Inventory

At the end of each year, and tomorrow is the last day of year 2022, I do an inventory of where I was on New Year’s Day of 2022 and where I am today. Not in terms of location. Rather, an inventory of what I am proud of having accomplished during the year; what I aim to accomplish in the New Year; what lessons I have learned and what required course-correction; what red flags I missed; how I have improved my Emotion Intelligence (EQ) skills; if I have told the brains I care deeply for how much I love and appreciate them; if there is anything left for which I yet need to forgive myself or others; and if there is anything unhealthy—mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, or relationally that I need to let go of. This inventory includes my close friendships—or what I thought they were. Time always reveals what you truly mean to other individuals and whether they make time to connect with you—no excuses, no broken promises—and if I make time to always respond to them. Typically, I select one thing that becomes my New Year’s resolution. This yearly inventory has been very helpful to me. You might find it helpful in your life, too. .

 A new AUDIO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

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 A new VIDEO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

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Holiday Anxiety

 

Why do people get so anxious and depressed around the holidays when it’s supposed to be a time for family, good friends, and fun?

Holidays are meant to be a time for family, close friends, and fun. A break in routine routines. Enter expectations: your own as well as those of others. Those who live on social media and compare themselves to what others say they are doing, can end up in a world of hurt. They may be prompted to engage in activities they never expected, spend more money than planned, give too many presents, have too many parties, and agonize over too many fancy decorations and huge spreads of food. Anxiety is part of the emotion of fear—perhaps from feeling not being good enough. Depression is part of the emotion of sadness—perhaps from a sense of failing to meet expectations. Slow down. Relax with your family and close friends. Breathe. Negotiate using reality checks. Choose to stop competing, overspending, and overeating. Have fun! Be refreshed.

Brain Fog

I deal with brain fog a lot. I don’t know if that’s from me not sleeping well, or something supplemental I’m not doing right or if I’m getting old. What is it?

We are all getting older. That’s a given. Brain fog is not synonymous with aging, however. It a label for symptoms that fall along a spectrum including brain fatigue, difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, making simple mistakes, feeling exhausted but you can’t sleep, sluggishness, or difficulty getting motivated. As you know, brain fog has been linked with dozens of chronic medical, immune, and inflammatory diseases, mental challenges such as PTSD and adult ADHD, infections like AIDS and COVID-19, chemotherapy, dementia, and many more. If none of these apply, then as a brain function specialist I think of lifestyle factors. Sleep deprivation when the brain cannot get waste emptied and repair jobs finished. Dehydration that pulls brain tissue away from the skull. Unmanaged stress that releases adrenalin and cortisol. Nutritional deficiencies from high sugar intake or foods to which you are allergic, sensitive, or intolerant. I know you can figure it out.

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"Spotify Wrapped"

My sincere “thank you” for liking and watching my Taylor Brain Bytes video podcasts on Spotify. I received permission to turn my audio podcasts into video podcasts in April of 2022 and you made possible the content of the  “Spotify Wrapped” video that I received recently. It is a fun presentation! Yes, the URL below is quite large and I cannot figure out any way to make it smaller. However, if you cut and paste it, I believe you will have fun seeing what you helped to create by watching and liking Taylor Brain Bytes. It takes a few seconds to load so be patient and enjoy!

