chapter 3 - stress management Flashcards
What is stress?
non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it.
The collective physiological and emotional responses to any stimulus that disturbs an individual’s homeostasis; accompanies the stress response
what is the stress-response?
The physiological changes associated with stress
Symptoms of stress:
Heart rate elevated.
Pupils dilate.
Respiration goes up.
Sweating
what are stressors?
any situation or event (physical or psychological) that produces stress (physical and emotional reactions)
what is eustress?
positive stress, triggered by a pleasant stressor
characterized by feelings of excitement, motivation, and a sense of fulfillment.
explain positive stress (eustress)
a type of stress that is experienced as a positive and beneficial force in a person’s life, rather than as a negative or harmful one.
how is eustress different than distress?
distress is typically associated with negative emotions and can be detrimental to one’s well-being.
what does some evidence suggest stress can help improve?
immune system, however chronic stress can be counterproductive and can cause burn out
what triggers distress?
an unpleasant event
examples of positive stress
o Education
o Going on a date
o Winning the lottery
what forms can stress be?
Stress can be acute, episodic, or chronic, depending on the nature of the stressors that cause the stress response.
Acute or short-term stress
Acute or short-term stress can range from a pop quiz to a bomb threat and trigger a brief but intense response to a specific incident
Episodic stress
such as monthly bills, midterm exams cause regular intermittent elevations in stress levels.
Chronic stress:
include everything from rush hour traffic to learning disability.
cause health issues
what is the “ideal” amount of stress we should have in our life?
Ideally, the level of stress in our lives should be just high enough to motivate us to satisfy our needs and not so high that it interferes with our ability to reach our fullest potential.
Common Sources of Stress:
Major Life Changes: marriage, breakups, different geographical changes, homesickness, employment,
Daily Hassles
University
Employment
environment
social: peer pressure
internal: trauma, putting pressure on yourself, body image, succeed in university, family and financial pressures, time management (balancing what you have going on)
what do low levels of stress improve and high levels impair?
low levels of stress may improve memory, but high levels impair learning and memory and, over long term, may shrink an area of the brain called the hippocampus.
what plays a role in how memory and brain structure are impacted?
the type and duration of stressors
what can have detrimental effects on learning and memory.
high levels of stress, especially chronic or severe stress
Prolonged exposure to elevated levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol
The hippocampus and stress
The hippocampus is a brain region critically involved in memory formation and spatial navigation. Prolonged exposure to chronic stress has been associated with negative structural changes in the hippocampus.
what two systems are activated during physical stress?
Nervous system: the brain, spinal cord, and nerves
Endocrine system: a network of glands that release hormones into the bloodstream to regulate various bodily functions.
how does stress relate to the endocrine system?
Stress triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol from glands such as the adrenal glands, which prepare the body for a “fight or flight” response by increasing heart rate, energy production, and alertness, but chronic stress can have detrimental effects on health.
what nervous system is not under voluntary control?
autonomic system
what is the autonomic nervous system responsible for?
is like the automatic control center of your body, managing things you don’t consciously control, such as your heart rate, digestion, and sweating, to keep your body functioning smoothly without you having to think about it.
Involuntary
when is autonomic system activated?
times of arousal: emergency, fear or anger, respond to a crisis.
relaxation
what uses the neurotransmitter norepinephrine?
autonomic nervous system
Norepinephrine:
chemical messenger, or neurotransmitter, in the human body. It plays a crucial role in the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, often referred to as the “fight or flight” response.
when is norepinephrine released?
in response to stress or danger, and it helps prepare the body for action by increasing heart rate, narrowing blood vessels, and mobilizing energy resources.
It is sometimes also known as noradrenaline.
sympathetic division
a division of the autonomic nervous system that reacts to danger or other challenges by almost instantly accelerating body processes.
your body’s “gas pedal.” It gets your body ready for action in response to stress or danger, increasing heart rate, dilating pupils, and preparing you for a fight or flight response.
Parasympathetic Division:
A division of the autonomic nervous system that moderates the excitatory effect of the sympathetic division, slowing metabolism and restoring energy supplies
The parasympathetic nervous system is like your body’s “rest and digest” system. It helps calm you down after a stressful situation by slowing your heart rate, promoting digestion, and conserving energy.
Explain what stress is
Stress is the body’s response to challenges.
how do we respond to stress physically, emotionally and behaviorally?
People react physically with increased heart rate and hormones, emotionally with anxiety or frustration, and behaviorally through various coping mechanisms.
The sympathetic system is turned on when… and the parasympathetic system takes over when…
sympathetic system is turned on when we reach arousal from stress – we then realize that something is not worth stressing over. i.e., we are not in any danger – this is when parasympathetic system takes over.
what is the sympathetic system often called?
“fight or flight” system
