) marrying neuroscience and increased leadership capacity endeavours to challenge and offer leaders practical ways to get more out of their brains. Advances in the tools that study the brain enable the scientific community to measure cognitive function and offer insights into how to get the most out of our brains. While science still has a long way to go to fully unpack the full extent of the brain’s potential, we have enough evidence to prove many in leadership positions are not operating near their full potential. The consequences of a leader trying to lead without understanding the principles of optimal brain power are many.

Have you walked into a meeting and your boss snapped at the team without being provoked? Maybe you’re a leader and your tolerance levels for employee engagement have dropped below acceptable levels and you aren’t sure why? Ever made decisions that in retrospect could have been avoided if your mind were sharper when making the decision?

In Neuroscience for Leadership, Swart explores how a stressed-out leader can impact stress levels of colleagues through chemical transfer without saying a word – just by being in their presence.

We live in an era where the brain is taxed at unprecedented levels. From the increased flood of stimuli via the combination of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, information overload is a very real issue for those trying to lead with a clear head. The tools and techniques Swart speaks of in her book to empower the brain with more structural capacity or to increase what’s termed neuroplasticity (the ability for the brain to make more connections) are at our disposal.

As the world continues to right the wrongs of the past and more women are integrated at leadership levels, neuroscience tackles the issue of understanding the leadership abilities of male versus female brains. Swart and other neuroscientists are in agreement that the gender bias against women in leadership is not a function of women’s ability to lead but a patriarchal system that were designed to keep women from leading. Now that science has proven women have equal capacity to lead, are there any differences in their instinctual leadership styles?

Female leadership traits: Group problem-solver. Participative. Vocally encouraging. Help others express emotion. Inductive in problem solving.

Male traits: Personally problem solver. Hierarchical. Encourages less feeling and more action. Deductive in problem-solving.

What if all our leaders operated with a clear understanding of how to get the most out of their brains? Anyone who considers themselves a leader should open up to the advances of neuroscience to gain a firmer grasp on the power and potential of their brain.

Swart will be in Johannesburg on May 25, hosted by the Business Results Group. Find out more at www.brg.co.za

Webster is the author of brand leadership books and a columnist who consults and speaks on the science of human and brand behaviour. He studied at the Image Institute, Brookstone College, US and has a Certificate in Neuroscience for Leadership from MIT.

Dr Tara Swart is a renowned neuroscientist, leadership coach, medical doctor and award-winning author.

This article originally featured in Sunday Independent 14 May 2017.

 

How To Mange Stress In The Workplace

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By Dr Tara Swart

Everyone experiences stress regularly throughout their life and this is often due to deadlines at work, pressures with colleagues or just struggling to juggle work and home life. Overall, stress costs the UK economy nearly £6.5 billion each year and is linked to both mental and physical health risks, such as heart disease. In order to know how best to build up mental resilience it is important to understand the natural reactions the brain undergoes when we experience stress.

Stress occurs when we feel under threat, and causes our bodies to release the hormone cortisol, preparing us for ‘battle’ – literally a fight for survival. This natural reaction was developed as a result of years of evolution to ensure our physical survival. However, its effect is that blood is drawn away from parts of the brain deemed unnecessary for physical survival – functions such as rational decision-making, emotion regulation and empathy, which are essential for a productive working environment.

Since we all know we will experience stress frequently during our working lives it is important to understand how best to manage your natural instincts and build up your mental resilience. Most of us use our brain for our job so we must maintain its health, just as an elite athlete would train their bodies to stay in peak condition. You can keep your brain healthy by making small lifestyle changes and ensuring it properly fuelled, hydrated and rested.

Most people don’t realise that what they eat or drink can affect their ability to handle stress. Green leafy vegetables, beans and nuts all contain magnesium which will lower your levels of cortisol. Perhaps think of picking up some nuts instead of an unhealthy snack in future or simply get in the habit of taking magnesium supplements daily.

Practicing mindfulness is a great way reducing your levels of cortisol. If practised regularly three times a week mindfulness can actually enhance the brain’s performance due to the increased formation of folds in the prefrontal cortex. Whilst mindfulness is usually associated with meditation it can also be practised through yoga, whilst eating or even during your commute using a mindfulness app. For a quick fix you can even lower your cortisol levels by simply taking 10 deep breaths and increasing the oxygen flow to the brain.

In a world which constantly demands our attention, it can be tempting to blur your home and work life, however this will have a detrimental effect on your mental resilience. Try and resist the temptation to answer your emails in the evenings and at the weekends. Think about going on a digital detox completely for a day, weekend or even a whole week holiday. Going without your phone will also help boost your levels of oxytocin (the bonding hormone) as you are able to focus on bonding time with family and friends, and improve the quality of your sleep which is also essential to maintaining your brain’s health.

Whilst stress can often seem overwhelming, small changes to your lifestyle can make help improve your mental resilience and help you work better as an individual or as a team. So next time you feel stressed think about going for a walk, taking some deep breaths to oxygenate your brain or picking up a snack rich in magnesium.

Dr Tara Swart is a renowned neuroscientist, leadership coach, medical doctor and award-winning author. 

