In recent studies, stress is becoming an increasingly recognized factor that can contribute to the development of dementia. It is important to understand how stress impacts the brain and how it can cause the progression of dementia. Implementing strategies into a person’s everyday life to effectively manage stress is critical in reducing the risk of dementia.
What is Stress?
Stress is a state of worry or mental tension. This natural human response usually occurs when a person is in a situation where they feel out of control or threatened. The body is designed to experience and react to stress when experiencing stressors through physical and mental responses. These responses help a person adjust to new situations; sometimes, this can be positive by keeping them alert and ready to avoid danger. There are three types of stress:
- Acute stress: short-term stress that can be positive or negative. This is what a person might feel when arguing with a loved one or riding a rollercoaster.
- Episodic acute stress: when a person experiences acute stress on a regular basis. This type of stress is negative, because it does not give a person enough time to return to a calm, relaxed state.
- Chronic stress: long-term stress that can go on for months at a time. It is very important to find ways to manage this type of stress because it can lead to health issues.
Symptoms of Stress
| Physical symptoms: 1. Exhaustion 2. Headaches or dizziness 3. Chest pain 4. High blood pressure 5. Digestive problems | Emotional symptoms: 1. Anxiety or irritability 2. Panic attacks 3. Depression |
How Stress Can Lead to Dementia
There are many possible reasons why stress and dementia are linked. One of the reasons is the cardiovascular effects. These include risk factors such as heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. Cardiovascular and brain health are closely linked, and any conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels can increase a person’s risk of vascular dementia. Another reason could be the impact chronic stress has on brain function. Chronic stress can cause oxidative stress in the brain, which can damage brain cells and impair their function, leading to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Stress can also trigger various physiological responses in the body, one of these responses is the release of cortisol.
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that plays a crucial role in many bodily processes, especially in the body’s response to stress. Cortisol levels are usually at their highest when a person wakes up and slowly decreases throughout the day. When the body is under excessive amounts of stress, additional cortisol is released to help you respond accordingly by increasing alertness and preparing the body for fight-or-flight responses.
Cortisol and Brain Health
Researchers have found that people with higher levels of cortisol performed worse on organization, memory, and visual perception tests compared to those with lower cortisol levels in a recent study. They have also noticed a relationship in the brain between known precursors to dementia and high cortisol levels. Researchers were not able to definitively say that high cortisol levels cause cognitive problems, but they were able to conclude that their findings indicate high levels of stress could increase a person’s risk of developing dementia. Other research has found that constant increases in cortisol levels cause structural changes in the brain, especially in the hippocampus, which is crucial for memory formation.
Tips to Manage Stress
- Healthy diet: A balanced diet provides essential nutrients that reduce inflammation and support brain function. Creating a healthy diet for yourself can also build up your immune system and lower your blood pressure.
- Mindfulness practices: Meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises promote relaxation while reducing stress. Meditation can lower stress and anxiety, improve energy levels and mood, and improve sleep habits. Deep breathing exercises can calm the part of your nervous system that handles your ability to relax. Yoga uses meditation, relaxation, and breathing exercises to help you relax and relieve stress.
- Physical Activity: Exercising on a regular basis can be beneficial for both physical and mental health. It increases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters, while reducing stress hormones, such as cortisol.
- Adequate Sleep: Getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night is very important for cognitive function and mental health. Sleep deprivation can impair memory and increase stress levels.
- Identify stressors: Identifying sources of stress in your day-to-day life and removing them or yourself from situations as much as possible will decrease stress levels.
- Social Engagement: maintaining meaningful relationships and social connections reduces feelings of isolation and provides emotional support. Social interaction can also stimulate the brain, improving cognitive reserve.
- Personal Time: As important as it is to find time for social interactions or exercising, it is also important to find time for yourself to relax. Taking a couple nights a week for yourself can reduce stress levels.
- Emotional Support: Having someone you trust to talk to about your stress can provide emotional support and practical advice for managing stress. This can be friends, family, or healthcare professionals.
Conclusion
Stress is one of the significant risk factors for dementia, it can impact brain structure and function and has negative impacts on cognitive health. Using tips and strategies to manage stress can be extremely beneficial in reducing stress levels and the risk of developing dementia. It is important to be aware of why and how stress can impact a person’s mental and physical wellbeing and the importance of taking proactive steps in managing these risks not only to support long-term cognitive function but also to enhance quality of life.
Sources
[1]https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/tips-to-reduce-stress/
[2]https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11874-stress
[3]https://www.orlandohealth.com/content-hub/how-stress-increases-dementia-risk
[4]https://www.alz.org/help-support/i-have-alz/live-well/reducing-stress
[5]https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/blog/can-stress-cause-dementia
