1
Q
the three S’s
A
Stress, Sleep and Self Regulation
2
Q
what do the three S’s influence
A
an individuals well-being, mental health and resilience
3
Q
Resilience refers to
A
the ability to adjust, adapt and recover from a stressor, threat or adversity from any difficult set of circumstances
4
Q
By learning resilience, individuals can
A
protect their emotional health and other aspects of functioning
5
Q
The feeling of being stressed comes from
A
underlying biological mechanisms that activate the “fight-flight or fright” response
6
Q
biological changes that happen with stress
A
changes in HR, breathing, sweating and muscle tension, This response prepares the body to react more effectively to some kind of percieved threat or challenge
7
Q
hy does the body sometimes respond in an unfavourable manner?
A
- Stress helps keep you safe
- Small doses of stress, commonly referred to as eustress or “good” stress are important in being successful in day-to-day activities and building resilience so that you can cope better with challenging situations
8
Q
Exam stress
A
Motivates you to spend more time studying, then you may feel pleased with yourself and confident, you are less likely to freeze in the exam
9
Q
Financial Stress
A
Motivate you to avoid over-spending so you have enough money to pay for important things. Making goof financial decisions can improve self-esteem and protect you from more stressful situations like a large credit card bill
10
Q
Social Stress
A
Motivate you to meet new friends and make new associations
11
Q
eustress
A
good stress, normal and helpful for keeping you safe and on track
12
Q
small amounts vs too much stress
A
Small amounts of stress can be adaptive, but too much stress can be harmful
13
Q
The Inverted U theory
A
illustrates the relation between pressure and performance
-Good example to show when stress shifts from being helpful to harmful
14
Q
Low Pressure/Stress:
A
results in boredom and weak performance. As pressure begins to increase, you see increased attention and interest
15
Q
Optimal Performance/Stress:
A
more pressure can improve performance up to a certain point by preparing us to cope effectively with a challenge
16
Q
High Pressure/Stress:
A
when pressure becomes too high, performance decreases. High anxiety is associated with impaired performance and distress. If effective coping strategies are not in place, high stress can lead to a complete meltdown
17
Q
Whether stress is adaptive or problematic can also be determined by
A
how you respond to stressful events
18
Q
how thinking impacts how you respond to stress
A
- The way you think can influence your stress
- Focusing on the negatives, overthinking problems and worry can exacerbate and prolong stress
- Keeping things in perspective and active problem-solving tend to reduce stress
19
Q
how does the way you act influence stress
A
Bring pro-active and tackling problems head-on tends to be more helpful than avoiding then and putting them off
20
Q
Flow Theory and Absorption
A
- “in the zone” = being in a state of flow
- Flow theory began in the 1970s and 80s
- 5 factors that contribute to flow
21
Q
5 factors that contribute to flow
A
- A task that is intrinsically rewarding
2. Clear goals and a sense of progress
3. Clear and immediate feedback
4. Challenge must mast the perceived skill - sense of personal control/agency
5. Intense focus on the present moment
22
Q
Incorporate flow theory into schools by:
A
giving tasks they WANT to do, embrace student choice, provide the right scaffolding, minimize distractions, help students learn to monitor their own progress through metacognition
23
Q
Flow states are powerful for
A
increasing happiness and well being and strongly counteracting stress and worry
24
Q
The flow state is an optimal state of mind when
A
we feel our best and perform our best
25
hormones in the flow state
are released creating brain waves
26
what temporarily shuts down in the flow state
Prefrontal Cortex - this is why we loose a sense of time
27
understanding your flow strategy means
you can apply it to all aspects of your life
28
Flow states are more likely when you
§ Focus on task and present moment
§ Do one thing at a time
§ Remove distractions
§ Focus on process rather than outcome
§ Practice a lot so it becomes automatic
§ Try something not too easy or too hard
§ Clear goals with immediate feedback
- Intrinsically rewarding
29
Stress that has shifted from helpful to harmful is often
maladaptive and can overwhelm your coping resources and result in significant distress
§ Maladaptive = not adjusting well to a stressor
30
SLEEP
- State of mind and body characterized by altered or reduced consciousness
31
Good quality sleep =
