How the Body Responds: Stability vs. Change

The Capability to Keep Things Stable: Homeostasis

Our bodies generally have an average physical standard to maintain.

For example, your average temperature, average blood pressure, and the pressure to keep body fluids flowing throughout the body, theses are all kept at a standard of each person. This capability to keep things stable is called Homeostasis.

However, our physical body changes its standard when there’s a breakthrough change. As we grow, our physical standards change from a baby to adulthood. Another simple way to look at it is to notice what happens when we continually stimulate the body through exercises. There is always a way to break through our current homeostasis.

The Brain’s Capability to Change: Neuroplasticity

We have the ability to change as a result of the various stressful experiences we go through.

Our brain determines what experience is stressful or how a person should cope with it. This capability is called Neuroplasticity (also known as brain plasticity) where the neural networks in the brain change and adapt through growth and reorganization. These functional and structural changes range from individual neuron pathways to systematic adjustments.

Stress: Allostasis and Allostatic Load

If we have a system in place that keeps our body stable, what keeps it intact or causes the breakthrough and adaptation for change?

Allostasis

The driving force that pushes for an adaptive process forward is called Allostasis. Allostasis is the “stress” that impacts the production of mediators such as adrenalin, cortisol, and other chemical messengers. The response of these mediators promotes adaptation to the acute stress we experience.

Once stress (allostasis) hits us, the body responds by creating a new baseline of homeostasis so that it can anticipate and prepare for the next coming stress. Essentially, the body works naturally like an AI (Artificial Intelligence) where it learns from previous experiences. Once new homeostasis is created, we are capable of tolerating or handling the same situation with less stress.

Allostatic Load

On the other hand, allostasis can change to allostatic load.

The changes and stressors that impact our life can have both positive and negative effects. Excessive stress over a long period of time can have detrimental effects on the body and permanently alter the architecture of the brain. This negative effect is called the Allostatic Load.

Allostatic overload keeps us “stressed” while it wears and tears away at the body and brain. This happens when our body undergoes constant stress while the homeostasis fails to create a new baseline to adapt.

The 4 Types of Stress That Becomes Allostatic Load

There are 4 circumstances as to why the allostasis can change into allostatic load:

1. Repeated “hits” from multiple stressors
2. Difficulties in adaptation
3. Delayed shutdowns and prolonged responses in the aftermath of the stress incident
4. Inadequate response leads to compensatory hyperactivity of other mediators

The best way to prevent these circumstances is by learning how to mitigate stress through techniques that we can practice every day.

An “Active Recovery” From Stress

Stress mitigation through physical activity is called Active Recovery. Active recovery is said to be the best way to prevent allostasis from becoming allostatic load.

There are no strict measures on what counts as active recovery, but generally speaking, you want to keep a 30 minute physical activity that will keep 70% of your maximum heart rate. This includes running, swimming, biking, yoga, dance, etc. When an enjoyable activity increases the heart rate and fully uses the brain and muscle, it relaxes our mental state more than if we just rested. This allows a state where we can prepare to welcome the next stressful event.

If incorporating a rigorous exercise routine seems difficult for you right now, you can start by just taking daily walks around your neighborhood.

If “exercise” sounds less exciting, you can always take on an active hobby like dancing. Music that heightens the mood and a sense of accomplishment that comes from learning a new skill will surely satisfy those that want a sense of stimulation and growth.

Learn How to Cope With Stress

Review your day to see how you can incorporate small actions to break your thoughts away from stress. At work, you should never keep still in your office chair for hours. If you want to use allostasis to your advantage, try to stand up and stretch at least once an hour. Talk to your coworkers, friends, or family if something is bothering you. Small stress relief habits will prevent allostasis from becoming allostatic load.

As long as we can keep stress at healthy manageable levels, we can use it to our advantage to strengthen our brain for future life adversities.

References:

Ganzel, B. L., Morris, P. A., & Wethington, E. (2010). Allostasis and the human brain: Integrating models of stress from the social and life sciences. Psychological Review, 117(1), 134–174. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017773


McEwen, B. (2005). Stressed or stressed out: What is the difference? Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 30(5), 315–318. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1197275/


McEwen, B. S., & Gianaros, P. J. (2011). Stress- and Allostasis-Induced Brain Plasticity. Annual Review of Medicine, 62(1), 431–445. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-med-052209-100430


Ratey, J. J., & Manning, R. (2021). Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization by John J. Ratey Richard Manning(2014–06-03). Little, Brown and Company.

