Module 9: Managing Stress and Improving Your Sleep Flashcards
how many americans report extreme stress
20%
what age group reports the highets levels of stress
18-46
how many teens say they feel confident in their ability to handle personal problems
50%
what are the biggest sources of stress for adults aged 18-32
- work
- relationships
- money
- job stability
define stress
- mental and physical response
- adaptation by our bodies to real or perceived change and challenges
define stressor
- any real or perceived physical, social, or psychological event or stimulus that causes our bodies to react or respond
what factors influence one’s response to stressors
- characteristics of the stressor
- biological factors
- past experiences
describe the two types of stressors
- tangible: failing grade on a test
- intangible: angst of meeting your partner’s parents for the first time
define distress
- negative stress
when is distress most likely to occur
- tired
- under influence of alcohol or drugs
- under pressure to do well
- coping with illness, financial trouble, or relationship problems
define eustress
- positive stress
what positive things does eustress do
- opportunity for personal growth and satisfaction
- improve health
define acute stress
- most common type of stress
- from demands and pressures of the recent past and near future
- intense, last for a short time, no permanent damage to health
what is the most common type of stress
acute stress
define episodic acute stress
- state of regularly reacting with wild acute stress to various situations
- complaining about everything you have to do and focusing on negative events
define chronic stress
- can linger indefinitely
- wreak silent havoc on your body
- caregivers are vulnerable
define traumatic stress
- result of witness or experiencing traumatic event
- effects felt for years after the event
- can lead to PTSD
define homeostasis
- stress levels low
- balanced physiological state in which all body systems are functioning smoothly
define adaptive response
- when body is stressed and trys to return to homeostasis
define general adaption syndrome (GAS)
- pattern followed in the physiological response to stress
- consists of alarm, resistance, and exhaustion phases
define the alarm phase of the general adaptation syndrome
- stressor disrupts body’s stability
- temporarily lowers resistance to stress
- aka fight or flight response
what happens when your brain perceives a real or imaginary stressor
- automatic nervous system is triggered
- prepares body for action
define automatic nervous system
- regulates body functions that you don’t normally consciously control
- consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic branches
define sympathetic nervous system
- energizes body for fight or flight
- signals release of several key stress hormones
define parasympathetic nervous system
- slows systems stimulated by the stress response
- counteracts sympathetic branch
what is the control center of the sympathetic nervous system and why
- hypothalamus
- releases epinephrine/adrenaline when sympathetic nervous system says to fight
what does the hypothalamus do in response to stress
- triggers pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- ACTH triggers adrenal glands to release cortisol
- endorphins also released
define the resistance phase of the general adaption syndrome
- body resources are mobilized to combat the stressor
- trying to return to homeostasis be resisting alarm phase
- body stays at consistent activated level
define the exhaustion phase of the general adaption system
- all hormones and chemicals that trigger and maintain stress response are depleted
- body returns to balance
- feel drained or tired as body returns to normal
what happens during the exhaustion phase of the general adaption response when stress in chronic
- trigger reverberate through the body
- keep body in heightened state
define allostatic load
- cause by prolonged effort to adapt to the stress response
- excessive wear and tear on the body
- cortisol stays in bloodstream and can reduce immunocompetence
how do men and women respond to stress differently
- men: fight or flee
- women: tend and befriend
what neurotransmitter is key to the tend and befriend female response to stress
oxytocin
what conditions does high stress levels cause
- cardiovascular disease
- weight gain
- hair loss
- diabetes
- digestive problems
- impaired immunity
what is the most studied and documented health consequence of unresolved stress
cardiovascular disease
why does high stress cause weight gain
- high stress increases cortisol in bloodstream
- cortisol increases hunger and activates fat storing enzymes