https://wrappedforpodcasters.byspotify.com/en/?id=3ef041fb88ce260ddcaed567ba4c4586a8a5535514d2a3d2a0756dc53596cdf9&%243p=e_braze_sp&~feature=marketing&~channel=email&~tags=anchor&~campaign=22podcasterwrapped&%24web_only=true&_branch_match_id=a-eyIkM3AiOiJlX2JyYXplX3NwIiwifmZlYXR1cmUiOiJtYXJrZXRpbmciLCJ-Y2hhbm5lbCI6ImVtYWlsIiwifnRhZ3MiOiJhbmNob3IiLCJ-Y2FtcGFpZ24iOiIyMnBvZGNhc3RlcndyYXBwZWQiLCIkZmFsbGJhY2tfdXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93cmFwcGVkZm9ycG9kY2FzdGVycy5ieXNwb3RpZnkuY29tLz9pZD0zZWYwNDFmYjg4Y2UyNjBkZGNhZWQ1NjdiYTRjNDU4NmE4YTU1MzU1MTRkMmEzZDJhMDc1NmRjNTM1OTZjZGY5IiwiJHdlYl9vbmx5Ijp0cnVlfQ&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=22podcasterwrapped&utm_medium=marketing&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAAz2OXW7DIBCET0MebYcf26mEokpNrmEtsNjIGCMgitLTF7dRpd2Xb2d2Zikl5o%2B2zXEvzr4g6GVPDcTYeBfW9kooZ1HipBJ845TjiQw3i1AeCeUGacXiwnxAvUAI6CVu4PwBCsxZ%2Fv37vcMWwc1BUhp3oyEXTM9Ug9CcaogF7xXodXokL5ejFGGfhN7rvFV2T%2F%2FG3KjXu3Gj9%2B3QsbszhH0xtB0%2FWzWOGmnfmWpAI%2FpBAddcjD2MIAQT4swNBVa3G0RvdEWXXht7%2BQGvauV%2BEAEAAA%3D%3D 

Make Boxing Day any Day

It’s Boxing Day and in my abode, the boxes are gone—I’m in a new mode. Rather than celebrating boxing day on December 26th (it used to be a big deal during my childhood in Canada), I decided last year to vary that tradition by sharing with others ahead of time. Although I enjoy using my “things,” since the 2014 earthquake—when fully half of my dishes ended up smashed on the kitchen tile floor—I’m more aware than ever that “things” are just “things.” What I value most by far are connections with the brains and hearts of others. On my death bed I doubt I will be thinking about any “thing” I have owned, rather about the brains and hearts I have loved over a lifetime. You might want to make a list of treasured individuals and take this opportunity to tell them how grateful you are that they are in your life and how much you love them. Do it on Boxing Day or choose a Gratitude Day at another time of year. Just do it. Life is uncertain and someday you may be very glad you did.

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Gaslighting Recovery

If anyone calls you crazy, lashes out if you disagree in any way, gets mad if you ask questions, bucks your attempts to enforce healthy personal boundaries, blames you for everything he or she dislikes, or makes comments designed to prompt you to question yourself—recognize such behaviors as bright red flags. No matter how much you think you love the individual, pay attention to your intuition and to what you know is right. If you feel unsafe in any way, call a hotline immediately. You may need to distance yourself from the gaslighter immediately. Take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually—the spirit with which you live life. Review your personal boundaries and reset them as needed. Make decisions thoughtfully. See a counselor to help you with anxiety, depression, or PTSD. You can recover from the effects of gaslighting and become wiser in the process, which can help you avoid being gaslighted in the future.

 A new AUDIO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

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 A new VIDEO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

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Who Gaslights

Gaslighting can occur when there are unequal levels of power as in parent and child; or religious, workplace, or political leaders; with domestic or romantic partners, and with so-called close friends. Those with a Narcissistic Personality Disorder and/or Antisocial Personality Disorder (sociopathy) tend to gas light, leaving you feeling disoriented, confused, and self-doubting. Gaslighters are blamers. It is never their fault and always yours. "You are too sensitive. You always do this. That never happened. You’re losing your memory. Are you crazy? I would never have done that!” Gaslighters are 100% responsible for their behaviors. Pay attention to those around you. Listen carefully. People often tell you who they are if you are paying attention. Compare what they say with how they behave. Be very cautious when their words and actions do not match, or when they ask you for money, or to be included on the deed to your house, or take complete control of if, when, and how they communicate with you. More tomorrow.

Gaslighting

A friend of mine believes I am experiencing gaslighting. I don’t know what that means! Is it a brain thing?

 Actually, gaslighting is a “brain thing,” because everything begins in the brain. Gaslighting may be recognized by typically-related behaviors. It is psychological and emotional abuse with one goal in mind. One brain—the gaslighter’s—has an agenda and wants to gain power over our brain, typically to obtain something they want. The gaslighter may tell you too-good-to-be-true stories, love-bomb you, say how much you are loved and then ghost you for days, weeks, or months at a time; contradict what you think happened, ignore or break promises, stage bizarre events, play dangerous mind games, or lie—anything to trick you into doubting yourself and feeling insecure or confused. It can escalate into verbal or physical violence. More tomorrow.

