HLTH 208 – Exam 1 Detailed Study Guide

Section 1 – What is Stress?

Stress

Stress is the body’s physical and psychological response to demands or challenges. These demands can come from the environment, relationships, school, work, or internal thoughts.

Stress itself is not always negative. It is a normal biological process that helps the body respond to challenges and maintain survival.

Example
• Studying for an exam
• Meeting a deadline
• Playing in a competitive sport

The body reacts to stress through physiological changes such as increased heart rate, hormone release, and increased alertness.

Stressor

A stressor is anything that triggers a stress response.

Types of stressors include

Physical
• illness
• injury
• lack of sleep

Psychological
• exams
• relationships
• work pressure

Environmental
• noise
• crowding
• extreme temperatures

Social
• conflict with others
• financial problems

Eustress vs Distress

Eustress
Positive stress that motivates and improves performance.

Examples
• excitement before a game
• preparing for a big opportunity
• starting a new job

Eustress can increase focus, motivation, and productivity.

Distress
Negative stress that harms health or performance.

Examples
• chronic financial stress
• relationship conflict
• overwhelming workloads

Distress can lead to anxiety, fatigue, and illness.

Yerkes Dodson Principle

The Yerkes Dodson Law explains the relationship between stress (arousal) and performance.

The relationship looks like an inverted U-shaped curve.

Low stress
• low motivation
• boredom
• poor performance

Moderate stress
• optimal focus
• highest performance

Too much stress
• anxiety
• mistakes
• decreased performance

Example
A little stress before an exam can help you concentrate, but too much stress can cause you to blank out or panic.

Types of Stress

Acute Stress
Short-term stress that happens in response to immediate events.

Examples
• giving a presentation
• arguing with someone
• narrowly avoiding a car accident

Symptoms disappear once the event passes.

Episodic Acute Stress
Frequent episodes of acute stress.

Common in people who
• overcommit
• feel constant pressure
• have chaotic lifestyles

These individuals may feel constantly rushed or overwhelmed.

Chronic Stress
Long-term stress that continues for months or years.

Examples
• poverty
• toxic relationships
• long-term illness
• job insecurity

Chronic stress is the most dangerous because it can lead to major health problems.

Relationship Between Stress Health and Performance

Stress affects both physical and mental health.

Short-term stress can help survival and performance.

Long-term stress can lead to

• high blood pressure
• weakened immune system
• depression
• heart disease
• sleep disorders

Performance decreases when stress becomes excessive.

Five Dimensions of Health

Health is multidimensional, meaning it involves several areas of well-being.

1 Physical Health
Body functioning, nutrition, sleep, exercise.

2 Emotional Health
Ability to manage emotions and cope with stress.

3 Social Health
Quality relationships and support systems.

4 Spiritual Health
Sense of purpose, values, and meaning in life.

5 Intellectual Health
Learning, creativity, and problem solving.

Stress can disrupt any of these dimensions.

Example
Chronic stress may cause poor sleep (physical), irritability (emotional), and withdrawal from friends (social).

Section 2 – Assessment of Stress

Methods of Assessing Stress

Researchers and clinicians measure stress using several approaches.

Self Report Measures
• questionnaires
• perceived stress scale
• stress diaries

Physiological Measures
• heart rate
• blood pressure
• cortisol levels

Behavioral Observation
• sleep patterns
• eating habits
• irritability

These methods help determine how much stress someone is experiencing and how it affects their body.

Normal Heart Rate

Resting heart rate for adults
60–100 beats per minute

Athletes may have lower resting heart rates because their hearts are more efficient.

Stress typically raises heart rate due to activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Normal Respiration Rate

Normal adult breathing rate
12–20 breaths per minute

During stress the breathing rate increases because the body prepares for action.

Section 3 – Science of Stress

Evolutionary Purpose of Stress

Stress developed as a survival mechanism.

Early humans faced threats like predators and dangerous environments. Stress prepared the body to respond quickly.

Key survival functions

• faster reaction time
• increased energy
• heightened awareness

This response helped humans fight threats or escape danger.

Walter Cannon

Walter Cannon was a physiologist who introduced the concept of the fight or flight response.

