Module 2

Question 1

The 3 s’s

Answer 1

Stress, sleep and self-regulation
- three important factors that contribute to an individual’s well-being, mental health resileince and success within life and university.

Question 2

How is stress adaptive? Describe examples of stress during exams, social situations and financial situations

Answer 2

Stress can help to keep you safe, and small amounts of it are important for succesful day to day activities. It helps to build resilience and cope with hard situations
EXAM: feeling stressed about exams can motivate you to study and make you feel more prepared and happier with yourself
FINANCIAL: motivates avoidance of overspending so you can pay for the essentials. Helps improve feeling of comeptence and self esteem. Protects from stressful situations like large credit card bills and helps with decision making.
SOCIAL STRESS: Motivates you to make friends and associations

Question 3

Inverted U theory of stress: low, optimal and high

Answer 3

• stress can be adpative or problematic
  Small amounts of stress are good, but too much is harmful
  Low pressure: results in boredom and weak performance. As pressure increases, there is increased attention and interest
  Optimal peformance: more pressure or stress can improve performance up to a certain point by preparing us to cope effectively with a challenge
  High pressure- when stress becomes too high, performance decreases. High anxiety is associated with impaired performance and distress. Without effective coping strategies, high stress can lead to meltdown

Question 4

How does the way you think influence stress

Answer 4

The way you think can influence whether stress is adaptive or problematic
- Focusing on the negatives, overthinking problems and worrying can exacerbate and prolong stress
- Keeping things in perspective and active problem-solving can help reduce stress

Question 5

How does the way you act influence stress

Answer 5

The way you act can influence adaptive vs problemtaic stress
- Being proactive and tackling problems head-on tends to be more helpful than avoiding them and putting them off

Question 6

Flow state - when are they more likely

Answer 6

The “sweet spot” between boredom and anxiety.
- immersed and absorbed in what they are doing, where they perform optimally and feel relaxed and positive
very powerful for increasing happiness and wellbeing and strongly counteract worry and stress: build up activities you find absorbing : physical activities, creative activities, being in nature, set up these activities ti increase chance of experiencing flow
More likely when you:
- Intensely focus on task and present moment
= Only do one thing at a time
- Remove distractions
- Focus on processes rather than outcome
- Practice skill alot: becomes automatic
- Try something that’s not too easy or hard but challenges you
-Activity has clear goals and immediate continuous feedback
You find activity intrinsically rewarding- to learn, to connect, for fun, for play, curiosity to grow: rather than responsibility or obligation or task set by someone else

Question 7

5 factors contributing to flow

Answer 7

1.) Intrinsically rewarding
2.) clear goals and sense of progress
3.) clear and immediate feedback
4.) match of challenge and skill
5.) intense focus on the present

RGFMF

Question 8

Maladaptive stress

Answer 8

Stress that has shifted from helpful to harmful
- stress is either prolonged or of too great intensity
- person is not adjusting well or appropriately to a stressor or situation/set of circumstances
- Maladptive stress can overwhelm your coping resources and result in significant distress
- can lead to irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, disorganized thoughts, trouble sleeping etc

Question 9

What is sleep

Answer 9

Sleep is a state of the mind and body characterized by altered or reduced consciousness

Question 10

What is a good quality sleep

Answer 10

consists of falling asleep within thirty minutes or less, sleeping through the night,, waking no more than once and easily falling back asleep within 20 minites if awoken
- essential to survival and plays a crucial role in physical and mental health

Question 11

Self-regulation and 3 levels

Answer 11

Self-regulation is your control over behaviour, thoughts, and emotion, which interact with each other and influence your overall self-regulation

Question 12

Self-regulation- behavioural level

Answer 12

• Involves setting a healthy rhythm to your day
• includes keeping a balanced routine that incorporates activities such as school and work, physical exercise and mindfulness, sleep, socialization with friends and famiily and other self care acitivities important to you
  Having a consistent rhythm and routine is important for biological clock rhythms

