Title: The Relationship Between Anxiety and Memory Loss - Rivier Academics
Headings: Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress opens in new window with specific benefits, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Anxiety not only alerts you of dangers, but it helps you prepare for and pay attention to them.
Examining the Stress Response
How It Happens
The Link to Memory
How Anxiety and Memory Loss Are Connected
Understanding Anxiety

Content: those with “low” and “high” anxiety. No participants had clinically significant levels of anxiety. The two groups were asked to answer questions about the spelling or meaning of words overlaid onto neutral images, like a house, or negative images, like a car accident. Memory performance didn’t differ based on anxiety levels, but the study found that the group with higher anxiety was able to remember words displayed over negative images. “ Their memories were more emotionally tinted,” said the study’s co-author Myra Fernandes, “and as a result rendered more memorable.” The study verified previous research suggesting that emotional content can strengthen memories. Of course, there is a limit to that effect. “ To some degree, there is an optimal level of anxiety that is going to benefit your memory,” according to Fernandes. “ But we know from other research that high levels of anxiety can cause people to reach a tipping point, which impacts their memories and performance.” Excessive anxiety can exhaust your body and undermine benefits associated with the stress response.