An overworked or ‘hijacked’ amygdala can make us more likely to exaggerate emotional cues which can trigger heightened anxiety levels and a constant state of stress.
The amygdala, located in the temporal lobes of the brain, are responsible for many important functions that involve emotional responses, decision-making, and processing memory. One amygdala lies in either hemisphere of the brain.
The flight or fight response is a healthy part of our biology that is designed to ensure our survival and safety by preparing us to get out of dangerous situations safely, one way or another. However, when your fight or flight response remains switched on when there is no danger, or if it gets switched on too easily, again when there is no danger, then the flight or fight response will morph into and become prolonged states of anxiety. There are healthy flight or fight responses, and there are unhealthy flight or fight responses.
You can calm an overactive amygdala through a number of avenues, including meditation, acupuncture, TCM, spirituality, and mindfulness exercises, proper sleep, relaxation and rest, physical exercise, engaging in gratitude, nutritional and adaptogenic herbal supplementation, and many other ways.
This panel of 153 items, focuses on calming an overactive amygdala.
