1 / 33

STRESS AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE

STRESS AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE. Rob Rutledge. WHY LEARN ABOUT STRESS. Improves your health You can take an active role Enjoy your life more. MAIN POINTS. Recognize when you feel stress Train yourself to de-stress Learn to live in a peaceful way. OVERVIEW OF STRESS TALK.

albert
Download Presentation

STRESS AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. STRESS AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE Rob Rutledge

  2. WHY LEARN ABOUT STRESS • Improves your health • You can take an active role • Enjoy your life more

  3. MAIN POINTS • Recognize when you feel stress • Train yourself to de-stress • Learn to live in a peaceful way

  4. OVERVIEW OF STRESS TALK • Stressors vs stress • Physiology of stress reaction • Short-term vs long-term stress • Vicious cycles and burnout • How to de-stress • The benefits of meditation • Questions

  5. WHAT IS STRESS? • A condition in which an individual perceives the demands of a situation as exceeding their resources • Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman

  6. STRESSORS VS STRESS • Stressor - thing that causes stress -Physical or psychological -Real or perceived • Stress - our body/mind reaction -Physical and psychological

  7. Stressor Perception Stress

  8. STRESSORS • The runaway car • An illness • A traffic jam • Dealing with an angry person • Feeling of having too much to do

  9. ACUTE STRESS • Our body's reaction to the stressor • “Fight or flight” reaction • Physical response - heart, breathing • Feeling of anxiety or anger • Usually short-lived

  10. PHYSIOLOGY OF STRESS • Stress starts in the brain • Stress hormones are released • Pumps sugar and fats into blood • Autonomic nervous system : release catecholamines • Effects every cell in the body

  11. PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTSOF STRESS • Increased mental energy • Increased emotional sensitivity • Poor memory, ability to plan and rationalize

  12. HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE STRESS • What are your triggers? • What happens in your body? • What happens to your thinking? • What emotions do you feel?

  13. IS STRESS ALL BAD? • In short term - can help us • When in danger - keeps us safe • Helps our bodies heal • Sharpens our minds • The problem - ongoing stress

  14. TOO MUCH STRESS • Animals - stress reaction works • Humans - ‘think’ and relive a stressful reaction • Multiple stressors over years • We often forget to relax

  15. PHYSIOLOGY OF CHRONIC STRESS • Constant - high output of hormones • Mind remains in agitated state • Difficulty with sleep • Body adapts and is hypersensitized

  16. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM STRESS • ALL SYSTEMS • Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease • Mutes the normal stress reaction • Susceptible to infection • Chronic fatigue syndrome • Inflammatory disease • Damage our brain

  17. CHRONIC STRESS SYNDROME • Irritable • Depressed • Poor concentration/memory • Anxiety • Poor sleep and fatigue • Vicious circle

  18. VICIOUS CYCLES OF STRESS • Sensitization of the brain: • Irritable and so any perceived insult creates more stress • More stress hormones released every time

  19. POOR SLEEP STRESS IRRITABLE ANY STRESSOR

  20. CHRONIC STRESS SOCIAL FUNCTIONING FAILS SUSCEPTIBLE TO STRESSORS DETERIORATION OF BRAIN AND BODY IRRITABLE DEPRESSED HEALTH PROBLEMS

  21. HOW DO YOU EXPERIENCE LONG TERM STRESS • What happens to your body? • What happens to your thinking? • What emotions do you feel?

  22. STRESS RESPONSE

  23. THE ANTIDOTE TO STRESS • Dealing with acute stress • Looking at the big picture • AWARENESS IS KEY • Listen to your body • Watch your mind and emotions

  24. ANTIDOTE TO ACUTE STRESS • Notice - be aware • Center yourself with breathing • Think - Is the threat real? • Reassure yourself • Remember to relax - choice

  25. PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO DECREASE STRESS LEVELS • Find a balance in your life • Stop the stressors • Rest and exercise • Use humour • Let Nature surround you • Listen to music, garden ...

  26. STRESS AND EXERCISE • Very effective • Burn off the sugars and fats • Strengthens the heart • More energy, better sleep

  27. LEARNING RELAXATION • Relaxation is a natural state • Relaxation techniques, massage, meditation • Creates a response in the body • The feeling stays with us • Call upon the relaxation response

  28. BREATHE

  29. QUESTIONS

  30. HORMONAL CHANGES Sugar and insulin release Cholesterol release Sex hormones decrease PHYSICAL EFFECTSOF STRESS

  31. PHYSICAL EFFECTSOF STRESS CARDIOVASCULAR CHANGES • Increase in heart rate and blood pressure • Increase in blood clotting factor • Increase in sweating

  32. Increase in respiratory rate Increased tension of all muscles Digestion slows down PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF STRESS

  33. HOW TO ELICIT THERELAXATION RESPONSE • Repeat a word, sound or prayer • secular - one, ocean, love, peace, calm • spiritual - “The Lord is my Shepard”, “om”, “Hail Mary, Full of Grace” • Passively disregard everyday thoughts • Meditate

More Related