Stress is an unavoidable part of life, and while it often carries a negative connotation, it is actually a fundamental survival mechanism. When faced with a perceived threat, whether physical or emotional, the body instinctively reacts to protect itself. This automatic response is commonly known as the "fight, flight, or freeze" response. While it serves an essential function in dangerous situations, chronic activation of this response due to daily stressors can have significant consequences for mental and physical health.

The body’s response to stress is rooted in human evolution. When our ancestors encountered a predator, their nervous systems immediately prepared them to either confront the threat (fight), escape to safety (flight), or become still and unnoticed (freeze). While modern-day stressors may not include wild animals, our nervous system reacts similarly to job pressures, financial worries, or social conflicts.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress is the body's response to change, activating a physiological reaction that helps us adapt and protect ourselves. While short-term stress can be beneficial, prolonged exposure can lead to an overactive stress response, negatively impacting overall well-being.

The Three Stress Responses: Fight, Flight, and Freeze

1. Fight

The fight response prepares the body for direct action. When triggered, the nervous system releases adrenaline, increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. While this reaction once helped early humans fend off predators, today it manifests as irritability, frustration, or aggression.

For instance, the employee who has experienced too much workload may work extremely long hours just to succeed. In short term, the action may produce good results but mostly ends in burnout, anxiety, and physical illness, for example, tension headache or digestion problems.

2. Fight

The flight response triggers an intense need to remove oneself from a stressful situation. Just as our ancestors would flee from danger, modern individuals may avoid conflict, quit jobs impulsively, or detach from relationships when overwhelmed.

Flight mode is linked with restlessness and anxiety. Individuals may have a sense of needing to get up and go-pacing, changing environments constantly, or avoiding tasks that seem too overwhelming. Someone with a flight response might have the desire to change jobs constantly, relocate constantly, or become reclusive in order to avoid perceived dangers.

3. Freeze

The freeze response occurs when the nervous system perceives a threat as too overwhelming to fight or flee. Rather than taking action, individuals shut down, feeling numb, disconnected, or paralyzed by fear.

Unlike fight or flight, which involve heightened activation, freeze mode slows down physiological functions. A person experiencing freeze mode may feel physically unable to move, struggle to make decisions, or find themselves dissociating from their emotions. This can manifest in situations such as public speaking anxiety, where someone might "blank out" or feel stuck in the moment.

What Happens in the Body During A Stressful Event?

When faced with a stressor, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activates, triggering physiological changes, including:

• Increased heart rate and breathing: The body pumps more oxygen to muscles and the brain in case action is needed.
• Muscle tension: The body prepares for movement, sometimes causing trembling or stiffness.
• Dilated pupils: Vision sharpens to detect potential threats.
• Dry mouth: Saliva production decreases as the body redirects energy to essential functions.
• Changes in skin tone: Blood flow is directed to vital organs, sometimes making the skin appear pale or flushed.

For those experiencing the freeze response, the body undergoes a different reaction, often reducing heart rate and causing physical immobility rather than heightened activation.

Strategies for Coping and Managing the Stress Response

While the stress response is necessary for survival, frequent activation due to daily stressors can take a toll on health. Recognizing your default response—whether fight, flight, or freeze—can help in developing effective coping mechanisms.

1. Moving to a Safe Space

If possible, changing your environment can help signal to your brain that the threat has passed. Stepping outside for fresh air, finding a quiet place, or distancing yourself from overwhelming stimuli can help regulate emotions.

2. Practicing Controlled Breathing

Deep, slow breathing can be used to counteract the stress response by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation. Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing or the 4-7-8 method (inhale for four seconds, hold for seven, exhale for eight) can be particularly effective in calming the body.

3. Engaging in Physical Activity

This helps release pent-up energy and aids in the endorphin cascade, natural boosters for our mood.

4. Seeking Social Support

Relieving oneself from stress can come in many ways, but sharing it with trusted friends, a family member, or a good therapist will sure give that psychological boost of hope. Social support is an especially effective way of cushioning people against the stressors that they are subjected to in chronic forms.

When to Seek Professional Help

While occasional stress is normal, chronic activation of the fight, flight, or freeze response can indicate underlying mental health concerns, such as anxiety disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If stress is affecting daily life—leading to sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, or persistent feelings of fear—it may be time to consult a mental health professional.

Before "brain health" became a buzzword, Rudolph E Tanzi started to write the science behind it. Tanzi is a neurology professor at the Harvard, and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital is known for discovering three key Alzheimer's genes. In his 46-year career, he wrote hundreds of journal articles that helped in shaping the modern understanding of neurodegenerative illness.

In 2023, neuroscientist also teamed up with holistic health advocate Deepak Chopra to write Super Brain, a book that pushed against the idea that brain has fixed limits. The belief also sits at the heart of SHIELD, which a lifestyle framework developed by Tanzi to protect long-term brain health. It focuses on six pillars:

• Sleep
• Handling stress
• Interaction with others
• Exercise
• Learning
• Diet

Tanzi now 67, says these principles are not just theoretical, but he credits his own research and daily habits for helping him stay mentally sharp, physically active and deeply engaged in his work.

