Mod 2 (Sec 1) Flashcards
The Three S’s
Stress, Sleep, Self-Regulation
Intro to The Three S’s
important and interconnected determinants of mental health, resilience and success at Uni
Stress is often adaptive
- in short term, stress is adaptive and helps keep you safe
- can help build resiliency
- good stress or eustress is normal part of life
The Inverted U Theory
illustrates relation between pressure and performance and is a good example of when stress shifts from helpful to harmful
Low Pressure/stress
results in boredom and weak performance
- as pressure begins to increase there in increased attention and interest
High Pressure
- when stress becomes too high performance ultimately decreases
- high anxiety is associated w/ impaired performance and distress
- high stress can lead to complete meltdown w/ out proper strategies
Optimal Performance
more pressure or stress can improve performance up to certain point by preparing us to cope effectively w/ challenge
- referred to as optimal performance point (peak of curve)
Responding to Stress
- Thinking
- Action
Thinking
- the way you think can influence stress
- focusing on negatives, overthinking problems and worry can exacerbate and prolong stress
- keeping things in perspective and problem-solving can reduce stress
Action
- the way you act can influence stress
- being pro-active and tackling problems head-on tends to be more helpful than avoiding them
Flow Theory
- sweetspot between boredom and anxiety
- totally immersed and absorbed in what they are doing, where they perform optimally and feel incredibly relaxed and positive
- caught up in what you were doing, loss sense of self or time
Losing yourself in flow state
flow states are very powerful for increasing happiness and well-being and strongly counteract stress and worry
- cometimes its physical activities or creative activities
When are flow states most likely?
- intensely focus on task in present moment
- do one thing at a time
- remove distractions
- focus on process rather than outcome
Learning to manage stress
- stress that has shifted from helpful to harmful is maladaptive and can overwhelm coping resources and result in sig. distress
- chronic stress results in irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, disorganized thoughts, trouble sleeping
The Three S’s: Sleep
sleep is a state of mind and body characterized by altered or reduced consciousness
- good quality sleep is essential to survival and plays crucial roles in physical/mental health
Functions of Sleep
- drives cellular growth and repair
- clears toxins that build up during day
- supports learning, memory, attention, emotional well-being
- supports immune system and metabolic health
- core neural function
- memory consolidation is better with longer sleep and without disturbances
What can sleep do?
- involved in repairing cells in the body, especially heart and blood vessels
- important for brain functions, emotional regulation and thinking
- bidirectional relationship between sleep and mental health
- sleep can result in poor mental health leading to decreased well-being
The Three S’s: Self-Regulation
- Self-regulation refers to control over behaviour, thoughts and emotion which can interact w/ each other
Behavioural level
- setting a healthy rythm to the day
- keeping balanced routine that incorporates schoolwork, exercise and mindfulness, socializing
Cognitive level
- managing difficult, negative, intrusive thoughts and worries using strategies
- spot the things that are impacting mood, check to see if accurate, shift from worrying to problem-solving, look for positive interpretations, mentally reframing
Emotional Level
- slowing yourself down, calming and relaxing yourself when stressed or tense
- thinking before acting in accordance w/ values
The interconnection of the three s’s
- the three S’s can significantly contribute to ability to increase or decrease resilience
- important for ability to adapt to setbacks, manage stress in healthy ways, stay true, succeed
