New Research on Stress, Your Memory and Immune System
We probably all know from our own lives that in high-pressure situations, it’s easy to start forgetting things. When the stress starts at work or at home, we start making mistakes. At first, it’s just the small things – locking your keys in the car, or forgetting a meeting at the last minute.
But more and more research shows that stress can also have serious long-term impacts on your health. A new study on mice found a significant relationship between stress levels and memory loss. Mice exposed to a “larger bully mouse” did worse when trying to find their way out a maze – even though they’d had time to learn first! The very experience of stress made it harder for the mice to remember things they’d already learned. Sound familiar?
Findings like this are why your ARPF stresses (no pun intended) a “holistic” approach to Alzheimer’s prevention. Rather than focusing on a single “magic bullet” drug or the perfect “anti-aging treatment,” we support and promote research that examines the many ways lifestyle contributes to brain function. In fact, stress management is so important that it’s the second of our 4 Pillars of Alzheimer’s Prevention.
Furthermore, research shows that simple meditation practices can do a lot to reduce your stress level. Spending only 12 minutes a day on a self guided meditation has been shown to increase blood flow in parts of the brain that are key to memory formation and preservation, as well as to significantly reduce stress levels.
Learn more about our 4 Pillars of Alzheimer’s Prevention here, and remember to take some time out of your day to take care of yourself – there are many short-term and long-term health benefits.