This is an archived material originally posted on sciy.org which is no longer active. The title, content, author, date of posting shown below, all are as per the sciy.org records
Institute of HeartMath - decoding the intelligence of the heart
Originally posted on sciy.org by Ron Anastasia on Wed 06 Sep 2006 02:44 PM PDT
Science of The Heart: Exploring the Role of the Heart in Human Performance
An Overview of Research Conducted by the Institute of HeartMath
INTRODUCTION
For centuries, the heart has been considered the source of emotion,
courage and wisdom. At the Institute of HeartMath (IHM) Research
Center, we are exploring the physiological mechanisms by which the
heart communicates with the brain, thereby influencing information
processing, perceptions, emotions and health. We are asking questions
such as: Why do people experience the feeling or sensation of love and
other positive emotional states in the area of the heart and what are
the physiological ramifications of these emotions? How do stress and
different emotional states affect the autonomic nervous system, the
hormonal and immune systems, the heart and brain? Over the years we
have experimented with different psychological and physiological
measures, but it was consistently heart rate variability, or heart
rhythms, that stood out as the most dynamic and reflective of inner
emotional states and stress. It became clear that negative emotions
lead to increased disorder in the heart's rhythms and in the autonomic
nervous system, thereby adversely affecting the rest of the body. In
contrast, positive emotions create increased harmony and coherence in
heart rhythms and improve balance in the nervous system. The health
implications are easy to understand: Disharmony in the nervous system
leads to inefficiency and increased stress on the heart and other
organs while harmonious rhythms are more efficient and less stressful
to the body's systems.
More intriguing are the dramatic positive changes that occur when
techniques are applied that increase coherence in rhythmic patterns of
heart rate variability. These include shifts in perception and the
ability to reduce stress and deal more effectively with difficult
situations. We observed that the heart was acting as though it had a
mind of its own and was profoundly influencing the way we perceive and
respond to the world. In essence, it appeared that the heart was
affecting intelligence and awareness.
The answers to many of our original questions now provide a scientific
basis to explain how and why the heart affects mental clarity,
creativity, emotional balance and personal effectiveness. Our research
and that of others indicate that the heart is far more than a simple
pump. The heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organized
information processing center with its own functional "brain" that
communicates with and influences the cranial brain via the nervous
system, hormonal system and other pathways. These influences profoundly
affect brain function and most of the body's major organs, and
ultimately determine the quality of life.
Figure 1.
Innervation of the major organs by the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
Parasympathetic fibers pass through the cranium and sacrum; sympathetic
fibers are associated with the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Proper
functioning of the ANS is critical for the maintenance of health, while
a number of health problems are associated with ANS dysfunction or
imbalance. Emotions greatly affect the activity of the ANS and the
balance between the two branches. For example, anger causes increased
sympathetic activity and reduced parasympathetic. Constriction of the
arteries resulting from excessive sympathetic stimulation can
contribute to hypertension and heart attacks.
To read the complete introduction and access the document: Log in now. 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10
Compiled
by Rollin McCraty, Mike Atkinson and Dana Tomasino. HeartMath Research
Center, Institute of HeartMath, Publication No. 01-001. Boulder Creek,
CA, 2001.
All rights reserved. No part of this
book may be translated or reproduced in any form without the written
permission of the publisher.
HeartMath®, Freeze-Frame®, Heart Lock-In®, Cut-Thru®, and Inner Quality Management® (IQM) are registered trademarks of the Institute of HeartMath. The Freeze-Framer® Emotional Management Enhancer (FFEME) is a trademark of Quantum Intech.
Printer-Friendly e-Book Version Available If you want to purchase the downloadable printer-friendly version click here
In order to access the printer-friendly version of Science of the Heart, Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® must be installed on your computer.