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At some point, we all come across polarizing questions like, “love or money?” A classic example along similar lines would be, “Are you a dog person, or a cat person?” Dogs and cats are best friends to humans, but wouldn’t it be interesting if we could determine personalities based on our animal preferences? In fact, there are studies that look at personality traits based on just “dogs versus cats”. Here is one animal lover personality test that focuses on your animal preference!

Compassionate Dog Person & Free-Spirited Cat Person

According to the Big Five personality traits , our personalities can be categorized into the following five:

1. Extraversion
2. Conscientiousness
3. Agreeableness
4. Openness to Experience
5. Neuroticism

Using this model, the following results were found about dog and cat lovers personalities:

• Dog lovers scored overall higher on “Agreeableness” compared to cat lovers.
• Cat lovers scored overall higher on “Openness to Experience” compared to dog lovers.

“Agreeableness”, which represents the person’s compassionate and cooperative spirit, was higher in a dog lover’s personality compared to cat lovers. In other words, dog lovers actively seek meaningful relationships and connections with other humans. On the other hand, cat lovers scored higher on “openness”, which represents the person’s independence and curiosity. It seems that a cat lover’s personality tends to have a stronger sense of individuality and creativity compared to dog lovers. Now, here is the personality test: are you a dog or cat person? Once you have your answer, keep reading to discover what this may reveal about your personality.

Dog Lover’s Personality: Loves to Receive Praise

Studies show that dog lovers have higher “reward dependency” compared to cat people. “Reward dependence” is a trait that seeks out relationships and connections, while having the desire to be appreciated by others. (It’s important to note that “reward” here doesn’t necessarily mean material gifts. Rather, it points to intangible rewards we obtain through meaningful human relationships.) If you know of a person who cares about social media likes, they could be more of a dog person who feels the need for approval.

Cat Lover’s Personality: Good at Rising to the Occasion

The traits of a cat lover’s personality are rather interesting. Study participants who wanted cats expressed greater degrees of extroversion in public situations compared to their private lives. In other words, cat lovers were introverts in private situations but were capable of presenting themselves as extroverts in public situations. Therefore, they were great at rising to social occasions only when they needed to. Above all, perhaps a cat lover’s personality is like a jack of all trades; changing their outward impressions based on the situation and how they want to be perceived. 

Birds of a Feather Flock Together

It’s intriguing to think that this simple animal lover personality test can reflect aspects of our own personalities. One theory suspects that this happens due to the influence of similarities. Let me explain what I mean by that.

Below is a summary of the characteristics mentioned above.

• Dog lover personality: Cherishes connection and cooperation with others. Loves to receive praises and approvals.
• Cat lover personality: Prefers to do things their own way. Changes how they want to interact depending on the situation.

These personality traits closely describe how we view dogs and cats themselves. Moreover, there’s a possibility that we tend to gravitate towards the animal that closely represents our own interests and personality traits. In other words, your personality doesn’t become more cat-like because you like cats. Rather, you gravitate towards cats because you see a bit of yourself in them. This would make a lot of sense!

This Animal Lover Personality Test is All in Good Fun

Did anything ring true? Of course, everything in this article is based on general statistics and tendencies, so it’s not a definitive trait for every cat or dog person on earth. A personality test is all in good fun, so take it with a grain of salt. So, the next time you meet someone new, ask them about their animal preferences. It could reveal some hints about their personality!

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References：
Saito, A. (2010). Personality Differences Between Cat-lovers and Dog-lovers. Annual convention of the Japanese Psychological Association proceedings, 74, 21.

Saito, A., Nakamura, T., Hirashi, K., & Hasegawa, T. (2011). Personality Differences Between Cat-lovers and Dog-lovers (2). Annual convention of the Japanese Psychological Association proceedings, 75, 40. doi: 10.4992/pacjpa.75.0_1EV020

Tajima, T. (2017). Personality Characteristics of Dog-Lovers and Cat-Lovers: Multiplicity of Personality and Similarity to Personality of Pet. The Japanese Journal of Personality, 26(2), 109-120. doi: 10.2132/personality.26.2.5

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Listen to Your Surroundings

Close your eyes and listen carefully to your surroundings. What do you hear?
Is it the buzzing of the refrigerator or the whirring of your computer? Perhaps you hear city sounds, with busy cars zooming past your street?

