Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Rewiring Your Brain for Better Mental Health: How Small Actions Can Transform Your Health with Dr Camilla Nord #543

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Apr 1, 2025

Dr. Camilla Nord, a leading researcher at the University of Cambridge and author of 'The Balanced Brain,' joins the discussion to unravel the intricate connections between brain function and mental health. She explains the vital role of pleasure in wellbeing, revealing how laughter can act as a natural mood enhancer. The conversation also dives into the overlap of chronic pain and depression, explores tailored mental health strategies, and emphasizes the transformative power of small, enjoyable activities to uplift our lives.

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INSIGHT

Mental Health Biology

Mental health is often misunderstood as separate from biology.
All mental health impacts work through the brain, linking mind and body.

INSIGHT

Brain as Final Pathway

Various factors influence mental health, but the brain is the final pathway.
Two people with identical experiences or genes won't react the same due to the brain's complexity.

INSIGHT

Pleasure and Pain in Mental Health

Loss of pleasure, a core depression symptom, highlights its importance in well-being.
Chronic pain and depression share brain circuits, increasing the risk of developing the other.

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Have you ever wondered why the same traumatic experience affects different people in completely different ways? Or why finding pleasure in life is so fundamental to our mental wellbeing?

To answer these questions and a whole host more, I'm joined this week by Dr Camilla Nord. Camilla leads the Mental Health Neuroscience Lab at the University of Cambridge and is author of the best-selling book, The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health.

In this fascinating conversation, we explore:

How everything that impacts our mental health ultimately works through the brain, and why we often artificially separate 'mind' from 'brain' and 'mental' from 'physical' health
Why pleasure is so fundamental to mental wellbeing that a loss of it is a core symptom of depression, and how activities like social laughter can boost mood by releasing natural opioids
The fascinating overlap between chronic pain and depression circuits in the brain – revealing why experiencing one increases your risk of developing the other
How motivation varies throughout the day based on our individual body clocks, and why morning people and night owls have different energy patterns
Interoception – our internal body awareness – and how practices like meditation, yoga and body scanning can enhance this crucial sense
Why the placebo effect is so powerful and how a doctor's communication style can significantly impact treatment outcomes

Throughout the conversation, Camilla emphasises that there is no one size fits all approach and that it’s the small, consistent actions that ultimately end up transforming our lives.

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/543

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.