The POWER of Visualisation

I recently listened to Women’s Hour with Miranda Hart. She was (eloquently and humorously) discussing her experience of chronic illness and how a prolonged period of being unable to enjoy nature and walking affected her mental and physical wellbeing. She discusses (amongst other wonderful things like slowing down, appreciating nature’s beauty and play) the practice of visualisation as a technique to support the difficult process of rehabilitating back to movement following a long period of inactivity.

She beautifully described how she researched and became interested in visualisation, whilst spending many hours in bed, such as climbing mountains, focusing on the journey, adding detail and telling herself positive statements about her body such as “I’ve got strength now, going up this mountain, I feel powerful and strong.”

Disclaimer – it might disappoint you, or relieve you, to know this is not a piece about manifestation (that’s Elaine’s bag!)

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Although the concept of the power of the mind and self-belief has a big part to play in this, what sparked my attention was the physiological process going on here – the brain and body connection, which has always been of interest to me, and fundamental in my career as a neuro-physiotherapist.

When picturing yourself executing a task (as well as all the thoughts and feelings and words that go along side this), your brain sends positive messages (via neural pathways) to those parts of the body, building connections, which over time can be strengthened. Through many repetitions, and slowly adding in physical movement, those pathways have the potential to translate into a desired outcome.

This physiological process can be harnessed to benefit people in so many ways. There is, as in this case, the process of rehabilitation from chronic illness or fatigue. In addition, the physical rehabilitation after recovery from stroke or other neurological conditions is well researched. It also has benefits for people with chronic pain, where the body can become sensitised due to fear as well as negative thoughts, beliefs and messages that a particular area of the body receives. Overcoming this, with visualisation and positive messages about freedom of movement, can help unlock previously restricted movement or limited activity.

Even in the absence of illness or pain, visualisation, with or without movement, can powerfully improve recruitment of muscle as well as the flow and positive impact of movement by strengthening the body’s brain-body connection.