“I’m doing more work and having more fun and excitement than ever,” he says. “Your world can feel young or stagnant based entirely on the health of your brain. Most people do not realize that.”

Let us look deeper into SHIELD:

Sleep

Tanzi aims for seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep, he explains, is not just rest. It is active maintenance for the brain.

During deep sleep, the brain clears out toxins, including amyloid proteins that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear. Each deep sleep cycle works like a rinse for the brain.

Rather than following a fixed bedtime, Tanzi plans backward from his wake-up time to ensure at least seven hours of sleep. An hour before bed, screens go off and phone scrolling stops. If sleep falls short, he recommends short power naps, even brief ones.

Handling stress

Chronic stress is one of the biggest threats to brain health. It raises cortisol levels, which Tanzi describes as toxic to the brain over time.

He believes modern life has amplified stress through constant notifications, emails and social media. His primary tool to counter this is meditation, especially practices that quiet the constant internal chatter many people experience.

Tanzi suggests closing your eyes periodically during the day and focusing on images rather than words. Let thoughts come and go without turning them into sentences. He also warns against living mentally in the past or worrying excessively about the future instead of staying present.

Reducing this internal noise, he says, boosts creativity, intuition and mental clarity.

Interaction with friends

Social connection matters more than many people realize. Loneliness has been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline.

The key, Tanzi says, is interacting with people you genuinely enjoy. Stressful social interactions do not count. Even regular texting or phone calls can help.

Because many of his friends live far away, Tanzi stays connected through small, intentional check-ins with different friend groups each day. Used this way, social media can actually support brain health instead of draining it.

Read: Neurologist Shares 10 Eating Habits For A Longer, Healthier Life

Exercise

Regular movement improves blood flow to the brain and helps form new nerve cells, particularly in areas affected early by Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise also releases hormones that help break down harmful amyloid buildup.

Tanzi cycles on a stationary bike for 30 minutes every other day and walks on alternate days. He points to research showing that even modest increases in daily steps can meaningfully reduce dementia risk.

Learning new things

Learning builds new synapses, the connections that store memories and support thinking. When these connections weaken, cognition suffers.

As people age, Tanzi says they often become less adventurous and rely on the same mental patterns. That stagnation harms the brain.

To counter this, he constantly learns new music on the keyboard, writes his own compositions, reads widely and watches documentaries. New experiences keep the brain flexible and resilient.

Diet

Diet plays a central role in brain health, largely through the gut microbiome. When gut bacteria are balanced, they produce compounds that reduce inflammation and help clear amyloid from the brain.

Tanzi follows a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts and seeds. He is mostly vegan but not rigid. His snacks tend to be crunchy whole foods that gut bacteria thrive on.

He is also increasingly focused on environmental factors that affect the brain. His upcoming book will explore what he calls the “killer P’s,” including plastics, pollution, periodontal bacteria and processed foods, and how they quietly shape long-term brain health.

Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak: Nipah virus outbreak reported in West Bengal, India started with the cases of two nurses, one of whom is in "critical condition". Nearly 100 people are quarantined, and India's Ministry of Health shared precautions to prevent Nipah virus infection in a post on X.

However, how did it all start?

Nipah Virus: The Evolution And Where It All Began

The original infection was first identified in September 1998 in Perak, Malaysia, which was followed by second and third clusters in the state of Negri Sembilan, notes a 2021 study that tracks the evolution of the virus. The cases were prominent in adult men who were in contact with swine. By March 1999, a cluster of 11 similar cases were identified in Singapore, mostly common in slaughterhouse workers, who were in contact with pigs imported from Malaysia. This is how the virus started to become global. While people there were isolated, the outbreak in Malaysia continued to spread. This led to restrictions on swine imports to Singapore, followed by nationwide testing among pigs in Malaysia, and ultimately mass culling of over one million pigs from any farm in Malaysia with a confirmed infection.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak India: How Contagious Is It And Who Is Most At Risk?

Then appeared a new, distinct strain of Nipah virus with infection which was characterized largely by severe respiratory symptoms. In 2000-2001, Bangladesh and India were affected. Epidemiological studies revealed clustering around household members and hospital contacts without any clear animal exposure. This raised suspicion for human to human transmission.

Nipah Virus In Bats: How Did Scientists Know?

When Nipah virus (NiV) was first identified, scientists noted that the closely related Hendra virus persisted in fruit bats of the Pteropus genus, raising early suspicions that these bats could also be the natural reservoir for NiV. Later research confirmed the presence of NiV genetic material and neutralising antibodies in urine, saliva, blood and various organs of several Pteropus bat species across Asia, including in countries with no recorded human cases.

