5 fascinating ways your brain bends reality

8/11/2019 5 Fascinating Ways Your Brain Bends Reality

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Javier Portela

Para: [email protected]

Assunto: 5 Fascinating Ways Your Brain Bends Reality

5 Fascinating Ways Your Brain Bends Reality

Caution: This illusion might make observers feel sick. The bicycle wheels appear to rotate counterclockwise, but this

is a still image! Your brain doesn't know any better. Sigh.

We think we see reality as it is, but science has revealed multiple ways that the human brain bends reality (as it

relates to our personal experiences).

Most of these reality-bending brain happenings involve the way we process information. Like the image above

shows us, our perception of how things are is not always accurate, but this isn't always a problem—you'll see it can

be a benefit too.

1. When you're fatigued, you might not be.



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"The fatigue is a lie, runner #956! Keep going!"

The reality: You're running, and you have more energy left.

How your brain bends reality: Your brain tells you that you have no energy left, and suddenly, you make the face of

runner #956, who is having a good time problems.

Energy is a finite resource in the body. Your brain knows that, and being the overlord of operations, it will indeed

ration energy like an old, bitter sea dog rations rum to the crew. Jerk.

Scientists have found that the feeling of fatigue is fabricated by the brain to signal us to slow down or stop. This isn't

direct muscle fatigue, which is caused by insufficient energy supply; they call it "central fatigue," a full-body feeling

of fatigue. I notice it as an overwhelming desire to stop exercising. They believe central fatigue caused by serotonin,

which is released during exercise and actually helps you to perform; it's when serotonin reaches higher

levels that a central fatigue response is triggered.

"'We can now see it is actually a surplus of serotonin that triggers a braking mechanism in the brain. In other words,serotonin functions as an accelerator but also as a brake when the strain becomes excessive,' says Associate

Professor Jean-François Perrier from the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, who has spearheaded the

new research." (source "Why Your Brain Tires When Exercising." A Science Daily article about the University of

Copenhagen research found here. (2013))

This part of your brain doesn't care about your marathon time—its job is to keep you from exhausting your energy

supply, and telling you you're out of energy is an effective way to do that.

One fascinating study on this type of fatigue involved a mirror box. If you don't know what a mirror box is, join the

club one can be seen in the video below. Mirror boxes are often used to treat phantom limb pain, which

happens when a missing limb feels like it's still there, moving normally (and unfortunately, it's a painful experience).Using the mirror box can supposedly train the brain to reinterpret the missing limb. An early small scale study found

that it reduced pain in 100% of six patients, unlike the control group or visualization group, some of whom



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experienced increased pain. (source: "Mirror Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain." The New England Journal Of

Medicine. (2007))

Back to the study about fatigue.

People were asked to squeeze a hand gripper with their dominant hand every second (which, believe me, causes

fatigue pretty quickly!). One of the groups, however, put their non-dominant hand into the visible side of the mirror

box, so it would look like the video below. In the hidden section of the box, they would be gripping the device. This

made it so their brain was looking at two unfatigued, relaxed hands, instead of seeing the exercising hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh8Pc6v7KAg

When people used the mirror box, they did not show signs of central fatigue after the session. Those who could

see themselves squeezing the gripper did show signs of fatigue. Results were observed by using the simply-

named magnetoencephalographic (MEG) system.

And there you have it. The brain plays a major role in fatiguing us (again, this is separate from objective energy

depletion), and our visual interpretation of what we're doing is a key factor in the process.

I wonder if this is why I naturally tend to close my eyes during the most grueling parts of an exercise bike session (I

do the "mountain routine," and the peaks are brutal!). I do it because I feel as if I can't continue my pace if my eyes

remain open. It seems when I close my eyes, that I have less of a central fatigue response. It makes sense too. Think

about it:

When my eyes are open, I see sweat dripping off of my nose. I see my tensed hands gripping the bars. When I look

down, I see my legs pumping to cycle as fast as I can. This is a lot of visual information that repeatedly tells

my brain I'm working really hard, but when I close my eyes... darkness; I can just focus on the mechanical action of

pedaling, and I do believe this has helped me work harder on the bike. After seeing this research, I plan to

experiment with it some more.

