C Sauro hw499 hw410 Unit9final

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in

ana!e"ent an# Pre$enti%n
Stress
ana!e"ent an#
Pre$enti%n
1
Pr%!ra" Res%urce
&ui#e
2
KAPLAN UNI VERSI TY
Stress Management and Prevention
Program Resource Guide
'(
C)rist%*)er +, Saur%
Ka*lan Uni$ersit(
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in ana!e"ent an# Pre$enti%n
10-1.-/010
Table of Contents
U N I T 1 T H N ! T U R " # S T R S S
In1%r"ati%n t% Re"e"2er
Res%urces: E3ercises: E3ercises
T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin!: 4%urnal Writin!
U N I T 2 T H $ " % & ! S $ ! T T ' # I ' %
U N I T ( # ! S T " R # ! M I N I N
U N I T ) " N P ' ! N T U N % R S T R S S
T%%ls: 4%urnal Writin!
U N I T * U N % R S T R S S + , H ! T N " , -
Res%urces: E3ercises
U N I T . ! G ' S S , I S % " M " # M % I T ! T I " N
U N I T / S I G H T 0 S " U N % 0 ! N % $ " % & , " R 1
U N I T 2 T H , ' ' N S S M ! N % ! ' !
2
U N I T 3 ! P P ' & I N G S T R S S + C R I T I C ! ' M ! N ! G M N T ! N % P R 4 N T I " N T " & " U R
P R " # S S I " N ! ' ' I #
U N I T 1 5 ! P P ' & I N G S T R S S + C R I T I C ! ' M ! N ! G M N T ! N % P R 4 N T I " N T "
& " U R P R " # S S I " N ! ' ' I #
! % % I T I " N ! ' I N # " R M ! T I " N

(End of the Guide)
(
Unit 1+ T6e Nature of Stress
Information to Remember+
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Nature %1 Stress5 Men and women
respond to stress diferently. Men and women do difer in their ability to cope with
stress. Females tend to be more emotional than males, but in our defense I believe
that because it is a stereotype, if we handle stress by crying it is seen as weak. I
think that women have somewhat of an advantage because they think things
through more thoroughly; hence that gives them more solutions to a problem.
Something that both men and women benet from is positive stress, but as long as
that stress is within reason.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Nature %1 Stress5 Identifying what
stress means to me and also what currently are my biggest stressors! "ithout
opening up a dictionary and reciting e#act verbatim of what stress is clearly dened
as, I will do my best to give you all my ade$uate interpretation of what stress means
to me. Stress is the internal and e#ternal factors that present them self to any one
individual that create physiological responses %good&bad'. It is important to note that
stressors are intrinsic; meaning that what may create stress for one may not for
another. Individuals tend to handle situations diferently and thus, responses tend to
be altered depending on circumstances. (here are many ways to cope with and
minimi)e negative responses to stress. *nderstandably, this will be discussed in
further detail in the latter portions of our curriculum.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Nature %1 Stress5 The General
Adaptation Syndrome is defned by three distinct stages; Alarm, Resistance,
and Exhaustion.
Resources+ 7ercises+
+,+-.IS+ /.0 My 1ealth 2hilosophy3 I chose to include this particular e#ercise from
*nit / due largely in part to the fact that this is the key to how we handle our own
health and wellness. 1ealth is everything and without it, we have nothing. It is about
achieving a balance between mind, body, and soul. "ithout ever guring out this key
component, life will be di4cult to live, strive, and progress throughout. "e all handle
our lives and stress diferently but our philosophy is e#actly that; ours. 5o one can tell
us otherwise or take away what we value or believe in.
Unit
1
)
Tools+ 8ournal ,riting+
+,+-.IS+ /.6 7 8ood 5ight9s Sleep3 I chose to include this portion of the :ournal entry
because I %and most other people' don9t really comprehend :ust how important it is to get
ade$uate sleep each and every night. Since the /;<=s scientists have been diligently
studying sleep and still no concrete evidence has really came to fruition on why we sleep
still. 2eople take for granite sleep and how this dictates :ust how our day will go. I also
came to the conclusion upon composing my :ournal entry was that I was not getting
su4cient sleep. (his is why my mood and constant tiredness rolled into my following days
at work. Since then, I have made the necessary steps to ensure I am getting at least on
average > hours of $uality sleep a night and limiting use of the cell phone near my bed
when in fact it is time to crash.
