Mark Twain’s work space
Extract”Research from the University of California, Berkeley, reveals an upside to experiencing moderate levels of stress. But it also reinforces how important it is to keep stress under control. The study, led by post-doctoral fellow Elizabeth Kirby, found that the onset of stress entices the brain into growing new cells responsible for improved memory. However, this effect is only seen when stress is intermittent. As soon as the stress continues beyond a few moments into a prolonged state, it suppresses the brain’s ability to develop new cells.
“I think intermittent stressful events are probably what keeps the brain more alert, and you perform better when you are alert,” Kirby says. For animals, intermittent stress is the bulk of what they experience, in the form of physical threats in their immediate environment. Long ago, this was also the case for humans. As the human brain evolved and increased in complexity, we’ve developed the ability to worry and perseverate on events, which creates frequent experiences of prolonged stress.”
How my heart sings 
Thank you Katherine. An interesting take on the benefits of mild stress. A few things come to mind: the oddities research uncovers, and a possible reason why my memory is so sharp.
I am glad you liked that,David.
found that once trying to memorise a new phone number,.I was a bit stressed and found I can remember it always unlike other humbers.Mike Flemming gave me a link to that LinkedIn website re a discussion we had about what the word “church” could have meant in Jesus’s time.The translation should be congregation.So I looked at the website further….intriguing.I think it might be related to LinkedIn where you can contact people and describe your skills but I’ve not checked it,Katherine.