There are many different sounds in our daily lives, from the sounds we usually hear to the sounds we are hearing for the first time. Some are natural and some are artificial. What’s more, each sound has an impact on our emotions, even though that impact may be small. Take TV dramas, for example. The background music of each scene influences the viewer’s emotions, such as a happy pop song that plays during a happy scene.

It’s no exaggeration to say that sound is an inseparable part of our lives. It’s then no surprise that sounds seem to be deeply related to our mental health as well. How do different sounds affect our minds?

City Sounds and Noise Pollution

There are various cases where sounds do affect our health. One of the most negative is noise pollution. In terms of mental health, noisy urban city sounds have a huge impact on our sleep. For example, one survey in Japan across 3,600 adult women from different regions looked at the relationship between city sounds and sleep habits. Results showed that the risk of insomnia was proportional to the amount of traffic in areas within 20 meters of a major road. These results may be easily understood if you imagine living in a high-traffic area, as the city sounds are highly likely to disturb your sleep.

On the other hand, some studies have shown that noise pollution does not affect reading and other activities. Even if you are initially too distracted by the noise to concentrate, you gradually get used to it to a point where it doesn’t even bother you. In fact, some sounds can even increase our work efficiency.

Good Sounds, Good Vibes

Some sounds are negative, like urban city sounds, while others are positive. One of the most typical and successful applications of positive sound is background music in cafes. Successful background music hides and mitigates unnecessary noise, such as the chattering of the neighboring tables. If the background music is to your liking, you will be more satisfied with the environment. Likewise, it’s common to use music and nature sounds in the workplace as a method of stress management for the workers. Naturally, such positive sounds are mentally beneficial to our well-being.

City Sounds Aren’t All Bad

The world is filled with all sorts of sounds and everybody has different preferences for sound. A sound that has significance for you may just be meaningless noise to someone else. This seems to be true not only for individuals but also for different locations. Cicadas, for example, are common insect sounds heard in certain areas during the summer. While some regions may consider this sound a nuisance, other locations may consider it to be a pleasant indicator that summer is in the air. Some cultures consider sound as a form of environmental awareness, actively paying attention to these sounds of nature. In a sense, it’s a method of environmental education. If you think about it this way, listening to urban city sounds could also be a form of spatial and environmental awareness. Moreover, there are some interesting aspects of this from a mental health perspective.

Be Playful with Sound

Close your eyes and really pay attention to the sounds you hear, from those far away to those that are closer by. Do you hear city sounds, nature sounds, or maybe household sounds? When we create a picture purely through the sounds that we hear, it may be different from the actual visual scenery that unfolds in front of us Thus, this may help us to better understand the breadth of your consciousness.

Listening to the sounds of nature – such as the wind and trees – and noticing their changes can lead to new discoveries within. Other exercises are worth trying as well, such as physically moving our posture to notice how the vibrations in our voice change through movements. This particular activity is considered bodywork that incorporates the element of sound. When we start re-focusing our attention to the sounds normally dismissed, it gives us an opportunity to think about our relationship between self and sound. These activities that allow us to pay attention to sounds have a profound effect on our mental health.

Sounds That Resonate With Each Individual

It’s easy to understand from above that there’s a deep connection between sound and mental health. We live in a world that is littered with all sorts of sounds – from nature sounds, to urban city sounds, to household sounds… So, re-focusing our attention on the sounds that we tend to miss in our daily lives is sure to be a plus.

Now, once again, close your eyes and listen carefully to the sounds around you. The sound of rain hitting against the roof, a refrigerator buzzing, a voice over the phone, sounds that cheer us up, sounds that soothe us, sounds that resonate with our sadness. The benign sounds around us could be fueling our energy without us even realizing it. If you’re feeling up to it, I recommend that you try to find a unique favorite sound that resonates with you personally.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Reference:
Kageyama, T. (1998). Sound Environment and Mental Health. The Japanese Journal of Mental Health, 13(1) P34-39.

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“What is your favorite color?” Perhaps you have a straightforward go-to answer for this question, and you’re very clear on which color best represents you. On the other hand, some may be a hard choice between a few favorites. I once met a person who said she couldn’t choose her favorite color, so she chose black because it was a mix of all colors. Whatever your choice of color, the reason you’re often drawn to it could be because of your subconscious associations for each color, and its unique psychological effects. This theory is known as color psychology.