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Caffeine & Sprinting

 

A study in Japan, led by Professor Takeshi Hashimoto from Ritsumeikan University and published in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal, reported interesting findings. Previous studies related to caffeine and running had failed to show conclusive enough results to support the World Athletics consensus. A majority of the studies had looked at caffeine’s effects on single sprint runs of less than 60 meters. Hashimoto and his team decided to study the ergogenic effects of caffeine on the 100-meter sprint performance. They found that caffeine supplementation provided more explosive acceleration to the sprinters in the early stage of the race. 100-meter sprint time was decreased by 0.14 seconds in the first 60 meters of the race, but no significant difference was observed for the last 40 meters. Hashimoto now would like to study what happens with other athletic sports such as jumping.

Improving Sleep

What can I do to improve my sleep?

Each brain is believed to need a specific amount of sleep during a 24-hour period. Studies have discovered many tips for how to get a better sleep. Although sleep is independently linked with longevity, in today’s world, many are not excited about following the tips. Here are a few examples (and more are listed on the Sleep Foundation website):

    -  Have a regular sleep time, starting preferably 1-2 hours before midnight as sleep before midnight has been found to be more restorative

·      - Go to bed the same time on weekends as during the week

·   -- Avoid the use of electronics for 1 hour prior to bedtime unless you are using blue-light protective glasses

·   - Avoid exciting movies or video games just before going to bed to reduce brain stimulation and/or the production of adrenalin

·      - Sleep in a cool room that is as dark as possible

·       - Keep all electronics out of the bedroom unless you are on call

·       - Eat dinner by six pm so food is out of your stomach by bedtime.

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Caffeine & Athletics

I just heard that caffeine may be approved for use in athletic activities. Do you know anything about that?

Caffeine is a stimulant that impacts the brain (central nervous system) to stimulate the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, which increases alertness and attention. It can be found in a variety of plants, including cocoa, with the best-known source being the coffee bean. Caffeine is said to be the most widely consumed psychoactive drug on Planet Earth, being seen as socially acceptable in most cultures. Caffeine can cause a mild drug dependency that, when discontinued, is associated with several withdrawal symptoms—including sleepiness, headache, and irritability. The severity of these symptoms may relate to the regular amount of caffeine that an individual has used on a daily basis. Reportedly, pure powdered caffeine that is touted as a dietary supplement can be lethal in tablespoon-sized amounts. For at least the last decade, there have been anecdotal reports about caffeine, in moderate doses of about 5 mg per kg of body weight, being able to improve results in some types of athletic endeavors. You may have seen a news item about research in this area. More tomorrow.

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Diagnostic Differences

Unfortunately, one single test to diagnose ADHD does not yet exist, at least I do not know of one. The symptoms of hyperactivity that males with ADHD exhibit tend to be more bothersome and disruptive to parents and teachers. Hence, males tend to be referred for testing at a younger age and receive a diagnosis earlier than do females. Females tend to present with less overt symptoms. They may be inattentive but display it less prominently, so adults may miss the condition. Inattention symptoms in females with ADHD are more likely to occur in structured educational environments, such as high school and college, which may delay the diagnosis. Females may also develop better coping strategies to compensate for their ADHD-related difficulties. Female inattention may also be exhibited as anxiety and/or depression. Combined, this means that females are more likely to be diagnosed with a personality or other internalizing disorder, further delaying diagnosis and treatment of the underlying issue of ADHD. 

Age of ADHD Onset

Studies reported that boys may exhibit elevated symptoms of ADHD from childhood, easily meeting the criteria for age of onset. Parents may overrate symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness in boys, taking them in for diagnosis much earlier. On the other hand, parents may underestimate the severity and impairment of hyperactivity and impulsiveness in girls or attribute the symptoms to something else such as hormonal problems, anxiety, or depression and may not take them to the doctor for ADHD testing.  Females are more likely to show increases in symptoms in early adolescence. Therefore, if the females are taken to the doctor, clinicians may exclude girls from an ADHD diagnosis because the age of onset criteria works for boys but can occur several years later for girls. The good news is that an increased awareness of male-female differences in onset and exhibition of symptoms, can help in providing earlier diagnosis and treatment for females.

