New Updated Article

Anxiety can help us protect ourselves by focusing our attention. When this feeling becomes all consuming it can reduce the enjoyment we feel in everyday life. Find out how to reduce anxiety in this week’s featured article.

This article has recently been updated to reflect the latest medical evidence.

Expert Insights:

Every week we’ll feature a new question submitted to our experts by a Premium Member.

Question: “Can anxiety affect memory and brain health?”

Dr. Geen’s Answer:

Yes, chronic anxiety has been linked to developing future problems with your memory.

When you're anxious, your body stays in a state of stress, releasing hormones like cortisol. Over time, high cortisol levels can shrink parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning, like the hippocampus.

As well, when people are in moments of high anxiety their minds are preoccupied with their worries, making it hard for them to pay attention to anything else. You might feel “frazzled” and easily distracted, and have difficulty recalling what someone just said to you.

This can look like having memory problems, when really it was a problem in taking in the information in the first place, not with retrieving or forming a new memory.

The good news? Mind-body tools like deep breathing, regular exercise, short daily meditations, and therapy or medications have been shown to lower anxiety.

✨ Small shifts, big impact. Prioritize calm to protect your memory.

Have a question for our experts?
👉 Submit it here.