Question 13

Self-regulation- cognitive level

Answer 13

How you manage difficult, negative or intrusive thoughts and worries and how you usecognitive strategies to manage stress
-Includes: spotting thoughts that impact your mood, checking to see if they are accurate and realistic rather than extreme and merited and shifting from worry to problem solving and planning
- also involves looking for positive interpretations and mentally reframing while seeing opportunities instead of problems

Question 14

Self-regulation- emotional level

Answer 14

Emotional self-regulation includes slowing yourself down, calming and relaxing yourself when stressed or tense and pausing to think before acting
- also involves acting in accordance with your values
- routines including sleep and exercise, help emotional regulation and vice versa: working with your thoughts helps emotional regulation

Question 15

Main parts of the body involved in the stress response

Answer 15

Adrenal gland, hypothalamus, pituitary gland

Question 16

Adrenal Glands role in Stress Response

Answer 16

The adrenal gland is an endocrine gland above the kidneys and produces hormones that regulate bodily functions. It produces cortisol, the hormone that mediates stress

Question 18

Hypothalamus role in stress response

Answer 18

• The hypothalamus is a small portion of the brain
• controls the release of hormones from the pituitary gland, links endorcrine systen

Question 19

The HPA axis and its role in acute stress

Answer 19

Hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal axis
- It’s the body stress response system featuring the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal glands
- occurs in four main steps
During acute/ quick short-lasting stress, the HPA axis response helps you deal with the problem by altering your body’s processes, for ex.) You may freeze,your heart rate may increase etc. These changes help you think clearly and asses a situation
for example.) Racing home to get something you need or remebering information

Question 20

Describe the steps of the HPA axis

Answer 20

STEP 1: Sudden onset of stressor (or threat of embarrassment or fear)
- triggers the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus
STEP 2: CRH stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary gland
STEP 3: the glucorrticoid hormone cortisol is secreted from the adrenal gland as an end point of axis
STEP 4: Once the threat is assesed to be minimal and you reetrieve recollection and decide flight is not required cortisol inhibits loop through negative feedback
- Large amounts of cortisol produced will stop more CRH from being released stopping ACTH and cortisol

Question 21

Psychological factors that influence stress

Answer 21

Thoughts, bodily sensations, feelings, behavior
Some patterns help manage and tackle stressful events while others exacerbate and prolong stress

• can be helpful
  helpful thoughts (how do i prepare) helpful feelings (motivation) helpful bodily sensations (calm and relaxed) helpful behavior (plans and revision)
• Can be unhelpful
  unhelpful thoughts (What if I mess up) feelings(anxious), bodily sensations (tense, poor sleep) behaviors (withdrawal, procrastination)

Question 22

Social factors that increase stress

Answer 22

Early history of trauma or neglect
Feeling excluded or marginalised
Being discriminated against
Feeling trapped or hopeless (difficult relationship, deprived area, unemployment)
Poverty
Limited social support or isolation

For these reasons, on average there is increased stress and poor mental health in BIPOC individuals, LGBTQIA individuals, individuals with disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds

Question 23

Social factors that reduce stress

Answer 23

Having a supportive social network
Having a strong social identity
Having a sense of agency
Feeling a sense of belonging
Feeling heard and listened to
Access to opportunities

Question 24

Inter and intra individual differences

Answer 24

Inter= differences between different people (diff people have different hair)
Intra= differences within the same person over time (hair type changes, based on temperature, wet or dry, age etc,
- these differences occur in stress response

Question 25

Inter and intra individual differences in stress response

Answer 25

Even though HPA axis and biological stress system helps regulate stress response in similar matter, different people are different there is no right level of stress hormones- interindividual Biological reaction to stress can be influenced by time of day, hormones, diet lifestyle (sleep, exercise, social life, drug use) and coping styles/ strategies- INTRAindividual differences

