Stress-Proof

Stress “boils” the brain. “Unboil” yours by teaching yourself to become more resistant to stress.

Much like hard-boiling an egg, stress boils the brain. As a result, it can experience “structural change,” during which the brain’s wiring transforms. You can take steps to unboil your brain by combating the effects of chronic stress.

When a stressful event occurs, the rational side of the brain can react calmly and reasonably, while the brain’s irrational side can panic and trigger your emotions. Chronic stress works overtime to shut down the brain’s calm side and to promote its unreasonable side. 

The brain is the headquarters of the autonomic nervous system. Its sympathetic nervous system manages the stress response, which the brain activates when a perceived threat looms. Today, most threats are psychosocial and provoke “emotional reactivity.”

The rational side of the system exerts a calming influence. When a threat occurs, your brain’s prefrontal cortex can reduce “stress reactivity,” control your emotions and enable you to keep ...