Press Release
☷USAMRDC experts share out of the box research at SXSW festival
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Mar 19,2024
| 16| 1
Dr . Tina Burke , along with Dr . Emily Lowery - Gionta , Maj . David Manley , and Dr . Amishi Jha , joined forces for a panel session at the 2024 South by Southwest Conference & Festivals in Austin , Texas . The panel highlighted the extensive research conducted by the U . S . Army Medical Research and Development Command ' s Walter Reed Army Institute of Research ( WRAIR ) into mindfulness , stress management , and sleep . Dr . Jess Gwin , from the U . S . Army Medical Research and Development Command Institute of Environmental Medicine , also participated in a panel session focusing on the role of nutrition in human performance . The WRAIR researchers traveled to Austin to showcase the Army ' s commitment to innovation and transformation at the annual festival . Dr . Tina Burke emphasized the importance of sleep in overall health and performance , stating that better sleep can lead to improved eating habits , workout recovery , and overall mission success . The Army believes in prioritizing the well - being of its personnel , especially in demanding roles . We see sleep as a big help in making sure we can handle tough situations . Not getting enough sleep can mess with the hormones your body needs to stay healthy , like testosterone for muscle and bone strength . A study at WRAIR found that just one night without sleep can really mess with testosterone levels in men . When talking to Warfighters about sleep , they often say they ' ll sleep when they die . But not taking care of your health could actually make you die sooner! WRAIR is looking into using electrical pulses to help improve sleep for Service Members . This could be really important for Warfighters in tough environments who can ' t get enough rest . The benefits could extend to other people too , like doctors , nurses , law enforcement , and exhausted parents . As someone who jumps out of planes , Manley knows the importance of being well - rested in stressful situations . Improving natural sleep could help people stay focused , pay attention , and perform well under pressure . Dr . Adler and her team at WRAIR are working on a method called iCOVER to help people cope with extreme stress and avoid freezing or acting out when overwhelmed . iCOVER is an easy - to - learn protocol where each letter in the name reflects one of the six steps of the protocol: •i = Identify the team member having an acute stress reaction . •C = Connect through eye contact , touch or hearing to bring to the present moment •O = Offer engagement to reduce feelings of isolation •V = Check facts with simple questions to re - engage the thinking brain bring •E = set order of events to reorient the individual •R = prompt action to re - engage in purposeful action “When people really react extremely to stress , it ' s because a part of their brain called the amygdala , which is responsible for the fear reaction , goes into overdrive and overwhelms everything , ” explains Dr . Emily Lowery - Gionta , division manager , WRAIR Performance and Chemical Evaluation Laboratory . “The idea behind iCOVER is to take simple steps to help someone suffering from an extreme acute stress reaction reduce their amygdala activation and the prefrontal cortex , the part of the brain responsible for decision - making and planning "The WRAIR team will test civilian applications of iCOVER in a DOD - funded collaborative study with researchers at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and Rowan University Cooper Medical School in Camden , New Jersey . The study will test the effectiveness of iCOVER in relieving the stress of people in hospital emergency rooms suffering from acute stress reactions and in improving cognitive performance . According to Lowery - Gionta , iCOVER is an ideal intervention for use in military and civilian environments because it is designed to be easy to learn and quick to use . Dr . Jess Gwin , research physiologist with USARIEM ' s Military Nutrition Division , participated in a panel discussion titled "Optimizing Human Performance through Nutrition , " focusing on the critical role of nutrition in maintaining health and well - being and improving human performance concentrated . She says that while military members share many of the same everyday experiences as the general population — hectic work schedules , intense family and social lives , hobbies and pastimes — they are also called upon to operate in rigorous and unpredictable , high - stress environments . These medical conditions can affect their nutrient needs in ways that are unlikely to occur even in strenuous activities such as endurance athletes or construction workers . “Military personnel often transport equipment and supplies long distances through challenging terrain and in extreme environments , which involves a lot of physical activity that results in extreme energy expenditure , ” explains Gwin . “It is very difficult for them to eat enough food to meet the energy or fuel requirements that they burn . A lot of the work we do is focused on figuring out the best food and drinks to give Soldiers to keep them fueled and performing their best . We also look at how nutrition can support their cognitive function and overall health during high - stress missions . One example of our research resulted in the Performance Readiness Bar , a nutrition bar with added calcium and vitamin D to help new Army recruits during basic training . Our team at USARIEM is dedicated to solving unique health problems for Warfighters and the general public , and we ' re committed to improving performance and well - being . Our colleagues at WRAIR share the same dedication to solving health challenges , and we hope people at SXSW took away how passionate we are about our work . You can listen to recordings of our panel sessions on resilience and nutrition at the links provided .
PLAY the NEWS
* May be useful for visually impaired persons .
Press release information:
Direct link to press release:
Click here .
