Understanding your precondition: The science behind your state

I have two children under two years old, both of whom are ill, so there has been little sleeping this week. Add back pain over the last couple of weeks; it is the perfect storm.

Amongst the chaos, it has made me reflect on how our state affects our behaviour, and this article highlights the connection between how we feel and how we act.

The science of cognitive resources

Our prefrontal cortex (the brain’s executive control centre) manages cognitive tasks and emotional regulation. This region requires significant energy and is particularly susceptible to depletion. Physical factors like pain or fatigue consume part of these limited cognitive resources, leaving less available for other functions like emotional control and decision-making (Inzlicht & Schmeichel, 2012).

Research shows that sleep deprivation significantly impairs the function of the prefrontal cortex, reducing our ability to regulate emotions by up to 60% (Yoo et al., 2017). This explains why we might snap at minor provocations that would not normally faze us after a poor night’s sleep.

How emotions and state interact

Various stimuli trigger our emotions, but we do not necessarily need to respond to every emotional impulse. When well-rested, we use our cognitive resources to appraise the situation and modify our behaviour if the response is inappropriate. For example, if a colleague interrupts you while you concentrate on responding to an important email, your cognitive system can moderate and control your initial irritation.

However, our control system becomes compromised when our cognitive resources are depleted, such as lack of sleep, stress or pain. Even mild cognitive depletion can lead to:

  • Increased emotional reactivity
  • Decreased impulse control
  • Reduced ability to consider long-term consequences.

What this means in practice is that if you are tired and irritable, your regulatory resources are not fully topped up, and you snap at the colleague who interrupted you.

What usually would not bother you, suddenly becomes “the straw that broke the camel’s back”. Long-term, you may need to do some repair work to maintain the workplace relationship.

Evidence-based management strategies

Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness and extends to self-management, which means increasing awareness of your present state and using strategies to manage it, depending on the task. Here are some proven strategies to manage your state effectively:

  • Pre-meeting check-ins: Put time in the diary before important meetings to check your physical, emotional and cognitive state. 10 minutes of mindfulness practice is all you need
  • Positive focus: Take five minutes to acknowledge what is going well. Focusing on the positives can influence your mood; when you feel positive, you can replenish your resources.
  • Emotional labelling: Discussing your feelings with a colleague is a good way to manage them. Sharing with colleagues at work this way builds fantastic workplace relationships. If you do not feel comfortable discussing it with a colleague, you can write it down, as journaling can provide a similar benefit.

The research on these techniques has shown them to be practical approaches.

Mindfulness sessions strengthen attention and emotion regulation (Tang et al., 2015). Labelling is an effective strategy for emotion regulation, reducing amygdala activity (the brain’s alarm system) while increasing prefrontal cortex capacity (Torre & Leiberman, 2018). Focusing on positive emotions broadens attention and improves psychological resources (Fredrickson & Joiner, 2002).

The importance of rest and recovery

Significantly, cognitive resources can be replenished. Short breaks, proper sleep, and stress reduction all help restore our regulatory capabilities. Research has shown that even a brief walk (Bratman et al., 2015) or deep breathing (Zaccaro et al., 2018) can help reset our system.

The key takeaway

Neuroscience supports understanding your current state and its impact on your emotional responses. Recognising when your resources are depleted and taking evidence-based steps to manage your state, you can maintain better emotional regulation, even during challenging times.

Your present state influences your ability to regulate emotions more than you think. Checking in with yourself before important activities or client meetings is a good idea.

 

References:

Bratman, G. N.; Daily, G. C.; Levy, B. J. & Gross, J. J. (2015). The benefits of nature experience: Improved affect and cognition. Landscape and Urban Planning, 138, 41-50. DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2015.02.005

Fredrickson, B. L. & Joiner, T. (2002). Positive emotions trigger upward spirals toward emotional well-being. Psychological Science, 13(2), 101-197. DOI: 10.1111/1467-9280.00431

Inzlicht, M. & Schmeichel, B. J. (2012). What Is Ego Depletion? Toward a Mechanistic Revision of the Resource Model of Self-Control. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(5), 450-463. DOI: 10.1177/1745691612454134

Tang, YY.; Hölzel, B. & Posner, M. (2015) The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 16, 213–22. DOI: 10.1038/nrn3916

Torre, J. B. & Lieberman, M. D. (2018). Putting feelings into words: affect labelling as implicit emotion regulation. Emotion Review, 10(2), 116-124. DOI: 10.1177/1754073917742706

Yoo, S.S.; Gujar, N.; Hu, P.; Jolesz, F.A. & Walker, M.P. (2017). The human emotional brain without sleep–a prefrontal amygdala disconnect. Current Biology, 23,17(20), 877-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2007.08.007.

Zaccaro, A.; Piarulli, A.; Laurino, M.; Garbella, E.; Menicucci, D.; Neri, B. & Gemignani, A. (2018). How Breath-Control Can Change Your Life: A Systematic Review on Psycho-Physiological Correlates of Slow Breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353. DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.0035