Tag: stress

Stress Series: How Stress Affects Mood and How a Natural Approach Can Help

September 17th, 2014 by Paula Gallagher

stress-moodIn the last of our series on stress, we will be looking at how stress affects mood and how it can contribute to mood swings. A mood swing is an extreme or rapid change in mood or personality.

Mood swings can last a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days. If mood swings are happening frequently, are disruptive, or lasting for longer periods of time, it might be helpful to seek support in getting to the root cause.

What are Common Causes of Mood Swings?

Healthy brain function requires many important nutrients as well as an active, social lifestyle. Factors such as aging, emotional stress, and exposure to free radicals affect cognitive health and memory function.

Hormone and Neurotransmitter Imbalances
Hormone and neurotransmitter imbalances are often at the root cause of mood swings. Your brain and body chemistry affects the way you think and the way you react, and can make you both more emotional and more prone to rapid negative emotions. Low levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, and norepinephrine can lead to anxiety and mood changes. Hormone imbalances (thyroid and sex hormones) can also play a major role in mood swings.  Continue reading “Stress Series: How Stress Affects Mood and How a Natural Approach Can Help”

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Stress Series: How Stress Affects Memory & Taking a Natural Approach

September 3rd, 2014 by Paula Gallagher

memoryIn this installment of our series on stress, we are going to look at how stress affects memory, and a natural approach to supporting memory.

Memory processing allows us to acquire, retain, and recall information and/or experiences. We have short-term memory and long-term memory. Information goes first into our short-term memory (also called working memory) and it then gets processed and stored in our long-term memory.

There are three stages of memory processing:

– Encoding – like listening to music
– Consolidation – like recording songs (or burning a CD)
– Retrieval – like playing back the songs

When you are stressed by something, the stressor takes a lot of resources from your brain and interferes with your capacity to encode new information.

What are the Effects of Stress on Memory?

Healthy brain function requires many important nutrients as well as an active, social lifestyle. Factors such as aging, emotional stress, and exposure to free radicals affect cognitive health and memory function.

Increase in Cortisol

During stress, adrenal glands pump out cortisol. Although a certain amount of cortisol is normal, too much cortisol due to too much stress can prevent the formation of new memories or the retrieval of old ones. Cortisol also interferes with your brain’s neurotransmitters, preventing communication between brain cells.  Continue reading “Stress Series: How Stress Affects Memory & Taking a Natural Approach”

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Stress Series: A Natural Approach to Dealing with Depression

August 26th, 2014 by Paula Gallagher

depressionIn this installment of our series on stress, we are going to look at how stress affects depression, and how a natural approach to dealing with depression can be beneficial.

Depression is very serious, and in no way is the following information meant to be diagnostic, or encourage self-medicating. If you think you are dealing with depression of any kind, please consult with a professional to discuss your options.  

Stress is a factor in many illnesses. In fact, it is estimated that 75-90% of visits to the doctor are related to stress – either acutely or because of chronic problems associated with stress. It is also believed that nearly 75% of the diseases prevalent in Western society are related to the stress mechanisms of the body.

Chronic exposure to stress results in chronic engagement of the fight-or-flight mechanism (increased blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar, blood shunted away from the digestive system, increase in stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine). Studies show that physiological and psychological consequences of acute/chronic stress can persist well past the cessation of a stressful event.

The body is designed to adapt to stressors to help maintain equilibrium and healthy functioning. The stress response influences many biological and biochemical processes that begin in the brain and spread through nearly all body systems including the adrenals, thyroid, neurotransmitter systems, digestive system, and cardiovascular system. But everyone has an individual “load” that they can manage, which is why stress can express itself in a variety of symptoms throughout the body.  Continue reading “Stress Series: A Natural Approach to Dealing with Depression”

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Why Stress is Dangerous: Types, Causes and Risks

August 18th, 2014 by Debi Silber, The Mojo Coach

stressThere are two types of stress and most of us have experienced one or both, at times. There are many causes and more risks involved than you may realize, but the good news is that not all stress is dangerous and there are ways to lessen your stress and enjoy better health.

Acute Stress: Momentary help in times of danger

Acute stress is the term for what occurs when your body senses danger and adapts to the threat by making physical changes, enabling you to avoid greater potential harm. This protective mechanism, crucial to your safety and designed to protect you, causes your body to secrete chemicals and stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, in response to your thoughts and prepares your body for “fight or flight.”

For example, let’s say you’re crossing a street to meet your friend at the local coffee shop and notice a car quickly approaching. You see the car and understand the risks, which causes you to feel fear and anxiety (learned behaviors that we only feel when we decide something is dangerous or anxiety provoking). Your body adapts to this stress by secreting chemicals and hormones, sending messages to your heart, lungs and organs to prepare them to handle the crisis.

  • Your heart rate increases
  • Blood flow is diverted to muscles allowing for quick movement
  • Pupils dilate and more oxygen flows through your lungs for an extra burst of energy

These changes allow you to react quickly, enabling you to jump onto the curb to safety. Within a short period of time, your body calms down and things return to normal, allowing you to continue on to the meeting with your friend over your favorite cup of coffee.  Continue reading “Why Stress is Dangerous: Types, Causes and Risks”

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Stress Series: A Natural Approach to Dealing With Anxiety

August 7th, 2014 by Paula Gallagher

anxietyIn this next part of our series on stress, we will talk about a natural approach to dealing with anxiety.

Anxiety is a normal human emotion. You may feel anxious, or nervous, when faced with a problem, taking a test, making an important decision, or when afraid. When these feelings cause such distress that it interferes with a person’s ability to lead a normal life, then it can be considered an anxiety disorder.

There  are different types of anxiety disorders:

Panic disorder: Panic anxiety disorder is having the feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeat with no warning. Anxiety symptoms related to panic disorders include sweating, chest pain, palpitations (irregular heartbeats), and feeling of choking.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): OCD is having constant thoughts or fears that cause you to perform certain routines or rituals. The disturbing thoughts are obsessions and the rituals are compulsions.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event, the unexpected death of a loved one, or a sexual or physical assault, among other things. People often have lasting and frightening memories of the event and tend to be emotionally numb.  Continue reading “Stress Series: A Natural Approach to Dealing With Anxiety”

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