PHED 2022- Invitation to Health: Live It Now! Brief 9e

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An Invitation to Health: Building Your Future, Brief Edition, 9e
Dianne Hales
Personal Stress Management
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After reading this chapter, the student
should be able to:
• Outline the types of stress and the effects
of stress on people
• Identify stressors commonly reported by
different groups across America
• Examine the most common causes of
stress that individuals face
Objectives

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• Summarize the incidence, symptoms, and
treatment of the stress disorders
associated with traumatic life events
• Outline how the body responds to stress
• Describe how stress can affect a person’s
heart, immune system, gastrointestinal
system, and susceptibility to cancer
Objectives (cont’d.)

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• Discuss practical techniques of stress
management
• Summarize how time management can
help prevent stress
Objectives (cont’d.)

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• Defined as “a non-specific response of the
body to any demand made upon it”
• Stressor
– Anything that triggers a state of arousal
– May be positive or negative
• Eustress: positive stress
• Distress: negative effects of stress
Stress

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• Physical stress triggers body changes
– Heart, muscles, immune system, and more
• Chronic stress affects thoughts and
feelings
• Stress can sidetrack spiritual health
• Relationships are affected by life stress
• Stress can interfere with brain function
• External forces can cause or intensify
stress
Stress and the Dimensions of Health

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• Acute time-limited stressors
– Examples: timed test or public speaking
• Brief naturalistic stressors
– Example: taking the SAT
• Life change events
– Planned and unpredictable events
• Distant stressors
– Happened in the past
– Continue to impact emotions
Types of Stressors

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• Survey results: average stress level 4.9
out of 10
• Symptoms
– Fatigue
– Poor sleep
– Sense of being overwhelmed
• People who say they manage stress well
report a lower stress level
Stress in America

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• Common student stressors
– Test pressures
– Financial problems
– Frustrations or delays in reaching goals
– Relationship problems
– Daily hassles
• Reactions to stress vary
– Women more likely to feel stressed about
finances, relationships, and daily hassles
Stress on Campus

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• Minority ethnic groups experience various
forms of stress
– Some examples: discrimination stress and
achievement stress
Minority Students

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• More common than overt racism
• Microassaults
– Conscious, intentional acts or slurs
• Microinsults
– Rude verbal and nonverbal expressions
• Microinvalidation
– Subtle nullifications of thoughts or feelings of
another
Microaggression Toward Minorities

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• Factors influencing anger
– People are working longer hours
• Less patience
– Technology enables 24/7 availability
• Economic stress
– Unemployment
• Job stress or burnout
• Illness and disability
Other Stressors

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• About half of all people experience at least
one traumatic life event
– Car accident
– Unexpected death in the family
– Tornado, earthquake
– Violent act
• Vast majority of people able to recover and
continue with their lives
Traumatic Life Events

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• Disabling symptoms following a traumatic
event
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
– Can occur following captivity, combat, or
violent incident
• Symptoms of PTSD
– Distressing memories or dreams
– External reminders of the event
– Persistent negative emotions, such as guilt
Acute Stress Disorder

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• Cascade of internal changes that mobilize
the body for action
– “Fight-or-flight” response
– Affects heart, muscles, brain
• Once threat passes, body returns to
homeostasis
• General adaptation syndrome
– Alarm, resistance, and exhaustion
– See Figure 3.2
The Stress Response

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• Heart
– Mulling over stressful events elevates blood
pressure
• Immune system
– Chronic stress breaks down immune system
• Stress influences how much and what we
eat
• Stress-related inflammation can affect
cancer growth
The Impact of Stress

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• Techniques
– Journaling: writing down feelings
– Exercise
– Cognitive restructuring
• Get rid of inaccurate or self-defeating thoughts
– Meditation
Managing Stress

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• Progressive relaxation
– Intentionally increase and then decrease
tension in the muscles
– Work through the body, focusing on each area
• Visualization
– Create mental picture that helps focus mind
• Biofeedback
– Using measurements of a body process to
adjust that process
• Examples: heart rate or muscle tension
Routes to Relaxation

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• Meditation
– Brings about changes in various brain regions
• Mindfulness
– Being fully present in the moment
– Focusing on the present time
• Yoga
– May lower harmful compounds associated
with stress that increase inflammation
Routes to Relaxation (cont’d.)

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• Symptoms of poor time management
– Rushing
– Consistent lateness
– Fatigue
– Inability to make choices or decisions
– Sense of being overwhelmed by demands
Stress Prevention: Taking Control of
Your Time

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• Schedule your time in advance
• Develop a game plan
• Identify time robbers
• Make the most of classes
• Develop an efficient study style
• Cut large problems into smaller pieces
• Focus on the task at hand
• Keep workspace orderly
Time Management Solutions