This article originally featured in hrfuture.net, May 2017, page 17.

 

Understanding the Brain: Why men and women lead differently

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By Timothy Maurice Webster

For centuries, the fusion of poor science, religion and backward cultural beliefs propped up patriarchy and dealt a blow to women’s leadership aspirations the world over. The enlightenment era (17th-19th century) helped usher in healthier dialogue around women’s rights outside the home.

The world is beginning to awaken to the power of women leaders. However, it’s critical to acknowledge the slow pace of change. Lohan Brizendine, author of The Female Brain put her finger on the pulse when she wrote, “For much of the twentieth century, most scientists assumed that women were essentially small men, neurologically and in every other sense except for their reproductive functions.”

I sought the insights of neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart, author of Neuroscience for Leadership. After a view conversations, she invited me to her Neuroscience for Leadership class at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in Boston to hear the latest ideas coming out of the scientific and leadership community about how men and women lead differently.

The three-day program consisted of mind-centering yoga classes as well as dietary offerings designed to ensure maximum brain participation. But the star of the educational show is by far Swart, an Oxford-educated medical doctor who decided to invest her energy in ensuring leaders achieve their brain power.

About half-way through the course, while I learned a lot about why it’s not good to have coffee after lunch and the importance of uninterrupted sleep, my purpose for being there was clear – to understand how the brain of women and men are different and how this impacts their leadership potential.

Swart explained while structurally the minor size difference between men’s and women’s brains are very little (on average, men’s brains are 10% larger), it does not translate to additional capacity to lead. Anyone paying attention to world affairs would know this but it was good to hear it at MIT. Studies show the majority of male and female brains show masculine and feminine features that varied. This means that if every person you met took out their brain and put it on the table, you would not be able to go, ‘oh that’s a man’s or woman’s brain’. Most of us share traits from both. Research shows around 98% does not show a clear gender profile at all.

Things became very interesting when Swart began to note that our circuitry (or what’s commonly known as the connectome) has different wiring in key areas. These different proverbial road maps help explain why men and women lead differently. This does not mean men or women are better, it simply suggests we should highlight the strengths of each and be aware of what we may need to change. For example, women have more connections going from left to right across the two halves of the brain. The left brain is responsible for logical thinking and the right, intuition, which could offer women an advantage when analyzing several sources and and coming to a healthy conclusion. Men on the other hand have more connections from the back to the front. These connection patterns help heighten their perception, offering more motor and spatial skills and these skills assist in hand-eye coordination activities such as catching a ball.

These patterns are not hard rules that can’t be changed and the environment plays an important role when it comes to the brain’s wiring. Swart highlights the differences between women’s and men’s brain output is impacted by a complex eco-system of influences such as diet, friends, parenting as well as whether or not your boss emits too many stress hormones. One of the aspects of our brains that make us remarkable is the ability to make patterns, signals and connections stronger by committing to practices. So, overriding a negative pattern is completely possible through what Swart calls neuroplasticity, which is the gateway to new behaviours – and the good news: this potential occurs late into your retirement years.

Here are some common generic differences: Female leadership traits make women group problem solvers, participative, vocally encouraging, help others express emotion, and inductive in solving problems. Male leadership traits are: Personally problem solve, hierarchical, encourages less feeling and more action, downplays the role of emotions and deductive in problem solving.

The course was attended by students from around the world. The main takeaway from Swart was men and women both have the potential to lead at the highest level and can rewire their brain when taking conscious ownership. Somewhere between our conditioned programming and our need to participate in the leadership environment is the ability to choose.

Timothy Maurice Webster is an author in brain and brand science. 

Dr Tara Swart is a renowned neuroscientist, leadership coach, medical doctor and award-winning author. 

This article originally featured in Forbes Women Africa, April/May 2017, page 95.

 

Dr Tara Swart’s 5 Brain Health Habits For Better Leadership

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By Savannah Freemantle

Dr Tara Swart is a neuroscientist and leadership coach with a unique brain health angle on what it takes to be a better leader and achieve success.

Her aim is to teach people why optimal brain functionality is important in a leader. Explaining that it strengthens your decision-making and improves your performance at work. She says that improving the quality of your lifestyle can help you to enhance your leadership abilities and excel in your field.

“Poor sleep, lack of exercise, stress and poor nutrition can all contribute to poor mental function. This reduces your ability to perform at work and present good leadership qualities.”

What Brain Health Habits Make For Better Leadership?

Dr Tara Swart breaks down the key aspects to a healthy lifestyle that supports good leadership:

1. Good Sleep

“98-99% of brains need to sleep for 7-9 hours per night, as this allows the lymphatic system to be cleansed of neurotoxins,” she explains. “Sleep is a forcible flushing of neurotoxins, this is important as overtime, a build up can cause neurological disorders. Poor sleep can also result in fatigue and make it more difficult to manage ones emotions.”

A good night’s rest resets the brain and allows you to approach your day with a sharp, clear mind.

2. The Correct Nutrition

“If you are under stress, eat every two hours for optimal brain  health. Your brain can’t store glucose and so it is important to keep replenishing your stores,” Dr Swart explains. This will help you to maintain your focus and ensures a productivity boost. It also ensures that your brain is well fed for any of the decisions it may need to make.

