Page 11 - Molly 30.05.2022
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When stress chemicals are released, it gives a message to our brain that something is not
ok. Our brain’s main job is to keep us alive so when it thinks something is going wrong, it
goes into a mini survival response.
Sometimes brains find it hard to tell the difference between real danger (like being chased
by a bear!) and not such serious dangers (e.g. thinking we may do badly in a maths test or
that our best friend is cross with us).
In survival response, the brain switches down the energy expensive parts of our body. This
is to save energy so it can be used for staying alive (like running away from that bear!). It
is a bit like turning the radiator down to save energy.
The brain turns down the digestive system (that’s why people may feel sick when stress is
high) our immune system (which is why people get ill when their stress is high) and our
pre-frontal cortex (the part of the brain in charge of Executive Function Skills that help us
to be attentive, flexible, regulated and remember to check things.
This means that if our brain gets worried about something (like maths), it is even more
difficult to learn well.
