Week 5: Stress Less Think More:

Understanding your brain under stress

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Zoom: Wednesday session (6:30 - 8:30)

Zoom link: https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/9191959460?pwd=OXh0RE9ZTVZTWElTMUQ0ZzAxQzExdz09.

From last week's class (answers generated using AI). Updated the links!

Cross body exercises: What are the benefits to the brain?

CPAP machines and dreaming: What does research suggest about the effect on dreaming (used Consensus, an AI for research)

Type 3 diabetes: Why is Alzheimer's disease sometimes referred to as Type 3 diabetes?

Zoom question: What if you cannot hear or be heard in breakout rooms?

Recording of lesson on Stress Less

Understanding your brain under stress

In this week’s lesson, we're going to explore stress and its impact on our brain health. Think of your brain as a sophisticated command center that helps you make decisions, remember important information, and manage your emotions. But just like a computer can slow down when too many programs are running, our brains can become overwhelmed when stress levels are high.

Stress isn't always negative. In some situations, stress helps us stay alert and motivated. It's what helped our ancestors survive dangerous situations, and it's what helps us meet deadlines or respond quickly in emergencies. However, when stress becomes chronic, it's like leaving your car engine running for too long. It starts to wear down important systems in your body and brain.

In today's world, we face different types of stress than our ancestors did. Instead of occasional physical dangers, we deal with ongoing challenges: health concerns, family responsibilities, financial decisions, and the constant stream of information from our increasingly digital world. This persistent stress can affect how we think, how we remember, and how we make decisions.

Why is understanding this connection between stress and brain function so important? Because knowledge is power. When we understand how stress affects our brain:

• We can recognize when stress is impacting our thinking

• We can make better decisions about our health

• We can protect our memory and cognitive function

• We can develop effective strategies to manage stress

• We can maintain better physical and mental health as we age

In this lesson, you'll learn practical techniques to manage stress, understand how your brain responds to pressure, and develop strategies to think more clearly even in challenging situations. Most importantly, you'll discover that you have more control over your stress response than you might think.

This video describes the affect of stress on your brain. It is a great introduction to today's lesson.

The Body’s Built-In Alert System

When you experience stress—whether it’s from a sudden noise, a worrying situation, or even ongoing challenges, your brain quickly senses that something is off. This process is known as the fight or flight response.

The first area of the brain affected by stress is the amygdala. The amygdala is an early warning system, like a smoke detector. It quickly notices potential danger or stress, whether it’s a loud noise, an upsetting situation, or even a worrying thought. When the amygdala senses something amiss, it sends a rapid signal that “something’s not right.” This is often called the “fight or flight” response because it prepares us to either face the challenge or get away from it.

Once alerted by the amygdala, the hypothalamus (a small but powerful control center) springs into action. It acts like a conductor, coordinating a series of responses to help your body prepare for what’s coming. One key role is to trigger what we call the “fight or flight” response.

The hypothalamus will then send signals through the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which is the system responsible for the fight or flight response. This system will release the stress hormones located in the adrenal glands. They will mostly include adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) and noradrenaline. These hormones provide you with a burst of energy which will affect various body systems.

In this response, there will be physical changes. That can include responses such as:

• Adrenaline will make your heartbeat faster and stronger, which will provide more blood flow to the muscles.

• Breathing rate increases, allowing more energy to enter the lungs. This will provide oxygen for fueling your muscles during an intense response.

• Blood is redirected away from less critical areas (such as the digestive system) to your muscles, preparing them for quick action.

• Your pupils may dilate, which lets in more light and helps you to see better in low light conditions. This ensures that you are as alert as possible.

• Stress hormones also increase the amount of sugar in the bloodstream, providing your body with a quick source of energy for the fight or flight response.

The Stress Hormone Cascade: The HPA Axis

The HPA axis, or hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, is a key system in your body that helps you respond to stress. It involves a series of signals sent from one part of your body to another, preparing you to deal with challenges. The process happens in three main steps:

Step 1: Hypothalamus Releases CRH

The hypothalamus is a small area at the base of your brain. When you experience stress, it acts as the first responder. It releases a hormone called corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). This hormone acts like an alarm, signaling that something is wrong and that the body needs to prepare for action.

Step 2: Pituitary Gland Responds with ACTH

In response to CRH, the pituitary gland (a small gland at the base of your brain) releases another hormone called adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into your bloodstream. ACTH is the messenger that tells the next stage of the system to get moving.

Step 3: Adrenal Glands Release Cortisol

ACTH travels through the blood to your adrenal glands, which sit on top of your kidneys. Here, the adrenal glands release cortisol—a key stress hormone. Cortisol helps mobilize energy by increasing blood sugar and making more energy available to your body. It also helps control inflammation and supports your immune system in the short term.

Watch this 2 minute introduction to the HPA axis

This video is more detailed and technical, but will explain things a little more.

