stress quizzes
When you meditate using a mantra or simple meditation, what should the intention be?
Repeat the mantra with as little effort as possible when you think of it.
Breathing is controlled by the brain as part of which system?
autonomic nervous system
Inadequate oxygen due to poor breathing patterns is most likely to result in ____.
drowsiness
The best time of day for massage therapy is ____.
morning
A single motor nerve and all the muscle fibers to which it sends impulses is known as a(n) ____.
motor unit
Tamzin suffers from test anxiety, and asks for your advice on how to cope. Which type of breathing would be best for her?
natural, slow breathing
Which principle is one of the foundations of naturopathic medicine?
nature has the power to heal
Yoga asanas are designed to develop the body with which three primary facets of fitness?
power, flexibility, and balance
Breathing links mind and body through the interaction of the voluntary and involuntary nervous systems.
t
Dr. Edmund Jacobson, a pioneer in progressive relaxation, noticed his patients all had muscle tension.
t
It is possible for the stress response to be activated while you sleep.
t
Many individuals find progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) easier to do than other techniques because PMR is considered active relaxation and involves both the body and mind.
t
Mental imagery is beneficial for the control of emotional arousal and anxiety.
t
Relaxation increases blood flow to the major muscles.
t
Relaxation techniques such as meditation are known to decrease high blood pressure.
t
Research suggests that there is no real difference between an imagined event and a "real" event you perceive in your physical experience as far as how your mind interprets its meaning.
t
Skeletal muscles are naturally in a state of non-contraction, or relaxation.
t
The pleasant feeling of heaviness is characteristic of muscles, formerly tensed to run or fight, becoming relaxed
t
Whatever the conscious mind focuses on, believes, thinks, and directs is what the subconscious mind responds to; it follows through without question.
t
When a person turns on their computer, their breathing rate goes up by 30%.
t
When breathing is restricted, cells throughout the body do not receive an adequate supply of oxygen.
t
Yoga teaches that interruption of the flow of prana can have a harmful effect on physical, mental, and spiritual health.
t
Relaxing imagery decreases the arousal of the stimulating, or sympathetic, branch of the autonomic nervous system, which helps reduce anxiety and perception of pain.
t
Meditation is not the same as sleeping, and the benefits are different.
t
The primary feature of progressive muscle relaxation is ____.
the ability to relax muscles on command
Static poses (asanas) should be held in the stretching position for at least ____ seconds.
20 seconds
According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), approximately ____% of adults use CAM.
38
Jeri wants to try thought watching. She should picture herself sitting peacefully _____
at the bottom of a clear lake
Television should be avoided at all cost when you are stressed, as it stimulates the stress response in the body.
f
The best time to do the Power Nap is first thing in the morning.
f
Shiatsu means ____.
finger pressure
Energy therapies involve the use of invisible channels of energy that flow in the body. These energy fields are known as ____.
meridians
Our natural way of breathing is abdominally.
t
Simplifying mealtimes, going to a museum, and saying hello to a stranger are examples of ____.
small, positive things that can make a difference in our lives
While learning any relaxation activity, it is important to ____.
try each method several times
During a Power Nap, the person falls asleep for ____.
0 min
Sheena likes to take a nap to relieve her stress. For the best benefits, how many minutes should her naps be?
10-20 min
The most common form of biofeedback is ____.
EMG
Justin is practicing mantra meditation. What is likely to occur?
He will continue repeating the word for most of the time his eyes are closed
Meditation can bring about the relaxation response, as long as it has _____
a quiet environment
The key underlying principle of Medical Resonance Therapy (MRT) Music is that music _____.
actually can influence our body directly at the cellular and organ levels
Which mind/body intervention describes a group of procedures that use electronic instruments to accurately measure, process, and "feed back" information about autonomic activity, permitting development of voluntary control over these physiologic processes?
biofeedback
Which type of meditation is traced back to Buddha?
breathing meditation
Laughter is associated with a release of tension and an increase in the natural mood-lifters known as ____.
endorphins
Adults typically laugh approximately the same number of times per day as healthy children.
f
Alternative medicine is used together with conventional medicine, whereas complementary medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.
f
Americans spend about 35 million dollars a year out of pocket on complementary and alternative medicine.
f
Biofield therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields to heal a patient.
f
During the arousal phase of laughter, physiological measures return to resting values or lower values, creating a relaxation response.
