The Role of Emotional Regulation in Academic Success: How Emotional Intelligence Affects Brain Function

Doing well in school isn’t limited to just intelligence, regulating emotions such as stress,
anxiety and frustration also play a significant role in one’s academic success and learning.
Having a high emotional intelligence affects mental health indefinitely and strongly improves
overall cognitive abilities including memory and learning.

The Neuroscience behind Emotional Regulation

Managing emotions is controlled by certain parts of your brain, the prefrontal cortex,
amygdala, and limbic system all interacting together. Where the amygdala is the central hub for
emotions in the brain, processing responses and reactions. In a high stress situation for a
student, the amygdala can’t process those overwhelming feelings as efficiently and changes
certain cognitive processes, affecting brainstorming and memory retrieval. The prefrontal cortex
is behind decision-making, impulse control and keeping track of emotional responses. In
contrast, if the brain is processing more positive feelings instead of alarming stressful ones, the
parts of the limbic system can more efficiently modulate better responses and learning. This is
further proved through functional MRI studies where it has been shown that people with higher
emotional intelligence trigger more connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala.
This connection allows them to manage emotional responses more successfully. All in all
preventing information overload, making a more balanced emotional state that is important for
students’ concentration and focus.

Emotional Intelligence and Learning

Having a high emotional intelligence is correlated to having more self-awareness,
empathy and a more positive mental health overall. Students who prioritize managing their
emotions tend to control their stress better and prevent symptoms of burnout. Stress triggers the
hypothalamic pituitary adrenal, a part in the brain that gives off cortisol, a hormone where if
released in excess can affect memory. With better regulation and minimization of cortisol
production, cognitive disruptions can be effectively prevented, allowing processing of new
information and better ability to solve problems in school. Outside of academics, improved
emotional intelligence can enhance social skills and empathy, causing smoother social
interactions in collaborative spaces which can lead to better networking skills and friendships in
and out of the classroom.

Strategies to manage your emotions effectively:

• ● Practicing mindfulness: Meditation, breathing and taking walks outside.
  These simple activities can help get a hand of your emotions by reducing stress and
  minimizing cortisol levels.
• ● Physical activity/Exercise: From taking long walks to playing sports to just 30 minutes in
  the gym. Exercise strengthens neuroplasticity, increasing cell turnover and releases
  endorphins into your body which improve mood and overall cognitive abilities.
• ● Most importantly: Enough sleep! Prioritizing a good night’s rest is the root of recovery
  and goes hand in hand in also stabilizing emotions well, locking in your memory and
  cognitive performance.

All in all, putting your emotions in check is often under-recognized in youth and students yet so
vital for performing at your best in academics. Through understanding the neuroscience that
backs up emotional intelligence and learning/applying strategies to improve emotional
awareness, students can live a balanced life by prioritizing their mental health while also
optimizing their learning potential. Education and work-load for students these days are at an all
time high and educating the youth about incorporating simple emotion regulating techniques can
be a step forward in attaining academic success.