Question 26

Perfectionism as a risk factor for stress

Answer 26

perfectionism and self-criticism: tendency to set unrealistically high expectations for yourself and or others. Nothing but a perfect outcome is failure. Unattainable. High level of self criticism, fear of failure, procrastination and fear of what others think about you. Increases vulnerability for anxiety, depression and other mental health problems Increasing in young people

Question 27

Self doubt and imposter syndrome as a risk factor for stress

Answer 27

Feeling of insecurity or self doubt. Imposter syndrome is when you compare yourself to other people and think you aren't good enough or don't belong A lot of students report feelings of self doubt: common to think that others are doing better or finding things easier than you because you can't tell if others are finding things difficult Norma to find things challenging, make mistakes and get things wrong. Self-doubt is normal but self criticism is bad

Question 28

Ways to tackle perfectionism, self criticism and self doubt (6)

Answer 28

SCMGBG Focus on strengths- remind yourself of success and strengths and that its normal to make mistakes Avoid comparison- espec on social media. Talk to trusted others about thoughts and feelings Mindfulness and self compassion Good enough- try doing things good enough but not perfect challenge your beliefs- don't have to get things right all the time to be succesful. Ask yourself: what is the evidence for this belief, does it help me achieve my goals, what might someone i respect say about this belief Growth mindset- Don't believe that abilities, skills and intelligence are fixed and can't be changed. If you believe you can develop your abilities setbacks are not catastrophic but a chance to learn and improve Increases productivity, resilience and persistence with difficulties, a more accurate way of looking at how your brain works. Can protect against future anxiety and depression

Question 29

Allostatic load

Answer 29

Allostatic load refers to the “wear and tear” on the body and brain that builds up when someone experiences chronic stress or when chronic stress disrupts your equllibrium Allostatic load happens when: Stress is frequent Stress is chronic The stress response is overactive or doesn’t shut off properly** Over time, this repeated activation causes biological strain. ex.) chronic overactivity of sensitivity of the HPA axis- always firing and difficulty finding equilibrium

Question 29

equillibrium or allostasis

Answer 29

The process of responding to a challenge or stressor by triggering various biological and chemical processes to maintain balance ex.) brief triggering of HPA axis and negative feedback to reset

Question 29

Signs and symptoms of chronic or overwhelming stress describe cognitive, physical, emotional and behvaioural changes

Answer 29

cognitive changes- difficulty with concentration, sustained attention, difficulty with problem solving, constant worrying, can't switch off Emotional changes- moodiness, mood swings, irritability, feeling sad, hopeless or helpless, agitated, nervous or tense, can't relax or enjoy things fully Physical changes- muscle tension, stomach/gi problems (diarrhea, nausea), change in apetite, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, headaches, fatigue, loss of sex drive, problems with sleep Behavioural changes- changes in sleep, changes in eating or hunger, social withdrawal, changes in productivity/performanc r, nervou habits(nail biting, foot tapping, fidgeting), reliance on substances such as alcohol, drugs, caffeine - potential to negatively impact your day to day experience, wellbeing and success

Question 30

Stage 1- Non REM sleep

Answer 30

Change from being awake to asleep. - Brief stage, only several minutes, light sleep involves - slowing of heartbeat, breathing and eye movements - muscles relax - brainwaves slow

Question 31

Stage 2- light sleep prior to deep sleep

Answer 31

- further slowing of heartbeat and breathing - eye movements stop - deeper muscle relaxation - body temperature drops - brainwaves slow even more with brief bursts of activity

Question 32

stage 3 sleep-

Answer 32

the sleep that you need to feel refreshed and awake - ccurs in longer periods during the first half of the night - further slowing of heartbeat and breathing is at its slowest in this period Deeper muscle relaxation Brainwaves slow more Difficult to wake you up

