Maintaining Mind and Body During Stressful Times - Episode 74

On this episode of Living Beyond 120, Mark and Dr. Gladden discuss how, during these trying times, prolonged extended anxiety – or to put it more simply, stress – not only negatively affects one's mental and neurological processes, but also has an impact on physiological processes.

They open with how stress compromises the brain by making it more difficult to recall memories as well as affecting one's decision-making abilities. This is doubly important for the elderly, especially those with neurological illnesses such as Alzheimer's Disease and those that suffer from Dementia. They also point out that stress impacts the brain's everyday functions such as cognitive functions, social skills and creativity.

Next, Mark and Dr. Gladden illustrate how stress also impacts the body. This can be seen by decreased effectiveness of the immune system, decreased response times and weakening of the muscles.

In order to increase the body and mind's health in response to stress, Mark and Dr. Gladden talk about the importance of vitamins, supplements, eating healthy, and exercise. They also discuss how one's mental well-being can be improved with social interaction by either face-to-face or via video communication in order to decrease the feelings of isolation.