Stress and Health The Real Reason Peter Pan Never Grew Up

What makes you stressed? The last bagel is gone! I’m going to be late for work! What makes a Zebra Stressed? Is there enough to eat? Am I going to be eaten?

Three Types of Stress: Acute Physical Stressors: Require immediate physiological response in order to survive. Acute Physical Stressors: Require immediate 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: pressures in our social, cultural and economic environment. Psychological and Social Stressors: pressures in our social, cultural and economic environment. e.g. marital stress, hassles or work burnout e.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... The body is divided into the CENTRAL (brain and spinal chord) and PERIPHERAL (all the neurons that connect the body to the CNS) Nervous Systems. The body is divided into the CENTRAL (brain and spinal chord) and PERIPHERAL (all the neurons that connect the body to the CNS) Nervous Systems. Peripheral nervous system is divided into the SOMATIC (voluntary) and the AUTONOMIC (involuntary) Nervous Systems Peripheral nervous system is divided into the SOMATIC (voluntary) and the AUTONOMIC (involuntary) Nervous Systems The Autonomic nervous system is divided into the SYMPATHETIC and the PARASYMPATHETIC Nervous Systems. The Autonomic nervous system is divided into the SYMPATHETIC and the PARASYMPATHETIC Nervous Systems.

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Parasympathetic Division “Vegetative Functions” Increased digestion Increased digestion Increased saliva Increased saliva Decreased heart rate Decreased heart rate Decreased breathing Decreased breathing Increased blood flow to gut Increased blood flow to gut Restful state Restful state Sympathetic Division “Fight or Flight” Response Decreased digestion Decreased saliva Increased heart rate Increased breathing Shunting of blood from gut to other tissues (skeletal muscle, heart, brain) Heightened arousal and vigilance

Results of Chronic Stress: Increased fatigue Increased fatigue Increased risk of heart disease Increased risk of heart disease Increased risk of diabetes Increased risk of diabetes Decreased reproductive function Decreased reproductive function Decreased digestion Decreased digestion Decreased growth! Decreased growth!

The Accidental “Discovery” of Stress Endocrinologist Hans Seyle’s Endocrinologist Hans Seyle’s poor rats. poor rats. General Adaptation Syndrome (Three stages) General Adaptation Syndrome (Three stages) 1. ALARM REACTION - the body’s stress response 2. RESISTANCE - balance is temporarily re-attained by adapting to the presence of the stressor 3. EXHAUSTION - if stressor remains, resources are depleted,leading to illness or death

Seyle’s (Now Revised) General Adaption Syndrome Alarm Reaction Alarm Reaction Resistance / Adaption Resistance / Adaption Illness -- if stressor remains, stress response itself begins to cause long term damage Illness -- if stressor remains, stress response itself begins to cause long term damage

Is Stress Always Bad? Some level of arousal is stimulating and motivating Some level of arousal is stimulating and motivating People vary in how they respond to stress, based on things such as: People vary in how they respond to stress, based on things such as: Physiological differences Physiological differences Personality variables Personality variables Cognitive and emotional responses to stress Cognitive and emotional responses to stress

Changing How We Respond To Stress Attributional Style Attributional Style Internal, Stable, Global vs. External, Unstable, Specific (Seligman) Internal, Stable, Global vs. External, Unstable, Specific (Seligman) Perceived Control Perceived Control Survival rates for breast cancer patients (Taylor) Survival rates for breast cancer patients (Taylor) The plant study (Langer & Rodin) The plant study (Langer & Rodin) Optimism Optimism

Coping with Stress (With a little help from your friends) Social Support: psychological and physical resources from others Social Support: psychological and physical resources from others Tangible: money, shelter, food Tangible: money, shelter, food Intangible: comfort, support, advice Intangible: comfort, support, advice Social support contributes to health and longevity Social support contributes to health and longevity

More Coping Strategies Relaxation / Meditation

More Coping Strategies Exercise Emotion-focused coping Problem-focused coping Cognitive reappraisal Social comparison

More Coping Strategies Exercise Emotion-focused coping Problem-focused coping Cognitive reappraisal Social comparison Humor