There are a number of trials, reviews and looking at the association between chronic adverse stress and dementia. It is now accepted that the ageing brain has increased susceptibility to chronic stress and this may also accelerate cognitive decline and dementia. The contribution of other effects of adverse stress on the heart and arteries and its effects on the diabetes are also additive and all together make adverse stress something we need to avoid and manage.
So how does stress cause heart disease and diseases of the arteries? Stress is an integral part of being alive and a natural response to danger. At its most basic, the “fight and flight response” is basically a response to potentially dangerous situations. In these situations the body produces increased levels of the “stress hormones” like adrenalin and cortisol, which help the body get ready to react even faster than normal. This is a wholly physiological and healthy response and does us no harm. Indeed it is positively beneficial as it aids us in fleeing from dangerous situations (like running away from danger faster).
What appears to be one mechanism by which stress causes harm to the brain is that when it occurs combined with inactivity. The fight or flight stress reaction was very useful in paleolithic or caveman times when the fight or flight reaction, helped you fight that sabre toothed tiger, or, preferably run away from it (even if the stress reaction could not help you run faster than the tiger it improved your chance of survival if it helped you run faster than the other caveman who was with you when the meeting with the tiger occurred) However the stress reaction when we are inactive, on the phone to a difficult client or being criticised by your manager when stuck at your desk, leads not to fight or flight but to inflammation of the tissue of the brain and other tissues too.
We also know that adverse stress affects sleep and poor sleep patterns are often the result. Experts associate a lack of sleep with an altered hormone balance that can affect food intake and weight. A lack of sleep also increases your risk of obesity. Being obese can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition where dementia is much commoner.
There are thus very many reasons why adverse stress is not good for us and we need to manage levels of stress to ensure we manage the risks of dementia better.
Am I on the right track in managing stress?
Managing adverse stress is something we all do. We tend to do this as a matter of course all the time but sometimes the levels of stress become chronic and then we need to manage this differently. There are many techniques to better manage stress, ranging from audio and video guides, apps and guides and other tools, which can be just as easy to put into practice.
However, there are certain even more simple steps which everyone should adopt as a matter of course. These are:
There are also very many mindfulness and resilience aids which are available and these will also help.
Taking deep, soothing breaths when you are under stress can be helpful. Calming prayer or meditation can help you relax and the new term is in mindfulness which is becoming more aware of ourselves, our actions and their effects and the environment we inhabit. It sounds self evident and it is but sadly many of us lead too rushed a life to notice where we are and what is going on around us. There are very simple techniques we can use to manage this better, and some simple ones can be found on the NHS Choices web site. The techniques involve training in observing, acknowledging, and accepting thoughts and feelings in the moment. This approach can help manage stressful thoughts that cause emotional upset and flight-or-fight responses. A 2011 systematic review of
Resilience is our ability to manage better adverse events like stress. The more resilience we have the more reserves we have to manage stressful situations. Some people find it easier to recover after having been through difficult times and these are the more resilient people. Some of us learn to be more resilient through our childhood and experiences, but we can all learn how to become even more resilient by using simple behavioural modification techniques. There are many on the Internet – try NHS Choices
There are a number of trials, reviews and looking at the association between chronic adverse stress and dementia. It is now accepted that the ageing brain has increased susceptibility to chronic stress and this may also accelerate cognitive decline and dementia. The contribution of other effects of adverse stress on the heart and arteries and its effects on the diabetes are also additive and all together make adverse stress something we need to avoid and manage.
So how does stress cause heart disease and diseases of the arteries? Stress is an integral part of being alive and a natural response to danger. At its most basic, the “fight and flight response” is basically a response to potentially dangerous situations. In these situations the body produces increased levels of the “stress hormones” like adrenalin and cortisol, which help the body get ready to react even faster than normal. This is a wholly physiological and healthy response and does us no harm. Indeed it is positively beneficial as it aids us in fleeing from dangerous situations (like running away from danger faster).
What appears to be one mechanism by which stress causes harm to the brain is that when it occurs combined with inactivity. The fight or flight stress reaction was very useful in paleolithic or caveman times when the fight or flight reaction, helped you fight that sabre toothed tiger, or, preferably run away from it (even if the stress reaction could not help you run faster than the tiger it improved your chance of survival if it helped you run faster than the other caveman who was with you when the meeting with the tiger occurred) However the stress reaction when we are inactive, on the phone to a difficult client or being criticised by your manager when stuck at your desk, leads not to fight or flight but to inflammation of the tissue of the brain and other tissues too.
We also know that adverse stress affects sleep and poor sleep patterns are often the result. Experts associate a lack of sleep with an altered hormone balance that can affect food intake and weight. A lack of sleep also increases your risk of obesity. Being obese can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a condition where dementia is much commoner.
There are thus very many reasons why adverse stress is not good for us and we need to manage levels of stress to ensure we manage the risks of dementia better.
Am I on the right track in managing stress?
Managing adverse stress is something we all do. We tend to do this as a matter of course all the time but sometimes the levels of stress become chronic and then we need to manage this differently. There are many techniques to better manage stress, ranging from audio and video guides, apps and guides and other tools, which can be just as easy to put into practice.
However, there are certain even more simple steps which everyone should adopt as a matter of course. These are:
- Start to think more about time management. Split your day into chunks and take regular breaks and take a lunch break with a brisk walk to ensure you get a change of scene.
- Make lists of what you need to do and prioritise them in order of importance. Work out your goals and focus on the results you wish to get to.
- Take regular exercise because the fitter you feel physically, the better you are able to function intellectually. Choose to use a bus stop a little further from your work and try to ensure you walk more often. It also helps you socialize and feel part of the wider world.
- Some people find breathing exercises really helpful. NHS Choices has many breathing exercises on line and it is easy to find and use these.
There are also very many mindfulness and resilience aids which are available and these will also help.
Taking deep, soothing breaths when you are under stress can be helpful. Calming prayer or meditation can help you relax and the new term is in mindfulness which is becoming more aware of ourselves, our actions and their effects and the environment we inhabit. It sounds self evident and it is but sadly many of us lead too rushed a life to notice where we are and what is going on around us. There are very simple techniques we can use to manage this better, and some simple ones can be found on the NHS Choices web site. The techniques involve training in observing, acknowledging, and accepting thoughts and feelings in the moment. This approach can help manage stressful thoughts that cause emotional upset and flight-or-fight responses. A 2011 systematic review of
Resilience is our ability to manage better adverse events like stress. The more resilience we have the more reserves we have to manage stressful situations. Some people find it easier to recover after having been through difficult times and these are the more resilient people. Some of us learn to be more resilient through our childhood and experiences, but we can all learn how to become even more resilient by using simple behavioural modification techniques. There are many on the Internet – try NHS Choices
