--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you had the perception that you are…" description: "\"If you had the perception that you are very stressed out then your grey matter was fully 20 per cent smaller in volume than people who did not have tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/brigid-schulte-15835_feelings_if-you-had-the-perception-that-you-are-v_2904341.png" --- # If you had the perception that you are very stressed out… ![“If you had the perception that you are very stressed out then your grey matter was fully 20 per cent smaller in volume than people who did not have that same feeling. This is the grey matter in your prefrontal cortex: It controls thinking, learning, planning, decision-making. That matters because…” quote by Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/brigid-schulte-15835_feelings_if-you-had-the-perception-that-you-are-v_2904341.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/brigid-schulte-15835_feelings_if-you-had-the-perception-that-you-are-v_2904341.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/brigid-schulte-15835_feelings_if-you-had-the-perception-that-you-are-v_2904341.png) > “If you had the perception that you are very stressed out then your grey matter was fully 20 per cent smaller in volume than people who did not have that same feeling. This is the grey matter in your prefrontal cortex: It controls thinking, learning, planning, decision-making. That matters because when we are feeling more stressed, that is when we are at our most vulnerable in our inability to think our way out of it.” [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stress perception correlates with reduced prefrontal grey matter, impairing cognition and decision‑making. **In simple terms:** Stress shrinks brain area, hurting thinking. Key Takeaway Manage stress to protect brain function. Themes stress brain health cognition decision making Mood anxious reflective Type informational scientific When to use this quote - high‑pressure work - exam preparation - personal crises - conflict resolution Key Concepts neuroplasticity stress response prefrontal cortex Questions to Reflect On - How does chronic stress affect your daily decisions? - What strategies can you use to reduce perceived stress? A Different Perspective Individual resilience can mitigate brain changes despite stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Grey matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grey-matter/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Stressed out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stressed-out/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Neuroscientists have determined the brain’s dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is associated with decision making and cost-benefit assessments. If MRI brain scans had been performed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-morgan-cron/neuroscientists-have-determined-the-brain-s-dorsolateral-prefrontal/) [Ian Morgan Cron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-morgan-cron/) > [“Decision making in the prefrontal cortex, which is a high-level brain process, affects the lower-level sensory processes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-korb/decision-making-in-the-prefrontal-cortex-which-is-a-high-level-brain/) [Alex Korb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-korb/) > [How do we regulate our emotions? The answer is surprisingly simple: by thinking about them. The prefrontal cortex allows each of us to contemplate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/how-do-we-regulate-our-emotions-the-answer-is-surprisingly-simple-by/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“The prefrontal cortex is a complex, fragile region of the brain. In its healthy state, it directs human impulses toward rational choices and away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-powers/the-prefrontal-cortex-is-a-complex-fragile-region-of-the-brain-in-its-2/) [Ron Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-powers/) > [The relationship between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala fundamentally changes with meditation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-yong-kim/the-relationship-between-the-prefrontal-cortex-and-the-amygdala/) [Jim Yong Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-yong-kim/) > [“When men look at pictures of naked women, their startle response to loud noises diminishes. It seems that the dopamine surge mutes the prefrontal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-men-look-at-pictures-of-naked-women-their-startle-response-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The part of the brain most affected by early stress is the prefrontal cortex, which is critical in self-regulatory activities of all kinds, both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tough/the-part-of-the-brain-most-affected-by-early-stress-is-the-prefrontal/) [Paul Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tough/) > [I did not know that my entire personality, my entire being, could be discarded as the byproduct of my anatomy. What if I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-did-not-know-that-my-entire-personality-my-entire-being-could-be/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“The prefrontal cortex is a complex, fragile region of the brain. In its healthy state, it directs human impulses toward rational choices and away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-powers/the-prefrontal-cortex-is-a-complex-fragile-region-of-the-brain-in-its/) [Ron Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-powers/) > [“very last section of the brain to mature, during the teenage years and early twenties, is the prefrontal cortex, which controls judgment, impulse control,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ockwell-smith/very-last-section-of-the-brain-to-mature-during-the-teenage-years-and/) Sarah Ockwell-Smith > [“With the prefrontal cortex down-regulated, most impulse control mechanisms go offline too. For people who aren't used to this combination, the results can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kotler/with-the-prefrontal-cortex-down-regulated-most-impulse-control/) [Steven Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kotler/) > [“Certainly the prefrontal cortex is an important thing; I’m as proud of mine as the next guy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wright/certainly-the-prefrontal-cortex-is-an-important-thing-i-m-as-proud-of/) [Robert Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wright/) > [“new study has shown that routine daily stress shuts down the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision making, correcting errors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-e-tanzi/new-study-has-shown-that-routine-daily-stress-shuts-down-the/) [Rudolph E. Tanzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolph-e-tanzi/) > [Mind is not simply the collection of aggregate cells inside your brain. If you are only the grey matter, then when that