In the January blog post, we discussed interoception—the conscious experience of internal bodily states. Learning to listen to these signals may help us modulate how we perceive, anticipate, and interpret them. But how can we practice this? It sounds very interesting, but what exactly should we do if we want to improve our interoceptive skills? … Read more
In recent weeks, southern Spain has barely seen the sun, an unusual situation as it’s been constantly raining! More than one person might already feel their mood being affected, perhaps due to more than just the inability to sit out outside or accumulating laundry from not being able to dry their clothes. Let’s explore the … Read more
Mindfulness or mindfulness practice has proven to be an effective tool to reduce rumination (persistent repetition of negative thoughts) and enhance adaptive coping strategies (Josefsson et al, 2017). In sports, these skills are essential to optimize performance and concentration, preventing intrusive thoughts or stress from interfering with task performance. The Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) method (Gardner & … Read more
Interoception refers to how we perceive our body’s internal state, based on the sensory signals coming from various organs and internal structures. These signals reach the central nervous system (CNS) and allow the body to maintain homeostasis through reflexes (e.g., the baroreflex), motivational drives (e.g., hunger and thirst), and explicit bodily sensations (e.g., shortness of … Read more
In the global health landscape, chronic pain and depression stand out as two of the leading causes of disability (GBD 2016 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators 2017). Chronic lower back pain in particular has been identified as the primary cause of disability, affecting millions worldwide. Simultaneously, depression remains one of the main drivers … Read more
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a construct that describes the use, perception, understanding and management of emotions, as an individual characteristic predictive of success in personal and work interactions (Salovey & Grewal, 2005). It would also imply the ability to monitor emotions, discriminate between them and use this information to guide our actions and thoughts (Mayer … Read more
When we talk about practicing evidence-based Medicine or Physiotherapy, we refer to the need to integrate the best available scientific evidence on a topic with the best evidence based on the professional’s own experience, without forgetting ethical aspects, the clinical practice context, and the values and preferences of the person coming to the consultation (Veras … Read more
We all still remember the months of lockdown we lived through during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic; and perhaps some recall that the time it took to fall asleep increased, their perception of rest during sleep worsened, or the number of hours they slept decreased. If you noticed any of these things, you … Read more
More than half of the Spanish population over the age of 15 had a diagnosis of a chronic condition in 2020, and these numbers are increasing. Is this a coincidence? We live in an increasingly long-lived society, meaning the population is becoming more aged, and chronic conditions, among other factors, come along this aging. Since … Read more
May 12th marks the International Fibromyalgia (FM) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Awareness Day. The research focus of one doctoral candidate within our group is centered on the effectiveness of mindful exercise in dysautonomias. Given that one consequence of these syndromes is the dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), this blog post is dedicated to … Read more