If so, youve experienced a flow state.
What Is a State of Flow?
PsychologistMihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD, is known as the father of flow.
In the book, Csikszentmihalyi goes on to describe nine components of flow.
These overlapping features cover what its like to find flow and be in the zone.
What Causes a Flow State?
Even though scientists havent settled on whatbrain processescause flow, he says they have ideas about whats happening.
Some brain imaging research provides evidence supporting this theory, called the transient hypofrontality theory.
In one smallstudy, researchers scanned the brains of 27 people during experimentally induced flow states.
During flow, peoples brains showed less activity in an area associated with thinking and worrying about ourselves.
At the same time, some parts of the prefrontal cortex do appear to be more active during flow.
The Chemical Signature of Flow
Flow is also likely driven by neurotransmitters.
But pinning down exactly how flow impacts health has proven surprisingly tricky.
Plus, despite its glowing reputation, experts say its precise impact on health is less clear-cut.
For example, onestudyfound that teaching musicians how to trigger flow while playing lowered their performance anxiety.
Flow may be particularly suited to helping people cope during an acute crisis, Sweeny says.
The way that I think about flow is kind of an exquisite distraction, she adds.
Dark Flow May Harm Health
Could too much flow be bad for you?
Were trying to distinguish the good side of flow versus the bad side of it, he says.
Tse says discounting risk during flow could lead people to do things that harm their health.
She explains that to get into flow, you often need to push past an initial phase of struggle.
Distraction interrupts this process.
Flow exists in between.
We have an inherent ability to find a state of flow, she affirms.
She previously taught and mentored medical trainees at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Young graduated magna cum laude fromGeorgetown University with a bachelor of science degree in neurobiology and theology.
During her psychiatry training, Young sought additional training in womens mental health and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Erickson holds a bachelors degree in psychology and geography and a masters degree in counseling psychology.
Erickson previously researched treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with her husband and three sons.
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