Unit 2+ T6e $od9 as $attlefield
Key learning point from the unit about The Body as Battlefield; (he ght or ?ight response
was once benecial for survival in the wild, but in our day@to@day lives it has had a
profound efect on both physiologically and psychologically. (he toll it takes on the
body includes Aincreased risk for health problems such as an#iety, depression, weight
gain and heart diseaseB %AStressB, 0=//'.(he short term memory efects include
suppression of catecholamines associated with concentration, inhibition and rational
thought %AStressB, 0=//'. 1owever the efects of chronic stress are greater. .ortisol, a
hormone released during stress, shrinks the hippocampus which is the brain9s
memory center %AStressB, 0=//'. (his can have severe conse$uences on our ability to
efectively store memory, thus reduce our ability to recover from chronic e#posure to
similar stressors.
-eference3
CStress.C University of Maryland Medical Center. 5.p., 0=//. "eb. 0D 7ug. 0=/E.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e '%#( as 'attle6el#; 2rolonged stress can
cause damage to cognitive realms %i.e. memory'. I think this is why itFs so important for
individuals to take out the time to nd ways to implement rela#ation&meditation in oneFs
Unit
2
*
life. It seems like any :ob one possesses these days has some volume of stress involved.
Some :obs pose more stress than others. In addition to stressful :obs, comes a signicant
amount negative health concerns; nutritional intake, lack of e#ercise, sleep habits, etc. If
we do not nd ways to take care of ourselves outside of our work environment, we will
sufer as result within the realms of the mind, body, and soul. Gastly, stress causes
chemicals in the body to secrete in order to successfully respond to the stimuli %done
naturally'causing the body to react with a ght or ?ight response; as result e#treme
negative impact put on the brain.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e '%#( as 'attle6el#5 2rolonged stress
damages to the hippocampus. (he human hippocampus helps form Aconscious memories
of emotional eventsB %Seaward, 0==;, p. 6D'. 2rolonged e#cess stress shrinks our brain
cells. Stress can also afect our memory and brain processes.
-eference
Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and well-
being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning.

EXERCISE 0.0 Immediate, Intermediate, and 2rolonged Stress +fects3 (his was a very
interesting e#ercise to determine what e#actly happens to oneself when the stress
response kicks in. (he fact that responses change over certain time period is very
intriguing. +specially the fact that we can see prolonged stress efects < to /= days
after sufering from a signicant stress related eventLLL
EXERCISE E./ 2hysical Symptoms Muestionnaire3 Nut of all the *nit 0 :ournal e#ercises,
I felt this one was important to include in this nal assignment. (he $uestionnaire
looked over what e#actly stress@related symptoms occurred within my body during a
week to see a correlation between that and stress levels during that time. Some
symptoms we think may be from eating bad food or other issues when in fact it could
directly correlate to stress as result. It was an eye opener to put two and two
together and really understanding the link.
.
Unit (+ #east or #amine
Key learning point from the unit about Feast or Famine; -obert SapolskyFs interpretation of
the CSubtleties of 2redictabilityC from his book "hy Oebras PonFt 8et *lcers gives us
an understanding of how recogni)ing&identifying stressors before they happen
ultimately does not make things easier to cope with. 1e suggests that warnings are
deemed non@efective when the stressor is something of a very rare occurrence or
also when the stressor is prevalent on day to day occasions %Sapolsky, 0==6'. (his
makes logical sense. In addition, knowing immediately before a stressful situation is
about to happen also does not serve any psychological benets. "hether info shared
is received prior to or long before, the stressor presented is still as strong.
