That stress is one of the blackest characteristics of modern life is also known to children. That has a profound effect on every aspect of our existence, from health to life as a couple, each of us has experienced it.
Yet a very large portion of society says it is stressed, indeed it considers this unpleasant sensation almost inevitable, a bitter pledge to be paid for the high standards of work , aesthetics and socialism that the "system" imposes on us, more or less explicitly.
No one can say he loves this scenario, despite this we are all willing to embrace it, with more or less reserves, in the hope of being able to hold it without blatant collapse.
Well, today we want to invite you to reconsider this passive acceptance and not for a generic new age inspiration, but for your health, indeed, specifically for the health of your head: stress not only poisons our lives and causes us many ailments psychosomatic, but it also deeply damages our brain .
Lifestyle can affect the health of our brain
Stress research has been active since the 1980s and the results of those early studies have only been confirmed in subsequent studies.
Recently, just a few months ago, the Los Angeles Times revived the popular theme with an interesting article by Geoffry Lohan.
" Stress can damage the brain. The hormones connected to it can influence the way the nerves transmit information and send the circuits into a dangerous feedback loop that makes us vulnerable to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic disorders ".
The article cites a whole series of modifications of our brain caused by stress and which profoundly compromise our well-being and our efficiency. Many experiments are still in progress, but the results on mice are proving very interesting.
Beyond what remains to be clarified, one thing is certain: stress causes long-term damage to our brains, exposing us to a whole series of negative effects, many of which concern a progressive and dangerous incapacity to manage situations leading us to supply - in practice - exaggerated responses to fear and anxiety .
This is accompanied by a reduction in memory and cognitive faculties, as well as greater exposure to diseases concerning this very important organ of the nervous system.
How do food shortages or excesses, environmental influences and situations of constant stress act in us?
How to fight stress?
If eliminating the causes of stress is not always possible, it becomes essential to learn to reduce them strongly.
It has been shown that post traumatic stress syndrome: a help from yoga "> yoga can have excellent results in this field. If it is not possible for you to follow a yoga class regularly, in this article we have illustrated three relaxation positions that be able to perform whenever you feel the need, accompanying them with deep breathing.
In particular, the last one, savasana, is particularly suitable if you are looking for a deep relaxation, as well as being the quintessential position of yoga nidra, or yogic sleep that you can also experience at home by buying CDs (if you find many on the market or you can also listen to them on youtube despite being many in English).
Another restorative asana that can give us a hand in times of stress is the position of the child.
Meditation is also a valuable ally against anxiety and stress, even if not everyone feels attracted to this practice, very often only due to mistrust or prejudice. If we can go beyond these mental blocks, we will discover a truly fascinating world and a treasure trove of invaluable techniques against stress.
Zen meditation can be a good starting point: it does not require guiding voices or mantra or anything else, just your breath. Here you will find all the information you need to practice it.
If you prefer a different kind of approach, also the tai chi can give excellent results as well as regular relaxing massages.
Prevention is always the best cure
If it is important to understand the causes of stress, it is equally important to understand what helps us keep it at bay .
As a lot of research shows, including the one we proposed to you, stress can profoundly affect our brain, creating potentially irreparable damage. Preveniamoli!
