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How stress negatively affects your brain

by Johana Mukandila
Picture: Pexels

Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Everyone expresses stress from time to time.

Although stress is something that everyone encounters, if it lasts for a long time it can still be bad for your overall health.

According to Jill Goldstein, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Harvard Medical School, states that stress has a negative impact on heart health in addition to memory and many other brain processes, such as mood and anxiety.

Health defines stress as your emotional and physical response to a challenge or demand. 

The effects of stress on the brain 

The brain- According to Wendy Suzuki, a professor of neural science and psychology at New York University and the author of “Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion,” acute forms of stress, such as when you’re facing a work deadline or arguing with a loved one, can be advantageous in the short term. They temporarily flood the brain with hormones (such as cortisol) that help improve your motivation, ability to focus, and performance.

Wendy noted that the hippocampus in the brain, which is essential for the operation of long-term memory, can be interfered with and damaged by the sustained increased cortisol levels that come with chronic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Long-term cortisol elevations can also harm the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is necessary for executive function (the capacity to plan, organize, solve problems, think flexibly, and control impulses) and focused attention.

Stress also:

  • Shrinks the Brain
  • Kills Brain Cells
  • Causes mental illness
  • Changes the Brain’s Structure

Life can be challenging. Most people go through stressful times in their lives. Chronic stress has an impact on your body and general well-being, yet you might not notice any symptoms. Fortunately, stress may be handled in a variety of ways.

Find techniques to eliminate or lessen your triggers by trying to understand them. If you struggle to control your stress on your own, ask a healthcare professional for assistance.

Also see: Signs of PTSD you should be aware of

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