2redictability, in the stressors category, is not benecial. If I told you that in <
minutes you were going to break your leg regardless of anything you did to prevent it,
would you be calm! (he simplistic answer is no. It would make things worse. Some
types of predicative information increase anticipatory response stressor %Sapolsky,
0==6'. In closing, stress is a normal response regardless of whoever you are and
however good life is. Sapolsky does a good :ob of identifying research that supports
predictability to certain stressors is not as benecial as most would think. Get the
stressors come as they do, take them in, and respond&handle them accordingly. It is a
natural part of life.
-eference3
Sapolsky, -. M. %0==6'. "hy )ebras don9t get ulcers. %E
rd
ed.'. 5ew Qork, 5Q3 St.
Martin9s 8ri4n.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 7east %r 7a"ine; (he building blocks are,
Nutlets for Frustration, Social Support, 2redictability, .ontrol and 7 2erception of (hings
"orsening. Nutlets for frustration deal with how one manages such stress %i.e. punching a
wall'. Social Support is having no help to discuss your stress with someone else or no
outlet for voicing concerns. 2redictability is about always thinking the worst will happen
and outlook on situations is always negative. .ontrol is being able to think you have the
ability to manage the situation accordingly and understand ultimately you have the
power. Gastly, a perception of things worsening means that you dwell on the fact there is
a situation you can9t change, however you still think you can.
-eference3
Unit
(
/
Sapolsky, -.M. %0==6'. "hy Oebras Pon9t 8et *lcers. %E
rd
ed.'. 5ew Qork, 5Q3 St.
Martin9s 8ri4n.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 7east %r 7a"ine5 Sapolsky states that
subtleties of control is if you believe you have control over stressors that are in fact
beyond your control you may consider it somehow to be your fault that the inevitable
occurred %Sapolsky, 0==6'.
-eference3
Sapolsky, -.M. %0==6'. "hy Oebras Pon9t 8et *lcers. %E
rd
ed.'. 5ew Qork, 5Q3 St. Martin9s
8ri4n.
+,+-.IS+ <.6 7nger3 (he Fight -esponse3 (his whole e#ercise in *nit E touches on
7nger; how we handle it, perceive it, and address it. <.6 in particular really stuck to
me because it goes in depth at analy)ing what it means in four diferent categories
when anger becomes mismanaged. (hese four categories include; somati)ers, self@
punishers, e#ploders, and underhanders. Somati)ers are people who never show any
signs of anger and internali)e their feelings until eventually there is ma:or bodily
damage %e.g., ulcers, temporomandibular :oint dysfunction, colitis, or migraines'. Self@
punishers are people who neither repress their anger nor e#plode, but rather deny
themselves a proper outlet for anger because of guilty feelings %e.g., eating,
shopping'. +#ploders are individuals who erupt like a volcano and spread their temper
like hot lava, destroying anyone and anything in their path with either verbal or
physical abuse. *nderhanders are individuals who sabotage others or seek revenge
through somewhat socially acceptable behavior %e.g., sarcasm, appearing late for
meetings'. 7fter understanding what all these encompass, I found out I was in fact an
e#ploder.
+,+-.IS+ 6./ (he 2sychology of Qour Stress3 (his :ournal entry focuses on one
becoming more aware of their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors during episodes
of stress. (his entry also focused on RSbler@-oss9s stages of grieving and discussed
how they are not :ust for terminally ill individuals, but for any unmet e#pectation that
occurs during your life. (he stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and
acceptance. Just like a grieving person %not the e#act same e#tent though' we process
are failed ventures through these stages. 7t rst we don9t want to believe it, then we
are upset that what we set out didn9t happen, we struggle to shed some light on the
bad situation, then we are depressed, followed by accepting the fact we failed. Failure
is going to occur each and every day. "hat is most important is the mere fact we try
to nd positivity from it, and adapt accordingly.