The Psychology of Subconscious Color Meanings

If colors were signaling feelings and behavioral suggestions to us, what would that look like, and what would each color mean? Moreover, what are the psychological effects of color and how do they affect our subconscious? I’ve lightly mentioned it in Self-Help by Using Fashion Effects to Your Advantage as well, but color psychology is a whole field of study that looks at how colors affect our emotions and behavior. Studies prove that the psychological effects of color are much more potent than we immediately recognize in our day-to-day lives. For example, when a group of patients took the same exact pill in different colors, the placebo effects of each pill significantly changed depending on the color. If this is true, then it’s worthwhile to reevaluate the colors you surround yourself with and what psychological effects each color may be signaling to your subconscious mind.

Firstly, let’s try and understand some of the universal and general meanings of basic colors.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color Red

In color psychology, red is the most provocative color for emotions and attracts more attention than any other color. Therefore, the color evokes strong imagery through subconscious color associations. No matter where in the world, biology, cultures, and languages all universally point to the significance of the color red. This is why it’s also the most studied color in science and psychology.

・Association: Energy, power, courage, strength, determination, confidence, passion, love, desire, danger, anger, stress, blood, and war.
・Reactions: Raises heart rate and blood pressure. Enhances metabolism and libido. Increases respiration rate, enthusiasm, energy, and confidence.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color Orange

In color psychology, orange is an extroverted, adventurous, and joyful color that carries traits from both red and yellow. Moreover, the color is often linked to the fruit with the same name and vitamin C. In subconscious color associations, the psychological effects of this color are generally associated with positive and joyful emotions.

・Association: Excitement, enthusiasm, adventure, vibrance, warmth, rejuvenation, encouragement, social, confidence, overbearing, dependent, inexpensive.
・Reactions: Increases appetite, socialization, contentment, and oxygen to the brain. Enhances assurance, happiness, confidence, understanding, and senses of activity.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color Yellow

The eye-catching yellow is the brightest color of the visible spectrum. Therefore, it is often linked to the sun, light, and enlightenment. However, overusing the attention-catching traits can hinder the positive psychological effects of color.

・Association: Optimism, clarity, energy, enlightenment, joy, intelligence, analytical thinking, creativity, critical, impatient, impulsive, pessimism, jealousy, cowardice, and deception.
・Reactions: Increases mental activity, muscle energy, and confidence. Stimulates the nervous system and memory. Enhances communication, vitality, and vision.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color Green

Green is the color we usually see most in nature representing life, renewal, and growth. Furthermore, in color psychology, it is the most restful color for our eyes to view. Moreover, color therapy frequently utilizes green for its soothing psychological effects in subconscious color associations. Utilizing green in your home interior can help you feel relaxed and refreshed when you come home.

・Association: Growth, renewal, balance, calmness, harmony, compassion, hope, fertility, freshness, environment, eco-conscious, health, money, finances, banking, ambition, greed, and mold.
・Reactions: Enhances vision, stability, endurance, relaxation, and youthfulness. Alleviates anxiety, depression, and nervousness.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color Blue

Blue is the color of the sky and ocean – the open space in our natural environment where we find tranquility to reduce stress. It is also a popular color choice for corporate logos, suits, and uniforms, such as police outfits. This is because the psychological effects of the color blue evoke images of trust, safety, and calming authority. In color psychology, blue makes it easier to pursue mentally strenuous endeavors and can be helpful when studying.

・Association: Trust, dependability, stability, confidence, intelligence, sincerity, freedom, tranquility, intuition, imagination, coolness, sensitivity, melancholy, negativity, and sadness.
・Reactions: Enhances thought, concentration, rest, and stimulates chemicals that are calming. Slows metabolism, cools temperature, and balances self-expression. Suppresses appetite.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color Purple

Purple has a mix of red and blue. Therefore, the subconscious color meaning and effects of this color hold both cooling and warming properties, depending on its use. In nature, purple is a rare color to see and is therefore considered a sacred and precious color in flowers. Moreover, purple has commonly symbolized royalty throughout history around the world. In color psychology, it is believed that the scarcity of purple in nature contributed to this association.

