While the Laceys research focused on activity occurring within a single cardiac cycle, they also were able to confirm that cardiovascular activity influences perception and cognitive performance, but there were still some inconsistencies in the results. These inconsistencies were resolved in Germany by Velden and Wölk, who later demonstrated that cognitive performance fluctuated at a rhythm around 10 hertz throughout the cardiac cycle. They showed that the modulation of cortical function resulted from ascending cardiovascular inputs on neurons in the thalamus, which globally synchronizes cortical activity. [2, 3] An important aspect of their work was the finding that it is the pattern and stability of the heart’s rhythm of the afferent (ascending) inputs, rather than the number of neural bursts within the cardiac cycle, that are important in modulating thalamic activity, which in turn has global effects on brain function. There has since been a growing body of research indicating that afferent information processed by the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (heart-brain) can influence activity in the frontocortical areas [4-6] and motor cortex, [7] affecting psychological factors such as attention level, motivation, [8] perceptual sensitivity [9] and emotional processing. [10] Neurocardiology: The Brain On the Heart Speak with vulnerability from your own experience and stand in your feelings of self- worth, regardless of the situation. Teaching young people to make healthy lifestyle choices early, including eating healthy, exercising and not smoking or vaping, is important to help curb those statistics. But at any age people can take action to improve their future health. Cardiologists believe that factors such as antipsychotic medications, cigarette smoking, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are responsible for escalating morbidity and mortality in schizophrenic patients. Krishnamurthi N, Francis J, Fihn SD, Meyer CS, & Whooley MA (2018). Leading causes of cardiovascular hospitalization in 8.45 million US veterans. PLoS One, 13( 3), e0193996. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193996 [ PMC free article] [

arteries – they carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to all parts of your body, getting smaller as they get further away from the heart

The Heart and Mental Disorders

Mindfulness meditation, which has become one of the most popular relaxation practices over the past decade, combines heightened, non-judgmental awareness of one’s surroundings and feelings with slow deep breathing exercises. A stress-reduction program based on mindfulness has been associated with improvement in hypertension and depression, while strengthening the immune system and raising activity of telomerase, an enzyme that slows biological aging. In my business, I’m often required to have hard conversations. This past week I had to ask for some clarity from a teammate because I didn’t feel he was honoring the work agreement that we had. Truth is, I was feeling taken advantage of. From my heart to yours… may your conversations be valuable and intimate, and may conflicts dissolve into understanding. Bradley TD, Logan AG, Kimoff RJ, Series F, Morrison D, Ferguson K,… Investigators C (2005). Continuous positive airway pressure for central sleep apnea and heart failure. N Engl J Med, 353( 19), 2025–2033. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa051001 [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar]

Where the atria meet the ventricles, there is an area of special cells (called the atrio-ventricular node) which pass the electrical signals throughout your heart muscle by a system of electrical pathways, known as the conducting system. Even conflict can turn into deeper connections when you access your heart. Stay In Your Heart To Speak To Others’The heart’s natural ‘pacemaker’ (the sino-atrial node) produces another electrical signal, and the cycle starts again. Blood pressure There is no more important time for a few minutes of heart-focused breathing than when you feel your stress buttons being pushed. These vary from one person to the next, but some you may be familiar with include a late bus, train or even plane commute to work; a presentation, important meeting or performance review in the workplace; a big test at school; or a dreaded encounter with someone you’d rather avoid. And last but not lease, people who have a true heart connection with their partner usually have great sex. Because they are just comfortable being themselves with each other they can be disinhibited with each other. And because they are naturally curious about the other and always discovering new things about each other, the novelty that desire needs stays fresh.

American Heart Association News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in American Heart Association News stories reflect the official position of the American Heart Association.Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in American Heart Association scientific journals or presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the American Heart Association’s official guidance, policies or positions. We can access better understanding for another through deeper listening. As we nurture real connection with the freedom to be ourselves, we give others the freedom to be themselves too. Jin J, & Maren S (2015). Prefrontal-Hippocampal Interactions in Memory and Emotion. Front Syst Neurosci, 9, 170. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2015.00170 [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar] Your great vessels are a vital part of your circulatory system. There are two main circulatory system circuits: the pulmonary circuit and the systemic circuit. Here’s a breakdown of what those circuits do and the role your great vessels play: Pulmonary circuitKobayashi I, Boarts JM, & Delahanty DL (2007). Polysomnographically measured sleep abnormalities in PTSD: a meta-analytic review. Psychophysiology, 44( 4), 660–669. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.537.x [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar] Main pulmonary artery: Carries oxygen-poor blood from your heart’s right ventricle into your left and right pulmonary arteries. These arteries carry the blood to your lungs. BHF-funded researcher Professor Svetlana Reilly and her team at the University of Oxford have recently discovered a new heart hormone – calcitonin – previously thought to only be produced by the thyroid gland. Published in Nature, the research revealed that cells in the atria (the top chambers of the heart) produce more calcitonin than cells in the thyroid. Orexins also modulate cardiovascular functions, through both central autonomic control and peripheral actions. The extensive projections of orexin neurons to brainstem areas such as the LC and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) anatomically support their role in the central regulation of autonomic responses, especially cardiovascular responses to stress ( Carrive, 2017; Grimaldi, Silvani, Benarroch, & Cortelli, 2014) and sympathetic regulation associated with chronic hypertension ( Abreu et al., 2018). In a rat model of myocardial infarction and progressive HFrEF, a significant reduction in orexin mRNA levels was associated with the degree of cardiovascular compromise ( Hayward et al., 2015), while in an Ox2R deflicient transgenic mouse model cardiac function worsened with overstimulation of the sympathetic or angiotensin receptor pathways ( Perez et al., 2015). In human studies, a specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within the OxR2 was identified in HFrEF patients ( Perez et al., 2015). This orexin receptor gene variant was not only present in a subset of HFrEF patients using GWAS, but more importantly, those HFrEF patients appeared to be more refractory to conventional HF therapeutics. Further, higher OxA plasma levels in HFrEF patients were associated with greater functional improvements following conventional HF therapeutics when compared to HFrEF patients with low OxA plasma levels ( Ibrahim et al., 2016). These studies continue to provide support for the postulate that a relative reduction in specific bioactive signaling pathways, such as that of orexin, can potentially accelerate the HF process as well as influence response to HF therapeutics. Jung DW, Lee YJ, Jeong DU, & Park KS (2017). New predictors of sleep efficiency. Chronobiol Int, 34( 1), 93–104. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2016.1241802 [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar]

Most people have four pulmonary veins. They each drain blood from a different section of your lungs and carry it to your heart. They’re called:Let your whole self be seen with courage. As you speak and listen from an open heart, words of kindness, honesty, and compassion will follow. When you practice more, trust will grow and the walls that keep you from connecting deeply will come down. HeartMath offers various tools and technology, including the Inner Balance ® emWave2 ® and computer-based emWave ® Pro for PC and Mac, that were scientifically designed to complement heart-focused breathing and other HeartMath techniques. Those who are new to HeartMath will find, however, that heart-focused breathing is a good way to get started on the path to increasing their energy, coherence and resilience.