Stress and HealthStress and Health

The Real Reason Peter Pan The Real Reason Peter Pan Never Grew UpNever Grew Up

What makes you stressed?What makes you stressed?

The last bagel

is gone!

I’m goingto be latefor work!

What makes a Zebra Stressed?

Is there enoughto eat?

Am I goingto be

eaten?

Three Types of Stress:Three Types of Stress: Acute Physical Stressors:Acute Physical Stressors: Require immediate Require immediate

physiological response in order to survive.physiological response in order to survive. e.g. attack or natural disaster (Catastrophe)e.g. attack or natural disaster (Catastrophe) Body does well!Body does well!

Chronic Physical Stressors:Chronic Physical Stressors: e.g. starvation, drought, dangerous living conditions.e.g. starvation, drought, dangerous living conditions. Body does OK.Body does OK.

Psychological and Social Stressors:Psychological and Social Stressors: pressures in our pressures in our social, cultural and economic environment.social, cultural and economic environment. e.g. marital stress, hassles or work burnoute.g. marital stress, hassles or work burnout Can be based on thoughts alone!Can be based on thoughts alone! Body does not do so well.Body does not do so well.

Reminder . . .Reminder . . .

The body is divided into the CENTRAL (brain The body is divided into the CENTRAL (brain and spinal chord) and PERIPHERAL (all the and spinal chord) and PERIPHERAL (all the neurons that connect the body to the CNS) neurons that connect the body to the CNS) Nervous Systems.Nervous Systems.

Peripheral nervous system is divided into the Peripheral nervous system is divided into the SOMATIC (voluntary) and the AUTONOMIC SOMATIC (voluntary) and the AUTONOMIC (involuntary) Nervous Systems(involuntary) Nervous Systems

The Autonomic nervous system is divided into The Autonomic nervous system is divided into the SYMPATHETIC and the the SYMPATHETIC and the PARASYMPATHETIC Nervous Systems.PARASYMPATHETIC Nervous Systems.

The Autonomic Nervous The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)System (ANS)

Parasympathetic DivisionParasympathetic Division““Vegetative Functions”Vegetative Functions”

Increased digestionIncreased digestion Increased salivaIncreased saliva Decreased heart rateDecreased heart rate Decreased breathingDecreased breathing Increased blood flow to Increased blood flow to

gutgut

Restful stateRestful state

Sympathetic DivisionSympathetic Division““Fight or Flight” ResponseFight or Flight” Response

Decreased digestionDecreased digestion Decreased salivaDecreased saliva Increased heart rateIncreased heart rate Increased breathingIncreased breathing Shunting of blood from gut Shunting of blood from gut

to other tissues (skeletal to other tissues (skeletal muscle, heart, brain)muscle, heart, brain)

Heightened arousal and Heightened arousal and vigilancevigilance

Results of Chronic Stress:Results of Chronic Stress:

Increased fatigueIncreased fatigue Increased risk of heart Increased risk of heart

diseasedisease Increased risk of diabetesIncreased risk of diabetes

Decreased reproductive Decreased reproductive functionfunction

Decreased digestionDecreased digestion Decreased growth!Decreased growth!

The Accidental “Discovery” of The Accidental “Discovery” of StressStress

Endocrinologist Hans Seyle’s Endocrinologist Hans Seyle’s poor rats.poor rats.

General Adaptation Syndrome General Adaptation Syndrome (Three (Three stages)stages)1. ALARM REACTION - the body’s stress response1. ALARM REACTION - the body’s stress response2. RESISTANCE - balance is temporarily re-attained by 2. RESISTANCE - balance is temporarily re-attained by

adapting to the presence of the stressoradapting to the presence of the stressor3. EXHAUSTION - if stressor remains, resources are 3. EXHAUSTION - if stressor remains, resources are

depleted,leading to illness or death depleted,leading to illness or death

Seyle’s (Now Revised) General Seyle’s (Now Revised) General Adaption SyndromeAdaption Syndrome

Alarm ReactionAlarm Reaction Resistance / AdaptionResistance / Adaption Illness -- Illness -- if stressor remains, stress if stressor remains, stress

response response itselfitself begins to cause long term begins to cause long term damagedamage

Is Stress Always Bad?Is Stress Always Bad?

Some level of arousal is Some level of arousal is stimulating and motivatingstimulating and motivating

People vary in how they People vary in how they respond to stress, based on respond to stress, based on things such as:things such as: Physiological differencesPhysiological differences Personality variablesPersonality variables Cognitive and emotional Cognitive and emotional

responses to stressresponses to stress

Changing How We Respond Changing How We Respond To StressTo Stress

Attributional StyleAttributional Style Internal, Stable, Global vs. External, Unstable, Internal, Stable, Global vs. External, Unstable,

Specific (Seligman)Specific (Seligman) Perceived ControlPerceived Control

Survival rates for breast cancer patients Survival rates for breast cancer patients (Taylor)(Taylor)

The plant study (Langer & Rodin)The plant study (Langer & Rodin) OptimismOptimism

Coping with StressCoping with Stress(With a little help from your friends)(With a little help from your friends)

Social Support: psychological and physical Social Support: psychological and physical resources from others resources from others Tangible: money, shelter, foodTangible: money, shelter, food Intangible: comfort, support, adviceIntangible: comfort, support, advice

Social support contributes to health and Social support contributes to health and longevity longevity

More Coping StrategiesMore Coping StrategiesRelaxation / MeditationRelaxation / Meditation

More Coping StrategiesMore Coping Strategies

ExerciseExercise Emotion-focused copingEmotion-focused coping Problem-focused copingProblem-focused coping Cognitive reappraisalCognitive reappraisal Social comparisonSocial comparison

More Coping StrategiesMore Coping Strategies

ExerciseExercise Emotion-focused copingEmotion-focused coping Problem-focused copingProblem-focused coping Cognitive reappraisalCognitive reappraisal Social comparisonSocial comparison HumorHumor