How Stress Impacts the Brain By: Mridula Murugan

 How Stress Impacts the Brain

By: Mridula Murugan

When you are stressed, it affects more than just your mental well-being. It affects your body in ways that help you to respond to that stress—increasing heart rate, decreased immune response, etc. By experiencing long-term stress and constantly remaining in this heightened state, you could eventually get more severe medical conditions. It will make it difficult for you to focus and function in a healthy way.

This stress affects your brain by releasing hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, that might be helpful in the short-term, but become troublesome when you are in a constant state of alertness. If you are always thinking about your next test and becoming stressed about school, remember to find ways to be less overwhelmed and anxious. It’s important to reduce the stressors in your life as best as you can, because constantly being worried about your grades might reflect in your future in other ways. This stress should definitely be dealt with in a healthy way, not by relying on screen time or skipped meals, but through other relaxing hobbies and talking with your friends and family.

With stress, if your stress levels drop, it could lead to migraine attacks. It also affects your sleep and immune system in ways that impact your sleep quality. To manage this stress, think more consciously about your stressors and how exactly you feel. Establish a routine that prevents you from missing out on sleep or scheduled meals. Make sure you are working towards living a less stressful lifestyle, improving your brain health and physical wellness!

Works Cited

Gardener, Abigail. “How Stress Affects the Brain | American Brain Foundation.” American Brain Foundation, 27 Aug. 2024, www.americanbrainfoundation.org/how-stress-affects-the-brain/.