2
Unit )+ "ne Planet Under Stress
Key learning point from the unit about One Planet Under tress; (here are 6 distinct stress@
prone personalities as outlined by the author Seaward3
(he rst one discussed is the type 7 person. (his person is associated with having a
fast@paced&always on the go type demeanor. (ype 7 individuals have numerous issues
with unresolved anger %Seaward, 0==;'. (he te#t lays claim that (ype 7 stress@prone
personalities have issues with time urgency, multi@tasking, ultra@competitive, fast
talkers, manipulative control, and hyper aggressive behavior %Seaward, 0==;'. Sadly,
this personality describes me. (ype 7 behavior has strong links to increase in .1P
%Seaward, 0==;'.
(he second stress@prone personality is (ype P %depression'. (his personality is
associated with an overall lack of purpose felt by individuals in this realm. (hey tend
to lack love, a very viable component e#pressed as compassion; when missing heart
disease chances are higher %Seaward, 0==;'. 7s mentioned, these people who e#hibit
an#iety and depression have direct correlations negatively with heart
function&disease. (he main diference one can say from (ype 7 to (ype P is the mere
fact of how the stress is managed. (ype 7 tends to be overly aggressive&wild while
(ype P holds things in more and has more passive tendencies.
(he third is codependent personality traits. (his personality is stress@prone and has
many traits and behaviors that increase their likelihood of added stressors. (hey have
an inability to cope efectively with issues and constantly seek out validation from
others %Seaward, 0==;'. (his personality is said to develop early in childhood; as
children seeking constant love&approval from their parents. (hese are the kids that
take on adult responsibilities even before they are in their high school years and thus,
translate to added baggage later on in life that has never been resolved.
Gastly, is the fourth stress@prone personality; helpless@hopeless. (his personality is
surrounded by low self@esteem. Failure seems to be the root of this one. 7s people
tend to give up on themselves, they tend to relate not succeeding as a learned
response %Seaward, 0==;'. (hese individuals have similar presentations to the type P
personality. .hronic depression is noted in this personality. (his population has given
up on life based on past failures. Gastly, an e#ternal locus of control surrounds these
individuals; they donFt feel in control of their life&actions, but rather think that
e#ternal circumstances control it %Seaward, 0==;'. (hese are people for e#ample who
donFt do much in life for fear of not accomplishing it. (hey donFt like new things, are
Unit
)
3
very simplistic, and have negative images of themselves internally&e#ternally. (hey
need constant positive reinforcement or compliments in order to assist with
participation in any activity&event.
-eference3
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 8ne Planet Un#er Stress5 (he stress resistant
personalities are the hardy personality, survival personality and the sensation seekers.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut 8ne Planet Un#er Stress5 (his unit also
helped us dene what self@esteem means to us personally. Self@esteem issues afect
millions of individuals across the world. It is hard not to nitpick oneself when society takes
into account beauty and perfection so highly. I feel in the *nited States we are somewhat
supercial and :udge beauty more@so based on outside appearance rather than what
someone brings to the table altogether. ItFs sad, but true. I think itFs big that you can
acknowledge that you have self@esteem issues and maybe that can help you work towards
diminishing these negative thoughts you have of yourself. 7lways try to make light of the
situation and try and remember that beauty is only skin deep; keep your head up high
and donFt sweat the small stuf.
+,+-.IS+ >.D Pistractions of the 1uman 2ath3 I chose this e#ercise to put into my
resources tab due largely in part because distractions are a daily occurrence and one
must approach these, confront them, and handle them appropriately. (he e#ercise
helps one understand how to deal with the distractions positively and aims to help
handle them and change the way in which they afect you.
+,+-.IS+ I./ *nder the 8un3 Stress and 2ersonality3 (his :ournal entry was very
critical for my understanding of *nit 6. (he entry re$uired you to pick a stressor
revolving around your daily life and e#plain the characteristic in which one employs to
deal with the stress based on concepts of the 1ardy 2ersonality. I felt it was
necessary here to paste the entry to fully understand the way in which I approached
the topic.
/. .ontrol3
"ork3 (his is a stressor encountered on a daily basis. "ith my :ob, I feel the events
surrounding it give me or better yet make me feel as if I have an internal locus of
control over most any given situation. My :ob is stressful; working with kids has its
momentous amounts of rewards but yet there is going to be situations of
unpredictability always occurring throughout the day when dealing with pediatrics. I
always step back and analy)e situations from diferent perspectives to difuse a
stressful or complicated event. My internal locus of control sets in and I make
:udgment calls based on my e#perience with kids who present similar to others.