f
In order to successfully practice yoga, you must also adopt the Hindu philosophy.
f
Mantra meditation takes years of practice in order to notice any positive health effects.
f
Meditation should only be done in a place where it is dark and quiet.
f
Researchers have concluded that the key to successful meditation is the use of a unique word, sound, or phrase determined specifically for the individual.
f
Sarcasm has the power to heal and uplift and has been found to be one of the healthiest forms of humor.
f
Shirodhara involves dripping oil like a river (dhara) on the head (shiro).
f
Sitting in the lotus position is necessary for all forms of meditation.
f
Sivananda yoga is done in a hot room, 90 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, replicating the temperature of the birthplace of yoga.
f
The best time to practice yoga is soon after a heavy meal.
f
The key to successful meditation is to completely empty your mind of all thoughts.
f
The use of herbs is typical of manipulative and body-based methods.
f
To achieve maximal benefits from yoga, push yourself through the range of a stretch to a point where you feel pain.
f
To ease stress, you don't necessarily have to enjoy the music you are listening to as long as it is quiet music with a slow rhythm.
f
Yoga activates sympathetic nervous system activity.
f
When Kiran meditates, he experiences decreased breathing rate, decreased heart rate, and slower brainwave patterns similar to sleeping. This level of deep rest is called a(n) _____ state.
hypometabolic
Which term describes a flow of thought that includes sensory qualities from one or more of the senses?
imagery
In comparison to the subconscious mind, the conscious mind ____.
is the part if the mind that makes choices
According to your text, what is the most likely reason that progressive muscle relaxation appeals to members of Western cultures more than other types of relaxation?
it involves active engagement
Goldie is a beginner to yoga and hasn't exercised in a while. Which classical style of yoga would be best for her?
iyengar yoga
Because she really enjoys mantras, meditations, visualization, and guided relaxation, Aisha's friend recommended that she try yoga. Which style of yoga is probably best for her?
kundalini yoga
Michael is lying down and ready to begin an autogenic training session. The first thing he should do is ____.
make himself as comfortable as possible
A mental device used as a point of focus during meditation, such as a repeated word, sound, or phrase, is known as a _____.
mantra
Combining data from several different research studies to gain a better overview of a topic is called _____.
meta-analysis
Jaya is a yoga instructor. Which category of CAM is her yoga class part of?
mind body interventions
Ravi wants to learn how to practice autogenic training. In order to get the most beneficial results, he should ____.
reduce external stimuli
Libby's friend has suggested that she try energy therapy. One energy therapy she could try is _____.
reiki
Julie wants to start a yoga program. She should first see her doctor if she has _____.
severe osteoporosis
The yoga sage Patanjali is believed to have assembled a collection of yoga theories and practices known as the yoga ____.
sutras
Asanas are gentle stretching movements designed to rejuvenate and bring balance to the entire body.
t
Ayurveda, India's traditional system of natural medicine, is claimed to be the oldest system of natural healing on Earth
t
Classical and New Age music seem to be especially effective in relaxing the mind and body.
t
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is defined as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.
t
Contemplation meditation is a form of mindfulness.
t
Each individual, little stressor that we experience can add to the others to create a large mountain of stress.
t
Eliminating unnecessary activities can lower stress.
t
Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields, including meridians--invisible channels of energy that flow in the body--or energy fields outside the body.
t
For best results, the Power Nap should be done while laying down.
t
Herbert Benson's research found that a mental device associated with one's faith or beliefs, what he calls the faith factor, seems to improve people's success in staying with their practice of meditation.
t
In Hatha yoga, the emphasis is on giving complete mental attention to each movement to the exclusion of everything else.
t
Iyengar yoga is a classical style of yoga that is softer on the body and is well-suited for beginners because it uses props, such as chairs, straps, blocks, pillows, and sandbags, to compensate for a lack of flexibility.
t
Laughter has been shown consistently to improve mood and reduce stress.
t
Meditation is the process of systematically allowing the mind to focus gently on a single item
t
Meditation is usually done in a comfortable seated position rather than lying down.
t
Studies show that music has more than a psychological effect; it also has measurable physical effects on the body.
t
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the official government agency of the National Institutes of Health that is responsible for research on complementary and alternative health.
t
You do not have to know the names of the various poses to do them correctly.
