The Physiology of Emotions-How & Why You Feel What You Are Feeling

The Interconnection of Mind and Body

Many medical doctors, social workers and doctors of philosophy understand that there is a direct correlation between the body and the brain and vice-versa. Once thought that the mind was harbored in the brain, they now understand it actually exists in the communication network throughout the entire body. It is not simply a mechanical expression, but a consciousness manifestation that exists at the cellular level throughout the body and in the brain.

The Link between Matter and the Mind

In describing the physiology of emotions, these experts are quick to note that emotions are the nexus between the mind and matter. Our emotions are actually a cellular signal that is involved in a convoluted process of translating information between the brain and every cell of the body and influencing both systems.

Listening to Our Gut

It is not an imaginary dream that we feel our emotions in our gut. Deep inside our intestinal tract we have a myriad of receptors and neuropeptides that fire off when we experience "butterflies" in our stomach. Our "gut instincts" are a product of our emotional reasoning, and serve to work in unison with our intuition.

Creating a Response

Additionally, our thoughts can create a physical response immediately in the body. Like a woman in labor using controlled breathing to reduce her pain during childbirth, her body produces a high level of endorphins, simply by doing a physical act of altering her breathing. It is also true that merely thinking of food can create your mouth to salivate. The deliberate act of a thought or feeling can create an immediate physical change in the body.

Ready for Anything

While we might think some of our emotionally-spurred physical responses as negative, they all serve a function in helping us survive in our environment. As far back as humans have existed, our reaction to fight or flight, fear, anger, anxiety, worry, and depression has instantly called our nervous system immediately into action. Our pulse may quicken, our breath may shorten, or we may begin to tremble. We may have the instant desire to run away, become anxious or lash out in anger.

Our emotions might bring on grief, regret, or heart ache which will significantly slow down many of the functions of our body. These are all survival mechanisms that help us stay alert when we need to, or give us rest if that is what the body and mind demands.

The physiology of our emotions makes us who we are, define our personality and create the environment to help us communicate effectively with everyone and everything we will ever meet. Effectively managing our emotions will develop optimal emotional health and provide us the opportunity to live a happier and more joyful existence.