Stress is a component of many diseases and can be managed or avoided through proper exercises and stress management programs. Some of the diseases that are associated with stress include:
- Cardiovascular illnesses
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Drug Abuse
- Cognitive impairment
- Chronic pain
- Premature aging
- Depression
Stress Reduction – Stressed brains don´t learn the same way!
Your body has a defense system, which activates the releasing of adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream when there seems to be eminent danger or something causing you emotional or physical stress/anxiety. When someone is suffering from chronic stress, such as a fast-paced work environment, your body is more consistently releasing these chemicals into your system, therefore causing irregularities as this is only supposed to be a reaction for a short period of time.
When someone is dealing with consistent amounts of stress, also called chronic stress, it can cause a number of internal problems such as scarring on the blood vessels from increased amounts of adrenaline, or permanent damage to the hippocampus (the part of the brain that helps one store memory and learn new things).
Any stress can prove to be hard to cope with, but the hardest part is dealing with the feeling that you have no control over the situation or problem; therefore, you feel powerless. Stress can affect anyone, no matter the age or the person’s situation–whether it is a child dealing with stress at home whose learning abilities in school are affected and decreased, or whether it be the adult who can’t cope with personal stress and therefore has lower productivity at work.
Studies have shown that there are links between chronic stress/depression and decreased ability for new neural growth. Also, medical experts at Stanford University Medical Center in California have discovered that those who suffer from depression may in fact be feeling almost twice the amount of chronic pain than those who are not depressed. Measures can be taken to help reduce the effects of chronic stress, chronic pain, and depression, such as implementing brain training. This cycle of brain exercising will help to dramatically reduce the effects of chronic stress and depression through challenge, reward, and cellular growth.
http://remo.com/experience/post/stress-impact-research-summary/