Question 33

Stage 4- REM sleep

Answer 33

Occurs around 90 minutes after you fall asleep - rapid eye movements - breathing heart rate and blood pressure increase to beclose to waking levels Brain waves have mixed frequency and start to resemble brain waves when awake Most but not all dreaming occurs during REM sleep Limbs become temporarily paralyzed so you don't act out dreams Important for resetting mental state and dispelling highly emotionally charged memories Over the night REm episodes get longer with most happening in last third of the night Older people spend less time in 3 or 4/ deep sleep and wake up more frequently interrupting sleep cycle

Question 34

Cognitive benefits of sleep

Answer 34

improved memory, improved attention, improved problem solving

Question 35

Emotional benefits of sleep

Answer 35

Increased positive emotions (calmness, happiness, confidence) and decreased negative emotions (stress, anxiety, agitation, irritability)

Question 36

physical sleep benefits

Answer 36

healthy heart, lower blood pressure, aiding the immune system, regulating hormones associated with food cravings, and coping with pain

Question 37

behavioural sleep benefits

Answer 37

improved productivity

Question 38

Sleep deprivation

Answer 38

Sleep plays an important role in physical and mental health Poor sleep is a precursor and predictor of other mental health problems such as anxiety or depression. Improving sleep can ahve protective and preventive effect Sleep problems deprive the brain of important restorative processes. Sleep deprivation is associated with higher emotional reactivity or sensitivity and cognitive problems. Lack of good quality sleep has potential to negatively impact day-to-day success in variety of ways like academic achievement and uni success Wake up and go to sleep at same time helps\

Question 39

Self regulation

Answer 39

Involves following a routine and setting a healthy rhythm to your day. There is an important behavioural element to self-regulation. There is an important biological component to self-regulation that involves staying in tune with the body's naturally occurring rhythms and cycles - Controlling and managing emotional responses, thinking and behaviours. How to “hit pause button” between event and a feeling, between thought and feeling and between feeling and action Not adaptive or helpful to lash out at others or have constant strong emotional responses to small preparations- otherwise you would be worried, angry, upset and chronically stressed Healthy emotional self-regulation helps you succeed

Question 40

Circadian rhythms

Answer 40

your biological clock - Circadian rhythms ensure that your 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 -Circadian rhythms are based on a 24 hr day and involve different cycles that rely on biological mechanisms and the secretion of different hormones.

Question 41

Importance of biological rhythms (how can disruption impact you cognitively, emotionally, physically and behaviourally)

Answer 41

Disruption in circadian rhythms leads to Cognitive changes- feeling fatigue, problems with attention, increased impulsivity anf slower thinking emotional changes- lower mood and increased feelings of stress, emotional reactivity and irritability physical changes- reduced energy, changes in metabolism, difficulty maintaining a healthy weight, reduced immune functioning, increased risk for illness and disease behavioural changes- decreased productivity, difficulty falling asleep or waking up and difficulty maintaining a balanced routine - cannegatively impact day-to-day life and academic achievement

Question 42

Healthy strategies for coping with stress

Answer 42

concrete problem solving, limit avoidance, mindfulness, self compassion, talk to someone, recognize wehn you need more help, breaks CAMS TRB | a

Question 43

self-care as a way to cope with stress

Answer 43

Any activity that takes care of your personal needs and wellbeing. Multiple diff ways. Relaxing activities like reading, going for a walk, listening to music, and experiencing or creating art. An important part may involve following a positive routine that balances school/work with healthy choices (eating well, exercise) as well as other things like hobbies, spending time with friends and spending time with family. Participating in activities you enjoy is shown to decrease stress levels and have positive effects on self esteem and wellbeing

Question 44

Mindfulness as a way to cope with stress

Answer 44

being present through awareness of your immediate environment, both outside (temperature, sounds,smells,light) and inside (awareness of thoughts and feelings as they happen moment to moment without judgement) Mindful skills help uni students manage stress. Study found mindfulness training was an effective coping strategy to help reduce stress levels during exam period compared to general mental health support 6 students needed to be offered mindfulness skills for a student course to prevent one from experiencing clinical levels of distress. The benefit of mindfulness training was consistent, lasting up to a year

