How Stress Affects Mental Ability
Each person responds to stressors differently. We all cope differently and the more exposed we are to stress and challenges while growing up, the more chances we have of developing coping mechanisms that will help us get through. Some of us can stand extreme stressors and still work and deliver. Some of us breakdown and gravely affect our productivity. Either way, stress affects our mental ability and causes change in our body that is harmful if left untreated.
According to studies, stress triggers the adrenal gland to excrete cortisol, the hormone responsible for dealing with stress. Neurotransmitter activity also increases to aid in dealing with the challenge. If our mind detects a stressor, our reaction to it needs to be regulated so we can still think and act on it accordingly. However, constant triggers may cause resources to deplete. This would mean that endocrine glands responsible for helping us cope with stress might not be able to produce enough to regulate the stress.
How Stress Affects the Way we Think
Stress decreases our productivity because it keeps us out of focus and clouds our mind. When the adrenal glands’ production of cortisol and other neurotransmitters decrease, our ability to perform our tasks will go down. The brain will have a hard time processing new ideas therefore decreasing our ability to learn. Our mind will feel tired because the hormones that aid in brain activity experience an imbalance. If the body doesn’t recover from the stress, we become more prone to develop physical and mental diseases because of the lack of important hormones in the body.
How to Fight Stress
There are many ways to fight stress. Our body needs to rest in order to produce hormones, so it is important to get enough sleep at night. Be sure to get into the habit of sleeping no later than 11pm, and get at least 6 hours sleep because this is the time the body repairs itself. Eat healthy foods because they contain the proper vitamins and minerals that our body needs to function well.
If you are feeling constantly tired, you can take an adrenal test. This will determine if your body is producing enough cortisol to fight off stress. It is also important to see if your mind is getting the right balance of chemicals needed to function well. You can ask your physician about neurotransmitter testing to check for chemical imbalances that decreases brain function and the possible development of mental disorders.
Source:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0123421/thinking.htm
https://notes.utk.edu/Bio/greenberg.nsf/0/7a033128f68632c985256b4a0053b0a6?OpenDocument
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_system