She adds that if you have the space to develop your mental resilience, then it can be useful to practice intermittent fasting as it teaches your brain that you can manage small amounts of physical stress, because you are in control of your recovery.

She adds, “You should also avoid eating too close to bedtime as this disrupts sleep.”

Dr Swart suggests a diet high in salmon, avocado, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils. Preferably it should contain reduced amounts of smoked foods, red meats, alcohol, caffeine and processed foods. It’s also crucial to stay hydrated.

3. Regular Exercise

“I recommend 10 000 steps a day and 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week,” she shares. “

“It’s important to engage in aerobic exercise as this assists in oxygenating the brain, which is vital for healthy functionality. It is also important to participate in activities that require different levels of co-ordination, such as Ping-Pong, and that include a social element,” she explains.

Exercise also boosts your energy levels and your mood. Allowing you to be more positive and develop the stamina it takes to get more done.

4. Stress Less

 “Stress is a physical or psychological load that is too much for your body to bear,” Dr Swart explains. It results in high levels of cortisol and affects your quality of thinking and your ability to regulate emotions.”

She adds that high cortisol levels erode your immunity, which makes you more susceptible to illness and can result in time off work. They also have a negative impact on sleep, which results in neurotoxic build-up. This causes death in the nerve cells in the brain. Mindfulness practice is very helpful in reducing cortisol levels.

5. Improved Neuroplasticity

“Learning something new in adulthood, such as another language or a musical instrument, improves your neuroplasticity which has been shown to prevent the onset of neurological disease and keep your brain sharp. This improves your focus and decision making ability.”

Another good reason to never stop learning.

Dr Tara Swart is a renowned neuroscientist, leadership coach, medical doctor and award-winning author. 

This article was originally posted by Longevity.

 

How to beat jet-lag

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By Dr Tara Swart

Tips for fast recovery when travelling accross time zones.

It is generally accepted that taking a holiday is good for the brain. It presents us with an opportunity to rest and recalibrate, improving our capacity for creative thinking and giving us a chance to go on a digital detox from our smartphones, laptops and tablets.

However the effect of long-haul flying on the brain can be extremely disruptive and can leave those who are particularly badly affected by jet-lag unable to work effectively for days after getting off the plane. In research carried out by the University of California, Berkeley, acute disruption of circadian rhythms (our biological clock) has been shown to cause memory and learning problems as well as long-term changes in brain anatomy, long after travellers have returned to their regular schedule.  New neurons in the hippocampus – the part of the brain which contributes to the processing of memory – have been shown to be fewer in subjects who experienced jet-lag.

So, the implications for the brain from long-distance travel are clear, and it is something we should all think about when travelling. After all, most of us are paid to use our brain so keeping this organ in peak condition is of universal benefit.

There are some simple things we can do to combat the effects of jet-lag both on and off the plane. Try adjusting your sleep routine to the local time zone as quickly as possible, by choosing optimal travel times that allow your eyes to observe the transition from light to dark after arrival at your destination. Our internal body clock is controlled by the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, which is released by the pineal gland into our bloodstream when it gets dark. Restricting exposure to blue light, which mimics natural daylight, at certain times helps the body to overcome the desynchronisation it experiences when moving between time zones.

Shifting your internal rhythms before you set off can also help to reset the circadian cycle earlier in time. Depending on whether you are flying east or west, exposure to additional light in the morning or afternoon a number of days before the journey will help the body to make the necessary adjustments. Use of prescribed sleeping tablets for a maximum of 2 days either side of a trip involving more than a 4-hour time difference may be acceptable to your GP, and melatonin or drowsy anti-histamines may also be of use to some people.

During the journey, fasting over the flight until breakfast time in the new time-zone will help to un-stick and then re-anchor the body’s rhythms, and drinking at least 500ml of water for every 15kg of body weight will help to limit the particularly dehydrating effects of high altitude.

Upon arrival, aerobic exercise is a great way to wake up the body and boost mental performance, and exposure to as much daylight as possible during the day should be encouraged.

It is also important to get back into a cycle of good quality sleep as soon as possible, so the cleaning of the glymphatic system that takes place whilst we are asleep can resume at full capacity. To do this, avoid alcohol before bed as it does not induce a natural sleep that allows your body to recover. If you are a coffee drinker, avoid it after 2pm to mitigate its impact on the quality of your sleep and try to limit your use of blue light-emitting devices, like smartphones, an hour or so before bed; they trick the pineal gland into thinking it is day time and so inhibit melatonin production.

Jet-lag has the ability to ruin a holiday or business trip, but a basic understanding of what happens to our brains when we travel can help us to overcome these irritating side effects and make the most of exploring new places around the world. Business travel can, in particular, make us feel lonely, so write a list of ten things you are grateful for before you go to sleep. It’s a good mindfulness practice to re-frame your mindset.

Dr Tara Swart is a renowned neuroscientist, leadership coach, medical doctor and award-winning author. 

This article featured in Skyways Magazine.