He studied how the body reacts to stress and discovered that the sympathetic nervous system activates during danger.

His work showed how the body maintains homeostasis, or internal balance.

Fight or Flight Response

The fight or flight response is the body’s automatic reaction to perceived danger.

When a threat appears

1 Brain detects danger
2 Hypothalamus activates sympathetic nervous system
3 Adrenal glands release stress hormones

Physiological changes include

• increased heart rate
• increased breathing
• release of glucose for energy
• blood flow redirected to muscles
• pupils dilate

These changes prepare the body to fight the threat or escape from it.

Homeostasis

Homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain stable internal conditions despite external changes.

Examples

• body temperature regulation
• blood glucose control
• blood pressure balance

Stress temporarily disrupts homeostasis, but the body attempts to return to balance afterward.

Biological Systems Involved in Stress

Several systems work together during stress.

Nervous System
Controls rapid responses through the sympathetic nervous system.

Endocrine System
Releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

Immune System
Stress can weaken immune function if it continues long term.

Stress Hormones

Major stress hormones include

Cortisol
• increases glucose for energy
• suppresses nonessential systems

Adrenaline (epinephrine)
• increases heart rate
• increases blood pressure
• boosts energy

Norepinephrine
• increases alertness and attention

Short bursts are helpful, but chronic elevation damages health.

Health Effects of Stress

Chronic stress can cause

Physical effects

• headaches
• digestive problems
• hypertension
• weakened immunity

Mental effects

• anxiety
• depression
• irritability
• burnout

Behavioral effects

• overeating
• substance use
• sleep problems

Hans Selye – General Adaptation Syndrome

Hans Selye described the body’s three stage response to stress.

1 Alarm Stage
Body detects the stressor and activates fight or flight.

2 Resistance Stage
Body attempts to adapt to the stressor.

Energy is used to cope with the challenge.

3 Exhaustion Stage
If stress continues too long, resources become depleted.

This leads to fatigue, illness, and burnout.

Section 4 – Mind Body Connection

Healthy People 2030

Healthy People 2030 is a national public health initiative in the United States that sets health improvement goals.

It emphasizes reducing chronic stress because it contributes to many diseases.

Direct Effects of Stress

Direct effects occur when stress hormones damage the body directly.

Examples

• increased blood pressure
• inflammation
• immune suppression

Indirect Effects of Stress

Indirect effects happen when stress leads to unhealthy behaviors.

Examples

• smoking
• overeating
• alcohol use
• poor sleep

These behaviors increase disease risk.

Allostatic Load

Allostatic load is the wear and tear on the body caused by chronic stress.

Repeated stress responses overload the body's systems.

Effects include

• cardiovascular disease
• metabolic disorders
• weakened immunity

Stress Effects on Body Systems

Immune System
Chronic stress weakens immune responses, making illness more likely.

Memory
High cortisol levels damage the hippocampus, affecting memory formation.

Aging
Stress accelerates cellular aging by shortening telomeres.

Diabetes
Stress increases blood glucose levels and insulin resistance.

Heart
Stress raises blood pressure and increases risk of heart disease and stroke.

Psychosomatic Illness

A psychosomatic illness is a physical disease influenced by psychological factors.

Examples

• stress headaches
• ulcers
• high blood pressure

The symptoms are real but strongly affected by emotional stress.

Psychoneuroimmunology

Psychoneuroimmunology studies the interaction between the mind, nervous system, and immune system.

It explains how emotions and stress can directly influence immune function and disease risk.

Karoshi

Karoshi is a Japanese term meaning death from overwork.

It often results from extreme work stress leading to

• heart attacks
• strokes
• severe exhaustion

It demonstrates the dangerous effects of chronic workplace stress.

Placebo Effect

A placebo effect occurs when a person improves after receiving a treatment with no active medical ingredient.

Improvement happens because the person believes the treatment will work.

Example
Taking a sugar pill and feeling pain relief.

Nocebo Effect

The nocebo effect is the opposite of placebo.

Negative expectations cause worse symptoms or side effects even when no harmful treatment was given.

Example
A person experiences headaches after taking a pill they believe has side effects, even though it is inactive.