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Estrogen, Dopamine, & ADHD

Dr. Michelle Frank has raised a number of interesting questions related to the impact of estrogen on ADHD behaviors. Females typically have higher levels of estrogen than males. Also, estrogen has an impact on dopamine, the feel better brain chemical and a neurotransmitter that is quite strongly implicated in ADHD. Fluctuating estrogen levels can impact the intensity and presentation of ADHD symptoms. Women also continue to face gender-role expectations that do not always align favorably with the strengths and challenges of an ADHD brain. Females tend toward higher rates of self-harming behaviors along with lower levels of self-esteem than males with ADHD. Dr. Frank has also pointed out that in all individuals regardless of gender-identity, it is likely that gendered expectations of behavior might complicate how symptoms are perceived along with to what the symptoms are attributed or linked.

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M-F & ADHD Differences

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, better known as ADHD, is  a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by atypical levels of three symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. In terms of male-female differences, studies have shown that females are more likely to be more severely inattentive. Males are more likely to have combined symptoms with higher rates of impulsivity and hyperactivity. In a nutshell, males tend to exhibit externalizing disorders, such as: substance misuse, conduct disorders, and antisocial personality disorders. Females are more likely to exhibit internalizing disorders, such as: anxiety, depression, somatic symptom disorders, and bulimia. In addition, hormones can worsen ADHD symptoms in females, and the changes in symptoms, perhaps functioning as a ‘red herring,’ may delay diagnosis. 

ADHD & Gender Differences

Her high school teacher just suggested I take my daughter to the doctor to be evaluated for ADHD, since symptoms are different for males and females. Is that really true?

 Studies by the National Institutes of Health reported that in general, symptoms of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD for short, are not sex-specific, meaning symptoms in males and in females are more alike than they are different. Nevertheless, there are definite differences that can be missed if parents and teachers are unaware of them. Males are much more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD—three times more common, actually—than are females. Therein lies some very interesting nuances. It appears that referral bias is a problem. Males are much more likely to be referred for ADHD testing than are girls. Consequently, more males are likely to be diagnosed. Parents are more likely to take their son(s) to a physician for evaluation than they are to take their daughter(s). Again, this makes it more likely that more males will be diagnosed. A referral bias means that females with ADHD are less likely to receive treatment than males with ADHD. Treatments are said to be equally effective in males and females. However, until referral bias is addressed, and equal numbers of males and females are enrolled in similar treatment styles, this conclusion may remain unverifiable.  

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Mindset & Passage of Time

A mindset is a mental attitude or inclination. Yes, each year represents a smaller fraction of your total life experience. However, if your mindset is that you are going downhill every day and just marking time as life rushes toward a conclusion, you are more likely to chunk everything rather that savor each moment. A consistently thankful mindset, regularly seeking out new experiences, and taking time to pay interested attention in each moment, can improve quality of life. Continuing to set goals of things you wish to accomplish. This gives the brain something fun and rewarding to look forward to. It can also help you perceive each day as a separate collection of interesting experiences rather than just one more blur as you hurtle into older age. Staying connected with good friends and being curious about the experiences you have in life can improve working memory. So can volunteering and doing random acts of kindness. Make your life an interesting series of daily events in which you always learn something new and meaningful.

 A new AUDIO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

https://anchor.fm/arlene-r-taylor

 A new VIDEO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

https://open.spotify.com/show/3uYHO9ryZiBXDNMnUFgu3e 

Technology & Passage of Time

Technology has changed the way the world turns. With smart, android, and iPhones; along with iPads, laptops, and TV; plus, batteries, solar, and wind turbines; technology has impacted perception of time. When technology is working as intended, you can accomplish more and in a shorter period of time. That has also accelerated a perception of the passage of time. Bring this to a holiday season, when adults, who already may feel there isn’t enough time to do everything, have increased demands on their time. There is planning ahead, shopping, wrapping gifts, preparing food and trying to freeze at least some of it in advance, to say nothing of decorating and knowing what will have to be dismantled and either disposed of or stored until next year. No wonder time rushes ahead for adults and drags abysmally for children. Slow down and think through expectations. Guess what? Although traditions can be enjoyable, everything does not have to happen every year in exactly the same way. Try doing one or two things differently. The brain loves variety. Open gifts on a holiday morning or after dinner or the evening before. As children grow up, try a three-day mini vacation, building life-time memories of being with people you love and who love you in return. 

