Does it feel like you have way too many browser tabs open in your brain? Are you experiencing energy ups and downs throughout the day? Or perhaps you’ve been lying in bed, desperately seeking sleep, but your mind refuses to quiet down.
If these situations resonate with you, you might be experiencing what I call “Busy Brain.” And you’re not alone – many high-achievers find themselves stuck in the relentless stress-success cycle that contributes to Busy Brain.
A Deep Dive into Busy Brain
“Busy Brain” is a term I use to describe a distinct pattern of neuroinflammation in the brain. This condition is a direct consequence of chronic stress and burnout. It’s a modern-day epidemic, and I’ve observed its manifestations both in my patients, clients and in myself.
Key Symptoms of Busy Brain:
The core symptoms of Busy Brain are:
- Inability to focus on tasks
- Lack of sustained energy throughout the day
- Pervasive feelings of anxiety
- Difficulty in falling and staying asleep
If you’re unfamiliar with my work or haven’t attended one of my keynotes, you might be wondering whether Busy Brain applies to you. Let’s dig into some real-life scenarios. Reflect on whether any of the following resonate with your experiences:
- You can’t connect to your personality without a venti dairy-free latte in the morning. If, by chance, the barista used whole milk, then you are Bitter with a capital B for the rest of the day.
- You tell me you just drink coffee, but you really chugged three energy drinks, and if I caught you from the stage, you tried to hide the can under your seat. Busted.
- Your day/schedule/task list has been hijacked by a mysterious external force.
- There are too many browser windows open on your computer and in your brain.
- You try to focus on one important task, but the dinging of notifications from your email inbox, messenger channels, and text messages distracts you. It takes 47 minutes to finish a task which should take less than 3 minutes.
- You finally make it to the end of the day and need a glass of wine or three, followed by bourbon to take the edge off.
- If you don’t drink alcohol, you are trying the latest fad supplement that some Instagram influencers shared.
- You are wired and tired—you’re sure you will sleep well tonight, but when you put your head down on your pillow, you can’t shut down the racing thoughts.
- Once again, the ping of a notification pulls your finger to the screen of your phone, and you lose another 92 minutes down the Google research rabbit hole, wondering why you have been researching high-grade plungers for your bathroom.
- When you finally fall asleep, you wake up at 2:37 a.m. or thereabouts and are wide awake. Heck, you may as well knock out some emails or get a load of laundry done before the kids get up.
Did any of these scenarios strike a chord? If so, you’re not alone, and more importantly, there’s no judgment here – especially from me. Despite the extensive work I’ve done on this topic, Busy Brain symptoms creep back into my life occasionally. And that’s when I know I’ve strayed from the brainSHIFT Protocol
Do You Have a Busy Brain?
It’s crucial to determine whether you’re grappling with Busy Brain. To help with this, I’ve developed the Busy Brain Test, which provides insight into the toll that stress is taking on your life. This quick test takes only about 5 minutes and has already been used by 17,000+ people to gauge their overall well-being.
➡️ You can take the Busy Brain test here.
The Underlying Science
Chronic stress instigates an inflammatory cascade within our brains. This isn’t a benign process—it disrupts neural pathways, laying the groundwork for symptoms such as anxiety, disrupted sleep patterns, and challenges in attention.
Traditional medicine’s approach often fragments these symptoms, treating them as isolated issues. In reality, conditions like anxiety, adult-onset ADHD, and insomnia are not separate ailments but interconnected manifestations of the Busy Brain syndrome. Attempting to treat any one of these symptoms in isolation won’t resolve the core issue.
My Journey
While my medical credentials paint the picture of someone well aware of the effects of chronic stress, I am no stranger to the debilitating effects of Busy Brain. In the midst of a burgeoning career in neurology, I suffered from burnout and underwent life-saving surgery.
This personal ordeal wasn’t just a wake-up call – it changed the entire course of my career. To uncover the truth about the effects of chronic stress on our minds and bodies, I traveled the world to study yoga and mindfulness and later undertook additional training to become board-certified in integrative medicine.
I realized that we must heal the underlying cause of our Busy Brains to tame the associated symptoms of poor sleep, relentless anxiety, and diminished focus and energy. My journey spurred me to write The Busy Brain Cure, which is slated for release by Harper Collins on January 9, 2024.
The book provided me a way to dig much deeper into the science behind Busy Brain and its cure than I ever could in my keynote presentations.
Navigating Towards a Solution with The Busy Brain Cure
Healing doesn’t start with a pill or a single intervention. It starts with the act of recognition—the acknowledgment of the symptoms and the underlying causes. Once we understand the intricacies of Busy Brain, we can take steps to heal the inflammation and quiet our minds.
The Busy Brain Cure is your lifeline. It is based on extensive research, clinical work, and results from the 17,000+ people who have taken the Busy Brain test. Within its pages, you’ll discover not only the science of Busy Brain, but also practical, evidence-based strategies to help you find focus, time anxiety, and sleep again in just eight weeks.
➡️ Order your copy now. Start your journey and join the conversation.
