Protecting your brain from farm stress

“The brain drives what we do and protecting the brain should be a priority for all of us,” Certified Speaking Professional, Michelle Payne told participants of a recent AgriSafe Network webinar focused on farm stress. Payne works to help normalize stress as a part of agriculture. She strives to help people better understand the science of how our brain naturally responds to stress. 

Mental health is now the top health concern in the United States, surpassing obesity, and in many cases, causing premature death, heart attacks, strokes, depression, and suicide. “The brain drives what we do and protecting the brain should be a priority for all of us,” Payne says. 

Stress is the body’s reaction to any change that requires adjustment or response. Traditionally, agriculture has had a culture of “pull yourself up by the bootstraps and take care of business.” Payne points out that suicides have increased by almost 3% since 2021 with two-thirds of those in rural areas. Rural youth suicide rates are double that of urban youth. She adds, farm stress has been found to be directly tied to how well the crops and livestock are doing. 

When someone experiences stress, a distress signal is sent to the brain. Then, the brain communicates to the rest of the body, through the nervous system, resulting in the energy needed for a person to fight or flee.

The nervous system has two components. One is the sympathetic nervous system, which causes a person to flee or get away. One the other hand, the parasympathetic nervous system, allows the body to have a slower reaction to danger.

What are the signs and effects of farm stress?

Mental health is manifested as a physical condition. Two hormones are released when a person encounters farm stress - adrenaline and cortisol. The natural hormone, adrenaline prepares muscles with exertion to run away while cortisol, also a natural hormone, causes high blood pressure and elevated heart rate, and is released in the body at the onset of a stressful situation or thought. Both hormones disrupt several system regulations including the digestive system. 

Signs of stress to watch for in yourself and others:

• Change in sleep patterns
• Not eating
• Social withdrawal
• Agitation
• Loss of purpose
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Fatigue
• Restlessness
• Change of appearance

Payne introduces protective measures, using “SMART Factors” to release cortisol. Managing these factors can lead to improved normal brain function while lowering the chances of early death.

SMART factors

• Sleeping well regularly aids in making rational decisions.
• Moving. Exercise is critical, three times a week for 20 minutes a day.
• Ask your food. Nutrition positively influences how your brain functions and how you feel.
• Train your brain to think positively, rather than allowing your brain to be mired in negativity.
  

Suicide related to farm stress

Payne notes the importance of speaking up when signs of stress are exhibited in others.

”If you are not comfortable talking with them, seek out a family member or another friend who can help them. Having farm stress conversations is not comfortable, but it is critically important,” she says. 

Farmers are quick to recognize and intervene when they see a heat-stressed cow that is panting, foaming, has a dry nose, looks gaunt, and is not able to get up. Payne encourages producers to look at friends and neighbors with a similar mindset to determine if something going on is not normal. 

“Oftentimes a person just wants to be heard and will feel relief that someone recognized how stressed out they are and that people care,” she says. Agriculture is a people business and those involved in the industry need to do a better job of taking care of each other, Payne adds.

Learn more

More webinars and learning opportunities are available on the AgriSafe Network's website.

The AgriSafe Network, a non-profit organization, represents health professionals and educators who strive to reduce health disparities found among the agricultural community.