What to do about it: Do NOT run on a treadmill with your eyes closed! Do NOT squat 300 lbs. blindfolded!

Do NOT bring a mirror box to the gym. Actually, do bring a mirror box to the gym. That would be funny. The other

ones are dangerous though.

The next time you're at the gym and you feel like you can't go anymore, you now have the right to doubt that

feeling. It will still be difficult to resist it, but knowing this may help. When on the exercise bike, my

brain commanded my body to shut down, but I ignored the strong urge to quit, closed my eyes, and was still able to

physically pedal! Fascinating.

Do be careful though: you don't want to injure yourself by pushing it too hard. Pain—with the exception of phantom

limbs—is not "a trick" your brain is playing on you. The key here is to differentiate between "I really want to stop"

and "if I don't stop, I will hurt myself" situations. That may be a fine line, but it can be walked! Personally, I think this

is most useful for aerobic exercise, since weight-lifting generally carries a higher risk of injury from overdoing it.

Whether you're in a competition or just working out, let your brain know that it can't fool you anymore.

If you are doing something that can be done safely with your eyes closed (exercise bikes are one), try closing them

and see what that does to your central fatigue response.

Note: If you're taking SSRI drugs and often feel tired, this is a possible explanation. (Reference: "For selective

serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs which are used as antidepressants, we can possibly help explain why those

who take the drugs often feel more tired and also become slightly clumsier than other people. What we now know

can help us develop better drugs," concludes Jean-François Perrier. (from Science Daily))

2. If you strike a confident pose for 2 minutes, your brain will make you more confident.



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This boy's stance is a quintessential confidence pose. Hands on hips. Taking up space. Upright posture. This kid's got

a bright future.

The reality: you're extremely nervous.

How your brain bends reality: After you—even nervously—assume a confident pose for a meaningful amount of

time (studies tested 2 minutes, which was significant enough as you'll see), your brain will increase

your testosterone levels and decrease your cortisol levels. I call this combination the "confidence cocktail," as lower

cortisol makes you calmer and higher testosterone increases your aggressiveness and willingness to take risks. This

information comes from a very popular TED Talk by Amy Cuddy.

What to do about it: This is one of the most exciting brain-benders there is. It isn't a bending of reality as much as

it's your brain changing your reality by altering your hormones!

After standing for two minutes, participants' testosterone increased by 20% and their cortisol decreased by 25%.

Fascinating! Those are significant chemical changes for just two minutes of easy "work!" It's hard to think of a

situation where this couldn't be used, as confidence is such an integral part of all aspects of life. You can use it for

dates, interviews, speeches, and social gatherings.

Given the results of this study, I don't believe it's a crazy idea to suggest confidence pose training for those with low

self-esteem. A 2 minute confidence pose mini habit is worth considering, as it's an easy and effective way to

temporarily boost confidence. I suggest making it a daily mini habit because the more you train to be confident (and

practice acting confident), the more permanently confident you'll become. The most valuable change is lasting

change.

It's easy to practice: just show the world your wingspan! Confident poses are marked by taking up more space: a

wide stance, open chest, and upright posture. Submissive poses—which were found to have the opposite (and



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negative) effect of increasing cortisol and lowering testosterone—are marked by making yourself smaller: curling up

in a ball, crossing your arms or legs, and slouching.

Walking around in public like you're a bird in flight might not be the answer. Instead, you can do things like holding a

confident pose in the bathroom before an interview (Cuddy said they tested this specific example and it worked

well).

3. Your brain often treats images as reality.

Gross. But hey, your white cell blood count is up now. You're welcome!

The reality: You're looking at a picture.

