Happy & Healthy with Amy

How Stress Impacts the Brain

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Description

In this episode, we're exploring the various ways stress affects your brain, both positively and negatively.

We'll discuss the key differences between eustress (the beneficial kind) and distress (the harmful kind), and reveal practical strategies to manage chronic stress for better cognitive health.

Whether you’re dealing with daily pressures or long-term stress, this episode will arm you with knowledge to protect your brain and help you build resilience.

What to Listen For:

  1. The key differences between eustress (positive stress) and distress (chronic stress).
  2. How chronic stress leads to memory loss, emotional difficulties, and increased Alzheimer’s risk.
  3. The role of cortisol and the HPA axis in stress responses and brain health.
  4. How eustress boosts cognitive function, memory, and neuroplasticity.
  5. The dangers of prolonged cortisol exposure on brain structures like the hippocampus and amygdala.
  6. A study from Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience showing how moderate stress improves learning and memory.
  7. How chronic stress can trigger brain inflammation and accelerate cognitive decline.
  8. Practical strategies for reducing chronic stress: mindfulness meditation, social connections, and reframing stress as a positive force.
  9. The effects of chronic stress on the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus.
  10. Three actionable tips to protect your brain from the long-term effects of stress.


Research Studies Referenced:

McEwen BS (2007). "Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: central role of the brain." Physiol Rev, 87(3), 873-904. This paper explores how stress affects brain function and structure.

Lupien SJ, et al. (2009). "Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour and cognition." Nat Rev Neurosci, 10(6), 434-445.

Sousa N, et al. (2016). "Cortical and hippocampal circuitry changes under chronic stress: Implications for mood and cognition." Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 67, 1-14.

Wilson, R. S., et al. (2007). "Chronic distress and incidence of mild cognitive impairment." JAMA Psychiatry, 68(2), 211-218

Tang YY, et al. (2015). "The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation." Nat Rev Neurosci, 16(4), 213-225.

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