The Science of Stress and Your Brain
When a threat is perceived...
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... your body’s stress response kicks in.
It's a remarkable system that has helped humans survive--muscles tense up, the heart starts beating faster and blood flows away from any non-essential body system. Your brain function changes too. |
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And it starts with the amygdala...
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... a sensor in the brain vetting every input for possible threats. When it senses danger, it focuses all brain operation on survival. "When constantly or severely stressed, the amygdala can become overly sensitive and hyper-vigilant, making even relatively harmless events (such as a whiny child or a snoring spouse) seem like a threat. That explains those instinctively snappy over-reactions we can all have when feeling strung out." (1)
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The prefrontal cortex...
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... in the brain is also signaled. More rational, the prefrontal cortex can help evaluate how real each stressor is. It learns from experience and tells the amygdala when a response is unwarranted (the whiny child isn't a threat, just irritating). The prefrontal cortex helps keep us from overreacting. (1)
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What about modern day stressors?
Today perceived "threats" are more constant-- 24 hour a day media, cellphone, and email connection. There are few breaks between perceived threats-- it has the feeling of a non-stop tiger attack. And when the amygdala responds repeatedly without a break, it goes "rogue," acting on its own and blocking out the prefrontal cortex. When that happens there's no reasoning, just response, leading to those "instinctively snappy over-reactions."
The result:
Today's fight...
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... or flight
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... or freeze
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What do we do about it?
Find ways to take a break from constant stress-- "unplug," do any non-work activity, laugh, enjoy a random conversation that doesn't involve kids, co-workers, or curriculum, learn to say "no." It might be hard to pull off but your brain needs it and the people around you need you to be healthy.
For more on staying mentally healthy, check out:
Mindfulness
Stress & Self Help
For more on staying mentally healthy, check out:
Mindfulness
Stress & Self Help
Sources:
(1) This is Your Body on Stress, Laura Schocker, Wellness, Huffpost, 2017. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/body-stress-response_n_2902073.html
(1) This is Your Body on Stress, Laura Schocker, Wellness, Huffpost, 2017. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/19/body-stress-response_n_2902073.html