Stress can shrink the brain

Stress management is a critical and often misunderstood aspect of a brain-healthy lifestyle. Regardless of your degree of risk of developing dementia, stress reduction is crucial to overall health and happiness. Some forms of stress are good for brain -these are purposeful actions that bolster brain reserves, making the brain stronger and more resilient. Unrelenting and uncontrolled stress can destroy the brain and it can start at any age.

Neglect and emotional abuse sustained at a young age have been associated with memory deficits in adulthood. A process called ‘myelination’ by which the neuron’s connections are coated with a protective fatty membrane called myelin to ensure effective communication starts before the age of five and continues into early twenties.

Stress has been shown to significantly affect growth in developing brains, and lower cognitive resilience in childhood-myelination was inefficient or incomplete, which could increase the risk of developing dementia. Stress puts the body in overdrive and subsequently increases the level of stress hormones- cortisol.

These affect blood sugar levels and cause damaging long-term problems such as anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep and depressed immune function, which then makes us more vulnerable to infections and increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Stress affects each of us differently, but our brains are vulnerable. Studies show chronic stress decreases levels of the crucial protein responsible for the production of new brain cells. It puts the brain in a state of high inflammation, causing structural damage and impairing its ability to clear harmful waste products.

Uncontrolled stress initiates a hormonal cascade that taxes the brain on many levels. It even changes the structure of the brain, destroying cells and effectively shrinking it. Creating a personalised plan of eat a brain-boosting diet, being active, good night rest, avoiding stress, and challenge your brain can be of good help. Stress damages the entire body, but the brain is more susceptible to the damage even more than the heart.
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