Question 45

Self-compassion to cope wth stress

Answer 45

When stressed, or things go wrong, it's easy to become self-critical, blame yourself, and focus on mistakes and faults: this makes stress worse Helpful to be kind, supportive and encouraging to oneself “What would I say to support a friend?” Use the same tone of voice you would use on a friend. Point out successes, strengths, progress, and encourage next steps. Remember its normal to make mistakes Self compassion proven to help you feel calmer and less emotionally reactive to stressful events What have I learned from this?

Question 46

Talking to someone as a way to cope with stress

Answer 46

Social support is helpful in coping Those experiencing stress tend to pull away from social supports, people who feel they have social support system tend to have lower levels of stress - 3 steps to communicating problems

Question 47

3 steps to communicating your problems

Answer 47

1.) The process talk: First stage is to talk about talking. Tell a person you trust that you want to talk about your problems. Tell them how you want the conversation to go “I would like to talk abt my stress, I need you to listen and provide support through reassurance and understanding. I don't need you to solve my problems- just be there for me.” 2.) Identification of specific problem: Providing real-life examples of your problems. Explain your signs of anxiety , depression or other mental health problems. The more details you can provide to others, the better. What does your mental health problem feel like? What are the outwardly visible symptoms- have others who know you well commented on any changes they are concerned about. 3.) Third and final stage. Tell people what you are looking for from the conversation. People you open up to might not know how to help. Detail what you want. Do you want to clear off steam and vent have someone listen? Do you want help or suggestions? Do you want help finding a counselor or therapist(advocacy and problem solving). Support is different to everyone so outline what you need.

Question 48

Limiting avoidance as a way to cope with stress

Answer 48

Stress can give you the urge to avoid or numb your feelings through maladaptive coping strategies such as excessive drug and alcohol use. Strategy can act as a “band aid" solution in the short term ( covers up the problem instead of fixing it) and in the medium to long-term this can worsen existing and cause new problems and add to your stress Accepting your emotional state during stressful or negative situations, rather than avoiding your feelings, may protect against negative affect (experiences of negative emotions and self-concept) and even depressive symptoms Tackling problems and finding ways to solve them is more helpful than avoiding them

Question 49

Concrete problem-solving as a way to cope with stress

Answer 49

Too much worry can make you stressed and make difficult situations worse. Overthinking things can make you passive and lead to overgeneralization, when you think that one difficulty applies to lots of other situations. 1st- Check if you are worrying about a real problem or whether it is a hypothetical problem, imagining “what if some bad thing happened?in the future/ Most hypothetical imagined fears never happen and it doesn't help to worry about them. 2nd: If it is a real difficulty, as best you can, be active, specific and concrete: focus on the specific sensory details of the difficult situation and its particular context and circumstances, to put it into perspective and make plans - Ask questions to promote active problem-solving such as what is the problem? How did it happen? What is the first step I can take to tackle this? How can I get started on moving forward?. Asking these types of questions rather than asking “why” has been proven to reduce emotional reactivity to negative events and improve problem-solving. It is effective at reducing depression and anxiety in patients.

Question 50

Taking a break as a way to cope with stress

Answer 50

If feeling overwhelmed it is ok to take a break from what you are doing and allow yourself some time to calm down. Enjoying a nice walk or run outside, relaxing on the couch or catching up with friends. Research has shown that in the context of academic courses, short breaks that consist of either relaxation or exercise may reduce fatigue and enhance participation and learning during lectures

Question 51

Recognizing when you need more help as a way to cope with stress

Answer 51

Too much stress can lead to distress. While adaptive coping and resiliency to manageable stress is part of healthy life experience, it is also important to recognize and be aware of when you may need help. If so stressed that cant complete day-to-day activities or are experiencing problems like suicidal thoughts, it is important to tell someone. Whether that person is mental health professional who can provide higher level of support and intervention, or someone who can help find professional to talk to Recognizing when you need help is an important step in reducing stress

