07/02/2021
L’impact du stress sur le cerveau!
First let me say not all stress is bad -- an easy life with no obligations is not a healthy goal. Some degree of challenge and constructive stress helps prevent depression and keep us resilient.
However, when you are poorly adapted to stress -- it constantly overwhelms you and causes mental and physical problems -- this can atrophy -- or shrink -- the brain.
Chronic stress promotes brain inflammation and degrades the blood-brain barrier. This causes poor brain function, ages the brain too quickly, and makes the brain more vulnerable to damage.
Stress isn't just about your lifestyle or circumstances. Things like high or low blood sugar, food intolerances, chronic infection, or hormonal imbalances are also stressors to the brain.
Stress hormones particularly affect the hippocampus, the area of the brain that governs learning and memory and is affected by Alzheimer's disease.
Unfortunately, stress can cause the brain to become more efficient at feeling stress through "negative plasticity."
Just as you learn a new language or instrument through repeated practice, so does your brain learn how to be good at stress -- so that stress comes more easily and efficiently. This fosters inflammation in both the brain and the body.
Good health habits matter to your brain. And though it may sound cliche, things like yoga, meditation, time in nature, regular time off, or other practices that relieve stress are vital to your brain health.
Learn more in my book, "Why Isn't My Brain Working?"
