Health: Managing Stress
-An acute stressor is a short-term source of stress—for example, an upcoming deadline. Sometimes acute stress can be helpful. It might motivate you to create your best work or meet an ambitious deadline.
-A chronic stressor, on the other hand, is a long-term source of stress—for example, caring for someone who is ill. Chronic stress is persistent and can lead to long-lasting and serious health problems.
-For the most part, happiness is something that we control by making good decisions, keeping a positive state of mind, and by way of practice. The way we think and the things we do (for example, being grateful and helping others) are more likely to determine our level of happiness than any kind of outside circumstance (such as having an important job or winning the lottery).
-Below are some ways to increase your own happiness. Surround yourself with happy people who live healthy lives. Give thanks every day for the positive things in your life. Give help and encouragement to the people you care about and love. Talk about events in positive terms. Focus on the present instead of on past events or the future.
-Both types of stress should be taken seriously. Acute stress is not always healthy. Acute stressors can build up, and over time they can become chronic. Think about having year after year of stressful deadlines. The amount of constant stress could take a toll on your health.
-Cultivating Happiness One way to manage your stress is to cultivate happiness. We often think of happiness as something that results from a charmed life. In fact, research shows that beautiful, wealthy people are just as happy—or just as unhappy—as average people.
-In the alarm stage, the body gears up to either fight the danger or run from it. This danger can be perceived on a physical, mental, or emotional level.
-When you feel frightened, your body releases stress hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) into your blood. These hormones focus concentration, speed up reaction time, and increase strength and agility.
Which is a good strategy for managing stress?
associating with happy and healthy people
What is the first step in managing stress?
recognizing one has too much stress
Which term best defines the primitive instinct for the body to defend itself?
stress
What does the sympathetic nervous system control?
the fight-or-flight response
How is the mind-body connection best described?
the interrelationship of the mind and the body
Which statement about stress is true?
The experience of stress in the past magnifies one's reactivity to stress in the future.
-During the resistance period, hormone flow, breathing, and heart rate return to their usual levels. However, if you are experiencing several stressful situations at once or stress over a long period of time, your body has no time to recover. This situation leads to the third and very dangerous stage: exhaustion.
-Exhaustion, if not treated, creates extra wear and tear on the body. It leads to illness, poor decision making, and an overall breakdown of the body and its systems. Because your mind and body are so closely linked, early and common symptoms of this stage are physical exhaustion and mental fatigue.
-Teens and young adults are not immune to the pressures of stress. In fact, the lives of teens are sometimes more stressful than the lives of adults.
-Identify Your Stressors What makes you the most stressed? Lack of time? Conflict with friends? When identifying your stressors, it is helpful to classify them as acute or chronic.
-Happiness is determined largely by our point of view—the way we think and talk about our experiences.
-Making Good Choices Maybe you've heard someone say, "I quit smoking, but then I got so stressed I started again." Sometimes we cope with stress in unhealthy ways, such as smoking, drinking, drug abuse, compulsive eating, and other risky behaviors. Unfortunately, these actions don't relieve stress, but they do cause a host of health problems.
-Managing Stress, Part 2 The word stress is everywhere. You see it, hear it, and read it in phrases like "Don't stress out," "I'm so stressed," and "Stress management."
-Not to stress you out, but there's a lot to learn about stress. What exactly is stress, and how does it affect the body? Did you know that not all stress is bad? And perhaps most importantly, do you know how to manage the negative stress in your life in a healthy way?
-The best way to deal with stress is to concentrate on making good choices that improve physical, emotional and mental, and social health.
-Physical Health Eat regular meals with fruits and vegetables. Avoid high-fat "comfort" foods, such as ice cream or chips. If necessary, note your eating patterns and calorie intake to identify problem foods or behaviors. Do regular physical activity; for example, running can give you a euphoric "runner's high" and yoga can make you feel peaceful and centered.
-The heart beats more rapidly to pump blood throughout the body tissues, blood pressure rises, and the body gets ready to take action. Breathing becomes rapid and shallow, making less oxygen available to the blood. Muscles become tense, and blood flow to the brain and major muscles increases. Your body is literally working overtime.
-Resistance and Exhaustion When the threat is gone, physical functions should begin to return to normal. In the GAS model, this second stage is called resistance.
-Emotional and Mental Health Avoid taking on too much responsibility by setting your own calendar whenever possible. Focus on one activity at a time instead of multitasking. Maintain a regular sleeping schedule. Meditate and use relaxation techniques, such as mindful breathing.
-Social Health Talk to your friends about your problems. See family and friends regularly to maintain close relationships. Do activities that are fun and make you laugh. Ask for help if you need it.
-However, too much stress, especially over a long period of time, is harmful to your health. The stress response is a good example of the mind-body connection, because if you are "stressed out" you may lose your appetite, have insomnia, and suffer from tension and anxiety.
-Studies document exactly how stress tears away at every body system, including your brain. And get this: The experience of stress in the past magnifies your reactivity to stress in the future.
-Mind-Body Connection Many of the signs of stress are physical. These signs are evidence of the interrelationship of the mind and the body, also called the mind-body connection. Your thoughts, emotions, feelings, and physical responses are all part of one system—your body—and cannot be separated.
-This connection is why stress management techniques include physical, mental, and social exercises.
-Fight or Flight The stress response is often called the "fight or flight" response, which is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system.
-This familiar term is really just the first stage of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS). In this model of stress reaction, the first stage is called alarm, followed by resistance, and finally by exhaustion. The alarm stage is the same thing as "fight or flight."
-What Is Stress? Life can be stressful. Have you ever felt pressured by peers, school work, or the desire to perform well?
-This kind of strain on the body or mind is called stress. It is a part of the body's primitive instincts to defend itself. Sometimes a little stress can be useful, such as when you have a test or a big game coming up, because you are keyed up to do your best.
-Symptoms of Stress If you are feeling worried, depressed, fearful, impatient, angry, frustrated, lonely, powerless, or inflexible, these emotions are all signs of stress. Read the following list for more symptoms of stress, in no particular order.
Anxiety Constipation or diarrhea Stiffness in the neck or shoulders Backaches Headaches Dizziness Fatigue Crying Forgetfulness Bossiness or crankiness Yelling Stomach tension Compulsive eating Blaming Loss of appetite
Which is true about happiness?
It is something people can cultivate through behavior.
Which does the body do during the alarm phase of the general adaptation syndrome model?
Prepares to fight or run from danger.
What is the general adaption syndrome?
a model used to explain reactions to stressful situations
What is epinephrine?
a stress hormone
