In this article, we will explore how meditation can be a great bio-hack to counteract the negative effects of heartbreak and flush out the restless energy caused by the loss of a relationship.
It is important to note that the body is not biased by the external circumstances that cause stress to the body, whether it is a relationship or the loss of a loved one; it all falls under the umbrella of stressful feelings for the body.
Heartbreak can cause a great deal of stress, especially if you really loved someone. This stress can affect how we feel emotionally and physically, and it can take weeks, months or even years to recover from it.
What happens in the body when we feel heartache?
#Something to think about
When we ‘miss’ our partner, it may very well be the anticipation of a chemical reaction in the body that we are ‘missing’.
When we break up, our body goes through a massive withdrawal process because the primary ‘stimulus’, namely your partner, is no longer there to trigger a chemical reaction that gives the body feelings of joy, happiness, euphoria, etc. gives. Our thoughts about losing the ‘feeling of love’ can cause even more stressful emotions in the body.
The mind naturally anticipates worst-case scenarios that create fear and anxiety in the body. The mind tells the body a story based on the ‘loss’ of the relationship, which is usually based on fear, creating unsettled feelings in the body.
Research shows that your brain registers the emotional pain of heartbreak in the same way as physical pain. Therefore, you may feel that your heartbreak is actually causing physical pain. The language we use to describe heartbreak – “I feel like my heart has been ripped out,” “it was heartbreaking,” “like a slap in the face” – all points to the way we associate physical pain with emotional pain.
With broken heart syndrome, part of your heart temporarily enlarges and does not pump properly, while the rest of your heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions. Researchers are just beginning to understand the causes and how to diagnose and treat them.
#Interesting point
The chemical reactions caused by falling in love are like drugs and we can easily become addicted to them.
#Scientific breakdown:
Dopamine and oxytocin in particular are hormones that make us feel good and want to repeat that behavior. These hormones are released in increased concentrations when we are in love.
Once heartbreak occurs, as mentioned, these ‘feel good’ hormone levels drop and are replaced by stress hormones such as ‘cortisol’, creating feelings that stem from anxiety. The fear of being alone is a common factor why we feel so much anxiety.
Meditation is medication
How?
When the mind pays constant attention to stressful feelings caused by heartache, dispersed energy is generated in the body and then channeled to the brain to maintain neural networks and wiring associated with the pain and suffering (heartache).
The more we identify with feelings associated with heartache, the more we become conditioned by such biochemistry, which leads the body to crave more heartache. Simply put, the body’s cells become addicted to this level of chemistry.
Through meditation we learn to sit still and not identify with such emotional states. Therefore, energy no longer goes to emotional pain that causes stress. Instead, we become open and allow the ‘river’ of feelings to flow through the body, like streams of energy.
“Where your attention goes, energy flows”
Your attention charges emotional states in the body and enriches the connections in the brain associated with such states. This creates a viscous cycle of thinking and feeling, resulting in a restless state of being. The more you repeat this state, the more you become conditioned to feel this way.
You have to break the cycle.
Meditation works
Sit quietly…feel…and breathe…without focusing on thoughts or feelings.
This opens your consciousness, allowing the body to flush out unwanted energy. There is no more fuel to feed the negative thoughts and emotions, therefore you can break the negative cycle of sadness.
Practice this bio hack to speed up your comeback! Instead of unconsciously practicing ‘suffering’ or ‘heartache’.
Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help you become aware of where your attention goes. Don’t waste time feeding emotional states in the body that do not serve your highest potential.
Once you successfully heal your emotional and physical addiction to the person you broke up with, your mind and heart will become clear again, allowing you to focus on things that bring you joy and happiness.
SIT QUIET, FEEL and BREATHE…
To go deeper and understand and practice these methods of recovery, check out my FREE three-part online course on how to break free from past relationships and reclaim your power.