Anticipation & Passage of Time

Children around the world—at least in developed countries—may count Father X-mas and the reindeer (or Hanukkah) as the most anticipated part of the year. Naturally they pay attention to how long they must wait until the desired holiday arrives. The more their brains  focus on time passing, the more it seems to creep along. Do you remember looking at the clock and asking, “When do we leave on vacation?” or “When will Grami and Gramps arrive?” If the answer was something like “in the next hour or two” and you tried to stay glued to the clock, an hour or two could feel like forever. When I was growing up in Canada, there was no mention of X-mas until after Thanksgiving at the end of November. Now, as early as October, X-mas goodies are being advertised. Seeing all the X-mas paraphernalia for two to three months before the day arrives increases the sense that X-mas is just around the corner for adults, and months away for children. 

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Memories & Passage of Time

According to Neuroscience News, humans tend to estimate duration, how long something lasted, on how many memories they made during their assessment of the duration period. Think back to your childhood. You may recall some years when a lot of interesting things happened, and you made many new memories—which tends to make you think that a lot of time passed. Conversely, there may be periods of time that seemed very monotonous, when nothing much new or exciting happened and those times seem to coalesce into a blur. As you age and perhaps experience fewer “new things” about which to make memories, that can also make it seem a much shorter time from the last holiday season to this one. During the COVID-19 pandemic when everything was in flux and unpredictable, people around the globe reported that “the passage of time did not seem normal” at all.

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Age & Passage of Time

When I was age seven, I thought Xmas would never come! At age seventy-seven I can hardly believe it is already here AGAIN! Does time speed up as we age?

According to scientists, time does not change (except for standard versus daylight savings time—and personally I wish it were one or the other!). Mathematically my father used to tell my brother and me that at age six, a year is one sixth of your whole life, a very long time in terms of a child’s total experience. When you are age sixty, a year is one sixtieth of your whole life. There is a huge difference in ratio between one sixth and one sixtieth. Because of that it is almost as if the relative time of one year becomes compressed as you age. Studies indicate that the brain’s perception of time does change as individuals get older. As you age, your perception of time alters in other ways as well.

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Time to Smile!

Here are a few humorous sayings to trigger a smile on a day that needs to be filled with smiles—which is every day!

 1.     I find it ironic that the colors red, white, and blue stand for freedom, until they're flashing behind you.

2.     Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local community swimming pool, so I gave him a glass of water.

3.     If I had a dollar for every girl that found me unattractive, they'd eventually find me attractive.

4.     I changed my password to ‘incorrect’ so whenever I forget it the computer will say, "Your password is incorrect."

5.     Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity. Artificial intelligence is often fixable; stupidity is not.

6.     I'm great at multi-tasking; I can waste time, be unproductive, and procrastinate all at once.

 A new AUDIO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

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 A new VIDEO podcast is posted every Saturday morning

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The HPA & Stress

During this process of preparing to fight or flee, the HPA works very hard to maintain an appropriate balance of stress hormones and other brain/chemicals as it orchestrates fighting or fleeing. The Fight-Flight response is designed to be used as needed but not to be sustained over time. Studies have shown that when alcohol is added to this mix, the body is put at even greater risk for harm, because not only is alcohol toxic to the brain, it triggers the release of even higher amounts of cortisol. This alters the brain’s chemistry and ‘resets’ what the body considers ‘normal.’ Unfortunately, alcohol also prevents the body from returning to its initial balance point, so it must set a new point of physiological functioning known as allostasis. The setting of a new balance point puts wear and tear on the body and increases the risk of serious disease.