Applying Dr. Romie’s BrainSHIFT
Already feeling overwhelmed by law school or bar exam preparation? Do racing thoughts keep you awake at night? Does anxiety cloud your ability to focus during crucial study sessions?
If you can relate, you might have a "busy brain." If that’s the case, Dr. Romie Mushtaq's book, "The Busy Brain Cure: The Eight-Week Plan to Find Focus, Tame Anxiety & Sleep Again," offers a structured, eight-week approach to help high-achieving individuals like law students and bar exam takers overcome these hurdles and enhance their overall performance.
After listening to her insights on “The Widest Net Podcast” and diving into her book, here’s how Dr. Romie's BrainSHIFT protocol can help law students and bar exam takers improve focus, manage anxiety, and perform better.
BrainSHIFT stands for:
😴 Sleep
🧬 Hormones
🔥 Inflammation
🍎 Food as fuel
📱Technology
These five areas are key disruptors of a busy brain, contributing to cognitive overload, anxiety, and insomnia. The BrainSHIFT framework provides strategies to address these elements, helping to restore balance and improve focus and mental clarity. By tackling these areas, you can begin to heal your brain and regain control over your mental well-being.
The goal is to make incremental, science-backed shifts in these areas to bring the brain back into a healthier, more functional state. Here's a breakdown of how this applies to you:
😴 Sleep
Why It Matters: Cognitive function, memory retention, and emotional stability are all rooted in sleep. For law students juggling coursework and bar exam takers managing intense study schedules, insufficient sleep can lead to burnout and mental fog.
What You Can Do:
✅ Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day to reset your circadian rhythm.
✅ Avoid screens for 30-60 minutes before bed. The blue light from screens disrupts melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep.
🧬 Hormones
Why It Matters: Stress hormones like cortisol can lead to chronic anxiety, poor focus, and disrupted sleep cycles. These are major issues when preparing for high-stakes exams or handling coursework.
What You Can Do:
✅ Integrate mindfulness meditation or yoga to reduce cortisol levels and improve mental clarity. Even 10 minutes a day can make a significant difference.
✅ Exercise regularly. Physical activity helps regulate hormone levels and enhances mood, which can improve study performance and overall well-being.
🔥 Inflammation
Why It Matters: Chronic inflammation caused by poor diet (like foods high in sugar and processed foods) can lead to brain fog, making it difficult to concentrate and retain information.
What You Can Do:
✅ Limit your sugar and caffeine intake. While caffeine can offer a short-term energy boost, too much can fuel anxiety and disrupt sleep, especially when consumed late in the day.
✅ Include omega-3 rich foods (like fish and flaxseeds) and antioxidants (berries, spinach) in your diet. These foods help reduce brain inflammation and improve focus.
🍎 Food as fuel
Why It Matters: Your brain requires high-quality fuel to function properly. Unhealthy eating habits can lead to sluggishness, lack of focus, and increased anxiety—especially when prepping for exams.
What You Can Do:
✅ Add healthy facts to your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, nuts, and seeds are essential for brain health. These fats improve cognitive function and reduce mental fatigue.
✅ Replace processed foods with whole, nutrient-rich options that keep your energy steady and your brain functioning at its best.
📱 Technology
Why It Matters: Overuse of technology can disrupt sleep, reduce attention spans, and increase anxiety. Law students and exam takers often rely on screens for study, but too much screen time can have a negative impact on focus and cognitive health.
What You Can Do:
✅ Establish tech-free times, especially before bed, to improve sleep and cognitive function.
✅ Use blue light filters to reduce eye strain and protect your sleep cycle if you must use screens in the evening, use.
To fully benefit from the Dr. Romie's BrainSHIFT protocol, law students and bar exam takers are encouraged to refer to her book for a detailed breakdown of her eight-week program. There, you'll find tailored weekly steps and actionable habits that can help reset your brain, improve sleep, and enhance your ability to study and retain information.
For more detailed tips and insights and to find out whether you have a busy brain, visit Dr. Romie’s website at drromie.com and take the free four-minute Busy Brain Test.
(Spoiler: I score scored 59 on the Busy Brain Test.)