falling asleep in 30 mins or less, sleeping throughout the night waking no more than ONCE, and easily falling back to sleep within 20 mins of a disturbance
32
sleep is important for
repairing cells, brain functions, such as emotion regulation and thinking
33
There is a close and bidirectional relationship between sleep and
your mental health
34
Importance of sleep on cognition:
Consolidation of new memories and enables long term storage for future recall
§ Disruption of sleep may interfere with overnight consolidation
35
3 levels of self regulation
behavioural, cognitive emotional all interact for overall self regulation
36
Behavioural level self regulation
- Involves setting a healthy rhythm to your day
- Includes keeping a balanced routine that incorporates activities such as focused school/work, exercise and mindfulness, socializing and other self care activities
37
Cognitive Level Self Regulation
- Managing difficult, negative or intrusive thoughts and worries, and using cognitive stargeties to manage stress
- Includes spotting the thoughts that impact your mood, check to see if they are accurate and realistic , shifting from worry to planning and looking for positive interpretations
38
Emotional Level Self regulation
- Slowing down, calming, relaxing and pausing to think before acting
- Routines help emotion regulation
39
what determinants cause variations in stress, sleep and self-regulation
Biological, psychological, sociological and behavioural
40
Brain regions that are important for the initiation and termination of stress
- Adrenal Gland
- Hypothalamus
- Pituitary Gland
41
the adrenal glands importance on stress
- Endocrine gland located above the kidney
- Produces hormones that help regulate a number of bodily functions
- Produces cortisol, a major hormonal mediator of the stress response
42
Hypothalamus importance on stress
-Small portion of the brain
-Control release of hormones from the pituitary gland and links he endocrine system to the nervous system
43
Pituitary Gland importance on stress
- Pea-sized gland attached to the base of the brain
- Role in growth and development and controls the functioning of the other endocrine glands
2 parts: anterior and posterior
44
The HPA (Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis
-Important part of the stress response system
45
Steps of the biological stress response system and the HPA axis:
1. Onset of a stressor triggers the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus
2. CRH stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary
3. The glucocorticoid hormone cortisol is secreted from the adrenal gland as the end product of the axis
4. Once the threat is assessed to be minimal, cortisol inhibits the loop through negative feedback
46
the HPA axis during acute stress
will help you deal with the problem
◊ Ex. Momentarily freeze, heart rate increase, rush of energy, muscles tense
◊ These changes will help you think clearly and quickly assess the situations
47
once the threat is assessed, how does cortisol inhibit the loop through negative feedback?
This means the large amount of cortisol produced will ultimately stop more CRH from being released, therefore no more ACTH will be release and no more cortisol released
48
Psychological Factors that influence Stress
- Your response to stress is influenced by how your thoughts, sensations, feelings and behaviours all interact together
- Some patterns help manage and tackle stress and others can exacerbate and prolong stress
49
Social Factors that increase Stress
-Early history of trauma/neglect
-Feeling excluded
-Being discriminated against
-Feeling trapped/hopeless
-Poverty
-Limited social support/isolation
** for these reasons there is increased stress among BIPOC and marginalized individuals
50
Social factors that reduce stress:
- Supportive social network
- Strong social identity
- Sense of agency
-Opportunities
- Feels heard and listened to
51
inter and intra individual differences
- Genetic make-up and early life experience, combined with more recent social and psychological factors can impact how sensitive or reactive you are to stress
- Significant inter-individual and intra-individual differences in how stress is managed
52
Inter individual differences
differences between different people
- Even though the HPA axis and biological stress system regulate the stress response in everyone in a similar manner, different people are different- no right level of stress hormones and this contributes to inter-individual differences
53
Intra individual differences
differences within a person at differing times
- Someone's biological reaction to stress can be influenced by time of day, hormones, diet, lifestyle, and coping style/strategies, outlining the impact of intra-individual differences