How your brain is bent by reality: When you look at pictures of obviously sick people, your brain will respond

by ordering your body to amp up white blood cell production. It's likely the same reason why you can genuinely bescared during a horror movie, even though you're safely cuddled up with that special someone. It's important to

remember that not all parts of your brain are conscious. Yes, you know it's just an image, but some part of your

brain seems to be hardwired to protect itself upon seeing anything related to illness. It's pretty cool! (Source:

University of British Columbia. See this article for more information: The Psychological Immune System)

What to do about it: I'm not going to look at pictures of sick people, even if it increases my white blood cell count.

But I will consider looking at kittens. You know why? Images of kittens were shown in a study to increase fine motor

skills and non-motor search tasks. Also, a study I personally conducted found that kittens are cute. The takeaway

here is broader than sick people or kittens: simply looking at a picture can create a relatively powerful response in

your mind and body.

Be aware that images you look at will impact your brain in some way:



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According to Dr. Marc Berman, looking at pictures of nature can boost cognitive performance. (Source: "The

Cognitive Benefits of Interacting With Nature." Berman, Jonides, and Caplan. (2008))

Looking at pornography was found by a very recent study to potentially (not definitely, as there are other

possible explanations) cause brain shrinkage and diminish sexual reactivity.(Source: JAMA Psychiatry Online

Publication. Kühn and Gallinat. (2014))

4.Your mind can alter what you see and hear in the real world.

This is a FLAT drawing on the sidewalk. Someone should give this artist a raise.

The reality: The physical world is objectively present. Sound waves are measurable and precise. Visual objects have

an objective shape and mass in each moment in time.

How your brain bends reality: if your brain hears a particular sound, it can alter what you think you see, a study of

96 participants found. Participants looked at two objects passing by each other on the screen. When a collision

sound was played at the time the objects passed, they experienced the illusion that the objects collided. It worked

vice versa too! When people thought they saw something it altered what they heard (and where they thought they

heard it from).

"Specifically, we found that what we imagine hearing can change what we actually see, and what we imagine seeing

can change what we actually hear." (Karolinska Institutet. "Imagination can change what we hear and see." via

ScienceDaily. (2013))

What to do about it: Nothing, explicitly. Scientists say this research could be useful for understanding schizophrenia

because it reveals how the brain does (or doesn't in this case) distinguish between thought and reality. This study

and this effect is highly situational, and it's more interesting than practical. Though personally, I think it speaks to

the power of the mind, and that imagination can be a powerful agent for personal growth.



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If the human brain can create such illusions, then surely it can change how we view ourselves (for the better) if given

the right prompts.

-----------------------exclusive content below-----------------------

5. Your Brain Manipulates and Discounts Your Future

The reality: The future is unpredictable, unwritten, and is best left to "light planning." Today is the day that counts.

Always.

How your brain bends reality: It's easy for the brain to see the future as a failsafe.

If you don't start your goal today, surely you'll do it tomorrow!

If you don't stop your bad habit today (just one more time won't hurt, right?), tomorrow is there to save

you!

When there's a tomorrow, today is open for short-term pleasures and mistakes. Your future self is stronger,

better, more prepared, and ready to do whatever it takes to reach your goals.

Emily Pronin, a psychologist from Princeton, ran three experiments to find out how we view our future selves.

The first experiment tasked participants (Princeton students) to drink a disgusting ketchup and soy sauce mixture "in

the name of science." They were asked to choose their quantity of revolting liquid, and the more the better (for the

experiment, anyway). But one group was told that it couldn't be completed until next semester (but they still had to

do it to get their course credit). Thus, they had a way to differentiate the present and future selves.

They also asked people about the situation hypothetically, to see if there was a difference between what a person

would actually do faced with ketchup and soy sauce and what they think they might do. Here's a chart from the

study that shows people's choices (study link):

As you can see, people were more than willing to load up their future selves (or humorously, other students) with

ketchup and soy sauce, but not their present selves.

There were two other experiments that found the same thing: we tend to value ourselves more in the present,

and in a selfish way. When we eat chocolate cake instead of kale, it's a choice to value our present desires over our

future self's desires. This is the primary struggle in personal development: how much do we sacrifice today for a

better tomorrow? That's not an easy question to answer, but I think Kelly McGonigal sums it up well:

"We put off what we need to do because we are waiting for someone else to show up who will find the change

effortless."