・Association: Luxury, royalty, power, nobility, dignity, devotion, independence, wisdom, creativity, ambition, peace, pride, feminine, spirituality, sacred, magic mystery, sadness, and frustration.
・ Reactions: Calms the subconscious mind and nerves. Enhances imagination, creativity, and feelings of spirituality. Increases nurturing tendencies and sensitivity.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color White

Some may say that white is technically not a true color. Regardless, it’s a shade that contributes to all values of color as brightness. It is also important in color psychology, with significant psychological effects. White is still as significant to include on this list because it gives us a feeling that speaks to our subconscious mind, just like all other colors do.

・Association: Purity, innocence, light, heaven, faith, brilliance, neutrality, simplicity, cleanliness, new beginnings, possibility, softness, emptiness, isolation, absence, boredom, sterility, and indecision.
・Reactions: Increases mental clarity, senses of sophistication, fresh beginnings, and cleanliness. Encourages purification of thoughts and actions. White can affect perceptions of aggression in competitive sports and cause headaches when the white is extremely bright.

Subconscious Meaning of the Color Black

Black, like white, is considered a shade more than a color and adds depth values to all colors. Although frequently associated with darkness, the psychological effects of the color black has both positive and negative associations in color psychology.

・Association: Power, authority, formality, seriousness, sophistication, seduction, withheld, mysteriousness, darkness, fear, death, evil, aggression, pessimism, depression, rebellion, endings, and beginnings.
・Reactions: Enhances feelings of inconspicuousness, power, potential, possibility, emptiness, gloom, and or aggression. Slimming effect on visual perception. Influences perceived attractiveness and fashionability.

Personal Subconscious Color Associations

The meaning and reaction to colors on this color psychology list are subjective to cultural backgrounds and personal experiences. In addition, the subconscious meanings of color can have both positive or negative implications on our psychology, depending on the context of delivery. Also, keep in mind that our understanding of color varies widely depending on how we’ve seen the color being used in our environment.

Let me give a few examples of how this applies. For example, in Western cultures, white is worn at weddings as a sign of purity. However, in some Eastern cultures, white is worn to funerals. In other words, these two occasions evoke a completely different response to the color white, depending on which meaning you are more accustomed to. The subconscious meaning of the color red can be negative and threatening to our minds when worn by an opponent in a competitive setting. On the other hand, if a person of potential interest wears red, it becomes a positive symbol of attractiveness. If you put a lot of yellow in your children’s room because you want to spark creativity and joy for them, beware; studies show that intense use of yellow can actually cause babies to cry more.

What Subconscious Meaning Does Each Color Have for You?

You may think, “Hm, these findings make the use of color more complex and difficult”. But don’t overthink it. The most important thing is to analyze how these colors make you feel and what they mean to you personally. As a fun activity, and to better understand your own relationship with color, try figuring out your subconscious color associations with friends. You’d be surprised at how much color psychology can tell you about your personal subconscious color associations and the psychological effects of each color.

Intentional Use of Color Psychology

A simple color we choose may say a lot about how we associate that color in the subconscious mind. In other words, the psychological effects of color are all around us, affecting our everyday lives in subtle ways. If we learn what feelings each color evokes and how it can change our behavior, then we can use this to our advantage. For example, you could change the color scheme within your home to promote better relaxation or coordinate an event with accent colors that hint at a fun and social atmosphere. Otherwise, you could put a new colorful object on your desk for better concentration, or change the colors of your wardrobe. Regardless of execution, a simple color swap can be the one-degree change in trajectory that pushes you towards your next goal.

Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References:

Bourn, J. (2011). Color Meaning Archives. Retrieved June 26, 2020, from https://www.bourncreative.com/tag/color-meaning/

Color Psychology – The Ultimate Guide to Color Meanings. (2019, November 17). Retrieved June 23, 2020, from https://www.colorpsychology.org/

de Craen, A. J. M., Roos, P. J., de Vries, A. L., & Kleijnen, J. (1996). Effect of colour of drugs: systematic review of perceived effect of drugs and of their effectiveness. BMJ, 313(7072), 1624–1626. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.313.7072.1624

Elliot, A. J., & Maier, M. A. (2014). Color Psychology: Effects of Perceiving Color on Psychological Functioning in Humans. Annual Review of Psychology, 65(1), 95–120. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115035

Renk Etkisi | The Effect of Color | The Effects of Colors on Children. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2020, from http://renketkisi.com/en/the-effects-of-colors-on-children.html

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