HLTH 208 – Exam 1 Detailed Study Guide

Stress

The body’s physical and psychological response to demands or challenges.

Stressor

Anything that triggers a stress response.

Eustress

Positive stress that motivates and improves performance.

Distress

Negative stress that harms health or performance.

Yerkes Dodson Law

Explains the relationship between stress (arousal) and performance, often depicted as an inverted U-shaped curve.

Acute Stress

Short-term stress that occurs in response to immediate events.

Episodic Acute Stress

Frequent episodes of acute stress, often experienced by those who overcommit or feel constant pressure.

Chronic Stress

Long-term stress that continues for months or years and can lead to major health problems.

Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain stable internal conditions despite external changes.

General Adaptation Syndrome

Hans Selye’s three-stage response to stress: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Psychoneuroimmunology

The study of the interaction between the mind, nervous system, and immune system.

Allostatic Load

The wear and tear on the body caused by chronic stress.

Placebo Effect

Improvement after receiving a treatment with no active medical ingredient due to belief in its efficacy.

Nocebo Effect

Worse symptoms or side effects arising from negative expectations about a treatment.

Fight or Flight Response

The body’s automatic reaction to perceived danger, involving physiological changes that prepare it for action.

Stress Hormones

Hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that are released during stress and can affect bodily functions.

Direct Effects of Stress

Damage to the body caused directly by stress hormones.

Indirect Effects of Stress

Damage caused by unhealthy behaviors that result from stress.

Psychosomatic Illness

A physical disease influenced by psychological factors.

Walter Cannon

Physiologist who introduced the concept of the fight or flight response.

Healthy People 2030

A national public health initiative in the United States that sets health improvement goals.

Normal Heart Rate

Resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.

Normal Respiration Rate

Normal adult breathing rate ranges from 12 to 20 breaths per minute.

Five Dimensions of Health

Health includes physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual well-being.

Stress Effects on Body Systems

Chronic stress can weaken the immune system, affect memory, and increase the risk of heart disease.