We have all heard and read that stress is not good for our health and can wreak havoc on the body. But, according to recent research from the University of Georgia’s Youth Development Institute, a looming deadline that worries you at work may actually be good for your brain, even when it feels like an anvil is hovering over your head.Also Read – Breastfeeding myths busted: Can women produce enough milk if they have small breasts? – Watch the video
The findings of the study were published in 2015 Psychiatric Research. Also Read – Breastfeeding Diet Foods: 5 Foods That Can Help Increase Your Breast Milk Supply – Watch Video
Studies have found that low to moderate levels of stress can help individuals develop resilience and reduce the risk of developing mental health disorders, such as depression and antisocial behaviors. Low to moderate stress can also help individuals cope with future stressful encounters. Also Read – Banana Health Benefits: Top 5 Reasons Why Bananas Should Be Consumed Daily – Watch Video
“If you are in an environment where you have some level of stress, you can develop coping mechanisms that allow you to be more efficient and effective at work and organize yourself in a way that helps you perform,” said Assaf Oshari, lead author of the study and associate professor in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
The stress that comes with studying for an exam, preparing for a big meeting at work, or taking too long to close a deal can all potentially lead to personal growth. For example, being rejected by a publisher can lead a writer to rethink their style. And getting fired can make someone rethink their strengths and ask whether they should stay in their field or pursue something new.
But the line between the right amount of stress and too much stress is thin.
“It’s like when you keep doing something hard and your skin gets a little rough,” continued Oshri, who also directs the UGA Youth Development Institute. “You trigger your skin to adapt to the pressure you’re applying to it. But if you do too much, you’ll cut your skin.”
Good stress can act as a vaccine against the impact of future adversity
The researchers relied on data from the Human Connectome Project, a national project funded by the National Institutes of Health that aims to provide insight into how the human brain works. For the current study, researchers analyzed project data from more than 1,200 young adults who reported their perceived stress levels using a questionnaire commonly used in research to measure how uncontrollable and stressed people find their lives.
Participants answered questions about how often they experienced certain thoughts or feelings, such as “In the past month, how often have you been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly?” and “In the past month, how often have you found that you couldn’t cope with all the things you wanted to do?”
Their neurocognitive abilities were then assessed using tests that measure attention and the ability to suppress automatic responses to visual stimuli; cognitive flexibility, or the ability to switch between tasks; picture sequence memory, which involves remembering increasingly long sequences of items; Working memory and processing speed.
The researchers compared those findings with participants’ responses to multiple measures of anxious feelings, attention problems, and aggression, among other behavioral and emotional problems.
The analysis found that low to moderate levels of stress are psychologically beneficial, potentially acting as a form of inoculation against developing mental health symptoms.
“Most of us have some adverse experiences that actually make us stronger,” Oshri said. “There are certain experiences that can help develop or develop skills that will prepare you for the future.”
But the ability to withstand stress and adversity varies greatly from person to person.
Factors such as age, genetic predisposition, and having a supportive community to fall back on in times of need play a role in how well individuals handle challenges. While a little stress can be good for cognition, Oshri warns that sustained high stress levels can be incredibly damaging, both physically and mentally.
“At a certain point, stress becomes toxic,” he said. “Chronic stress, such as the stress that comes from living in extreme poverty or abuse, can have serious health and psychological consequences. It affects everything from your immune system to emotional regulation to brain function. All stress Not good stress.”
(ANI)
