Stress Resilience & Brain Health
Researchers were interested in the intersection of stress resiliency, brain health, and gut microbiome health. Untreated stress increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Approximately $300 billion dollars is lost annually in the United States to stress-related missed work and health care costs.
Researchers surveyed 116 participants (61% female, average age 32 years) about their resiliency and then divided them into a high resilient group and a low resilient group. Participants provided stool samples for microbiome analysis and had MRI scans. They discovered that people in the high resiliency group had:
Less anxiety and depression;
Better cognition;
More activity in brain regions associated with emotion regulation;
Low inflammation in the gut; and
A strong and healthy gut barrier, which improves the capacity to absorb nutrients and block toxins from entering the gut.
This study indicates that resiliency is a whole-body phenomenon, and the brain and gut microbiome are intricately related to the fight-or-flight stress response.
Rick Hansen, PhD, published an entire book about developing resiliency skills: Resilient. He believes resiliency is made up of 12 inner strengths: compassion, grit, calm, courage, mindfulness, gratitude, motivation, aspiration, learning, confidence, intimacy, and generosity. His book has a chapter devoted to each resiliency skill.
Takeaway: Stress is toxic to our brain and body. Resiliency can be improved by developing mental strength skills. When we work to enhance resilience, we improve brain and gut health as well.
Well-being is a journey, not a quick fix.
The Legal Brain: A Lawyer’s Guide to Well-being and Better Job Performance is available on Amazon.
One reviewer said:
The Legal Brain is an important tool for understanding the complicated factors that impact lawyer well-being. It will help break the stigma around substance use and mental health disorders in the profession. These challenges are not weaknesses or failings, but brain chemistry issues that can be treated successfully.
Lisa Smith, Recovery Advocate and Author of Girl Walks out of a Bar
Sources
Digestive Disease Week, STRESS-RESILIENCE IMPACTS PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING: EVIDENCE FROM BRAIN-GUT MICROBIOME INTERACTIONS - Digestive Disease Week (digitellinc.com), May 19, 2024.
Kelsie Sandoval, Resilience Linked to Healthier Brain and Gut - Neuroscience News, June 21, 2024.
Rick Hanson, PhD, Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakeable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness 4 (2018).
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