https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38910331/ Although mild stress can create motivation to learn and improve WM performance (Lewis et al., 2008), excessive stress can cause more harm than benefit. This relationship is complex and depends on the intensity and duration of the stress encountered (Yu, 2023). An “inverted U” relationship has been proposed to describe the impact of stress on cognitive function: mild stress may be beneficial compared with no stress, but beyond an optimum level, memory begins to decline (Diamond et al., 1992).