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Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers

Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers. Julia King Tamang × LERN × TACE 2009 × jtamang@easystreet.net. The ultimate stress book. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: Stress, Performance & Coping — Robert Sapolsky, PhD Professor of Biological Sciences and Neurology at Stanford University.

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Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers

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  1. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers Julia King Tamang × LERN × TACE 2009 × jtamang@easystreet.net

  2. The ultimate stress book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: Stress, Performance & Coping —Robert Sapolsky, PhD Professor of Biological Sciences and Neurology at Stanford University

  3. The zebra and the lion

  4. The zebra’s stress lasts about 3 minutes.

  5. You and me

  6. Homeostasis – the ideal state • A systemic balance continually regulated by bodily mechanism • When you receive a stressor, it knocks you out of homeostatic balance

  7. 7 stress responses designed to save your life • 1. Mobilization of Energy • 2. Increased Cardiovascular Tone • 3. Suppression of Digestion • 4. Suppression of Growth • 5. Suppression of Reproduction • 6. Suppression of Immune System • 7. Sharpening of Cognition Whether you need it or not!

  8. So, how are you still alive? • Sapolsky wanted to know, so he ran experiments on rats. • The rat, like a human, could recover from a stressor if there was • An outlet or support for the irritation experienced • A sense of predictability or control • A perception that the situation might improve • Social support

  9. What else about humans? The second most important predictor of mortality is degree of social connectedness. Studies show a threefold difference in life-length for people who have a strong social network.

  10. When we want stress • Humans find mild and transient stress stimulating • A challenge • Tickling • A poker game • A scary movie • Mild stress creates increased dopamine levels—which can be addictive

  11. Stress addiction • Enjoyable stress produces dopamine, which is pleasurable • But the dopamine levels decrease over time • Then, it takes even more stress to create the same pleasurable experience • Especially when people feel they are relatively safe • Like roller coasters and fun houses at Halloween

  12. The traits of stress hardiness • You can tell the difference between things that are threatening and things that are neutral • You do not feel immediately helpless when threatened – you have a sense of efficacy

  13. The traits of stress hardiness • You can tell when you have won or lost – you can tell if an outcome is good or bad • You do not tend to mope over loss

  14. The baboon fountain of youth • Baboons who had these traits outlived their cohort by up to three years • Baboons can live for up to 45 years

  15. Who ages well? • How society treats you helps determine how well you age • For example, in Africa, older people show little sign of geriatric depression, as opposed to here, even though their general circumstances are worse • But in Africa, elders have a respected and defined role • People aspire to this role throughout their lives • Elders are neither isolated nor disrespected

  16. Which humans cope well? • Those who have a paradigm to make sense of things • Like religion, science, art or philosophy • Those who can compartmentalize stress into real, but manageable parts • Those who are not in denial do best in the long run

  17. When control helps • In a study, doctors discovered that patients who had unlimited access to pain medications actually took less • Nursing home patients who had plants to care for had fewer emergency needs • Having more access to info about what will happen to you creates fewer medical difficulties

  18. So ask yourself, “Is there a lion or not?” • When you’re stressed, ask • Is there danger or not? • Can I realistically do anything? • If so, what? • Can I make sense of this? • Do I have control? • Can I learn more about this?

  19. A few more tips on stress hardiness The Four A’s • Avoid the stressor • Alter the stressor • Adapt to the stressor • Accept the stressor

  20. Avoid the stressor • Learn how to say “no” • Avoid people who stress you out • Take control of your environment • Avoid hot-button topics • Pare down your to-do list

  21. Alter the situation • Express your feelings, don’t bottle them up. • Be willing to compromise. • Be more assertive. • Manage your time better.

  22. Adapt to the stressor • Reframe problems. • Look at the big picture. • Adjust your standards. • Focus on the positive.

  23. Accept things you can’t change • Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. • Look for the upside. • Share your feelings. • Learn to forgive.

  24. The hope for a better past will never yield a stress reducing outcome

  25. And a secret about resting stress free …

  26. May I help? kingtamang@lern.org http://lekshe.typepad.com/jkts_upload_download_site/

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