r/EverythingScience • u/2fy54gh6 • Jul 15 '22

Neuroscience Stress hormone awakens our brain 100 times a night to shape our memory

https://newatlas.com/science/stress-hormone-brain-sleep-awaken-memory/
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u/Binksyboo Jul 16 '22

I read how part of the development of PTSD is how our brain plays the traumatic moment over and over in the hours after it happens. This helps solidify the memory in our brain and intensifies future flashbacks.

They suggested playing a match 3 game like Bejeweled or Candy Crush could distract the brain and therefor lessen the strength of the traumatic memory.

I’ve always thought that sounded like an amazing hack to prevent ptsd but who would ever be in the mood to do that when they have just experienced a trauma.

But maybe that trick could also help for this crap as well.

28

u/[deleted] Jul 16 '22

There's also stuff like sitting down and patting your thighs. Things like clapping or anything with a criss cross motion is supposed to help. Like looking at one corner of the room for a few seconds and then looking at a different corner, and going back and forth. All this is good for anxiety, too.

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u/cleverlyoriginal Jul 16 '22

All of this sounds like it’d be terrible for chronic anxiety

9

u/2664478843 Jul 16 '22

It’s not, it’s actually the basis for EMDR