Stress is the root cause of many evil. In the times we live in, stress is almost a constant, be it in the work place or while carrying out day-to-day errands. One would assume that when stressed an individual would pay more heed to his surroundings because the mind is restless. But contrary to the conventional view that stress enhances our ability to detect sources of threat, a team of researchers have found that it diminishes the ability to predict new dangers. The research indicated that stress reduces physiological response to the new threat cue.
The researchers applied a computational learning model to further understand how stress affects flexibility in decision-making. This analysis revealed a learning deficit for the subject put under the stress condition that participants used to update the cue associations. In short, this resulted in a slower rate of learning.
"Our study shows that when we are under stress, we pay less attention to changes in the environment, potentially putting us at an increased risk for ignoring new sources of threat," said lead author Candace Raio, a postdoctoral researcher at New York University.
The researchers conducted a series of experiments to test the ability to learn to flexibly update threat responses under stressful conditions. Here, the participants viewed images on a computer screen. The appearance of some images was coupled with a mild, electric wrist-shock. Half of the participants underwent a laboratory procedure a day later designed to induce stress. This "stress group" placed their arm in an ice-water bath for a few minutes, which elevated the two stress hormones - alpha-amylase and cortisol.
Later, all the participants repeated the threat-conditioning procedure. However, this time the cue outcomes switched. The earlier threatening cue no longer predicted shock, but the formerly safe cue did. While the participants viewed the images, the researchers collected physiological arousal responses in order to measure how individuals anticipated the outcome of each cue. On the second day, the "stress group" was less likely to change their responses to threats than the control group.
The research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggested that participants did not fully switch their association with this cue from safe to threatening.
Here are some foods that you can eat to beat stress in any given situation:
1. Lentils
Lentils are power packed with vitamin B which is known to reduce fatigue and tiredness. It also helps fire up your energy levels.
2. Banana
Bananas are rich in vitamin C which is an effective stress fighting nutrient. It also helps repair cell damage caused due to stress.
3. Yogurt
Yogurt is packed with calcium which is a great source of slashing stress. It also has good bacteria that kill anxiety and depression. So don't forget to add more yogurt to your diet.
4. Coconut
Coconut contains medium chain fats that improve our mental health and infuse positivity. The scent of the coconut is known to have a psychological effect that helps reduce anxiety and slows out heart rate.