Understanding your brain is one of the best ways to understand your behaviour. The reticular activating system (RAS) is just one small part of the brain, however, can have significant effects on our behaviour. The RAS is a part of the reticular formation (RF), found in the brainstem. The RF receives input from the various areas and pathways in the brain and also sends out information (via efferent connections) throughout the nervous system. So, the RF is like a broad network that is responsible for many essential tasks including motor control, cardiovascular regulation, and arousal.
So what about the RAS? The RAS is a specific functional pathway — or subcomponent — of the RF that helps us regulate our sleep, wakefulness, attention, and fight-or-flight responses. It does this by 'filtering' through important information using different neurotransmitters (including dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine) to modulate brain activity. This allows you to ignore irrelevant stimuli or information and assists you to focus on your goals.
Put simply, the RAS is like your own personal assistant who lives in your brain. It works hard to sort through all the information and stimuli you receive daily and then screens out any 'junk' or unwanted thoughts. By 'clearing your schedule', the RAS supports you with sleeping, waking, and attention. Your RAS personal assistant:
- Allows you to focus on what you value.
- Allows you to perceive a threat.
- Supports you when you set goals.
How Can You Harness Your RAS Personal Assistant to Benefit You the Most?
Set Goals and Visualise Success
By filtering through billions of pieces of information received by the brain each day, the RAS allows only what it deems important to become conscious. When you define a new goal, the RAS begins to treat related information as 'important', making you more aware of relevant opportunities. The RAS is linked to dopaminergic pathways, which help energise and motivate your actions toward specific goals when activated by clear intentions.
Reflection: Think about a time when you really wanted something. For example, when I wanted to buy a new car and found the 'perfect one', I would see that same model of car all the time when driving around, but I had never taken notice of them before. Because I had decided this model of car was important to me, my RAS started filtering the world through my new priority and drawing my attention to it. Can you think of a time when this has happened to you?
To do: Clearly define your goals and create detailed plans of achieving them. Creating vision boards or mentally visualising yourself achieving these goals can help the brain recognise these outcomes as priorities.
Positive Affirmations, Mindfulness, and Regulation Strategies
Your beliefs and expectations influence what the RAS focuses on. If you believe you can change, the RAS highlights supporting evidence. If you doubt yourself, it may focus on failures or threats.
Regularly focusing on positive self-talk can reset the RAS to filter for self-worth and success rather than negativity. This is the same for other habits and behaviours — repetition is key!
To do: Identify negative thoughts or beliefs you have about yourself. For each one, write an alternative, positive version. Repeat these each time you notice yourself having one of your unwanted thoughts.
For those whose RAS is hyper-tuned to threats (anxiety), mindfulness and emotional regulation strategies can help "reset" the filter to stop focusing solely on danger signals.