7lthough I may not have complete control over certain circumstances, I can reduce
the occurrence and severity of some by employing this techni$ue.
15
0. .ommitment3
-elationship3 "hen times are going rough with my girlfriend, I look to other
commitments in life that give me meaning and purpose. I take in time with my family
and close friends and seek guidance and support to move through di4cult
situations&events. In addition, I use my religious faith to pray for clarity and further
guidance. It9s huge to have an outlet when times are rough; something&someone to
lean on, gain support, and trust completely. "hen you have a foundation, it makes life
that much more meaningful.
E. .hallenge3
+veryday life occurrences3 5ot one specic stressor comes to mind when discussing
the challenge portion of the hardy personality. I feel the challenge aspect is one of the
most important ones surrounding the topic of hardy personality. "e must as
individuals embrace uncertainty&change and see the positive out of negative
circumstances. If we do not, then there is a greater chance of higher stress levels and
never properly dealing with stress as result.
Gist any other aspects %inner resources' that help you get through the tough times3
/. 5o other inner resources utili)ed; the mainstream way I deal with stress is e#ternal
help %i.e. yoga, lifting, cardio, etc'. (hat seems to some of the better ways for me to
deal with stress accordingly.
Unit *+ Under Stress+ ,6at No:-
Key learning point from the unit about Under tress! "hat #o$% -obert Sapolsky outlines
several distinct factors to Fsuccessful agingF in his book, "hy Oebras PonFt 8et *lcers.
Sapolsky and fellow colleague Michael Meaney conducted testing on handling of rats
to determine if neonatal handling decreases the amount of glucocorticoids secreted
as an adult %Sapolsky, /;;6'. Secreting signicant amounts of glucocorticoids
in?uences the rate of hippocampal degeneration in old age, so Sapolsky and Meaney
Unit
*
11
hypothesi)ed that handling rats in early life would alter the aging process later on in
life %Sapolsky, /;;6'. (heir hypothesis was in fact true. Hy handling the rats early on
in their lives, not only did it stop the downward spiral of hippocampal damage, but
also saved memory loss and helped them maintain ade$uate glucocorticoid levels
%Sapolsky, /;;6'. It is valuable that parents spend time with their children in the early
years of life providing love and nurture accordingly. (his is one way to slow down the
negative efects of aging, and can provide success with the process. Furthermore,
Sapolsky bases most of his factors on successful aging by altering
neurochemistry&systems within the body. Its principle is based on the old debate over
nature v. nurture. "hether you want to believe this concept or not, handling and
taking care of your loved ones early in life lays a foundation for future progression
and maturation for individuals.
-eference3
Sapolski,-. %0==6' C"hy OebraFs donFt get *lcersC, %Eed'. 5ew Qork,5Q3 St. MartinFs 8ri4n

Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut Un#er Stress: W)at N%9: Gearned
helplessness is a psychological condition in which a human being or an animal has learned
to act or behave helpless in a particular situation, even when it has the power to change
its unpleasant or even harmful circumstance %Sapolsky, /;;6'. Gearned helplessness
theory is the view that clinical depression and related mental illnesses result from a
perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation %Sapolsky, /;;6'.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut Un#er Stress: W)at N%9: (he main thing to
note with psychological stressors is that itFs intrinsic; each and every individual will
handle&perceive their stressors diferently. (he key is to nd out what works best to cope
with them and implement them into your daily routines to limit negative efects
associated with stress responses. I personally use e#ercise to combat my stress. It helps
me cope when unforeseen circumstances arise that I cannot control initially. "e must take
the unknown with a grain of salt and learn to take the good from the bad. Some
individuals over analy)e stress and tend to make it a bigger deal than it actually is.
5o e#ercises assigned for *nit <.