Putting it together

This coordinated process is essential for your survival, allowing you to respond quickly when needed. However, if this system is activated too often—such as in chronic stress—it can lead to negative effects on your body and brain over time

This entire chain reaction is designed to help you react quickly in a moment of crisis. However, when stress is constant, high levels of cortisol can have negative effects on the body and brain.

Once the immediate danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system helps your body “wind down” and return to a calm state. It slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and encourages digestion and relaxation. This return to a resting state is important for recovery. It allows time for your body to repair and maintain healthy functioning.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress is when your body stays in a high-alert state for a long period—days, weeks, or even months—rather than just a quick burst of activity. While a short, sudden stress can help you react to immediate challenges, chronic stress keeps your stress response activated all the time, and that can lead to problems.

Chronic stress is experienced when you're dealing with constant pressures, such as ongoing health issues, financial worries, caring for a loved one, or any situation that doesn’t easily resolve. Unlike a one-time scare, your body doesn’t get a break from its alarm system

When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline through the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis. In chronic stress, however, your body keeps releasing these hormones over and over again, which isn’t good for long-term health.

Effects of Chronic Stress on the Brain

While the stress response is very useful for short-term challenges, chronic (long-term) stress can lead to some unwanted effects, especially in the brain:

Impact on the Hippocampus: The hippocampus is important for forming new memories and recalling past events. High levels of cortisol over time can make the hippocampus less efficient and, in some cases, even cause it to shrink. This can lead to memory problems, making it harder to remember details or learn new information.
Impact on the Prefrontal Cortex: The prefrontal cortex is the area responsible for planning, decision-making, and focusing attention. When stress is prolonged, the functioning of this area can be impaired. This might mean slower decision-making or difficulty concentrating on tasks
Impact on the Amygdala: The amygdala is the brain region which is important for processing emotions. During chronic stress, it becomes hyperactive, making us more reactive to perceived threats. It may become stronger (strengthening fear-based learning and emotional responses) and may also form stronger connections with they hypothalamus (leading to a greater stress response). It may also weaken the connection between the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, reducing the ability to rationally assess situations and control emotions. It can also disrupt the hippocampus, leading to an impaired ability to form new memories and increased focus on negative experiences.

How These Interactions Affect Us Daily in everyday life

Memory Problems: Because stress affects the hippocampus, you might find that you have trouble remembering things, whether it’s a name, a task, or details from a conversation. This isn’t unusual – it’s just your brain reacting to too much cortisol.

Difficulty in Decision Making: When stress clouds the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, making decisions can become harder. You might feel less confident about your choices, or it might take longer to decide what to do next.

Disrupted emotional responses: Increased reaction to perceived threats and greater fear-based learning

Overall Impact on Well-Being: A strong, ongoing stress response can lead to a cycle where your memory and decision-making abilities suffer, which in turn can make daily challenges feel even more stressful. Learning to manage stress is key to keeping these brain areas functioning well.

Chronic stress also has widespread effects on your body:

Chronic stress has a widespread impact on the body, affecting multiple systems and leading to long-term health consequences. The brain is particularly vulnerable, as prolonged stress can cause difficulty concentrating, increased anxiety, depression, irritability, mood swings, and mind fog. These symptoms arise due to the continuous release of stress hormones like cortisol, which disrupt normal cognitive function and emotional regulation.

The cardiovascular system is also significantly affected, with chronic stress contributing to higher cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Stress triggers the release of adrenaline and cortisol, which can cause long-term strain on the heart and blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.

Stress also takes a toll on the joints and muscles, leading to inflammation, tension, aches, pains, and muscle tightness. Many individuals experience chronic headaches, neck stiffness, or back pain due to prolonged stress-related muscle tension. Additionally, the immune system becomes compromised, resulting in decreased immune function, lower defenses against illness, a higher risk of infections, and slower recovery times. This is because stress suppresses the body’s ability to fight off pathogens, making individuals more susceptible to colds, flu, and other illnesses.

The skin is another area where stress leaves its mark, often causing hair loss, dull or brittle hair, brittle nails, dry skin, acne, and delayed tissue repair. Stress-induced hormonal imbalances can lead to breakouts and worsen existing skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis. Similarly, the gut experiences significant disruptions, as stress interferes with nutrient absorption, digestion, and overall gut health. This can manifest as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, indigestion, pain, and discomfort, often worsening symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

For the reproductive system, chronic stress leads to decreased hormone production, a reduction in libido, and an increase in PMS symptoms. The hormonal imbalances caused by stress can affect fertility, menstrual regularity, and overall reproductive health.

