{"id":95687,"date":"2023-03-14T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T18:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=95687"},"modified":"2023-03-17T13:55:15","modified_gmt":"2023-03-17T17:55:15","slug":"flow-state-brain-waves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/flow-state-brain-waves\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Flow State Affects Brain Waves & Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What’s the relationship between a flow state<\/a> and brain waves? How do your brain waves change when you enter a flow state<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Steven Kotler’s book The Rise of Superman<\/em>, in a flow state, the brain waves you produce temporarily change, allowing you to perform at your best. He specifically describes five of the brain waves that are positively affected by entering a flow state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to learn more about how achieving a flow state<\/a> affects brain waves, according to Kotler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Flow State & Brain Waves: The Positive Connection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to journalist Steven Kotler, in a flow state, temporary changes occur in your brain that allow you to perform at your best<\/strong>. Specifically, your brain activates the regions associated with intuitive thinking<\/a> and releases neurotransmitters, enabling you to perform at a higher level. Kotler’s book, The Rise of Superman, <\/em>explains the connection between entering a flow state, brain waves, and enhanced brain performance. In this article, we’ll explain this relationship in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intuition Overtakes Conscious Thinking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a state of deep focus, the regions of your brain dealing with conscious, higher thinking deactivate, while the parts associated with intuition activate. <\/strong>Your brain siphons energy away from non-essential, higher functions, such as your sense of time and your self-awareness.  For example, you might forget to eat because you\u2019re less aware of your bodily needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In Blink<\/em><\/a>, Malcolm Gladwell refers to using the intuitive parts of your brain as \u201cunconscious thinking\u201d and argues that it can be an effective form of decision-making<\/a> if you have ample past experience to draw from. He explains that your unconscious mind \u201cthin-slices\u201d your past experiences<\/a>: In other words, your brain picks out relevant information from your past experiences and identifies patterns to make quick decisions about how to approach your current situation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your brain directs this energy, instead, to other parts of the brain that increase mental clarity, creativity, and decision-making speed.<\/strong> With less self-awareness, you experience less doubt and take more creative risks<\/a>. As a result, making decisions feels quick and effortless. Some people have described this heightened intuition as \u201ca voice\u201d telling them what to do, while others describe it as feeling \u201cone\u201d with their environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: In The Gifts of Imperfection<\/em><\/a>, Bren\u00e9 Brown agrees with Kotler that intuition is a powerful decision-making tool and believes we should use intuition more in our daily lives. She adds that many people struggle to trust their intuition because they\u2019re afraid of being wrong. However, she argues that being able to trust your gut feeling is crucial to increasing your self-worth<\/a> and advises you to practice believing that things will work out even if you aren\u2019t certain that they will.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A flow state also affects which brain waves you produce. Your brain produces five different types of electrical waves depending on your state of consciousness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n