Whether you have just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, or so long as you are not yet treated with a form of Dopamine, there are Sensory Enrichment Therapy exercises that you can do that can help.
We are going to give you two simple exercises to do every day, a quick one to do several times throughout the day, and a couple of things to do at bedtime.
The exercises will:
- Promote better production of dopamine by stimulating activity in the Olfactory bulb, where your dopamine is produced;
- Strengthen connections between the Olfactory bulb and the rest of your brain;
- Help you feel better, and all sorts of good things will happen in your brain as a result of a better regulation of your Serotonin levels.
- Help you get healthy, rejuvenating sleep to maximize repair during this crucial time of natural maintenance work that happens at night.
If you take action and give this simple regimen a real try you will feel very quickly the benefits.
Put the phone on mute, close the door and take care of your brain.
1. The Multisensory Core Protocol
This is your first exercise. It will promote activity in the olfactory bulb, in the upper cortex in the visual and touch zones and create new lines of communication between those areas, simply by repeating the exercise each day.
The merits of olfaction are now well published and we invite you to review the bibliography.
Neuroscience has made crucial advances in the field of Dopamine and serotonin and how to use simple natural techniques to improve their production and function. This exercise is an adaptation of those findings for you to enjoy their benefits.
2. Find the fruit, holding and smelling
3. Smell 6 times a day
Finally, smelling throughout the day any scent of your choice: orange, lemon, lavender, , preferably from an essential oil to obtain a strong scent, will complete the regimen for a dynamic and efficient action against the terrible disease.
“Therapeutic” smelling means at least two slow, deep inhalations. Put all your millions of smell receptors in the nose to work! :-)
4. At bedtime: Music, Scent on the Pillow
At bedtime, listen to at least 5 minutes of relaxing orchestral music and apply a fragrance to your pillow.
You don’t have to fall asleep to the music. Headphones is best, as it isolates from all other noise. Close your eyes and let your brain enjoy working on this.
As for the fragrance on your pillow, you will find yourself waking up to it in the middle of the night for the first few days. It’s normal.
Notes
Better to have someone do it to you
If you do it to yourself, the effects of the exercises will be diluted. If you do it to yourself, then you involve a lot more areas of your brain when you do the exercises. It is best to have someone do the exercises to you and for you to be as passive as possible. For example, when you smell, close your eyes and focus on inhaling slowly. Let your partner present the smell to you, don’t hold it, or you involve motor areas, proprioception, etc.
The more focused and specific the sensory experience, the more impact it will have on your brain.
The Storm
If you do this properly, your brain will start to change immediately and for the first few days, you will go through what we call the Storm. You will likely become moody and cranky, which will make it difficult to stick to the exercises. Keep at it and soon, you will be stable and improving day by day.
The storm can take virtually any shape or form. It can be a high fever with no symptoms, a drowsiness that gets you to sleep for hours during the day, a headache, or any exarcerbated behavior: screams, hitting, biting, throwing, jumping. The only stable element is that you are not going to like it.
As all storms, it will pass and you will be rewarded.
Probably unoticed, during the storm, something will change, something subtle, something brief and wonderful. Maybe you will sleep an entire night but you were so exhausted you did not even realize it. Maybe you will find yourself experiencing extreme precision in your movements. Observe and rejoice, the storm is the sign that healing has started.
Smoking, drinking and other stimulants
You may have to include to your action some life style changes. Stimulants are very impairing and damaging to Dopamine and serotonin. Gradually decrease to eventually stop entirely consumption of coffee, tea, alcohol, cigarettes. Take a serious look at your nutrition and evaluate what you may have to change in order to help your body and your brain to fight efficiently.
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That’s it! I hope this works great for you.
If you have questions, post them in the comments section below. We read all of them personally. They get to us in our email. :-)