Chronic Stress can even affect your mental and psychological health:

Chronic stress has a profound impact on mental and psychological health, influencing emotions, cognition, and overall well-being. When the body remains in a prolonged state of stress, the brain's amygdala, responsible for processing emotions and detecting threats, becomes overactive. This heightened state of alertness makes individuals more prone to anxiety, fear, and emotional reactivity, often causing them to perceive neutral or mildly stressful situations as overwhelming. At the same time, chronic stress weakens the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for rational decision-making and emotional regulation. As a result, people may struggle with impulse control, problem-solving, and maintaining a balanced perspective on challenges in their lives.

Beyond emotional dysregulation, chronic stress significantly affects cognitive function, particularly memory and learning. The hippocampus, a brain region crucial for forming new memories, is highly sensitive to stress hormones like cortisol. Prolonged exposure to elevated cortisol levels can lead to shrinking of the hippocampus, resulting in difficulties with concentration, forgetfulness, and impaired ability to retain new information. This cognitive decline can contribute to brain fog, reduced productivity, and even increase the risk of conditions like dementia over time.

Psychologically, chronic stress is closely linked to an increased risk of anxiety disorders, depression, and mood instability. A person under chronic stress may experience persistent worry, irritability, and emotional exhaustion, making it difficult to experience joy or relaxation. The constant activation of the brain’s fight-or-flight response can also disrupt sleep patterns, leading to insomnia or restless sleep, which further exacerbates emotional instability and cognitive decline. Over time, this continuous cycle of stress and poor mental health can create a sense of helplessness and burnout, making it difficult for individuals to engage in self-care, maintain social relationships, or find motivation for daily activities.

In addition, chronic stress can influence decision-making and risk perception. When stress is prolonged, individuals are more likely to make impulsive, emotionally-driven decisions, often reacting to short-term relief rather than considering long-term consequences. This can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as emotional eating, substance use, or social withdrawal, further deteriorating mental and emotional well-being.

Moving forward: Managing chronic stress

Managing chronic stress is essential for maintaining mental clarity, emotional balance, and overall well-being. You can take proactive steps to alleviate stress and counteract its negative effects on memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation.

• Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress hormones like cortisol while boosting mood-enhancing chemicals such as endorphins. Simple activities like walking, yoga, or stretching can help regulate stress levels and improve overall resilience.

• Developing healthy sleep habits is also crucial, as poor sleep exacerbates stress-related cognitive issues like forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, limiting screen time before bed, and practicing relaxation techniques can enhance the brain’s ability to recover and maintain emotional stability.

• Practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as meditation, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation, can calm the amygdala and reduce emotional reactivity, helping you to feel more in control of their stress responses.

• Strengthening social connections is another valuable strategy. Spending time with friends, family, or supportive groups provides emotional comfort and helps reduce feelings of isolation, which can amplify stress. Seeking guidance from mentors, counselors, or therapists can also be beneficial when stress becomes overwhelming.

• Using time management and organization skills can help prevent stress from escalating. Breaking tasks into manageable steps, setting realistic goals, and using planners or digital tools can reduce the pressure of deadlines and workload.

• Maintaining a healthy diet and staying hydrated can support brain function and energy levels, making it easier to cope with stress. Nutrient-rich foods, including those high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins, contribute to brain health and emotional balance.

By incorporating these strategies into daily life, you can create a sustainable approach to managing stress, improving cognitive function, and fostering long-term emotional resilience.

When to Seek Additional Support

While occasional stress is a normal part of life, there are times when seeking professional help becomes necessary. If persistent sleep problems continue despite efforts to establish a healthy routine, it may indicate that stress is significantly disrupting the body's ability to recover. Similarly, ongoing memory concerns, such as frequent forgetfulness or difficulty retaining new information, can be a sign that chronic stress is affecting brain function. If constant anxiety or excessive worry interfere with daily activities, making it hard to focus or enjoy life, professional support may be needed to develop effective coping strategies. Additionally, physical symptoms that don’t improve, such as headaches, digestive issues, muscle tension, or fatigue, could indicate that stress is taking a toll on the body. Finally, if stress feels overwhelming despite trying relaxation techniques, exercise, or mindfulness, it may be time to seek guidance from a therapist, counselor, or medical professional. Addressing stress early can help prevent long-term effects on mental and physical health, leading to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Summary

Managing stress is essential for maintaining both mental and physical well-being. While short-term stress can be helpful in certain situations, chronic stress can take a toll on memory, decision-making, and emotional regulation, leading to long-term health consequences. Understanding how stress affects the brain and body empowers us to take proactive steps to reduce its impact. By incorporating healthy habits such as regular exercise, quality sleep, mindfulness practices, and strong social connections, we can build resilience and better cope with life’s challenges. Additionally, recognizing when stress becomes overwhelming and seeking professional support when needed is crucial for long-term health and well-being.

Ultimately, learning to manage stress not only improves cognitive function and emotional balance but also enhances overall quality of life. Taking small, consistent steps toward stress management can lead to greater clarity, calmness, and control in daily life.