+,+-.IS+ D./ -eframing3 Seeing a Higger, .learer 2erspective3 (his e#cerpt from *nit
< really helped me gain a clear view on how to alter the way in which one handles
their stressors from an altered&varied point of view. It9s a way to AreframeB your
:udgment to get to the e#act root of the problem and to attack it head on so that it
never happens again. (he :ournal entry had you analy)e three separate events in your
life and discuss how you would handle them normally and then ad:ust to see the
positive from negative circumstances. It was very eye opening :ournal piece that has
helped alter the way in which I go about accepting change and a Aroll with the
punchesB type attitude.
12
Unit .+ !geless ,isdom of
Meditation
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A!eless Wis#%" %1 e#itati%n5 T)e
i"*%rtance %1 2reat)in! tec)ni;ues t% c%"2at stress, Here are s%"e sa"*le
9a(s t% i"*le"ent t)e strate!ies5
Helow are two specic ways to follow for focusing on diaphragmatic breathing for rela#ation3
(he Hellows Hreathing (echni$ue %(he Stimulating Hreath'
(his yogic techni$ue can be used to help stimulate energy when needed. It is a good
thing to use before reaching for a cup of cofee.
Sit in a comfortable up@right position with your spine straight.
"ith your mouth gently closed breathe in and out of your nose as fast as
possible. (o give an idea of how this is done, think of someone using a bicycle
pump %a bellows' to $uickly pump up a tire. (he upstroke is inspiration and the
down stroke is e#halation and both are e$ual in length.
(he rate of breathing is rapid with as many as 0@E cycles of
inspiration&e#piration per second.
"hile doing the e#ercise, you should feel efort at the base of the neck, chest
and abdomen. (he muscles in these areas will increase in strength the more this
techni$ue is practiced. (his is truly an e#ercise.
Po this for no longer than /< seconds when rst starting. "ith practice, slowly
increase the length of the e#ercise by < seconds each time. Po it as long as you
are comfortably able, not e#ceeding one full minute.
(here is a risk for hyperventilation that can result in loss of consciousness if
this e#ercise is done too much in the beginning. For this reason, it should be
practiced in a safe place such as a bed or chair..
Unit
.
1(
7bdominal Hreathing (echni$ue
Hreathing e#ercises such as this one should be done twice a day or whenever you nd
your mind dwelling on upsetting thoughts or when you are e#periencing pain.
2lace one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. "hen you take a
deep breath in, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the
chest. (his insures that the diaphragm is pulling air into the bases of the lungs.
7fter e#haling through the mouth, take a slow deep breath in through your
nose imagining that you are sucking in all the air in the room and hold it for a
count of > %or as long as you are able, not e#ceeding >'
Slowly e#hale through your mouth for a count of D. 7s all the air is released
with rela#ation, gently contract your abdominal muscles to completely evacuate
the remaining air from the lungs. It is important to remember that we deepen
respirations not by inhaling more air but through completely e#haling it.
-epeat the cycle four more times for a total of < deep breaths and try to
breathe at a rate of one breath every /= seconds %or I breaths per minute'. 7t this
rate our heart rate variability increases which has a positive efect on cardiac
health.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A!eless Wis#%" %1 e#itati%n5 Mental
imagery is the use of the imagination to see images created by our unconscious minds
%Seaward, 0==;'. 7ccording to Seaward, mental imagery usually falls within three
categories % Seaward,0==;'. (he rst category pertains to the images that promote
rela#ation by creating scenes that bring us peace %Seaward, 0==;'. (his could be sitting
on a sandy beach for some people or rela#ing on a front porch swing looking over a corn
eld for other people. (he second category houses the images that replace a desirable
behavior in lieu of an undesirable behavior %Seaward, 0==;'. Imagining yourself
replacing your bad habit of drinking heavily cafeinated and sugary drinks with fruit
infused water made at home would be a good e#ample. 7nd the last category of mental
imagery is creating Aimages that help to heal damaged body tissue %Seaward, 0==;'.B I
take myself to a beach where waves crash, or a porch where I watch a storm roll in over
the hori)on. In addition, while IFm using mental imagery, I listen to audio tracks with
nature and other sounds to compile with the scene I am trying to depict in my head.
