How stress affects thinking and decision making

Stress is a natural response to challenging or unexpected situations. It exists for a good reason. When it is acute and short-lived, stress primes the body and brain for improved performance in emergency situations. However, if stress becomes prolonged or chronic, it may alter important brain activity. Too much stress may adversely affect our thinking, health, wellbeing, and productivity.

Here are tips to help you manage your stress:

Understand the natural stress response. When a stressful situation arises, the hormones cortisol and adrenaline kick in. Cortisol acts as our main “stress hormone.” In the short term, an increase in cortisol takes our focus away from anything besides the “acute stress” (fight-or-flight) response. Our bodies need some cortisol to work properly. However, too much cortisol over a prolonged period may have serious health effects, including high blood pressure, weight gain, and osteoporosis. Adrenaline, another hormone released by the body when we are experiencing stress, raises the heart rate and blood pressure, dilates the air passages, and enables the cells to produce more energy.

Stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex and increase the size of the amygdala, which can make the brain more receptive to stress.

What does all this have to do with thinking and decision making? As instinctive responses become stronger, rational thinking may be lessened. From an evolutionary perspective, as more oxygen is redirected to the limbs (so we can run away from a predator), less oxygen is received by the brain. It becomes harder to think clearly; we may feel anxious, angry, or scared. Our brains lose capacity to judge the best course of action and to solve problems.

How can you keep stress from negatively affecting your thinking and decision-making? Consider the following important points:

Keep an eye on your stress. How are you feeling? Are you more irritable or annoyed than usual? Not sleeping as well at night? Stress alters our brain circuitry. The presence of stress hormones may impair the function of the prefrontal cortex, the part of our brain that is associated with higher-level thinking. This makes us less reflective and more reactive. When we are under stress, we can become anxious, restless, depressed, angry, irritable, aggressive, or withdrawn. We lose focus and motivation and fatigue more easily. Some people may resort to unhealthy strategies to cope with stress. Check in with your stress levels regularly so you can spot any issues that may be arising.

Take steps to manage stress. When it is chronic or prolonged, stress can be damaging to our health and wellbeing. Chronic or “toxic” stress can have long-term effects on the brain. It can damage our sociability, making us want to avoid interacting with others. It can kill brain cells and shrink the prefrontal cortex, harming our ability to learn and remember. It can also create a vicious cycle, making us more receptive to future stress and predisposing us to be in a constant fight-or-flight mode.

There is good news, however. Research shows that the brain is “plastic” throughout life. Our brains can physically develop and change throughout adulthood. Making lifestyle adjustments to reduce stress and lower cortisol is believed to be able to improve our brain’s structure and connectivity, helping us avoid the harmful effects of toxic stress for a healthier brain and a happier life.