In the manic phase of bipolar disorder, individuals may feel like they do not need to eat or sleep and have an inflated sense of self.This unrelenting alarm is essentially what happens when you have an anxiety disorder.This release of chemicals is normal and protective and is meant to be a limited response that ends when the threat ends.In anxiety, there is a chronic release of these chemicals because the fight or flight, or the alarm, stays on.Next, as mentioned, depression disrupts functionality and communication in multiple parts of the brain.This puts people at a high risk of exhaustion.A brain cell usually pulsates to a rhythm.Faster pulses are visible in an individual in a manic state.19 When the cells pulsate too fast for too long, the cell can become burned out, like a battery wears out from overuse.All these are risk factors for dementia.An aging brain is at risk for dementia.Could traumatic experiences during that time negatively impact the development, and thus structure, of the brain in a way that raises the risk for dementia later on?One study found that three or more traumatic experiences, such as abuse or neglect in childhood, increased the risk of developing dementia decades later. During brain development, traumatic experiences can disrupt the complete formation of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. This disruption can manifest in a brain that has difficulty managing mood.The developing brain is vulnerable and needs to be protected.Imbalances between chemicals that occur naturally in the brain can also contribute to brain aging.Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which regulate mood and focus, pass between brain cells and are crucial aspects of mental health.For instance, when someone with bipolar disorder is in a manic state, the levels of dopamine and serotonin passing from one brain cell to another are elevated.Mechanisms within the brain notice that the levels of chemicals being squirted out of these brain cells are too high, and shut off their release.This can lead to a vicious cycle of brain cells releasing too much or too little of these critical chemicals, which can eventually negatively affect memory.Chemical imbalances also factor into depression, where there is evidence that feelings of low motivation are caused in part by lack of dopamine.And, while the role of serotonin is not completely clear in depression, we do know that low levels of serotonin can negatively impact mood.The role of serotonin and dopamine in mental health has been oversimplified in the past.These key chemicals absolutely play a role in these conditions, but whether their imbalance is the root cause or a secondary effect is not clear.The brain is too complex for us to say that simply adding or subtracting one ingredient will achieve balance.Too much or too little throws off that balance, damaging and aging brain cells.It’s worth revisiting the topic here.Remember we discussed a link between moods, the brain, and the body’s immune response.Inflammation and autoimmunity also affect mental health.This is something that’s particularly important for women to know.Imagine a woman in her forties to fifties sitting in a doctor’s office, detailing her struggle with depression.She has tried antidepressants and talk therapy, yet she hasn’t gotten relief from her symptoms.She cannot pinpoint where her depression stems from.She talks about the stress in her life, but it’s not enough to warrant her terrible feelings.In many cases, a doctor might suspect that the cause of her depression is menopause, which seems logical and plausible, as changes in hormones can impact mood.However, in some cases, menopause is not the root cause of depression and/or anxiety.When it doesn’t produce enough hormones, you may experience symptoms like fatigue, sensitivity to cold, dry skin, hair loss, weight gain, and yes, depression and memory issues.It turns out that patient was suffering from an inflamed thyroid.The problem wasn’t rooted solely in her brain.For decades, conventional thinking approached anxiety and depression solely as a disease that involved the brain, so antidepressants and talk therapy were assumed to be the best treatment.Mood disorders can raise levels of inflammation by elevating stress hormones.And inflammation can raise the risk of depression, anxiety, and dementia by attacking the brain.And a brain that is under attack ages prematurely.Treating depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder may involve medication and therapy.For much of the 1990s, he was the face of tennis.His epic matches with the other tennis greats of his time, like Andre Agassi, Michael Chang,, and Jim Courier, are legendary.I couldn’t tell you what made him such an elite player when it came to the ins and outs of tennis, but I do know something that surely contributed to his success.Every time Sampras entered a new hotel room, he took the tape and covered every electronic light in the room.If daylight peeked through the drapes, they were taped closed.Anything that emitted light got smothered by the black tape.Sampras discovered he played better, was more focused, and had more energy when he slept in true darkness.But now, we know he was on to something.In other words, it is not only the number of hours of sleep you get but also how effective those hours are.Sleep is something you might think about when you don’t get enough of it or when you wake up asking yourself why your dream just featured an otter, your kindergarten teacher, and a swimming pool filled with ten thousand nectarines.Sleep isn’t just rest or time to dream.You might be surprised to hear that sleep difficulty is related to such diseases and conditions as diabetes, heart disease, depression, anxiety, cancer, and obesity, as well as Alzheimer’s and dementia.Poor sleep doesn’t put us at risk for these conditions just because it makes us tired.Let’s take a closer look at what happens when we nod off at night.