by Cristina Marrone
Mood swings and family tensions risk ruining the Christmas period. A neuroscientist tells what happens to the brain when under stress and what to do to limit frustrations
Christmas is almost here, the rush for presents, lo stress of organizing the dinner or of the many Christmas toasts and dinners makes itself felt. Not to mention finances: the prices of everything have skyrocketed while salaries, in the vast majority of cases, are still the same. Among other things, such short days and a colder climate contribute to triggering mood swings and seasonal emotional disorders, fueling anxiety and stress, which research links to a greater number of events such as strokes and heart attacks.
Seena Matteo, biologist and neuroscientist at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas, with an article published in The Convestation he explained that recognizing what causes stress and knowing which parts of the brain are involved can help manage the response to stressful events, such as the Christmas period.
Slow and deep breathing to relax
Traffic, crowded airports and stations, congested highways cause great frustration. The brain region involved in the response to this type of stress is the hypothalamus, a structure located deep in the brain that has the task of maintaining the organism in a stable state (homeostasis). The hypothalamus works to regulate the autonomic nervous system, a system that regulates involuntary physiological processes such as heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, digestion, and sexual arousal. When we are under stress, for example when we find that our flight is delayed or even cancelled, the hypothalamus stimulates the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones in turn trigger physiological responses such as increased heart rate, sweating, and feelings of irritation and frustration. When stressors are high, deep breathing exercises can help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for helping the body relax and recover from stress. With slow and deep breaths it is therefore possible to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn calms anxiety and frustrations.
Difficult family dynamics
Finding yourself gathered at a table with the whole family to celebrate Christmas, even with relatives who meet once a year, can trigger considerable tensions and bring to the surface unresolved conflicts or sometimes embarrassing family dynamics. Frustrating and annoying conversations with relatives can activate a region of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex, defined as the bridge between cognitions and emotions, which establishes connections with both the “emotional” brain (the limbic system) and the “cognitive” system (prefrontal cortex). ), with an important role in emotional regulation processes. This region of the brain involved in monitoring and regulating cognitive processes, conflict resolution and error detection.
It plays a role in processing frustration by signaling when there is a conflict between expectations and outcomes. The anterior cingulate cortex is also involved in the so-called action-result learning, in which the consequences of an action are evaluated and one’s behavior is adapted. When you feel overwhelmed or frustrated, taking short breaks to step away from the frustrating situation (for example, getting up from the table to walk around the house or to a restaurant or a trip to the bathroom) can help you see things from a new perspective and come back with the mind is clearer and ideas are clearer. The pause is very useful for strengthening the understanding of the consequences of individual actions (action-result).
Economic stress
The Christmas holidays can represent an additional burden for those who find themselves in economic or financial difficulties. The cost of hosting a Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner, buying gifts or traveling can contribute to additional financial stress in an already stressful period. The region of the brain primarily associated with memory and learning is the hippocampus. When you remember past experiences, such as the high restaurant bill or how much you spent on food the previous year, or you think about the fact that in a few days the credit card expense account will be debited, the hippocampus. this area of the brain that deals with the interaction between memory formation and the retrieval of individual episodic memories.
One way to reduce financial stress could be to make gifts for friends and relatives instead of buying them, putting in a bit of manual skill and imagination. it is the thought, ultimately, that matters most. To reduce travel costs, you can organize a virtual visit with a collective video call to more distant relatives, postponing the real in-person visit to a period when transport will be less expensive or financial tensions will be eased.
Loneliness
Those who are alone and don’t have relatives or friends to celebrate with, or can’t see them because they are far away, may feel loneliness and a sense of isolation. In these cases the default mode network comes into play, a brain network that includes different brain regions, including the amygdala, which interact since they have highly correlated activities with each other. The amygdala is part of the limbic system and is associated with the processing of negative emotions and stimuli, such as the irritated reaction to the inability to travel. Numerous scientific studies have shown that it is possible to improve mood and reduce feelings of irritation and frustration by exercising regularly. Physical activity is an effective way to free yourself from accumulated stress and tension. Aerobic exercise can also regulate connections to and within the amygdala and thus help reduce depression. Finally, physical activity, in the gym or in the park, offers the opportunity to see other people and therefore feel more connected to the community.
Discussions about politics: best avoided
If family conversations veer towards politics, big trouble can actually arise because heated debates can develop which often lead to frustrating arguments or even violent verbal arguments. The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain involved in impulse control, decision making and emotional regulation. The prefrontal cortex plays a crucial role in evaluating certain situations such as excessively heated conversations and helps evaluate possible actions to be implemented and moderate emotional responses.
Understanding what triggers frustration in certain situations is fundamental to developing strategies to manage them or rather, avoid them. For example, when you sense that the discussion is going in a direction that easily drives you mad, the solution is to get up and walk away without getting involved. Better to opt for a walk, a pleasant phone call, or relaxation techniques. Everyone, with experience, will learn to identify (and avoid) the triggers of frustration, finding the right strategies to limit the damage as much as possible.
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December 21, 2023 (changed December 21, 2023 | 08:07)
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