Unit Stress Flashcards
Stress
The response of your body and mind to being challenged or threatened.
Negative Stress
Known as distress, this can lead to avoidance, anger, and failure.
Positive Stress
Known as eustress, this can help you accomplish goals, promote personal health, and escape from dangerous situations.
Major Life Changes
New situations that cause stress like your first day of school.
Catastrophes
Events that threatens lives and many even destroy property like a natural disaster.
Everyday Problems
Frequent minor everyday events like homework.
Environmental Problems
Conditions in your immediate surroundings that affect your level of daily stress.
What are the 3 Stages of Stress.
The alarm stage, the resistance stage, and the exhaustion stage.
Alarm Stage
This is also called your fight or flight response, that releases adrenaline. Your reactions may be that your heart beat faster, breath speeds and muscles will tense.
Resistance Stage
Your body will adapt to the stressor. You wont see symptoms but your energy is used resulting in irritability
Exhaustion Stage
Your body is no longer able to keep up with all the demands the stress is placing on you. This is because of prolonged stress or an extreme stress.
Three Warning Signs of Stress
Emotional, behaviors, and thoughts.
Emotional Change
Irritable, angry, impatient, nervous, and increased crying.
Behavioral Changes
Over eating/hardly eating, sleep problems, hurrying/talking fast, withdrawing from relationships and reckless behavior.
Physical Changes
Muscle tension, headache, upset stomach, pounding heart, shortness of breath, increased sweating, and skin rashes.
How Does Stress Affect your Cardiovascular System and the Heart
Your heart will beat faster, your blood vessels narrow and your blood pressure rises. Prolonged stress can lead to damage to the lining of blood vessels.
How Does Stress Affect your Gastrointestinal System and your Stomach
She can disrupt the moment of your food through your digestive system. This can lead to cramps, diarrhea, gas or constipation.
What Happens When Stress Triggers a Headache
Your blood vessels in you brain and/or scalp, narrow. This leads to lack of oxygen in the brain. Your blood vessels will stretch to increase oxygen flow, leading to throbbing, stabbing, and piercing feelings.
What Happens When Stress Triggers your Immune System
Your immune system will be heightened during the alarm stage, but will weaken if prolonged. This leads to minor illnesses.
What are the Two Techniques to Keep Stress Under Control
Time management and mental rehearsal
Time Managment
Setting priorities, breaking down large tasks into smaller ones, making a realistic schedule, and saying no to request that aren’t priorities.
Mental Rehearsal
Practicing the event without actually doing the event. You imagine yourself doing the best of your ability.
Two Strategies to Reduce Tension
Physical activity and relaxation.
Physical Activity
Doing something physically active is actually giving your body a healthy outlet for for built up energy like walking, bicycling, cleaning, raking leaves, or shoveling snow
Relaxation
Giving your mind and body a rest by taking a nap, reading a book, listening to music, or doing some art.
Two Ways to Change your Thinking
Avoid negative thoughts and humor
Avoid Negative Thoughts
You can monitor your internal conversations and substitute negative thoughts for positive or realistic thoughts
Humor
Laugh at yourself for doing something that wasn’t funny, like tripping over nothing.
