Wait, What Even Is the Amygdala?
Let’s be real—the amygdala sounds like a skincare ingredient, not a brain structure. But this little almond-shaped area in our brain has one main job: keeping us safe. It’s like your brain’s personal alarm system. When it senses danger—real or perceived—it activates the fight, flight, freeze (or fawn) response before you even have time to think.
But what happens when your amygdala is always on high alert? Or in my case… physically oversized?
What the Amygdala Actually Does (In Non-Scientific Human Terms)
It’s part of the limbic system, aka the emotional part of the brain.
It’s responsible for processing fear, danger, threat, and strong emotional memories.
When activated, it bypasses logic (hi, prefrontal cortex!) and gets the body ready to react.
It’s meant to protect you—but it wasn’t built for modern life overload.
Fun fact: in ancient times, it saved your ass from lions. These days, it gets triggered by WhatsApp notifications, noise pollution, toxic people, or EMFs.
My Amygdala: The Oversized Version
I always knew something was different about me. I didn’t just “feel a lot”—I felt everything. From emotions to frequencies, to people’s moods, to the vibe in a room. For years, I chalked it up to being an Indigo, a highly sensitive person, or just someone who was “too much.”
But when I finally heard from a specialist that I have a larger-than-normal amygdala—it was like someone turned on the lights in a dark room.
Here’s what that actually means for me
My brain registers threats faster and more intensely than most people
It’s harder for me to “just relax”—my body lives on high alert unless I manually guide it back to safety
I’m more prone to emotional overwhelm, burnout, and anxiety when I don’t have energetic and sensory boundaries
It explains why I’ve always been drawn to tools like grounding, Shiatsu, bioresonance, and EMF shielding—I’m not imagining things. My body really feels them.
Childhood: A Nervous System Built in the Wild
The size of the amygdala can be influenced by early childhood trauma, chronic stress, or growing up in environments where your nervous system had to stay hyper-vigilant. For me, that environment was very real.
I didn’t grow up with the luxury of safety being the default. I grew up with the opposite. My body became a soldier. My amygdala became a bodyguard. And that bodyguard never really stood down.
Modern Life + The Sensitive Brain: Not a Match Made in Heaven
Let’s talk about triggers.
We live in a world of constant stimulation: phones buzzing, Wi-Fi signals, crowded spaces, multitasking, noise, pressure to perform.
And if you have a super-sensitive amygdala like I do? That’s a recipe for overwhelm soup.
That’s also why people like me are often misunderstood. We might seem “dramatic” or “too emotional,” when really, our brains are just flooded faster. That’s biology, not weakness.
What Helps Me Regulate (aka Calming the Almond)
Some tools I use to support and soothe my system:
– Bioresonance therapy (which picked up on my frequency sensitivity and helped me regulate)
– Breathwork (box breathing + physiological sigh = magic)
– Grounding rituals and nature time
– Aires Tech EMF protection, especially when I’m around devices
– Silva Method and visualizations to calm the inner chaos
– Shiatsu therapy to help my organs + meridians settle
– And most of all: awareness. The more I understand my brain, the more compassion I have for myself.
Want to know how I turned all of this into my own healing formula?
Read how I biohacked myself here.
Why This Matters (Even If You Don’t Have a Big Amygdala)
Understanding the amygdala is like getting the manual to your emotional operating system. Whether yours is oversized, underactive, or just stressed out—this part of your brain plays a huge role in how you process life.
And if someone in your life is highly sensitive, remember: they’re not being “too much.” They just have a brain that’s wired to feel more, faster, and deeper./bar
Other language vibes below 👇
🇳🇱 Nederlandse samenvatting
In deze blog vertel ik hoe het is om te leven met een grote amygdala—het deel van de hersenen dat angst en stress reguleert. Voor mij betekent dit dat ik prikkels en gevaren sneller registreer, wat vaak leidt tot overprikkeling. Ik deel mijn persoonlijke ervaringen, hoe dit verband houdt met mijn hypersensitiviteit, en welke ankerpraktijken mij helpen om weer tot rust te komen. Dit verhaal is voor iedereen die zichzelf herkent in een zenuwstelsel dat altijd ‘aan’ staat.
🇪🇸 Resumen en Español
En este artículo hablo de cómo es vivir con una amígdala agrandada, la parte del cerebro que regula el miedo y el estrés. Para mí, esto significa detectar estímulos y riesgos demasiado rápido, lo que me lleva a sentirme sobrecargada. Comparto mis experiencias personales, cómo esto se conecta con mi alta sensibilidad y cuáles son mis prácticas de anclaje para recuperar la calma. Un texto para quienes saben lo que es vivir con un sistema nervioso en modo alerta constante.
This post is part of my personal biohacking journey—if you’d like to explore more of the tools and practices that helped me reset my system from the inside out, check out my Biohacking page for the full collection.
Join the Vibe!
I love seeing how my posts resonate with your personal journey—whether it’s EMF awareness, healing habits, or finding joy in life’s quieter moments. If something I shared inspired you, tag me on Instagram @Tanistates so I can cheer you on and maybe even share your story in return.
P.S. Curious to explore EMF protection tools? I’ve partnered with AiresTech to offer 25% off with the code TANISTATES—because protecting your energy field is part of the vibe. 🌐✨
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