-eference3
Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-
being. %I
th
ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones and Hartlett 2ublishers
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A!eless Wis#%" %1 e#itati%n5 Rey
takeaway from this unit is that meditation helps promote stress reduction. "e all get
caught up in everyday life that we tend to not give ourselves any AmeB time. Gife is so
stressful and moves so fast that we never stop and Asmell the rosesB. (his unit inspires us
to be in tuned with our inner self and not take the little things for granite.
1)
+,+-.IS+ 0=.0 (hree Short 8uided Tisuali)ations3 (his e#ercise in 0=.0 helps touch
on what was focused on during the discussions throughout the unit. It uses mental
imagery to focus on rela#ation. 1ere is a blurb post e#ercise implementation3
"ow, that is the rst time I have ever done breathing e#ercises like that. *pon trialing
all of them, I can feel a sense of clarity and focus that I did not have prior to doing
them. It9s ama)ing how individuals never take the time out of their day to stop and
:ust breathe. "e all get so caught up in life that the little things we take for granite,
such as simple breath control seem to go on the backburner. "e all e#perience so
much stress, that we do not use the simplest of measures to control&limit&or decrease
them. I en:oy doing Hikram Qoga because it is a way to get in touch with the mind@
body connection. (hey focus on the importance of breath control for the practice. I
en:oy it and after class I tend to have this moment of perfect clarity that I cannot get
from any other activities. I am now going to make it a point to implement these
breathing e#ercises during my daily life to help combat stressors and become better
in tune with myself.
+,+-.IS+ /D./ (oo Much Information3 (his portion discusses :ust how we are
bombarded with information within our daily lives. It is tons and tons of sensory
information always coming in, with no potential options to release it all. "e must have
outlets in order to not get Abacked upB. Nutlets to lter out information include3 yoga,
meditation, e#ercise, decreasing media time, and breathing e#ercises outlined during
the unit.
Unit /+ Sig6t0 Sound and $od9 ,or;
Key learning point from the unit about ight& ound and Body "or'; "hen individuals
become depressed or have high levels of stress in their life, they tend to lean towards
Unit
/
1*
eating unhealthy, unwanted foods that translate to empty calories as a way of coping.
"e have a learned behavior that we associate with food; if we ate a particular food at
one point during stress in the past, then that food becomes CcomfortC and when we
reach that similar stress point again, we consume the same %Seaward,0==;'. 7s our
stressors ?uctuate throughout life, so does our typical eating habits. Stress puts you
on a roller coaster of emotions. (he same principle will follow with the diet; up and
down meals %empty calories', or lack thereof any eating whatsoever. ItFs important to
recogni)e when our high levels of stress are triggered, and resort to healthy
alternatives for eating well. "hen I am stressed I tend to eat more, but my
refrigerator&free)er&pantry are stocked with meal choices that are all good sources of
nutrition. Gimiting temptation to snack on C:unkC will at least assist with stress and
eating habits.
-eference
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut Si!)t< S%un# an# '%#( W%r=5 .afeine is
known to trigger the ght or ?ight response in individuals. "hen this chemical is ingested
and introduced to our internal workings, it arouses the sympathetic nervous system and
stimulates the release of stress hormones %Seaward, 0==;'. From here, people
e#perience a heightened sense of alertness, which also makes that individual more prone
to what is referred to as Aperceived stress %Seaward, 0==;'.
-eference
Key learning point from the unit about ight& ound and Body "or'; 7ccording to Seaward,
there are four stress domino factors that can cause us to have a weakened immune
system, health@related problems, which is a result e$uate to poor stress@related
eating habits.
Pomino /3 Stress tends to deplete nutrients in the body.
Pomino 03 .urrent 7merican lifestyles under stress do not promote or reinforce
good eating habits. .onse$uently, the nutrients depleted under chronic stress are
not restored.
Pomino E3 Some foods substances are known to increase sympathetic drive or
other physiological responses that keep stress response elevated. %.afeine,
processed sugar and ?our, and salt.'
