Health and Well-Being | Stress and Health | ERQ

Stress

A physiological or psychological response of an organism to an adverse environmental condition

Stressor

An adverse environmental condition that causes an organism to experience stress

What are the two types of stress responses

Physiological responses and psychological responses

Why is stress considered a tricky phenomenon

Because stress is the organisms response to something demanding but the response itself can also become demanding

Why can stress itself be stressful

Because the organisms response to an adverse condition becomes an additional adverse condition

Hans Selye

The researcher who first used the term stress in a biological context

How did Hans Selye define stress

The non specific response of the body to any demand placed upon it

Who defined stress as the non specific response of the body to any demand placed upon it

Hans Selye in nineteen seventy six

Meaning of non specific response in Selyes definition

The body responds to demands through a general response rather than one specific reaction for each stressor

Homeostasis

The optimal balanced condition of an organism for living

What is homeostasis in biology

The balanced internal condition that allows an organism to function optimally

What can cause an organism to experience stress in relation to homeostasis

Anything that moves the organisms condition too far away from its balanced state

How does a life threatening condition affect homeostasis

It moves the organism away from its optimal balanced condition and is experienced as extremely stressful

How does an organism respond to a threat to homeostasis

It attempts to restore its internal balance

What may an organism do to restore homeostasis

Consume resources if necessary to return to its optimal condition

Why is restoring homeostasis important

Because remaining away from the balanced condition places demands on the organism

Why is the consumption of resources during a stress response itself stressful

Because using resources places an additional demand on the organism

Why should homeostasis be restored quickly after a stressor

Because prolonged stress and resource consumption can create further demands on the organism

Chronic stress

A condition in which stress continues over a prolonged period

When can stress become chronic

When the organism does not restore homeostasis quickly and stress continues

Effects of chronic stress

It has profoundly negative and long lasting effects on the organism

Why is chronic stress particularly harmful

Because its negative effects can persist over a long period of time

Biology of stress

The biological processes and bodily responses that occur when an organism responds to a stressor

What happens to the sympathetic nervous system when an organism responds to a stressor

It becomes very active

Sympathetic nervous system

The part of the nervous system that becomes highly active during the fight or flight response

Fight or flight response

A bodily response associated with increased sympathetic nervous system activity that prepares an organism to respond to danger

What is the fight or flight response designed to prepare the organism to do

Fight a threat or flee from danger

What happens to the pupils during the fight or flight response

They dilate or become wider

Pupil dilation during stress

Widening of the pupils as part of the fight or flight response

What happens to heart rate during the fight or flight response

Heart rate increases

Why does heart rate increase during stress

It is part of the physiological preparation for responding rapidly to a threat

What happens to blood vessels during the fight or flight response

Blood vessels narrow

Blood vessel narrowing during stress

A physiological change that occurs as part of the fight or flight response

What happens to airflow in the lungs during the fight or flight response

Airflow increases

Why does airflow in the lungs increase during stress

To support the increased bodily activity needed to respond to a threat

What happens to metabolism during the fight or flight response

Metabolism increases

What happens to sweating during the fight or flight response

Sweating increases

Which stress hormones are secreted during the fight or flight response

Adrenaline and cortisol

Adrenaline

A stress hormone secreted during the fight or flight response

Cortisol

A stress hormone secreted during the fight or flight response that increases glucose availability and changes how the body uses energy

Main physiological changes during the fight or flight response

Pupils dilate heart rate increases blood vessels narrow airflow in the lungs increases metabolism increases sweating increases and adrenaline and cortisol are secreted

Cortisol and blood glucose

Cortisol increases the amount of glucose or sugar in the bloodstream

Cortisol and the brain

Cortisol enhances the brains use of glucose

Why does cortisol increase glucose availability

To provide a short term boost to energy

Short term effect of cortisol on energy

It increases glucose availability and enhances the brains use of glucose to provide additional energy

How does cortisol affect non essential body functions

It can suppress functions such as digestion reproduction and growth

Which body functions can cortisol suppress during stress

Digestion reproduction and growth

Why does cortisol suppress certain body functions during stress

To divert energy away from functions that are not immediately essential for responding to a threat

What happens to energy during the stress response

Energy is diverted toward the skeletal muscles and the brain

Which body systems receive diverted energy during the stress response

The skeletal muscles and the brain

Why is energy diverted to skeletal muscles during stress

Because the muscles may be needed for rapid physical action such as running or fighting

Why is energy diverted to the brain during stress

Because the brain is needed to focus attention and coordinate rapid responses to danger

How does cortisol help prepare the body for rapid action

It increases glucose in the bloodstream enhances the brains use of glucose and suppresses some non essential functions so energy can be redirected