Question 52

Healthy strategies for sleep

Answer 52

Routine, Environment, consumption, exercise, mindfulness, support, and reduce worry RECEM SW Routine- going to bed and waking up at the same time eveyrday o help with circadian rhythms makes i easier to fall asleep and wake up, Helping to have a consistent and relaxing routine before bed to let the body know you are winding down for the day. Incorporate activities you find relaxing into bedtime routine Environment- create an environment that promotes sleep avoid bright lights and loud sounds, make the bed comfy and the temperature of the room comfy. Develop routine around bedtime that involves relaxation, mindfulness and creating calm atmosphere promotes sleep Turn of divides or use night mode with reduced blue light Consumption- Avoid intense exercise, caffeine, nicotine alcohol and recreational drugs before bed Exercise too close to bedtime and substances like caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and other drugs disrupt your natural rhythms and sleep-wake cycles. Cannabis is toxic to the developing brain and negatively impacts brain function before age 25 Exercise- Aim to be physically active everyday and avoid prolonged times of inactivity (sitting or lying down) along with recommended minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity (brisk walking, riding a bike, dancing, hiking) or 75 minutes of vigorous (jogging, running, swimming stair or hil walking, sports like soccer, football, hockey) cardio exercise per week Exercising close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep Mindfulness- Create a mental space to facilitate sleep. Involves clearing your mind. Meditate on what you are thankful for or a positive affirmation to settle your mind. Mindfulness goes with physical relaxation and deep breathing to calm the nervous system in preparation for sleep. support- If sleep problems are persistent or impairing day-to -day functioning: seek support. Many effective pharmacological interventions (medication) and non pharmacological interventions (CBT for insomnia) Reduce worry- Worry about problems, the future and not getting to sleep can all make it harder to sleep. Set a specific time (eg 30 mins) aside earlier in the day to write down worries and then see how many are not important, go away over time or can be tackled with concrete problem solving and strategies. Dont stay in bed awake worrying- go and do smth and return when sleepy

Question 53

Modern living's impact on our sleep

Answer 53

Modern living has influenced our sleep-wake cycle and sleep duration: we get less natural light then we used to and are more exposed to artificial light Maximize natural light exposure and dim light in the evening Duration and regularity of sleep differs as well as our energy levels in the day Experience sampling and sleep wake problems: sleep measurement device and question response schizophrenia study- better sleep reduced hallucinations, and thoughts and poor sleep reduced daytime functioning

Question 54

3 main strategies for behavioural self-regulation

Answer 54

Daytime/bedtime routine: create consistent and balanced routine involving waking up and going to sleep at the same time and eating meals at the same time. Having rhyme or routine doesn't equal the same day everyday but some consistency and balance. Avoid shifted sleep: Avoid reversing night and day (sleeping in day and working at night) chronic reversal can impact circadian rhythms and is associated with health problems. Ideal to follow a routine that involves reasonable wake up and reasonable sleep time Avoid disruptions: Avoid frequent changes or disruptions in routine. Avoid falling into a pattern of staying up all night to study or part. A couple times a week can influence the body's rhythms.

Question 55

healthy strategies for emotional self regulation

Answer 55

Practicing Mindfulness- involves being present without judgement and can be used to help regulate emotions. Practiced awareness of outer and inner environment ( being aware of sounds, sights and sensory perception in your immediate environment and stream of thoughts) are useful w Cognitive Skills- Reframing (changing frame of mind to see positives rather than negative) Be nice to yourself- being able to be calm and cheer yourself up Be understanding- see good in others instead of jumping to conclusions Be versatile- remain flexible and able to adapt or make changes while staying true to ideals and values Be a good communicator- maintain open communication and check with others if not clear Maintaining a healthy lifestyle