Stress spaces you out

When you are under any kind of stress, all your faculties work at below optimal levels. Comprehension, judgement, discernment, deportment, emotions, memory recall, your body's vitals, everything goes for a six. You are not your usual self, so your thoughts and actions, too, are not what you would normally think and do. It is almost as though someone else has taken over your mind, body and spirit. When you are stressed, you may yell, frown, suspect, accuse, feel depressed - you could become a bundle of nerves, and your world turns upside down.

A new study published in 'Science advances' reported by Simon Spichak in Nature magazine says stress impairs your brain's ability to link memories - dampening insight. 'Acute stress makes it difficult to link memories of past events with fresh information... the results help to explain why people struggle to show insight under pressure.'

The universal solution to get instant relief from stress and anxiety is to take deep breaths. Breathe in, breathe out in a slow, measured pace, taking in a lungful of air and releasing it unhurriedly, in a steady stream. Repeat for a lasting solution, the underlying cause of stress has to be identified, understood, and remedial steps taken. Regular lifestyle practices that pre-empt any kind of stress include pranayam, meditation, chanting, walking, running and prayer. Self-affirmation can help auto-banish anxiety and stress.