Mental Health

The Latest Research on Stress You Need to Know

Explore groundbreaking research on stress, brain chemistry, and immune responses, and learn new insights on managing stress for a healthier life.

By URLife Team

04 Oct 2024

A recent study has revealed that working women in India are more stressed than men. A 2024 study by the British Safety Council India, employees aged 21 to 30 are the most stressed, with 64.42 per cent of them experiencing high stress levels. Those aged 31 to 40 aren't far behind, with 59.81 per cent also reporting high stress.

The enduring and increasing prevalence of stress has led psychologists to prioritise it as a critical area of study, leading to numerous extensive research efforts. Their discoveries have offered valuable insights into the multifaceted origins and implications of stress, as well as effective strategies for reducing and alleviating its impact.

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Here are some of the most important discoveries they've made.

1. Confronting trauma alleviates chronic pain

Study finds newer psychotherapy provides greater pain reduction compared to cognitive behavioural therapy.

A 2024 study led by UCLA Health and the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office found that a new type of therapy can significantly reduce chronic pain in older adults. This therapy helps patients deal with past trauma and stress, which can make pain worse. The study found that 63 per cent of veterans saw more improvements in anxiety, depression, PTSD, and overall life satisfaction. Developed in the 2010s, the treatment focuses on showing patients how stress-related emotions can affect how their brain feels pain. Patients are asked to think about a stressful event, whether it's something small like getting cut off in traffic or something serious like sexual assault. The goal is for them to experience these emotions physically and mentally, confront them, express their feelings, and eventually let go of the pain.

2. Trauma can be hereditary

Research has strengthened the evidence that trauma’s impact can be passed down through generations. It’s not just about how parents behave; the effects can begin in the womb and might even be written into eggs and sperm.

Did you know that the scars of trauma can be passed down through generations? It's not about changing the DNA itself, but rather tweaking how it works. A 2018 study issued in the journal World Psychiatry suggests that these changes, called epigenetic changes, don't damage the gene but adjust how it's expressed, like a dimmer switch controlling the brightness of a light. So, while your DNA sequence remains the same, the way your body interprets and responds to it can be significantly influenced by the traumas experienced by your ancestors.

Stress during pregnancy is another significant pathway for trauma to affect the next generation. When a pregnant person experiences high levels of stress, the developing foetus is exposed to stress hormones like cortisol, which can alter brain development and increase the risk of mental health disorders later in life.

Related story: Trauma is Hereditary, Says Study

3. Intervention reduces stress in older adults with dementia

Caregivers of older adults living with dementia experienced a 15 per cent drop in stress after a 9-week online peer support program.

A 2024 study published in the Journal of Applied Gerontology, led by researchers from George Mason University, found that a 9-week online stress management program reduced stress by 15 per cent for 97 family caregivers of older adults with dementia. The study showed that caregivers experienced varying levels of stress depending on the severity of the dementia. The program, held over Zoom in a peer group setting, provided helpful strategies for managing stress while caring for someone with dementia. Techniques included breathing exercises, meditation, addressing dementia-related behaviours, and peer support within the virtual group.

4. Stress knocks out your cognitive reserve

High or long-term stress is linked to less social interaction, difficulty enjoying leisure or physical activities, and a higher risk of developing dementia.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet studied the connection between cognitive reserve (the brain's ability to cope with damage), mental performance, and Alzheimer's biomarkers in 113 patients from a memory clinic. They also examined how physiological stress (cortisol levels in saliva) and psychological stress influenced this connection.
They found that having a greater cognitive reserve improved cognition, but high physiological stress weakened this effect. These findings suggest that practices like mindfulness and meditation, which lower cortisol levels, might help improve cognitive function.

5. Stress bragging may make you seem less competent, less likeable at work

Study shows that busy bragging, complaining about how stressed you are can also cause burnout in co-workers.

People who talk about how stressed they are come across as less competent and less likeable to their co-workers. A 2024 research by the University of Georgia shows that this kind of stress-bragging actually backfires. In the study, participants rated a co-worker who complained about their workload—saying things like, "you have no idea the stress I'm under"—as less likeable and competent than someone who just said work was stressful or focused on positive experiences. They were also less likely to help the stress-bragger with tasks.

This shows that people may be hurting their own reputation by trying to seem impressive by complaining about stress.

6. Physical activity reduces stress-related brain activity to lower cardiovascular disease risk

New research indicates that physical activity lowers cardiovascular disease risk in part by reducing stress-related signalling in the brain.

A 2024 study led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that people with stress-related conditions, like depression, experienced significant heart health benefits from physical activity. Those who met recommended exercise levels had a 23 per cent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to those who didn’t.
The study also found that people who were more physically active had lower stress-related brain activity. This was linked to improvements in the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain involved in decision-making and impulse control, which helps regulate stress.

The latest research on stress reveals its deep effects on brain chemistry, immune function, and overall health. Understanding these impacts provides valuable insights into how stress management can enhance well-being. By adopting new strategies and approaches, individuals can better cope with stress and live healthier, more balanced lives. These studies highlight the powerful role that physical activity plays in reducing both stress-related brain activity and the risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly for individuals with conditions like depression.

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