This infographic was powerful!

The topic? STRESS!

Yup, we all have it!

Do we realize the toll it is taking on our bodies and our brains?

Along with all the symptoms listed in this infographic, there are profound effects on our brains as well!

💥When we have stress, cortisol is released into the body, this is normal. The problem exists when we live in chronically stressful situations. With chronic stress, the cortisol levels remain high in the body causing our Pre-frontal cortex (the problem solving, thinking part of the brain) to shrink and the Amygdala (the threat center of the brain) to grow and become hyperactive. It also kills brain cells and increases brain fog!

💥When the Amygdala is in charge, we are defensive, judgmental, self-protective and ready to fight! It is the home of the fight, flight or freeze response in our brains.

💥People protect themselves from these threats by lashing out, withdrawing, or hiding.

💥Over time, the more stress we endure, the deeper and wider the neural pathways become in our brains. We are in effect training our brains to REACT in combat mode!

💥How do we break this cycle?

💥Healthy ways to break the cycle include, slowing down and noticing your surroundings (especially in nature).

💥Practice taking deep breaths, which automatically triggers your brain to release counteracting hormones that produce calm.

💥Another way to decrease your stress is to exercise. When we exercise, we release other feel-good hormones that combat the cortisol.

How have your broken the stress cycle in your life?

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