54
Risk factors for stress
- perfectionism and self criticism
- self doubt and imposter syndrome
55
Perfectionism
he tendency to set unrealistically high expectations for yourself and others
□ Nothing but a perfect outcome is seen as failure and leads to high levels of self-criticism, fear of failure, procrastination and concerns about what other people think of you
□ Perfectionism increases vulnerability and anxiety, depression and other mental health problems
56
Imposter Syndrome
when you compare yourself to other people and think you aren't good enough or don’t belong
§ Common to think other people find things easier than you because you cant ell if others find things difficult or not
57
Chronic stress, wear and tear or "Allostatic Load"
- When stress becomes more chronic or intense, instead of manageable, brief or short -term, there can be many negative outcomes for both physical and mental health
- Stress can influence your mental and physical equilibrium, your allostatic load
58
Things you can do to tackle perfectionism, self criticism and self doubt:
§ Focus on strengths
§ Avoid comparisons
§ Mindfulness and self-compassion
§ Experiment with doing things "good enough"
§ Challenge your beliefs (like that you need to get things right all the time to be successful
□ This is what CBT does when it challenges unhelpful thinking
Have a growth mindset
59
Equilibrium/allostasis
The process of responding to a challenge or stressor by triggering various biological. An chemical processes to maintain balance
Ex. A brief triggering of the HPA axis and negative feedback to reset
60
wear and tear/ allostatic load
The wear and tear on the body and brain that results from chronic or overwhelming stress
EX: chronic over reactivity or sensitivity of the HPA axis; always firing and difficulty finding equilibrium
61
Signs and Symptoms of Chronic or Overwhelming stress
cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and/or physical changes
62
cognitive changes to stress
Difficulty with concentration, sustained attention, memory problems, problem solving, constant worrying
63
emotional changes to stress
Moodiness, mood swings, feeling sad, hopeless, agitated, anxious, cant relax/enjoy things
64
Physical changes to stress
Muscle tension, GI problems, appetit3e changes, high BP, fatigue, loss of sex drive, problems with sleep
65
Behavioural changes to stress
Changes in sleep, eating/hunger, social withdrawal, changes in productivity and performance, nervous habits, reliance on substance use
66
Sleep is triggered by
complex interactions between hormones and biological causes
67
brain structures crucial for sleep
- The areas of the brain crucial for sleep are also involved on your stress response system
- when asleep, the hypothalamus is in a state of low arousal
68
Sudden onsets of a stressor trigger
a release of corticotropin releasing hormone from the hypothalamus in the result of high arousal
69
Stages of sleep
Stage 1: non-REM
Stage 2: non-REM
Stage 3: non-REM
stage 4: REM
70
Sleep Stage 1: non-REM
- Includes the change from being awake to being asleep
- Relatively brief, lasting for only several minutes and is characterized by a light sleep that may involve:
◊ A slowing of the heartbeat, breathing and eye movements
◊ Relaxation of the muscles
Brainwaves being to slow
71
Sleep Stage 2: non-REM
- Period of light sleep before you enter deep sleep, it involves:
◊ Further slowing of your heartbeat and breathing
◊ Eye movements stop
◊ Deeper muscle relaxation
◊ Body temp drops
Brainwaves slow even more but show bursts of brief activity
72
Sleep Stage 3: non-REM
- Type of sleep that you need to feel awake and refreshed the next day
- Occurs in longer periods during the first half of the night
- Involves:
◊ Further slowing of the heartbeat, and breathing - this is when they are SLOWEST
◊ Deeper muscle relaxation
◊ Brainwaves slow even more
May be difficult to wake you up
73
Sleep Stage 4: REM
- First occurs after the three non-rem stages (often abt 90 mins after you fall asleep)
- Involves:
◊ Rapid eye movements
◊ Breathing, heartbeat and BP increase to close to walking levels
◊ Brain waves have mixed frequency and start to resemble awake brain waves
◊ Most dreaming occurs
Limbs become temporarily paralyzed so you do not act out your dreams
74
REM sleep is important for
resting your mental state and dispelling highly emotionally charged memories
75
most REM happening in
the last third of the night
- REM episodes get longer in duration over the course of the night
76
Older people tend to spend less time in stages
3 and 4
77
What happens if you don’t sleep?
