Common complaints ranging from insomnia to acid reflux and to pain and anxiety can all be resolved or positively supported when your middle prefrontal cortex is performing its job.
Ideally, this brain region should be engaged and performing all of its nine integrative functions that regulate body, mind, and spirit.
However, the stresses and strains of life can condition this medial prefrontal area to become disengaged. When we ´blow up´, or ´lose it´, or are just feeling ´out of it´ thereś a good chance that this prefrontal area has become disengaged.
And itś common to live with varying degrees of this disengagement as a default setting. This unintegrated brain state can perpetuate just about any physical or psycho-emotional symptom.
Nine Integrative Functions of the Middle Prefrontal Cortex
Briefly, here are Dr. Dan Siegelś nine integrative functions of the middle prefrontal cortex.
When this crucial brain region is engaged it integrates the following nine functions:
- Regulation of organ and glandular function
- Attunement to others
- Balancing emotions
- Flexibility in responding
- Soothing Fear
- Creating empathy
- Creating Insight
- Moral awareness
- Intuition
This list suggests thereś a lot of potential healing available to us by learning how to engage this brain region. When itś offline our health and relationships suffer.
Engaging the Middle Prefrontal Cortex
The first key to engaging this part of your brain for support is to know the neurological foundations for itś effectiveness. Otherwise, the self-regulating strategies that we use can seem strange or simplistic and we won´t find the necessary time to practice and reset our brain function.
The second necessary ingredient for reprogramming our brain function is to make time daily for self-regulation practice. This is the recipe for creating positive neuroplasticity.
Thereś a common thread running through all of the practices I use. The common thread is focused attention and itś necessary for engaging the middle prefrontal cortex.
Let´s try a simple exercise that invites us to focus our attention consciously and at the same time neurologically engage the middle prefrontal cortex.
Become conscious of your breathing while you look at this page. Notice how your breathing feels or sounds on the inside. Breathe gently and slowly if that´s possible, or notice how your breath is somehow different or beyond your control. Just notice. You can also just notice the thoughts that come, or feelings that come and go. Breathe.
That simple awareness exercise begins to change your brain and your health and your relationships. Review the nine integrative functions above to remind yourself of how a simple change in conscious awareness can profoundly begin to your brain and your life.
To reinforce these positive brain changes so they become the foundation for a new you itś necessary to practice daily. So practice, practice, practice.
To sum up, understanding the brain connection to our suffering and realizing that thereś something we can do about it can restore hope and confidence in our healing pursuits.
Additionally, adding appropriate nutrition and exercise to a solid foundation of brain integration practice is a very viable approach to healing and wholeness.
Be Well!
Steve is a retired Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, and HeartMath Trauma-Sensitive Certified Practitioner with over 35 years of clinical experience in the fields of Energy Medicine, Energy Psychology, and Biofeedback. 