dies, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/mind-is-not-simply-the-collection-of-aggregate-cells-inside-your/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I do the 'New York Times' crossword puzzle every morning to keep the old grey matter ticking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/i-do-the-new-york-times-crossword-puzzle-every-morning-to-keep-the/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) ## More by Brigid Schulte > [A gift, like a good friend drawing a personal road map out of the crazy busy swirl of our overloaded lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/a-gift-like-a-good-friend-drawing-a-personal-road-map-out-of-the/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [“If we don’t feel like we have leisure, Robinson maintains, it’s entirely our own fault. “Time is a smokescreen. And it’s a convenient excuse,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/if-we-don-t-feel-like-we-have-leisure-robinson-maintains-it-s/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [“In the Middle Ages, the sin of sloth had two forms,” he said. “One was paralysis, the inability to do anything—what we would see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/in-the-middle-ages-the-sin-of-sloth-had-two-forms-he-said-one-was/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [Busyness has become such a social value that we will even create it, we will create that sense of breathlessness because we think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/busyness-has-become-such-a-social-value-that-we-will-even-create-it/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [“Researchers have found that the way people feel about the stress in their lives is a far more powerful predictor of their general health—whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/researchers-have-found-that-the-way-people-feel-about-the-stress-in/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [As long as you're pushing men to stay at work, you're pushing women to stay home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/as-long-as-you-re-pushing-men-to-stay-at-work-you-re-pushing-women-to/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [“Eight in ten Britons report being too busy to eat dessert, even though four in ten say dessert is better than sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/eight-in-ten-britons-report-being-too-busy-to-eat-dessert-even-though/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [The United States is the only advanced economy with no paid parental leave for either mothers or fathers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/the-united-states-is-the-only-advanced-economy-with-no-paid-parental/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [The more armed we are with information about the seduction of technology, the more we can build systems to better deal with it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/the-more-armed-we-are-with-information-about-the-seduction-of/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [It's incredibly painful to think back to the time I had to come back to work. I was so, so needed at home. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/it-s-incredibly-painful-to-think-back-to-the-time-i-had-to-come-back/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [I'm a big believer in education. If people learn the truth, they'll see the benefit if they have gender neutral policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/i-m-a-big-believer-in-education-if-people-learn-the-truth-they-ll-see/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [I was afraid that I would find out that I didn't work hard, that I wasn't a very good mother. I was feeling so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/i-was-afraid-that-i-would-find-out-that-i-didn-t-work-hard-that-i/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [“I felt like I’d been clonged on the head with a frying pan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/i-felt-like-i-d-been-clonged-on-the-head-with-a-frying-pan/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [As work weeks get longer and leisure time shrinks, people are becoming sicker, more distracted, absent, unproductive, and less innovative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/as-work-weeks-get-longer-and-leisure-time-shrinks-people-are-becoming/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) > [“But once I’m done, I can’t tell you what it was I did or why it seemed so important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-schulte/but-once-i-m-done-i-can-t-tell-you-what-it-was-i-did-or-why-it-seemed/) [Brigid Schulte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) [Explore all 41 Brigid Schulte quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-schulte/) ## More Feelings quotes > [I have a strong feeling about this quick movement and changing of society and populations growing - something scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-sugimoto/i-have-a-strong-feeling-about-this-quick-movement-and-changing-of/) [Hiroshi Sugimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-sugimoto/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [We never realize the importance of any our action until we be the hunt of same situation in reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fadi/we-never-realize-the-importance-of-any-our-action-until-we-be-the/) [Fadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fadi/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [My feeling has always been that 'Good Eats' would have never happened had it been left to a committee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/my-feeling-has-always-been-that-good-eats-would-have-never-happened/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If someone really loves you, no matter how many other people they meet, their feelings for you wouldn't change. A real lover cant be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-really-loves-you-no-matter-how-many-other-people-they-meet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [“I urge you: don't cut short these thought-trains of yours. Follow them through to their end. Your thoughts and your feelings. Follow them through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/i-urge-you-don-t-cut-short-these-thought-trains-of-yours-follow-them/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [You will never fully understand how much you mean to me, because there are no amount of words that can begin to describe my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-fully-understand-how-much-you-mean-to-me-because-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 21,172 Feelings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you had the perception that you are very stressed out then your grey matter was fully 20 per cent smaller in volume than people who did not have that same feeling. This is the grey matter in your prefrontal cortex: It controls thinking, learning, planning, decision-making. 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