Chronic Stress š„ŗ
We all have been through that exam, speech, deadline and more. We understand what stress feels like. Stress is critical for our survival. It powers the flight-fight response and it allows us to quickly respond to danger around us. As long as it is used for only survival it is good. The minute short-term stress becomes a long term one, it wreaks havoc. Chronic stress can bring in heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety to you.
Now letās understand what happens inside our brains when we are stressed.
When we are stressed, the āfear centerā of our brain aka amygdala activates our central stress response system aka HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenalcortical).
HPA axis regulates Cortisol (the stress hormone). The hormone triggers increase in glucose levels, speeding the heart rate, and increasing blood flow to the muscles in our arms and legs. The stress response allows us to respond to a threat in our environment by design. After the danger has passed, the system works to return hormone levels to normal.Ā
In the case of chronic stress, the cortisol levels are high at all times. This dampens the electric signal in the hippocampus (a part of the brain for learning, memory and stress control). As a result the hippocampus inhibits the functions of HPA axis. A weak HPA axis weakens our ability to control stress. It is a loop.
Not just this. Too much cortisol causes our brain to shrink in size and can even cause loss of synaptic connections between the neurons. No wonder you forget things. The shrinking of your PFC (attention, focus, decision making, judgement, social interaction) affects your executive functions. The neurogenesis in the hippocampus gets reduced to a large extent. This makes it harder for the brain to learn and remember things.
No wonder when you are stressed you add weight as well. The cortisol triggers high glucose levels which in turn triggers insulin which in turn triggers fat storage š³
Stress changes the way the brainās neurons communicate with each other. Chronic stress keeps us in vigilant and reactive state at all times. This constant state of vigilance leads to devastating mental and physical health conditions. Chronic stress is a breeding ground for serious mental problems like depression, Alzheimerās disease etc.
Chronic stress doesnāt stop with you, it affects your baby as well in case you are planning one (changes genes in sperms and hence affecting the brain development of the offspring).
Studies have shown that when a child is cared for at a very young age, the cortisol receptors are well developed. Mothers who go through postpartum depression tend to care less for their babies and as a result the kids become more sensitive to stress throughout their life. The change happens at the gene level (epigenetic changes - gene code remains but genetic expression changes). This can be hereditary later š¤·āāļø
This secret agenda of sharing what chronic stress can do to your brain is to make you question those activities in your life that causes stress to you. Is it even worth it is the only question I want you to ask yourself.
Not all is doomed. There are ways to combat chronic stress. The only two things you must do everyday is
Exercise
Meditation
There is immense proof now that exercise and meditation are the cheapest and the most effective forms of therapy to activate our hippocampus and enhancing our PFC. Just do it.
You deserve an hour for yourself everyday. Everything else can wait.
When your brain says you donāt have time for exercise and meditation, just make a small change to that sentence. It is not that i donāt have time, It is just that i am not prioritising my health. period. That should do the magic. If even that is not helping find a support group to keep you accountable and go for it. Do it! Reverse the havoc.
š„ to resilience!
Yo! Thanks for reading. Means a lot to me as attention is the hardest currency š
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