How Stress Affects The Brain

Stress is something that many people deal with on a regular basis. Some people deal with stress at work, some deal with stress at home, and for some, financial problems create a great deal of stress. When you are stressed out, your body produces excess cortisol, which is also known as a stress hormone. Over time, excessive cortisol can have a negative effect on your physical, mental, and emotional health. If you are dealing with chronic stress, there are a few ways that it can affect your brain.
#1 Stress Triggers a Chemical In Your Brain Which Makes Your Irritable 
Most people aren't very fun to be around when they are stressed out. Many people worry so much that they become irritable. Recently, French researchers discovered the reason why stress makes you so irritable. They discovered an enzyme which attacks a molecule in the hippocampus part of your brain that regulates synapses when you are stressed out. This enzyme can modify the synapses, which can cause you to lose your desire to be sociable and become more irritable than usual.

#2 Chronic Stress Can Shrink Your Brain 

When you are stressed out often, it can actually reduce the volume of gray matter in the brain. It often occurs in regions associated with physiological functions, emotions, and self-control. Chronic stress can also cause a loss of volume in the medial prefrontal cortex in your brain. This can result in cognitive and emotional impairment. 

#3 Stressful Events Can Kill Your Brain Cells 

As you learn new information, you are constantly generating new neurons in the hippocampus. This is the part of the brain that controls emotion, learning, and memory. Excessive stress can not only halt the production of new neurons, it can also kill brain cells. 

#4 Disrupt Your Memory 

When you are stressed out, your body produces excessive amounts of cortisol. This can increase the activity in the amygdala, which is the part of the brain responsible for fear processing. When your brain has a fight-or-flight response, it will be in a constant state of reacting to a threat. This can make it difficult for you to take in any new information. If you are reading while stressed, you may not remember what you read. It can even be difficult to remember instructions that you were given when you are stressed out. 

Since chronic stress can be so harmful to your brain, it is important that you know a few techniques to reduce your stress levels. 

Exercise 

There have been several studies regarding the benefits of exercise on stress and they have all had the same finding. Exercise benefits both the mind and the body. If you take walk, ride a bike, or go for a swim for 20 minutes, it will reduce your stress level immediately and the effect can last for several hours after. 

Social Support 

Reaching out to a friend or family member when you are stressed out can be very helpful. Even if these people don't have a solution to the problem that is stressing you out, just talking about it can greatly reduce your stress. 

Meditation 

Taking some time in a dark, quiet room to meditate is a great way for both your body and your mind to relax. Research has shown that a short meditation session can greatly reduce your stress level immediately. 

Fidget Spinner/Stress Balls 

A stress ball is a ball that fits in the size of your hand that squeezes easily. When you are stressed out, your body tenses up. When you squeeze the ball, it will reduce the tension in your body as well as your stress level. Fidget spinners, also known as hand spinners are another very popular toy that is known to help people focus and also to alleviate stress. 

Stress can have a negative effect on your brain, your mood, and your emotions. Luckily, there are a few ways to relieve your stress.