The Pat Kenny Show Science behind body-mind connection
Dec 1, 2025
Performance psychologist Gerry Hussey, known for his work with elite athletes and business leaders, delves into the fascinating science of the body-mind connection. He emphasizes that mind, brain, and body systems are inseparable, cautioning against the simplistic belief that thoughts alone can heal. Hussey explains how chronic stress disrupts our bodies and shares techniques like optimal arousal for peak performance. He also highlights practical tools from sports psychology that can help everyone manage stress and make empowered choices in challenging situations.
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Body Systems Work As One
- The mind, brain, nervous, hormonal and immune systems are inseparable and operate as one integrated system.
- Imbalance in one system (e.g., gut or mind) produces cascading effects across the whole body.
Short Stress Helps, Long Stress Harms
- Acute stress is useful and energising, but chronic sympathetic dominance harms hormones and immunity.
- Prolonged stress pushes every bodily system out of balance and increases risk of chronic illness.
Regulate Arousal With A Daily Traffic-Light
- Break the day into zones and use techniques like visualization, meditation and breathwork to regulate arousal.
- Stay in the optimal arousal zone until the final trigger, then switch on for peak performance.
