Stress can be helpful to many Americans. Feeling pressure to accomplish something before a deadline can sometimes bring out the best in people, or give them an extra boost of energy or inspiration to reach their goal.
Chronic stress, or stress that persists over an extended period of time, can affect one’s ability to complete tasks, cause high levels of anxiety, affect sleeping patterns and even alter your brain’s ability to form memories.
When experiencing stress, your body releases the stress hormones, like cortisol and epinephrine. These hormones help your brain recall memories clearly and quickly, when released in small amounts for a short duration of time. Epinephrine and cortisol are partially responsible for mental flexibility and attention, as well as “executive level” functions, such as working memory and decision making. If your body undergoes chronic stress, these previously useful hormones inhibit receptors that coordinate these important tasks. Researchers have found that diminishing the capacity of these receptors may affect the brain’s ability to form and retain memories in the long-term.
As we grow older, we want to ensure our brain has a full arsenal to combat memory loss due to aging, as well as any Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Reducing your stress now, before it has a significant impact on your brain’s functions, is essential for a long and healthy life.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention give the following recommendations for reducing stress:
• Take care of yourself.
○ Eat healthy, well-balanced meals
○ Exercise on a regular basis
○ Get plenty of sleep
• Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out
• Talk to others. Share your problems and how you are feeling and coping with a parent, friend, counselor, doctor or pastor.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol. Although drugs and alcohol may seem to help with the stress, in the long run they create additional problems and increase the stress you are already feeling.
• Take a break. If your stress is caused by a national or local event, take breaks from listening to the news stories, which can increase your stress.
• Recognize when you need more help. If problems continue or you are thinking about suicide, talk to a psychologist, social worker or professional counselor.
Take a few deep breaths and relax, today is going to be a good day!
Photo credit: Flickr user bottled_void. Used with permission through Creative Commons.