define telogen effluvium
- most common stress-induced hair loss
- occurs after loss of loved one, severe weight loss, or other trauma
- pushes hair into resting phase causing it to fall out
define alopecia areata
- stress-induced hair loss
- stress triggers white blood cells to attack and destroy hair follicles
what stress-induced behaviors increase risk of diabetes
- not enough sleep
- not eating well
- drinking or taking drugs
how does stress affect digestive problems
- triggers nausea, vomiting, etc
- doesn’t directly cause digestive problems
define psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)
- analyzing relationship between mind’s response to stress and the immune system’s ability to function
what are glucocorticoids and how to they affect the body
- stress hormone released from adrenal cortex
- affect cognitive functioning and mental health
how does increased cortisol from stress affect the brain
- prolonged exposure shrinks hippocampus (memory center)
- memory impaired
what were the biggest reported cause of stress from the American Psychological Association study
- money
- work
- family responsibilities
- health
define psychological stressors and give examples
- factors in our social and physical environments that cause us to experience stress
- adjustment to change, hassles, interpersonal relationships, academic and career pressures, frustrations and conflicts, overload, stressful environments
define adjustment to change
- psychological stressor
- any change in your routine
- all the changes in college: moving, making new friends, new schedule
define hassles
- psychological stressor
- little things that bother you
- cumulative hassles add up and increase allostatic load
define the toll of relationships
- psychological stressor
- any interpersonal relationship
define academic and career pressures
- psychological stressor
- jobs with high demand, coworker conflict, competition
- managing college life: money, housing, pressure
define frustrations and conflicts
- psychological stressor
- frustration: disparity between goals and behaviors
- conflicts: forced to decide among competing motives or face demands incompatible with own values
define overload
- psychological stressor
- demands of work, responsibilities, and relationships drag you down
- too much to do
- causes depression, sleeplessness, mood swings, anxiety, etc
- burnout: state of physical and mental exhaustion from unrelenting stress and overload
define stressful environments
- psychological stressor
- living environments: unsafe, bad roommates/neighbors
- natural disasters
- background distressors: noise, air/water pollution, pollen/dust
internal factors that affect stress levels
- appraisal
- self-esteem and self-efficacy
- personality type
- psychological hardiness
- psychological resilience
- shift and persist
define appraisal
- interpretation and evaluation of information provided to the brain by the senses
- new info becomes available and appraisal recognizes stressors, evaluates them based on past experiences, and decides how to cope
define self-esteem
- sense of self-worth
- high self-esteem increases ability to cope with stress
- too high causes narcissism
what causes suicidal ideation
- high stress
- low self-esteem
define self-efficacy
- confidence in your own skills and ability to cope with life’s challenges
- vital to coping with stress responses and academic pressures
which personality type may have an increased risk of heart disease due to increased physiological reactivity and prolonged activation of the stress response
type A personalities that exhibit hostility (anger, distrust, glass-half-empty)
define type A personality
- hard-driving, competitive, perfectionists
define type B personality
- relaxed, noncompetitive, more tolerant of others
define type C personality
- stoic, stuff feelings down, conform to others wishes
what illnesses are type C personalities more susuceptible to
- asthma
- multiple sclerosis
- autoimmune disorders
- cancer
define type D personality
- excessive negative worry, irritability, gloom, social inhibition
what health conditions are type D personalitites more likely to have
- heart attack
- sudden death
define psychological hardiness
- characterized by control, commitment, and embrace of challenge
- reduces self-imposed stress associated with type A behavior
define psychological resilience
- capacity to maintain or regain psychological well-being in the face of challenges
- ability to respond well to adversity
define shift and persist
- reframing appraisal of current stressors (shifting) and focusing on a meaningful future that protects a person form the negative effects of stress (persisting)
define coping