t
n Germany, 70 percent of physicians prescribe herbal remedies, many of which are paid for by government health insurance.
t
yoga is a course of exercises and postures intended to promote control of the body and mind and to attain physical and spiritual well-being
t
Shona's grandmother has been doing the most popular form of exercise in China for years. The exercise consists of a precise sequence of slow, graceful movements, plus deep breathing and mental focus. What exercise is Shona's grandmother doing?
tai chi
Samir is very stressed and when things go wrong, he feels like he has no control over his life. Which technique will help him gain a sense of control?
take responsibility for his part in what is going on
Kylie secretly cuts herself in response to emotional pain. Why would she hurt herself physically to deal with her emotional pain?
to replace emotional pain with physical pain
The term "yoga" comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means ____.
to yoke together
The Power Nap combines elements of several relaxation exercises, including ____.
yoga
When you are under hypnosis, _____.
you are more responsive to suggestion
The purpose of relaxation techniques is to ____.
activate parasympathetic nervous system activity
Jordin is pretty healthy and works out a lot. She's looking for a yoga style that is focused on developing strength and stamina, rather than on meditation. Which type of yoga should she pursue?
ashtanga yoga
The most effective relaxation technique is one that ____.
matches a person's preferred way of mental processing
____ is credited with discovering the technique known today as progressive muscle relaxation.
Edmund Jacobson
When someone is first learning autogenics, what is the best way to present the suggestions to them?
Have someone else read a script to them
What occurs during the inbreath stage of breathing?
The diaphragm contracts, resulting in an increase in the volume of the chest cavity and a decrease in the air pressure in the lungs
According to the text, a person should practice a relaxation activity for a minimum of ____ each day.
10-20 min
Adults normally breathe at the rate of how many breaths per minute?
12 to 16 min
After the tension phase of active progressive relaxation comes the relaxation phase. During this time, muscles relax as completely as possible for how long?
15-30 seconds
Mackie would like to practice the reduced respirations technique because it is known to reduce an individual's breathing rate to as low as ____ breaths per minute.
4 to 5
Passive alertness is best described as ____.
a relaxed state of mind
Which form of passive progressive relaxation is a less active method of progressing through the various parts of the body because it does not involve active contraction of muscles?
body scan
If a student athlete wants to improve performance in his sport, he should avoid _____.
carefully deliberating actions during performance
According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, the ideal way of thinking during passive progressive relaxation is _____.
detached observation
What large, umbrella-shaped sheet of muscle separates the contents of the chest from the contents of the abdomen and plays a key role in the process of breathing?
diaphragm
The lotus position is the recommended position for experiencing optimal benefits from autogenics.
f
Greta is a cancer patient who has been told to visualize her immune system cells engulfing and destroying her cancer cells. From this visualization, she is likely to _____.
feel less anxious
Gina is experiencing menopause with some typical negative symptoms. According to Robert Freedman, which of her symptoms could be reduced by slow, controlled breathing?
hot flashes
Someone playing golf can use imagery by ____.
imagining the ball going where he or she wants it to
Which benefit is a common reason to use imagery?
improve confidence and positive thinking
The subconscious mind is similar in nature to the ____ of the coal-powered steam engine.
stoker
"Autogenic" comes from the Greek words autos meaning self, and genos meaning origin.
t
A decrease in left-hemisphere activity during hypnosis fits with the hypothesis that hypnosis subdues the inhibitory influence of the conscious mind.
t
Autogenic training was developed in Europe in the early years of the 20th century by a brain physiologist.
t
Autogenics is self-directed relaxation using suggestions to create a feeling of warmth and heaviness in the body.
t
Autogenics is similar to hypnosis, in that both involve the use of suggestion.
t
Even while we sleep, thoughts in the unconscious mind can produce muscle tension.
t
Muscles respond directly to thoughts of perceived danger by tensing in preparation for action.
t
Nearly every stress management technique that is devised specifically to reduce sympathetic nervous activity includes a breathing component.
t
Progressive muscle relaxation activates the parasympathetic nervous system in a consciously-directed way by first tensing a group of muscles and then consciously releasing the tension in that muscle group.
t
Relaxation guided imagery is a technique that involves directing the imagination to connect with the subconscious mind to activate the relaxation response.
t
Which sensation is common during relaxation?
tingling
Progressive relaxation doesn't appear to be helpful in dealing with insomnia.
