We can all agree that stress is everywhere, whether we engage with it or not. From push notifications to deadlines and life engagements, acute stress is often the backdrop of our lives, silently humming as we pace towards an ever-changing, digitally enhanced world.
Every so often, we all bear the unfortunate reality of situational stress, a type of stress that throws us off balance for longer than we’d like. Situational stress can result from a family emergency, an unexpected expense, a move, or an accident. This type of stress can cause major changes in schedule, mood, and productivity.
But what happens when the stress doesn’t go away and continues to build on itself?
Chronic Stress in Neurology
Chronic stress is classified as prolonged stress that lingers for weeks, months and even years. This level of stress compromises long-term stability, as it is often the result of an underlying problem or situation that doesn’t go away for an extended period. This can include events such as a health diagnosis that requires long-term care, financial hardship, or a traumatic event.
Even with a perfect medical history, when a person is exposed to heightened levels of stress for prolonged periods, this can negatively impact the brain, impairing their ability to function optimally.
Much like the inconceivable notion of driving a car at maximum speed, keeping your foot on the gas, and never hitting the brake, chronic stress turns the valuable evolutionary advantage of the flight-or-fight response into overdrive, creating the opposite effect.
In medical terms, long-term stress is the chronic activation of the HPA axis (the brain’s stress response system). This sends a constant flush of stress hormones, known as cortisol, throughout the body. You can think of this as a constant production of adrenaline.
Over time, chronic stress pushes this system into overdrive, which dampens the body’s ability to mitigate unforeseen challenges and increases susceptibility to disease. What was once a healthy and amiable shield warding off life stressors has now become a liability and the cause of stress.
Common Neurological Conditions Affected by Stress
In many cases, like the chicken and egg effect, chronic stress and chronic health conditions go hand in hand. Chronic stress has been linked as a direct cause of a variety of health problems, including physical & psychological distress. Conversely, it can also develop as a result of living with a chronic health condition or battling disease.
Some of the conditions and diseases that are linked to chronic stress include common disorders like restless leg syndrome, IBS, anxiety & depressive disorder, type II diabetes, muscle tension, sleep disorder, hypertension, autoimmune disease, cancer, and more.
The following are prevalent neurologic conditions that are directly affected by chronic stress:
Migraine Disease
Studies show that nearly 70% of individuals who suffer from migraine disorder report heightened stress levels prior to a migraine attack. Ongoing stress weakens the brain’s ability to effectively regulate life’s daily stressors. With more and more pressure put on the body, this can cause several additional health problems, including sleep disturbances, poor blood sugar regulation, and more, all contributing factors to migraine disorder. Conversely, the presence of chronic migraine contributes an added dimension of stressors, including disability and disruption to daily work and family life.
Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease
Published journals on the influence of stress on dementia show a correlation between chronic stress levels and accelerated cognitive decline and memory loss. Additionally, chronic stress caused by traumatic events has been demonstrated to domino into multiple health problems, including psychological disorders, sleep disorders, and more.
MS
MS flare-ups and relapses have been linked to heightened stress levels in MS patients. The same triggers that cause MS flare-ups have been shown to cause increased inflammation and dysregulation during stress episodes. This leads to numbness, vision changes, weakness, numbness, gait and balance issues, and pain.
Stroke
While daily stress is unavoidable, prolonged stress has been shown to directly contribute to the “the perfect storm” of a stroke attack. Higher blood pressure and elevated blood sugar and fat levels create an increased risk of blood clot formation. Inversely, stress has also been shown to have a negative impact on recovering stroke patients, impairing brain function and the ability to rehabilitate progressively.
Stress Reduction for a Better Life
There’s a reason why stress is referred to as “a silent killer.” When most patients are diagnosed with a health condition, such as high blood pressure or sleep apnea, oftentimes the attention is placed on managing the task at hand. At the same time, the silent contributors of the disorder, like stress, can be easily overlooked.
The Silver Lining
While we can’t control everything, we can control how we “roll with the punches.”
Traditional wellness recommendations, like improved diet and exercise, can help reduce stress and generate positive cognitive and neurobiological benefits in patients with or without chronic disease.
As I like to tell my patients, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Consider the following Neurology Office stress reduction strategies for a better life:
1) Relax with Your Breath
Managing stress can be as simple as taking a deep breath. Deep breathing is an incredibly affordable option to quiet the mind and regulate your heart rate.
One simple exercise that you can do is the “Box Method” of breathing, where you breathe in for four seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out for four seconds, and hold for a final four seasons. Repeat this as needed. This stress reduction technique can be done anywhere in a safe, immobile position with your eyes closed for stress & anxiety reduction and overall nervous system regulation.
2) Take a Real Break
Many days, when we envision “taking a break,” the break still includes a menu of stimuli, including the television, cell phone, and more. Taking a break to reduce stress levels can look like taking a quiet walk outside, distraction-free, turning your attention to the present moment. While this can temporarily reduce stress levels, when breaks are taken repeatedly, this can regulate the nervous system and contribute to a lifestyle shift away from chronic stress levels.
3) Discover What “Active” Looks Like for You
Health is not one-size-fits-all, especially when living with chronic health conditions. While two hours of weightlifting in the gym may be a stress reliever for one, it may be the source of stress for another, and that’s okay.
Staying active in a way that contributes to both mental and physical well- being can look like leaning into slower-paced activities that nourish your nervous system. This could include gardening, joining a restorative yoga class, doing water walking, Pilates, tai chi, etc. I frequently demonstrate how to do chair aerobics in my visits with patients, because something as simple as 15 to 30 minutes of chair aerobics can have a dramatic positive impact on your health.
At Neurology Office, we offer a comprehensive approach to all our patients managing chronic health conditions. Remember, you don’t have to do it alone. With the use of traditional therapies alongside medical interventions such as injection therapies, medications, and more, a better future for our patients is always the goal in mind.
A Message From Dr. Kandel
“I always point out to my patients that when you are diagnosed with a chronic condition, part of the treatment is treating your mind as well as your illness. Relaxation therapy, mindfulness, psychological counseling and support all play a very significant role in your overall recovery. It is truly important to believe and practice the attitude that every day is the best day yet.”
For more chronic pain resources, feel free to visit the following links:
An Intro to Spinal Health Pain, Diagnosis & Treatment
Understanding Neck & Back Pain: Your Guide to Symptom Relief
Joseph Kandel, MD
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“To Cure Sometimes, To Heal Often, To Comfort Always”
Neurology Office, Joseph Kandel M.D. and Associates
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