§ Sleep problems deprive the brain of the important restorative process
§ Poor sleep is often a precursor and predictor of other mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression
78
Improving sleep can have a protective AND preventative effect on:
cognitive, emotional, physical and behavioural benefits
79
cogntive benefits of sleep
- Improved memory, improved attention, improved problem-solving
80
emotional benefits of sleep
- Increased positive emotions:
◊ Calmness, happiness, confidence
- Decreased negative emotions:
◊ Stress, anxiety, agitation, irritability
81
physical benefits of sleep
- Healthy heart
- Lowering BP
- Aiding immune system
- Regulating hormones associated with food cravings
- Coping with pain
82
Circadian Rhythms
- Naturally occurring process, which forms your biological clock
- Ensure the body is optimized at the correct time of the day through biological processes such as regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, energy levels, brainwave activity and others
- They are based on a 24 hour day and involve cycles that rely on biological mechanisms and the secretion of different hormones
83
Disruptions in circadian rhythms can cause
problems with the way the brain works
§ Decrease in energy levels, reduced cognitive performance, and increased emotional sensitivity
84
cognitive changes form circadian disruption
- Fatigues, attention problems, increased impulsivity, slower thinking
85
Emotional changes from disrupted circadian rhythm
Lower mood, increased feelings of stress, emotional reactivity, and irritability
86
Physical changes from disrupted circadian rhythym
Reduced energy, changes in metabolism, difficulty maintaining healthy weight, reduced immune functioning, increased risk of illness and diseases
87
Behavioural changes from disruptions in circadian rhythm
Decreased productivity, difficulty falling asleep and/or waking, difficulty with balanced routine
88
Healthy ways for Coping with Stress
1. Self care
2. Mindfulness
3. Self compassion
4. talk to someone
5. limit avoidance
6. concrete problem solving
7. take a break
8. recognize when you need further help
89
Self care
- Activities that take care of personal needs and well being
- Individual differences
90
mindfulness
- Bring present trough awareness of your immediate environment both outside and inside
- Mindfulness training benefits can persist for up to a year
91
Self Compassion
- Being kind, supportive, and encouraging to yourself
- Try to use the same tone and gentleness on yourself as you would when speaking to someone else
- Point out your successes, strengths, progress and encourage yourself to take the next steps
- Proven to make you feel calmer and to be less emotionally reactive to stressful events
92
why Talk to someone to reduce stress
Those who feel they have social support tend to have lower levels of stress
93
How to initiate a conversation about sharing stress:
1. the process talk
- First stage is to talk about talking
- Tell someone you want to talk about your problems and how you want the conversation to go
2. identify a specific problem
-The second stage is providing real life examples of your problems
- The more details you can provide, the bette
3. Suggestions for ways they can help
-Third stage is telling people what you are looking for from the conversation
94
Limit Avoidance
- Band aid solution
- Worsen problems long term and cause new ones
- Accepting your emotional state during stressful or negative situations may protect against negative affect and depressive symptoms
95
concrete problem solving
- Overthinking can lead to overgeneralisation
- Abstract thinking is unhelpful, being stuck in rumination and making stress worse
- Decide if you are worrying about a real or hypothetical problem
- Focus on specific details of the situation and put it into perspective to make plans
96
examaple of concrete problem solving
instead of worry about the whole friendship after an argument, just think about how that one conversation could have gone differently
97
Questions to promote active problem solving:
- What is the problem?
-How did it happen?
- What is the first step I can take to tackle this?
- How can I get started moving forward?
98
taking a break to cope with stress
- Allow yourself time to calm down
- Short breaks consisting of relaxation or exercise may not reducce fatigue but enhance participation and learning
99
how to recognize when you need further help
If you feel so stressed that you are distressed and having a hard time functioning it is important to reach out
100
Strategies for Sleep
- routine
-enviroment
- consumption
-exercise
- mindfulness
- support
- reduce worry
101
routine for sleeping
Going to bed and waking at the same time everyday
102
enviornment for sleeping
- Before bed avoiding lights, sounds, and have a comfortable space
- Reduce blue light
103
consumption for sleeping
- Exercise and. Substances can disrupt natural rhythms when taken close to bedtime
104
exercise for sleeping
Being active and avoid prolonged inactivity
105
mindfulness for sleeping
- Create a mental space to facilitate sleep
106
support for sleeping
- Seek additional support if sleep problems are persistent and impairing day to day life
- There are many effective pharmalogical interventions
107
reduce worry for sleeping
- Worrying can make it harder to sleep, worry about things at a different time of day to reduce the need of worrying before sleep
- Don’t stay in bed awake worrying - go do something else and return ready to sleep
108
Strategies for Behavior Regulation
-daytime/bedtime routine
- avoid shifted sleep
- avoid disruptions
109
Daytime/Bedtime routine for behaviour regulation
- Balanced routine around sleep, eating, exercise etc
- Have consistency and balance of work, school, social, exercise and leisurely activities
110
Avoid Shifted Sleep for behaviour regulation
- Shift work schedules increase your risk of health care problems
- Sleep when its night and be awake during the day if you can be
111
avoid distuptions for behaviour regulation
Avoid falling into a pattern of frequently staying up all night or party, even if its just weekends or a few nights a week it influences biological rhythms
112
Healthy Strategies for Emotional Self-regulation
- practice mindfulness
-present without judegement
- cognitive skills
- healthy lifestyle
113
cognitive skills for emotional self regulation
- Reframing can help regulate emotions and develop a healthy level if distress tolerance
□ Changing your frame of mind to see a positive rather than a negative
- Be nice to yourself
- Be understanding
- Be a good communicator
- Be versatile
IDIS 199
flashcards
Decks in class (6)
# Cards
