You leave for work in the morning and almost have an accident. Upon reaching the office, you get into a fight with another colleague. And you get to see new bills in your wife's hands when you come back home. This is quite a lot of pressure for one day.
Any person of any age feels some sort of stress throughout the day. And this stress can affect your thinking as well as how you view the complete situation. Not only has that stress had a physical impact on your body too. It triggers the release of a hormone that causes us to choose between fight and flight. And this hormone also increases our heart rate too. What happens is that this event that triggers such a situation becomes a part of our memory too; a time when we were stressed becomes a time when we are super conscious and hence more likely to remember that event.
For instance, a student prepares for an exam but does not perform in proportion to his preparation. He forgets what he was supposed to remember in the exam. And the stress of that exam was the reason that he had forgotten the content. And researchers have known this negative impact of stress on our memory for quite some time now but latest research reveals that stress has a positive impact on our memory too. It helps us remember the particular situation of stress quite clearly even if what we want to remember is not accessible.
Experts now know that we remember all those moments quite clearly when some emotional connection of joy, sorrow or discomfort has been present. For quite some time now, experts have been trying to figure out the connection between our memory and our emotions. Up till now they know that after a particular level of stress is crossed then it becomes a problem for us.
Our immune system:
When we are in some dangerous situation, then the hypothalamus in our brain triggers something equivalent to an alarm in our brain. A particular hormone is released and after that a set of some more hormones are released. These are like our weapons that not only help us respond effectively but also give our memory a boost so that in the future we know how to counter a situation like this.
The first activity in our brain triggered in a stressful situation:
The hormone adrenaline is secreted when our brain processes a signal from one of our senses. The gland which secretes this hormone is located above the kidney. The adrenaline hormone causes our body to either choose fight or flight. This hormone affects our metabolism, increases blood pressure, increases our heart beat so that blood reaches all muscles. Also it increases our breathing rate so that we acquire more and more oxygen. Pain reducing hormones and platelets are activated too so that any wound does not cause a lot of blood loss.
The second activity triggered in our brain due to a stressful situation:
Further 3 more hormones are secreted too that effectively empower us further to make a rational decision in a time of stress.
“As the initial surge of adrenaline subsides, the hypothalamus activates the second component of the stress response system — known as the HPA axis. This network consists of the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands. The HPA axis relies on a series of hormonal signals to keep the sympathetic nervous system — the “gas pedal” — pressed down. If the brain continues to perceive something as dangerous, the hypothalamus releases corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), which travels to the pituitary gland, triggering the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This hormone travels to the adrenal glands, prompting them to release cortisol. The body thus stays revved up and on high alert. When the threat passes, cortisol levels fall. The parasympathetic nervous system — the “brake” — then dampens the stress response." Harvard Medical Journal.
To get rid of mental pressure/stress:
Everyone encounters some sort of mental pressure all the time but the following tips can come to our aid and help us deal stress effectively:
1. Identify what disturbs you and find a solution for it: If the brake of your motorcycle causes some problem, then change it or if your mobile battery is damaged then buy a new one.
2. Keep a positive attitude in your thinking: We deal with stress in different ways which negatively affect us for instance smoking, eating too much, or watching TV. Instead you should go out for a walk, do yoga or talk to a close friend.
3. Become your own secretary: It is observed that those who keep a list of their tasks and schedule it themselves complete more of the work that is due. You can make a list using anything; it could be in some diary, in your wallet or in your cell phone.
4. Make yourself stronger: If a person exercises or meditates along with any other productive sport or activity that is soothing enough, then that person can deal with stress effectively. People who perform various stunts with dangerous animals remain calm in that situation and if some person makes an effort to achieve that mental control, then he can deal with any kind of stressful situation.