f
Relaxation happens when we increase sympathetic nervous system activity and decrease parasympathetic nervous system activity.
f
Relaxation techniques tend to work the same for everyone.
f
Research has found an inverse relationship between the ability to use imagery and the ability to be hypnotized.
f
Studies on the effects of progressive muscle relaxation suggest a significant increase in salivary cortisol.
f
The practice of autogenics will usually result in an increase in heart rate because of the focus and effort required to achieve optimal results.
f
The term "breathwork" applies exclusively "stand-alone" breathing techniques.
f
To experience the relaxation benefits of guided imagery, you must be able to see the mental image clearly.
f
Your conscious mind contains all of your thoughts, images, and memories.
f
Compared to healthy children who laugh as many as 400 times a day, adults laugh about ____ times a day
15
The adagio movements of the baroque and early classical musical compositions seem to be the most relaxing, with a tempo of about ____ beats per minute.
60
Yoga is said to have originated in ____ nearly 5,000 years ago.
India
Kiera has many responsibilities at school, home, and work. For someone as busy as Kiera is, what is the best argument to convince her to try autogenics?
It can be practiced anywhere.
The music of baroque composers has become so popular as a healing tool that the treatment is now known as the ____.
Mozart effect
Muscle contraction is based on which principle, which explains that a muscle fiber contracts completely or not at all?
all or none principle
The father of hypnosis, Franz Mesmer, believed that there was a magical force that flowed from hypnotist to patient, which he called ____.
animal magnetism
A type of meditation that focuses primarily on the inhalation and exhalation rather than a mantra is known as _____.
breathing meditation
The focus of hatha yoga is on three branches of yoga, including ____.
breathing techniques
_____ are the energy centers in the body through which spiritual and emotional energies flow
chakras
Hari is feeling depressed. One thing he can do to feel happier is to _____.
change his posture by smiling and standing up straigh
The attitude of passive alertness, signifying a lack of tension in allowing sensations to happen, is known as _____.
effortless effort
The conscious mind is similar in nature to the ____ of the coal-powered steam engine.
engineer
A person can be stressed and relaxed at the same time.
f
Abdominal breathing has been shown to have no effect on test anxiety or academic achievement.
f
Autogenics is peer-directed relaxation using hypnosis.
f
Contraction of the diaphragm during the breathing process produces a decrease in the volume of the chest cavity.
f
Deep abdominal breathing is frequently a signal that the fight-or-flight response is activated.
f
During autogenic practice, a person should focus on the cooling sensation in his or her arms.
f
During autogenics, the feeling of warmth in the extremities can be explained physiologically as the vasoconstriction of blood vessels in response to parasympathetic nervous system activation.
f
If done prior to bedtime, the Power Nap may prevent someone from falling asleep.
f
Imagery and visualization are synonymous terms
f
In Active Progressive Muscle Relaxation, the muscles are contracted to approximately 100% maximum contraction.
f
Muscles have the unique ability to both contract and relax at the same time.
f
People who process information visually may prefer to meditate on a meaningful word or phrase.
f
If Sally meditates regularly, what benefit can she expect to see?
fewer symptoms of angina pectoris
The Power Nap is designed to restore ____.
homeostasis
Josie is doing active progressive muscle relaxation. Once a group of her muscles are contracted sufficiently, she should hold them in this state of tension for ____ seconds.
up to 8
The Power Nap redistributes blood flow to the ____.
upper body parts
The physical feelings resulting from the practice of autogenics are a result of _____.
vasodilation of blood vessels in response to activation of the parasympathetic nervous system
Skyla has post-traumatic stress disorder, and she has noticed autogenic training has helped her panic attacks be less severe and less frequent. Which explanation is the best one for why autogenics might have had this effect on Skyla?
It helped reduce her stress response.
Autogenic training originated in Europe in the early years of the 20th century with the brain physiologist _____.
Oskar Vogt
____ refers to the control of breath, and is derived from the Sanskrit words for "life energy" and "control."
Pranayama
What type of breathing, also known as balanced breathing, makes the respiratory rhythm more regular, which in turn has a soothing effect on the entire nervous system?
alternating nostril
Which variation of progressive muscle relaxation involves contracting each muscle group repeatedly with progressively less tension with each contraction?
incremental muscle relaxation
Autogenic training is a system designed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, using suggestions focused primarily on _____
warmth and heaviness