- managing events or conditions to lessen physical or psychological effects of stress
- coping strategies: stress management techniques
what percent of adults report taking any action to reduce their stress levels
10%
what are the basic steps to reduce stress
- assess stressors
- start a journal, examine causes
- solve problems
- list options, make action plan, act, evaluate
define stress inoculation
- way of coping with stress
- anticipate and prepare for specific stressors
what are the common types of negative self-talk
- pessimism: focusing on negative
- perfectionism: expecting perfect all the time
- “should-ing”: reprimanding self for what you should’ve done
- blaming: yourself or others for circumstances
- dichotomous thinking: everything is black or white/good or bad
define cognitive restructuring
- way to combat negative self-talk
- become aware, stop it, replace negative with positive thoughts
what factors help reduce stress
- change self-talk
- develop support network
- cultivate spiritual side
- manage emotional response
- behaviors: exercise, sleep, diet
- manage time
- have relaxation techniques
7 sources of anger
- perceived threats
- reactions to injustice
- fear
- faulty emotional reasoning
- low frustration tolerance
- unreasonable expectations
- people rating
3 approaches to dealing with anger
- expressing it
- suppressing it
- calming it
what is the healthiest way to deal with anger
expressing it
strategies to keep aggressive anger reactions at bay
- identify anger style
- recognize patterns in your anger responses
- find word to de-escalate conflict
- plan ahead
- vent to friends
- develop realistic expectations
- turn complaints into requests
- leave past anger in the past
what does the concept of flourishing include (PERMA)
- positive emotion
- engagement
- relationships
- meaning
- achievements
what physical actions can you take to reduce stress
- get enough exercise
- get enough sleep
- eat healthfully
define sympathomimetics
- substances in foods that produce or mimic stress like responses
- caffeine
define implementation intentions
- way to reduce procrastination
- series of goals to accomplish toward a specific end
tips for time-management to manage stress
- do one thing at a time
- prioritize tasks with to-do list
- schedule time for work
- reward yourself for work completed
- work when you’re at your best (morning vs night person)
- break big tasks into small pieces
define downshifting
- simplify life
- voluntary simplicity
- having it all is not worth it
common relaxation techniques for stress management
- yoga
- qigong
- tai chi
- deep breathing
- meditation
- visualization
- progressive muscle relaxation
- massage therapy
- biofeedback
- hypnosis
define yoga
- ancient practice
- combines meditation, stretching, and breathing exercises
define classical and hatha yoga
- classical: modern forms of yoga, includes hatha yoga
- hatha: most well-known, focus on body and breath control
define qigong
- used by large health care organizations for people struggling with chronic pain or stress
- awareness and control of vital body energy (qi/chi)
define tai chi
- meditation in motion
- began as form of self-defense
- defined series of posture/movements in slow manner
define deep breathing
- diaphragmatic
- breathing deep and maximally filling lungs
- using diaphragm and lower abdomen
define meditation
- sitting for 15-20 minutes and focusing on thoughts only
- introspection and personal renewal
what type of meditation is most effective in lowering blood pressure and CVD events
- transcendental meditation
define visualization
- using imagination to create calming mental scenes
- often natural settings
define progressive muscle relaxation
- teaching awareness of the feeling of tension and release of systematically focusing on areas of the body
- contracting and relacing different groups while breathing deeply
- usually begin with feet and work upward
define massage therapy
- deep tissue to acupressure
- may ease pain and increase quality of life
define biofeedback
- person learns to use the mind to consciously control bodily functions
- heart rate, body temperature, breathing rate
how much of the world’s population is affected by sleep deprivation
45%
how many college students get enough sleep
12%
define somnolence
- caused by lack of sleep
- drowsiness, sluggishness, lack of mental alertness
what age group is the sleepiest
13 to 29
define excessive daytime sleepiness
- major compulsion to sleep
- persistent sluggishness and fatigue
- 20% of US population
what causes sleep deprivation
- shift work
- long haul driving
- drugs and medications
- sleep habits
- gender
- sleep disorders
