Episode #120 -Play is Medicine
Did you know play and fun may be the missing piece to your healing? Our society tells us we must work hard to get what we want, and we may discredit things that seem too easy. But there are many scientific benefits of play. We can learn faster (It takes only 10-40 repetitions in play, vs 400 repetitions). Play, happiness or joy release endorphins (pain relieving qualities). Play improves brain function, flexible thinking, improves memory and stimulates growth of the cerebral cortex. Play is restorative- and it is the opposite of the fear-based survival states. But if you’re not used to playing and find it hard, you can grow your capacity to be in the “rest and repair state”. Listen in for more explanations of play as medicine, and how you can start to add more play to your life! For a limited time, book a 55 min Clarity Session with me for just $39. Bring a struggle in your life (chronic pain, relationships, business, emotions, health), and leave with understanding to improve it. New clients only, one per person https://calendly.com/thebetsyjensen/39-clarity-session For weekly calls and community support integrating this work into your life, check out Alignment Academy: https://www.bodyandmindlifecoach.com/alignment-academy-membership Please subscribe and share this podcast with someone who might love it! For fresh content on healing chronic pain or disease, follow Betsy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bodyandmindlifecoach/ Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvXZSYYGL2cfJl-oEOzqspA Website https://bodyandmindlifecoach.com *Free Nervous System Modules- 4 free videos explaining the nervous system, how it affects your health, and how to regulate it https://view.flodesk.com/pages/620ffa96e0eda1a0d870b5a6 *Curable App- 6 Weeks Free with this code http://www.curable.com/betsyjensen If you like this podcast, please give it a five star rating and review on Itunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unstoppable-body-and-minds-podcast/id1493360543 Transcript- Automatically Generated: This is Betsy Jensen, and you are listening to Unstoppable Body and Mind, Episode 120, Play is Medicine. In this podcast, we learn to upgrade our brain and understand the power of our thoughts, to heal and to create the results we want in our life. Become the person in control of your healing and make peace with your life.Become unstoppable body and mind. Hello, my loves. Today, I'm talking about one of my favorite concepts, and that is that play is medicine.Play is important. Play and fun are part of healing. We tend to have this idea that we need to work hard, that healing is going to be hard, that things aren't very valuable if we don't work hard to get them, and we tend to even discount if things are easy.Like, it's not going to work if you're just having fun, resting, feeling good. You have to work hard to get the results you want. But the opposite is actually true with healing, especially healing chronic pain and disease.When your nervous system is already dysregulated and in a high alert state, working hard and pushing can keep you dysregulated. You just need to have the balance of work and play for healing. I'm going to tell you a few of the scientific reasons that play is important.When we learn in play, we actually learn much more quickly. Dr. Karen Purvis says that scientists have discovered it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain. Unless it's done in play, in which case it only takes 10 to 20.So 400 repetitions, doing it the hard work way, versus 10 to 20 repetitions when you're doing it in a fun, playful way. Your brain learns better that way, and it actually changes the chemicals in your body. This is a quote from Curable.Joy, play, relaxation, spontaneity, acceptance of the present moment, and gratitude all have the ability to release pain-inhibiting chemicals in the body. In play, we actually release endorphins, so we feel less pain. Play als