Personal experience of the fight or flight response

A person who feels scared or believes they are in danger may notice their heart racing and their attention becoming focused on the source of danger

What happens to heart rate when a person feels frightened or in danger

Their heart may begin racing

What happens to attention during a perceived threat

Attention becomes focused on the source of danger

Why is increased focus on danger useful during stress

Because it helps the organism direct attention toward the potential threat

Why was the fight or flight response useful to our animal ancestors

Because it mobilized their resources so they could run quickly or fight fiercely when threatened

How did the fight or flight response help animal ancestors survive

It prepared their bodies to use available resources for escaping predators or fighting threats

What happened to the resources of animal ancestors during a threat

Their resources were mobilized to support rapid running or fighting

What happens after a perceived stressor has passed

Stress hormone levels gradually return to normal

What happens to stress hormone levels after danger has passed

They gradually decrease and return to normal levels

What happens to temporarily suppressed body systems after stress has passed

They gradually resume their normal activities

Why do temporarily suppressed body systems resume their activities after stress

Because the immediate demand has passed and the body can return toward its normal balanced condition

What happens when stressors are constantly present

The fight or flight reaction in the body remains activated

What is the consequence of constantly activated fight or flight responses

They may have detrimental consequences for the organism

Why can constant activation of the fight or flight response be harmful

Because the body remains in a state of stress rather than returning to its normal balanced condition

Difference between acute and chronic stress responses in the passage

After a temporary stressor hormone levels return to normal but constant stressors can keep the fight or flight response activated

Stressors in the modern world

Homework exams the fast pace of life and relationship problems in the family

Examples of modern psychological or environmental stressors

Homework exams a fast pace of life and family relationship problems

How do modern stressors compare with threats faced by primitive ancestors

The body responds to modern environmental demands in the same way it responded to direct physical threats

How does the human body respond to modern stressors

It activates biological stress responses similar to those activated by direct physical danger

Why can homework and exams activate the stress response

The body can treat these environmental demands as stressors in a similar way to physical threats

Why can family relationship problems cause stress

They are environmental demands that the body may respond to through the stress response system

How has the nature of common stressors changed over time

Modern humans face demands such as homework exams fast paced living and relationship problems rather than mainly facing direct attacks by predators

What has remained similar despite changes in modern stressors

The human bodys biological response to environmental demands remains similar to its response to physical threats faced by primitive ancestors

Overall purpose of the fight or flight response

To mobilize the organisms resources and prepare it to respond rapidly to a perceived threat

Overall sequence of the biological stress response

A stressor activates the sympathetic nervous system the fight or flight response occurs stress hormones are secreted energy is redirected and the body attempts to respond to the threat

What happens if the stressor disappears after the fight or flight response

Stress hormone levels gradually return to normal and temporarily suppressed systems resume their activities

What happens if the stressor remains constantly present

The fight or flight response can remain activated and may have detrimental long lasting consequences

Types of stress

In nineteen seventy five Hans Selye divided stress into two main types called eustress and distress

Who divided stress into eustress and distress

Hans Selye in nineteen seventy five

Eustress

A positive type of stress that performs a beneficial function for an organism

Literal meaning of eustress

Noble stress

Why is eustress considered positive

Because stress can motivate or challenge an individual to perform beyond their usual limits

Example of eustress

Stress that challenges a sportsperson to push the boundaries of their abilities during training

How can eustress benefit a sportsperson

It can provide a challenge that encourages them to push beyond their usual performance limits during training

Distress

The negative type of stress that is not completely resolved through coping or adaptation

How does distress differ from eustress

Eustress performs a positive function whereas distress is negative and may produce harmful consequences

What happens when distress is not completely resolved

It may persist and result in negative consequences for the organism

Can distress be persistent

Yes distress may continue over time when it is not fully resolved through coping or adaptation

What determines whether an experience is interpreted as eustress or distress

How the individual cognitively appraises or perceives the event

Cognitive appraisal and types of stress

An individual may interpret an event as an interesting challenge or as a threat depending on how they perceive it

Why does cognitive appraisal play a large role in eustress and distress

Because the same event may be interpreted positively as a challenge or negatively as a threat

Why does every new experience involve some degree of stress

Because every new experience represents some form of challenge and therefore involves some degree of alarm or arousal

Alarm or arousal during new experiences

A degree of activation that occurs because every new experience presents some form of challenge

Can the same event produce eustress or distress

Yes depending on how an individual perceives and interprets the event

Acute stress

Stress experienced over a short period of time

Examples of acute stress

Being stuck in a traffic jam having an argument with a friend or receiving criticism from a teacher

Duration of acute stress

A short period of time