Benefits of Mindfulness in Education - Part 6:

Chronic Stress and the Brain

Today's adolescent school children live a highly stressful life when compared to 30-40 years ago. Constant demands at school, tuition classes, exams, pressure exerted by parents and the uncertainty of the future are some of the main causes of adolescent stress.

Emotional pressure suffered over long periods lead to Chronic Stress. Individuals suffering from Chronic Stress perceive they have no control over the situation. The body also responds by releasing stress hormones.

While the immediate effects of stress hormones are beneficial in a particular situation, long term exposure creates a high level of stress hormones may later lead to high blood pressure, damage to muscle tissues, inhibition of growth, suppression of the immune system and mental health issues.

Modern Neuroscience has even discovered that prolonged stress can actually change the brain physically. The part of the brain that helps to handle threatening situations appears larger in people who are chronically stressed. Most importantly, researchers have also found that the areas of the brain involved in rational thinking and planning, called hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, can actually shrink in size due to chronic stress. (Ref: Hölzel BK, Carmody JB, et al)

Such shrinking of the brain areas associated with learning could also result in gradual declining of academic capability among the affected adolescent students.

Getting caught up in a vicious cycle

Our brains reflect the way we think throughout our lives. We shape the structure and the size of the brain by our thoughts and behaviours. If we play the violin for eight hours a day, then parts of the brain responsible for violin play will get larger. If we are caught up in stressful thinking for most part of the day, then those parts of the brain are going to get larger and other parts of the brain will deteriorate.

Latest research has found that in time those with Chronic Stress can get caught up in a vicious cycle. The larger amygdala's (our brain area connected with flight or fight mechanism) of the chronically stressed secretes higher levels of stress hormones, which in turn result in antagonistic behaviours. As the learning, planning, decision making and reasoning areas of their brains starts to diminish in size they find it more and more difficult to develop appropriate 'human' responses to such situations.

It is both ironic and frightening because the very brain circuits we would need to counter the effects of the stress are no longer working as well as they should.

Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that Chronic Stress triggers long-term changes in brain structure and function. Their findings may explain as to why young people who are exposed to chronic stress early in life are prone to mental problems such as anxiety and mood disorders later in life, in addition to learning difficulties.

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, conclude that moderate or 'good stress' such as studying hard for an exam or training to compete at games can build stronger brain circuitry and a more resilient brain. But acute, prolonged chronic stress can wreak havoc especially in young age. Chief scientist of the research at the University of California, Prof. Daniela Kaufer, mentions that we may create a brain either resilient or vulnerable to mental diseases based on the chronic stress we get in early life.

Prevent the development of Chronic Stress

It may not be possible to avoid high stress situations during adolescence in our modern day life. However, it is certainly possible to learn and apply two proven methodologies to prevent stress from developing into chronic stress. These are:

1. Regular physical exercises, which bring down the stress hormone levels.

2. Mindfulness practices that develop 'mental and emotional muscles' to better cope with stress.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness

The practitioners of Mindfulness are trained to focus on the present moment rather than worry or think about the past and the future or think about other people. The brain and the body influence each other in both directions. When we are stressed - a natural outcome is faster breathing. If we slow down and calm the breathing, the body goes down to a relaxed state and in turn reduces the levels of stress hormones.

There have been hundreds of scientific researches on the effectiveness of Mindfulness in relieving stress. There is proven evidence that Mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety.

The practicing adolescents learn new ways of responding to events and factors that previously caused chronic stress. In time with continuous practice, they develop an even minded response to previous causes of Chronic Stress.

Aruna Manathunge can be contacted at [email protected]