This raised doubts, and it was later revealed that due to the consumption of raw date palm juice, the infection developed. This is because bats also are carrier of the virus and they may bite into raw fruits or lick them, and consuming juice from such fruits could spread the infection. This was a common practice in Bangladesh and much of South Asia.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak in India: 100 People Quarantined, Doctor Issues Food Warnings

Studies examining human exposure patterns found a strong link between NiV infection and the consumption of raw date palm sap. The sap, typically harvested between December and February, is often contaminated by bats that feed on it, leaving behind saliva and urine. In Bangladesh, this route has been identified as the main pathway of transmission from bats to humans, although the possibility of additional human-to-human spread remains.

Nipah Virus Went Global

In 2014, a serious outbreak of illness hit two villages in southern Philippines, with people developing brain infections, meningitis and flu-like symptoms. Tests later confirmed Nipah virus as the cause. Among those who developed acute brain infection, the death rate was extremely high at 82 percent. While some infections spread from person to person, this was the first outbreak linked to the slaughter of horses and the consumption of horse meat. Around the same time, several horses and other domestic animals that had eaten horse meat also fell sick and died.

In 2018, another outbreak occurred in Kerala, India, where 23 confirmed and suspected cases were reported. The virus spread across three hospitals, with both primary and secondary infections traced back to one initial patient. Samples collected from the patient’s home and workplaces, including pets and partially eaten fruits dropped by bats, all tested negative for the virus, and the exact source of the infection could not be identified.

Read: Doctor Debunks Five Myths Around Nipah Virus

Nipah Virus Outbreak In India's West Bengal

Currently, two nurses, a doctor, hospital staff and some patients have reported to be infected by the virus. A survey conducted on bats in West Bengal found no active Nipah virus infection. Though there were antibodies detected in one specimen, which indicated prior exposure. This was confirmed by a senior state forest department official. The survey was conducted amid the identification of two confirmed Nipah virus cases.

To conduct the survey, nine bats near Kuberpur on the Kolkata-Barasat Road in Madhyamgram were tested using RT-PCR. All samples were negative, however, one bat, tested positive for antibodies. However, it only suggested prior infection, meaning there was no current risk of transmission.

Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak In India: How Is The Virus Being Contained?

The survey was conducted by the state forest department in collaboration with scientists form Pune-based National Institute of Virology. "The findings are reassuring, but caution is warranted. Surveillance and prevent measures will continue until we are fully assured that there is no risk," confirmed a senior official of the West Bengal Health Department.

Nipah Virus: What Is It And What Are The Symptoms?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals, and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person.

In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Although Nipah virus has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people.

Nipah Virus Symptoms

• Fever
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain and severe weakness

Your weight not only affects your heart health but also your brain health. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism has revealed a powerful connection between your body weight, heart and brain.

After studying over 500,000 people, scientists discovered that having a high Body Mass Index (BMI) can nearly double your chances of developing brain-related illnesses later in life, which confirms that being overweight and having high blood pressure are not just general health concerns, they are direct causes of dementia.

How Does Your Weight Affect Brain Health?

The study focused heavily on vascular dementia, a specific type of memory loss that occurs when the brain is damaged because of a lack of blood flow.

Think of your blood vessels like a system of pipes. If those pipes are narrowed or blocked due to weight-related issues, the "engine" (your brain) doesn't get the fuel it needs. Over time, this lack of oxygen and nutrients leads to permanent brain damage and the loss of memory and thinking skills.

Researchers found that high blood pressure, often caused by carrying extra weight, is the main "middleman" in this process. Blood pressure is measured with two numbers, and both play a part in brain health:

Systolic

This is the pressure when your heart beats. It accounts for about 18 percent of the link between obesity and dementia.

Diastolic

This is the pressure when your heart rests between beats. It accounts for about 25 percent of the link. When these numbers stay high, they constantly "batter" the delicate vessels in the brain, causing them to weaken or clog.

How Weight Affects the Brain

Beyond just blood flow, a high BMI impacts the brain in several other ways:

Increased Inflammation

Obesity often causes the body to be in a constant state of "alarm" or inflammation. This can irritate the immune system and eventually damage brain cells.

Metabolism Issues

When the body struggles to process energy and food properly, it changes how the brain uses energy, which can lead to cognitive decline.

Heart Strain

A heart that has to work harder to pump blood through a larger body eventually becomes less efficient at sending blood all the way up to the brain. Your heart essentially has to do twice as much work as it would at a lower weight.

Can Preventing Obesity Help Dementia?

The most encouraging takeaway from this study is that dementia isn't always a matter of bad luck or "old age." Researchers call this an unexploited opportunity.

By managing your weight and blood pressure early in life, through a healthy diet, consistent exercise, and good sleep, you are essentially "dementia-proofing" your brain. The researchers suggested that intervening early, possibly even with weight-loss medications before symptoms start, could be a key strategy for protecting brain health in the future.

How Much Does Obesity Affect Worldwide?

According to the World Health Organization, one in eight people in the world are living with obesity. In 2022, about 2.5 billion adults were overweight. Causes of it vary, from things like diseases or chronic conditions, to the kind of food that is available to consume.