which gender has twice the sleep difficulties of the other
- women
- due to hormonal factors and psychological issues
what two biological purposes does sleep serve
- restores body physically and mentally
- conserves body energy
what are physical benefits of sleep
- maintains immune system
- reduces risk for CVD
- contributes to healthy metabolism
- contributes to neurological functioning
- improves motor tasks (driving)
- improves stress management and mental health
define circadian rhythm
- biological clock
- regulated by melatonin hormones
define REM sleep
- rapid eye movement
- dreams occur
- brain-wave activity appears similar to when you’re awake
- muscles paralyzed (except respiratory and eye muscles)
- stabilizes memory
define non-REM sleep
- slowed brain activity
- body temp, heart rate, energy drop
- digestive process speeds up and body stores nutrients
- includes 4 stages
how long does it take to go through a full cycle of non-REM and REM sleep
90 minutes
how much of the night are you in non-REM and REM sleep
- 75% non-REM
- 25% REM
describe the 4 stages of non-REM sleep
- lightest stage of sleep; last few minutes; transition between sleeping and waking
- eyes close, body movement slows, disengage from environment
- and 4. slow brain waves (delta waves), BP drops, enter deep sleep, growth hormone released
define sleep debt
- number of hours of missed sleep you’re carrying with you
- need to catch up on sleep by getting one more hour each night until you’re caught up
are naps good
- don’t cancel out significant sleep debt
- can improve mood, alertness, and performance
- best in early to midafternoon
- keep short: less than 30 minutes
tips to get a more restful sleep
- get light during the day
- stay active during the day
- invest in good bedding, mattress, and lavender scent
- keep bedroom quiet, cool, and dark
- make routine: get up at same time every day
- clear mind of worries
- avoid emotional upheavals before bed
- don’t toss and turn: get up for a bit if you don’t fall asleep in 20 minutes
- avoid foods and drinks that keep you awake
- don’t overuse sleeping pills
define sleep study
- clinical assessment of sleep
- monitored while sleeping in sleep disorder center
what are the most common sleep disorders
- insomnia
- sleep apnea
- restless legs syndrome
- narcolepsy
define insomnia
- difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking up
- mostly young adults
symptoms of insomnia
- difficulty falling asleep
- waking up frequently during the night
- difficulty returning to sleep
- unrefreshing sleep
- daytime sleepiness
- irritability
causes of insomnia
- stress and worry
- disrupted circadian rhythm
- side effect of medications
treatment for insomnia
- cognitive behavioral therapy
- hypnotic or sedative medications
- relaxation strategies
define sleep apnea
- breathing is briefly and repeatedly interrupted during sleep
- breathing pause for at least 10 seconds
what are the two types of sleep apnea
- central sleep apnea: brain fails to tell respiratory muscles to initiate breathing
- obstructive sleep apnea: air can’t move in and out of person’s nose or mouth
risk factors of sleep apnea
- overweight
- smoking/alcohol
- being 40+
- ethnicity: higher in african americans, pacific islanders, and hispanics
- anatomical factors
treatment for sleep apnea
- continuous positive airway pressure: air-flow device worn during sleep
- dental appliances: lower jaw and tongue
- lifestyle changes: losing weight, avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking
define restless legs syndrome
- neurological disorder
- unpleasant sensations in the legs when at rest
- uncontrollable urge to move to relieve these feelings
symptoms of restless legs syndrome
- burning, creeping, or tugging feeling in legs
- more pronounced in evening
causes of restless legs syndrome
- unknown
- family history
- related to other conditions: Parkinson’s, kidney failure, diabetes, anemia
treatment for restless legs syndrome
- treatment of underlying condition if there is one
- medications
- applying heat to legs
- stretching exercises
define narcolepsy
- neurological disorder
- brains inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles
- excessive sleepiness and daytime sleep attacks
symptoms of narcolepsy
- overwhelming and uncontrollable sleepiness during the day
- sleep attacks lasting from few seconds to several minutes
- cataplexy: loss of voluntary muscle tone
causes of narcolepsy
- deficiency of sleep-regulating chemicals in the brain
- potentially genetics
- medications
- mental disorder
- substance abuse
treatment of narcolepsy
- medications
- antidepressants for cataplexy, hallucinations, and sleep paralysis
- behavioral therapy
