You sit staring at the computer, willing your fingers to write, knowing that the report is due by the end of the day. You feel your pulse start to rise and sweat appears on your forehead. You look at the door wondering if you should run through it now or stick it out and get the job done. Welcome to the “fight or flight” response - a natural instinct that was developed to save our bodies from physical harm, but that also leads to decreased brain function, stress and memory loss.

During times of stress our body’s natural responses kick into action. Our sympathetic nervous system puts this into motion. During this process, stress hormones such as cortisol are released into our system and divert energy to exercising muscles and away from our brains. This is a survival instinct; however, it can have a significant impact on creating new memories. Energy is moved away from the hippocampus, which means a lack of resources are available to create new memories. This leads to memory problems such as short-term memory loss or problems with memory recall. If your hippocampus is exposed to this for an extended period of time, it can atrophy and lead to a decrease in brain function and memory loss. One of the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease is damage to the hippocampus.

Stress and memory loss can have a substantial impact on the aging brain. The longer and more often that your brain is subjected to periods of heightened emotional stress, the more your brain cells will be impacted in a negative way. It is important to try to control stress at early stages. Studies have shown that if you are able to decrease stress and return your body to a more relaxed state, memory improvement can occur. There is, however, a point at which your brain has sustained too much damage and cannot regain the brain power to return your memory to what it once was. Be mindful of how stress is affecting you and your body.

Stress and Memory loss is not an uncommon phenomenon. We all experience times of forgetfulness when we are feeling under pressure and can’t find our keys or remember all of the tasks that we need to complete. The key is to work with your body’s natural systems for balance so that stress does not become a long-term crisis that will lead to long-term consequences.

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