Besides increasing your risk of heart disease, depression, and obesity, stress decreases your cognitive performance.

The tricky thing about stress (and the anxiety that comes with it) is that it’s an absolutely necessary emotion. Our brains are wired such that it’s difficult to take action until we feel at least some level of this emotional state. In fact, performance peaks under the heightened activation that comes with moderate levels of stress. As long as the stress isn’t prolonged, it’s harmless.

Research from the University of California, Berkeley, reveals an upside to experiencing moderate levels of stress. But it also reinforces how important it is to keep stress under control. The study found that the onset of stress entices the brain into growing new cells responsible for improved memory. However, this effect is only seen when stress is intermittent. As soon as the stress continues beyond a few moments into a prolonged state, it suppresses the brain’s ability to develop new cells.

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壓力除了會引致癡肥,增加患上抑鬱症、心臟病的風險之外,在精神層面上還會降低你的認知功能。

過多的壓力雖然會帶來焦慮,但有趣的是壓力是我們不可或缺的情緒。當這種情緒的指數上升至某種程度的時候,我們的大腦才會決然採取行動。事實上,適度的壓力亦能使我們做事時有更好的表現。只要精神不是持續受壓,壓力的確對人無害。

 一項來自伯克利加利福尼亞大學的研究顯示,適度的壓力對人有好處,但與此同時亦強調控制壓力的重要性。研究發現,壓力能激發大腦產生負責提升記憶力的新細胞。然而,只有間歇性的壓力才會有這種成效,一旦精神持續受壓,便會抑制大腦開發新細胞的能力。

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