On stress and memory

Here’s good news and bad news about stress and memory delivered by SharpBrains.  Bar candidates, listen in.  Short-term, acute stress can help you concentrate and remember things better.   That’s because the adrenal glands respond to the initial dose of stress by immediately releasing adrenalin, which can help your performance.  However, long-term stress has the opposite effect.  If the stress is severe or persistent, the adrenals release cortisol, which damages the neurons in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is central to memory and learning.  Make sure you take this quick test to measure your stress levels.   

To find out more about how your brain responds to various stressful situations, check out Stress on the Brain  from The Franklin Institute Resources for Science Learning.

How do you manage your stress levels?  These 52 Proven Stress Reducers are a good place to start.   

Comments

[Caroline Latham]

Great post Anastasia!

[Anastasia]

Thanks for dropping by!