Urbagedon - is living in New York driving you mad?

Whilst we may be drawn to living in the big city because of the great culture scene or career opportunities, living with constant stimulation takes it's toll. New York is renown for the high cost of living, physical difficulties of navigating housing problems and relationship challenges. You may have already heard that city living is associated with a plethora of mental health issues including anxiety and depression.

New research is showing that urban brains are physically more susceptible to stress, particularly social stress. "The brains of city dwellers showed disproportionately amplified responses to social stress" - constant stress can lead to greater sensitivity to stress. Hence extended periods of city living can lead to greater difficulty managing day to day challenges. 

However there are strategies to maintain good stress management for city dwellers. Regular exercise, exposure to nature, healthy diet, consistent sleep cycle and strong social support can do wonders to mitigate stress. If you've tried this and can't maintain the balance, why not get some additional help through a life therapist. 

Read about the original article in Wired Magazine

Original research study in Nature magazine

New York, New York, it's so good they named it twice. Image © Arnold Daniel