applications of psychology to health

stress definition (Selye)

non-specific response of the body to any demand for change

types of stress

DISTRESS = causes anxiety or concern
short or long term
unpleasant
decreases performance
can lead to mental and physical problems

EUSTRESS = motivates and focuses energy
short term
improves performance
powerful motivator

types of stressors

environmental = arise from an individuals conditions and surrounding environment

psychological = caused by emotional + cognitive factors

cultural = emerge from differing cultures, values, identity and norms

social = stems from relationships + societal interactions

characteristics of stressors

nature = environmental, psychological etc.

duration = acute or chronic

strength = mild to severe

stress as a response

Seyle 1936, 1983

general adaptation syndrome model

researched on rats —> exposed them to stressors such as heat and toxins

mechanism called adaptation where body responds to both eustress + distress

involuntary physiological change = e.g. increased heart rate and breathing rate

sympathetic nervous system

stages of the gas model

three phases:

1. alarm = the initial response to a stressor

   shock = stress resistance drops below normal

   countershock = the activation of the sympathetic nervous system - leads to physiological effects

2. resistance = if stressful situation is not present - PNS returns body to normal state

3. exhaustion = happens when there is extended stress and is the result of extended/ chronic stress

stress as a stimulus (Holmes and Rahe)

significant life event or change that demands response, adjustment or adaptation

used the medical records of 5,000 patients

43 common events

social readjustment rating scale (SRRS)

measures the intensity of anticipated readjustment

positively associated with negative affect —> higher value = greater adjustment required

limitations of stress as a response

based on studies done on animals

assumes stress is physiologically uniform

doesn’t account for psychological factors e.g. cognitive appraisal

limitations of stress as a stimulus

assumes change is inherently stressful

assumes life events demand the same level of adjustment across the population

assumes there is a common threshold of adjustment beyond which illness results

ignores factors e.g. learning, environment, support, personality, experiences

stress as a transaction

product of a transaction/ interaction between a person and their complex environment

depends on appraisal of the stressor and their ability to cope with it

Positive Dangerous Irrelevant (1st level = significance/ threat)

PRIMARY APPRAISAL

Insufficient Resources Sufficient Resources (2nd level = How can I cope?)

SECONDARY APPRAISAL

RESULTS IN STRESS

methods of coping

problem focused = changing the situation

emotion focused = change the interpretation

strengths and limitations of stress as a transaction

STRENGTHS

acknowledges stress as subjective

explains role of personal interpretation + appraisal

highlights that people can change their appraisal of a stressor

LIMITATIONS

difficult to experimentally evaluate

primary + secondary appraisals can influence each other and can be undertaken simultaneously

overlooks physiological factors

stress coping strategies

ADAPTIVE = problem focused —> confront + deal with demands

positive appraisal/ reframing - e.g. opportunity for growth

seeking social support

e.g. engaging in behaviours that support mental health

MALADAPTIVE = unproductive/ incessant without reducing source

repression/ avoidance - inhibit thoughts, feelings, stress

aggression/ blame - transfer responsibility to others

purpose of sleep

evolutionary - human sleep-wake cycle adapted because night time sleep gives a lower risk from predators as we don’t function well in the dark

restorative - restoring the body and physical energy e.g. general physical health, restoring energy, recovering from illness/ injuries, psychological wellbeing

stages of the sleep wake cycle

NREM (non rapid eye movement)

N1 - alpha waves produced

awoken by small stimulus

N2 - theta waves produced

larger stimulus needed to be woken, memory consolidation occurs

N3 - delta waves produced

lowest vital signs

REM (rapid eye movement)

EEG is similar to wake, dreams occur, muscle atonia (similar to sleep paralysis so that people cannot act out their dreams), rapid eye movement, increased vital signs

what kind of waves are produced when awake

beta

how does the sleep cycle change over the night

the sleep cycle goes N1, N2, N3, N2, REM, N2, N3, N2 REM so on

the amount of N3 in each cycle decreases and becomes less

whereas N2 + REM increase in amount

shift work sleep deprivation

a disruption to the natural circadian rhythm

such as working non-traditional hours

causes daytime fatigue, mood changes, increased risk of accidents

long term = chronic health issues e.g. heart disease, diabetes, obesity

causes of sleep deprivation

shift work

drugs

poor sleep environment

stressors

effects of partial sleep deprivation

tiredness

reduced attention

slower working memory

impaired decision making

impacts on appetite

affected mood and emotional regulation

slower reflexes

blurred vision, increased sensitivity to light

effects of chronic sleep deprivation

obesity

insomnia

anxiety

higher risk of heart disease/ heart attacks

depression

strokes

what is sleep deprivation

any significant loss of sleep, resulting in problems in concentration and irritability

symptoms of sleep deprivation

trembling hands

inattention

staring off into space

droopy eyelids

general discomfort

healthy sleep practices for sleep hygiene

having a consistent bed time and wake up time

making bed and bedroom environment comfortable, quiet, dark, relaxing, comfortable temp

remove electronic devices from room

avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol close to bedroom

avoid daytime napping

30 minutes of wind down time before bed

dim lights before bed

maximise light exposure during the day

keep the bed for sleep

aim of He et al study

to determine how restricting mobile phone use before bedtime affects mood, working memory, pre-sleep arousal, sleep quality and sleep habits

method of He et al study

38 participants were placed randomly in either a control or experimental group

experimental = had to avoid using their mobile phones 30 minutes before bedtime

control = no instructions

participants recruited from university (convenience)

excluded participants with any conditions that could affect their sleep e.g. shift work or excessive alcohol use

answered a 19-item self reported questionnaire on sleep quality and disturbances (sleep diary)

compared with a baseline assessment

key findings of He et al study

restricting mobile phone use was effective in improving sleep quality, sleep durations, pre-sleep arousal and working memory

contribution of He et al study to psychology

real world applications - understanding of shift work, jet lag and school/ work schedules

provided evidence for occupational psychology

demonstrates that sleep deprivation harms attention, memory, performance

criticisms/ limitations of He et al study

artificial setting - low ecological validity

small/ unrepresentative sample - limits generalisability

only went over a short term, didn’t look at the impact of chronic partial sleep loss