Importance of Avoiding Stress in 2020

Living in the year 2020, it seems almost impossible to avoid stress; with all of the insane events going on, namely the coronavirus, it's easy to get wrapped up in the news and go berserk. Not stressing about current events in the year 2020 is impossible, like a day going by where I don't think about my favorite class, AP Bio. While this stress is obviously normal, stressing over these things- and just stress in general- can have surprising and substantial effects on not just your mental health, but your physical health too. So- now more than ever- it's imperative to keep a level head.

Actual picture of 2020

While it may be obvious that stress has an impact on cognition, attention, and memory, a little-known community college called "Harvard University" has done research that indicates stress can lead to increased inflammation. This inflammation negatively impacts heart health. So, yes; stress directly affects your heart. In fact, stress affects your heart and brain in such in such a profound way that it has been closely associated with a plethora of chronic diseases of both of these organs. And now, I will address the question that is so deeply engraved into the minds of everyone so invested in this post: Why?

A heart getting jacked

Some researchers believe that when one section of your brain is occupied on a task, your brain has less energy to focus on other activities. So, if you are in a situation that is incredibly stressful, your brain will likely exert the most energy towards dealing with that stress. Dr. Ressler- a researcher at that no-name community college mentioned earlier- explains that this is the case because of the fact that your brain is separated into multiple parts. He elaborates, "For example, if you are in a dangerous or emotionally taxing situation, the amygdala- the part of your brain that governs your survival instincts- may take over, leaving the parts of your brain that help to form memories and perform higher order tasks with less energy and ability to get their own tasks done." Huh. Smart dude.

Diagram showing different parts of brain

While short term, periodic stress is one thing, there is also pretty substantial evidence that stress can actually rewire your brain and cause permanent damage. Sorry! This paragraph might be kind of depressing. You can skip past it if you want. Anyway, by studying animals, scientists have determined that prolonged stress can overwork the amygdala. By overusing the amygdala, the rest of your brain is actually underused, and can become underdeveloped in some cases. Essentially, the other parts of your brain get weaker, like a muscle would if you don't use it often. By the way, that's not my analogy; trust me, if it was, I'd take credit for it. So, overusing the amygdala can cause your brain to build up that area, causing you to overuse it in situations where you don't need to.

That's the little sucker right there.

We just learned how stress impacts the brain; but how does it affect your heart and the rest of the body? Well, I'm glad you asked. You've been a great audience, by the way. In response to stress, a hormone called cortisol is released. Unnaturally high levels of cortisol can increase blood cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides. All four of these are common risk factors for heart disease. In addition to this, the buildup of plaque deposits in the arteries is stimulated, suppressing blood flow to the heart. These things can easily lead to a stroke. Geez, this one is kind of depressing too. Maybe I should've told you to skip this one too. 

Cortisol, and the negative effects of it

Whew, I'm glad that's over. That was kind of scary. However, luckily for us, we can avoid all of these things! There are many, many ways to combat stress, and there is a ton of information online as well. Trust me, I just checked! These tips to stay healthy range from as simple as accepting that there are things out of your control to seeking out a therapist or psychologist. Trust me, there are enough tips to list that they could finish this whole paragraph! And they might! Exercising regularly, eating well balanced meals... Nah, just kidding, I have more to say. The point is, I understand how stressful these times are. This year has been an extremely challenging time for everyone, and I'm sure everyone has been feeling the burden of constant, daily stress. Although, yes, this stress seems unavoidable, it is in your- and everybody's- best interest to DO YOUR BEST to stay calm and reduce stress. Your body will thank you. And heck, I'll thank you, too. Thanks.

Will Lombardo