- BREATHE. I’ve found in my research that Navy SEALs who can control their breathing perform more optimally during immersive real-life training scenarios. Through a complex neurobiological interaction between brain and body, breathing allows you to slow down and analyze the situation. Taking a breath allows you to shift your focus away from the stressor and evaluate how you’re doing.
- ANALYZE. There are two things worth analyzing when under duress: How you feel and what is going on around you. How you feel may seem like a simple thing, but you actually have a very complex yet elegant sixth sense, called interoception, that integrates information about your bodily state and feeds it forward to your brain. We’ve discovered that Marines are very good at using this sixth sense, and perhaps more importantly, you can train yourself to get better at interoception.
- ACT. Last but not least, act. Actions produce results and results can be further analyzed and acted on. An active response to stressors is associated with improved behavioral health, especially when you conceptualize your “mistakes” as opportunities for growth. In that way, analysis paralysis can be avoided.
“One of my favorite parts of doing research at Wheaton is that I get to mentor students.”
— Dr. Nathaniel Thom
OCCUPATION: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT: BIOLOGY
YEARS: 2
EDUCATION: POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN OPERATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT THE NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER – SAN DIEGO; M.S. AND PH.D. IN EXERCISE SCIENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA; B.S. IN BIOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
DEPARTMENT: BIOLOGY
YEARS: 2
EDUCATION: POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN OPERATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT THE NAVAL HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER – SAN DIEGO; M.S. AND PH.D. IN EXERCISE SCIENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA; B.S. IN BIOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON