Ever been so stressed that you cry without reason? Researchers are studying the effects of stress and depression on people’s daily lives in the short and long-term. The results are surprising regarding how the body responds differently to short-term stress versus long-term.
Stress, at times, can seem all-encompassing. It is present in our daily life, our work life, emotional life, religious life, and even in our home life. But why does it seem to not really affect some people, and others are entirely debilitated by its effects? This is what researchers from Changchun, China have been studying using genetically altered mouse strains. The mice were divided into two categories: those with fewer glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) cells, and those with normal levels of GDNF.
GDNF, or glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor, is a genetic factor that helps brain cells have the plasticity that they need to deal with stress. Plasticity refers to your brain’s ability to maintain connections between neurons, make changes as needed, and adapt to changes, even under stressful conditions.
In the study, the mice were exposed to the same stressors, but the ones who had fewer GDNF struggled through the tasks and had depressive-like symptoms. The difficulties were similar to the ones that humans face in long-term social situations like social defeat, unpredictable events, reward-based events, and helplessness. The stress caused symptoms such as irritability, avoiding social activities, reduced appetite, inappropriate attention-focusing behaviors, inability to feel pleasure, and an unusual lack of energy in the mice. All of which are signs of depression. However, the mice that had normal levels of GDNF were able to adapt to the stress better, thereby avoiding some of these stress and depression effects.
When considering how stress and depression is seen in humans, it is helpful to remember how the body deals with stress. Stress can be defined as anything that causes a reaction in your body that signals a need to protect itself. It can be a virus, a pathogen, a car swerving in your direction, a scary diagnosis from the doctor, or a bee sting. All of these trigger a response from the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response system.
The NEM response uses six organ systems, or circuits, to send out immediate relief wherever needed. The six different circuits are the hormone, bioenergetics, detoxification, inflammation, cardionomic, and neuroaffect circuits. It can use a combination of circuits as needed to get the body ready to fight, flee, or manage stress. The adrenaline rush that you feel after a car swerves in front of you is from the adrenal glands releasing adrenaline to deal with the immediate danger. The adrenal glands also release cortisol, to help your body calm down, slow down your pounding heart rate, and return you back to normal when the event is over.
Acute stress is something that lasts a short amount of time. The body deals with it, and life continues as usual. But what happens when the stress doesn’t go away? If the car accident turns into months of dealing with insurance agents, paying extra bills, and worry about how you are going to make ends meet? Acute stress turns into chronic stress, and now the body has to deal with the harmful effects of stress on the body.
As the stress continues to worsen, the body cannot deal with the increasing loads. The NEM Stress Response is pushed to maximum levels and can begin to become unbalanced as it runs out of energy. This unbalance is seen as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS). It can start out very mild with symptoms that are hard to source (such as tiredness and upset stomach), but it can quickly progress into serious problems. If the neuroaffect circuit becomes unbalanced, you may have symptoms of stress intolerance, anxiety, depression, a sense of impending doom, and increased fatigue.
The lack of cortisol is also seen in the rest of the body as worsening inflammation. This inflammation can cause painful joints, irritate your heart, raise your cholesterol levels, and reduce the GDNF factor in the brain
There are two ways to approach brain health. The first and more well-known path is to focus on the brain in your head, which receives the neural impulses from all over your body and interprets them. However, there is also what is considered a second brain located in your gut. The digestive tract has 100 million nerve cells situated within it. These nerve cells help to tell the body to release enzymes to digest your food. It controls blood and fluid flow. It also contains more neurotransmitters than your head and can be a major source of mental-emotional signals and imbalances.
By addressing these two areas, these five steps can help your brain heal from stress and depression.
You need to get those eight to ten hours of sleep every night. Your mother wasn’t just nagging you; your body is only able to repair itself while you are sleeping. Those who chronically don’t get enough sleep have lower levels of GDNF than people who are well rested.
This can allow your digestive tract to take a break, and permit the body to create GDNF and other hormones that it needs. The fasting can be as simple as avoiding food for 12 hours. For example, have dinner at 7 in the evening, and then don’t eat anything until breakfast at 7 the next morning.
It can increase your GDNF levels, and is often lacking for people who live in colder climates or do not get a lot of sunshine. Of course, if you are outside for an extended period of time, make sure you are wearing sunscreen to prevent harmful radiation damage to your skin.
Studies have shown that those who are more outgoing and friendly have higher levels of GDNF present. So plan for a fun night out or dinner with friends because laughter is the best medicine!
Stress and depression can be minimized by daily exercise. Aerobic exercise, to increase the oxygen in the body, has been shown to be very beneficial. It also helps to release endorphins that help you feel better. Studies show that consistent, mild exercise can help to increase levels of GDNF within five weeks in those who are deficient.
If the gut is fed healthy food, then the brain benefits. The opposite is true as well; lousy nutrition hurts the digestive tract and the brain. Brain healthy foods include:
Supplements also help ensure you are getting the right amount of nutrients for brain health and for managing stress and depression.
Turmeric is also found in supplement form, and it helps to reduce the damaging effects of oxygen in the brain (antioxidant). Turmeric, compounded in the form of curcumin, is also very helpful for increasing levels of GDNF. You should speak with your healthcare provider to make sure you get ones that are in the “bioavailable” form as some supplements are not easily digested.
Zinc is a popular supplement to reduce cold and flu symptoms, but it also is a vital supplement for the brain. It helps to signal your body to increase GDNF levels. Research has shown that most people are deficient in zinc, so it could be good to have your levels assessed.
Magnesium helps to relax the body’s muscles and supports the brain. It also helps the body express GDNF as it should and has been found to aid depression. However, please note that too much magnesium in the body is not safe and can cause problems with the heart and blood pressure. Also, pregnant women should not take magnesium supplements without talking to a doctor.
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to restore proper levels of GDNF. The supplements can be taken by mouth if you don’t eat fish every day. Try to find a high-quality supplement that is tested low in mercury.
DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) is a form of omega-3 of particular interest. DHA is something that everyone needs. It helps not only the brain but can work toward maintaining cholesterol levels and keeping the heart functioning properly.
Talk therapy allows you to voice the mental stress that the brain is feeling. As you are able to voice your feelings and emotions, it becomes easier to release the pressure that you are feeling.
Practicing mindfulness and focusing on the present moment is very helpful. It is very easy to get caught up in future plans and worries, but learning to focus on the here and now helps you to stay grounded and calm.
Adrenal Breathing is slow, focused, deep breathing that allows the body to relax and oxygenate properly. The parasympathetic nervous system becomes active through adrenal breathing which enables the digestive tract to work properly, the to muscles relax, and the heart rate to decrease.
Depression can be a result of stress, and while you may never be completely free of stress, depression is something that can and should be addressed. Through eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise, working on increasing the GDNF in the brain, taking supplements as needed, and working to manage stress, you can begin to heal.
The neuroplasticity of the brain is a beautiful thing; it can help you to bounce back when those bad days come. The more you can restore the proper levels of GDNF and reduce the stress within your body, the easier it will be to heal from stress and depression.
The exact causes of stress and depression are going to be different for everyone, so it is important to look at what the cause is in your case. The best ways to heal will be individual, but are most likely through a healthy diet, getting adequate sleep, getting enough exercise, dedicated therapy to help you deal with emotional issues, or health supplements.
