Can stress actually physically change our brains? What really happens to our brains when we're stressed?

We tend to move throughout our day and lives without giving much thought to our brain and brain health. We know it's there, we assume it's working and doing the job it needs to, and we don't think much about it until there is a problem that forces us to. But understanding how our brain works under stress can help us better understand how to manage it and keep it healthy now and in the future.

Stress, anxiety, and depression can become amplified during the holidays. Even when all of our demands are things we actually want to do, the sheer number of obligations during the months of November and December can overwhelm even the best planner.The trick to managing the season is not to think you can conquer the stressful events in your life, but rather to create conditions in which those events don't drown you. You can decrease the impact the demands of the holidays have on you while increasing your enjoyment of the season.

"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead!" - Why Not Getting Enough Sleep Might Actually Accelerate that End Result

Lack of quality sleep leads to a general slowing of alertness and inconsistent performance, especially in terms of attention, diligence, and focus. Sleep-deprived people are also more likely to get sick and to take longer to recover, leading to more days of missed work and a negative impact on work performance.

Stress Can Physically Change Our Brains, But We Can Treat and Prevent It

When we experience stressful events, the amygdala (area of the brain focusing on emotional processing) sends an emergency signal to the hypothalamus (the brain command center) that says it’s time to pick the “fight or flight” response. The good news is that we don’t have to totally overhaul our lives in order to make positive changes. Small daily habits can improve brain health and keep us sharp.

Our bodies are designed to do so much more than look cute in jeans!

That said, it’s totally normal to have feelings of self consciousness, embarrassment, shame, and guilt regarding their weight gain and changes to their outer appearance. Clients are stating they feel uncomfortable in their clothes, uncomfortable with their body shape and size, and fear for what others might say about their weight gain.