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We should realize that it's going to be mostly the same version of us in the future, but McGonigal says, "when

reflecting on the future self, the brain’s activation is identical to when it is considering the traits of another person."

This is saying that you see yourself in 20 years as complete stranger. Naturally, it's hard to value this stranger over

yourself.

What to do about it: If we we're correct in our assessment of our future selves, there wouldn't be a problem. The

later version of us would always save the day, make the right decisions, and create a wonderful life. But while the

future itself is unpredictable, our future selves are predictable. Tomorrow's version of you is going to be very much

like today's version of you. Real, lasting change happens slowly. You may act very differently on one day, but unlessyour actions are consistently different, you'll revert to the same ol' you.

For an idea of how to value your future self more, consider this excerpt from The Willpower Instinct (a highly

recommended book):

"To get to know their future selves, the students interacted with their age-advanced avatars in an immersive virtual

reality setup . The participants sat in front of a mirror, but they saw reflected their future selves. If the participant

moved her head, her future self moved her head. If she turned sideways, her future self turned sideways. While

participants watched their future selves in the mirror, an experimenter asked each participant questions, such as

“What is your name?” “Where are you from?” and “What is your passion in life?” As the participant answered, it

appeared as though the future self was speaking.

After spending time with their future selves, participants left the virtual reality lab and began a hypothetical

budgeting task. They were given $ 1,000 and asked to divvy it up among present expenses, a fun splurge, a checking

account, and a retirement account. Students who had interacted with their future selves put more than twice as

much money into their retirement accounts as students who had spent time looking at their young selves in a real

mirror. Getting to know their future selves made the students more willing to invest in them— and, by extension,

themselves."

My Take

Since most of us lack virtual models of our older selves, maybe we should use the trusty imagination to get the job

done. The prior reality-bending examples showed how powerful the mind is, and here's a great opportunity to put it

to good use.Try to get in your older self's shoes and feel what it's like. Think about your finances. Imagine your body.

How healthy are you? Are you happy? These are the important things that you're shaping right now with your

current actions. It doesn't have to be a guilt-ridden exercise though. Think about your future self with a healthier

bank account, better fitness, and even happier than you are now.Also, pick a specific time: for me, I'm thinking

about myself in 20 years (making me 48). I have even less hair (ugh!). But I'm muscular and in great shape for a

middle-aged guy. I'm happy. I finally found a wife and I've been working my dream job ever since my late twenties

(now!). I've traveled through much of the world, and have taken good care of my body by eating healthy food. I'd be

healthier and more toned if I cut back on the ice cream.

Now connect that to the daily actions that would make it possible.

For me, I see that person because my current self is set on that path. The things I do daily should produce those

results, though "life happens" and nothing is guaranteed. Just two years ago, my direction was much, much worse.

And with the changes I've made in the last two years, the impact is going to last the rest of my life (assuming I can

maintain it, which looks likely with my 300+ day streaks). We just talked a lot about sacrificing pleasures today for a

better tomorrow, but in my experience, you can learn to love healthier behaviors. I work out harder and more often

now than two years ago, but now that I see the long-term benefits of exercise, I really don't mind it! The key is to get

to the point where you can see evidence of the small decisions you make today impacting your tomorrow and next

decades.As you may know, I used mini habits to redirect my path. I recommend you do the same. I understand

there is more to write about mini habits: if/how the concept can work for bad habits, how to evolve a mini habit into

a full habit/mastery, and perhaps some specific applications of it. I intend to get to those, and may even ask youwhat book I should write next (I have dozens of book ideas). As for now, I'm continuing to chip away at Mini Habit

Mastery, which is going to be incredible (see the extended trailer here in case you missed it).



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I hope you found this one interesting. If you find it worthy, I'd be so grateful if you shared it. It took me about...

15+ hours to research and write it? Whew. But at least it's fun work. :-) See ya next week.

Cheers,

Stephen

5 fascinating ways your brain bends reality

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