Pomino 63 Many foods that are processed contribute to a cumulative efect of
to#ins. For e#ample, residues of synthetic or petroleum@based fertili)ers,
herbicides, and pesticides found in many foods hinder the immune system.
1.
5o e#ercises assigned for *nit >.
+,+-.IS+ 0>./ Stress@-elated +ating Hehaviors3 (his portion of the :ournal analy)ed
eating habits when one is e#periencing high time of stress. My nal score ended up
being 0<. 7 score of more than 0= points indicates eating behaviors that are not
conducive to reducing stress. (his was very surprising to me; I am a very healthy
eater and thought personally that I had things under control. 7n overall eye opener
has occurred. I am in the process of changing my ways even more so than I had
previously.
Unit 2+ T6e ,ellness Mandala
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Wellness an#ala5 2hysical e#ercise on
managing and preventing stress is critical. (here are many signicant benets of physical
e#ercise on eliminating negative stressors that occur within oneFs daily
life. 2hysical e#ercise releases endorphins; feel good chemicals in the brain %Mayo .linic,
0=/E'. In addition physical e#ercise helps improve mood, which in turn boosts positive
thinking and thus, decreases stress within the body %Mayo .linic, 0=/E'. I am a rm
believer on the importance of physical e#ercise to decrease stress levels. "hen I leave the
gym, the previous issues encompassing my thoughts seem to decrease and my mind is
somewhat clear. Gastly, physical e#ercise has been known to increase self@condence,
which can lower symptoms associated with depression and an#iety %Mayo .linic, 0=/E'. If
you donFt have time or money for the gym, even walking outdoors or any fun activities to
do with the family would su4ce.
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut T)e Wellness an#ala5 Hy e#ercising, we
ensure that our bodies use the hormonal secretions for their intended purpose, and then
they are ?ushed out of our systems with other metabolic waste %Seaward, 0==;'. .ortisol
secretion is the prime suspect when it comes to weight gain. (o combat this and ?ush the
body, we must e#ercise. 2eople think that it has to be vigorous and uncomfortable in
Unit
2
1/
order to reap the benets, but any form of physical e#ercise will help combat the negative
efects stress takes on the body. "ith these important facts on ?ushing the stress
hormone from the body, individuals must not make e#cuses for why they canFt e#ercise. It
is vital that one nd something that intrinsically motivates them in order to ensure they
follow a physical activity regimented routine.
-eference
5o e#ercises assigned for *nit D.
+,+-.IS+ 0D./ 2hysical +#ercise3 (his :ournal piece was interesting and very
intrinsically motivating to me based on how high I value e#ercise within my life. I
could go on all day discussing e#ercise. (he :ournal entry added focus on what
activities I use to incorporate into my routine, fre$uency, type, and duration. I found
that motivation for superiority is what drives my success. I want to be above many
and understand the vital component of not only is it for how I look on the outside, but
also what physical e#ercise is doing for me on the inside. +#ercise is something that
will always be a part of my life and knowing all the positive health benets that come
from it are invaluable.
12
Unit 3+ !<<l9ing Stress+ Critical
Management to 9our Professional
'ife
Ke( learnin! *%int 1r%" t)e unit a2%ut A**l(in! Stress: Critical ana!e"ent t%
Y%ur Pr%1essi%nal Li1e5 1ealthy diversions are any activities that ofer a temporary
escape from the sensory overload that can produce or perpetuate the stress response
%Seaward, 0==;'.Piversions ofer the conscious mind a Achange of venueB to promote
clear thinking. (aking your mind of a problem, or removing an issue from conscious
attention for a designated period of time, and diverting attention to an unrelated sub:ect
focuses the mind and enables it to deal better with these issues upon return %Seaward,
0==;'. "e must have hobbies as individuals in order to promote clarity within one9s life.
(hey are a way to escape from reality and reduce negativity in oneFs given life.
-eference3
Y%ur Pr%1essi%nal Li1e5 (o con$uer fear of the unknown, gathering information about a
specic circumstance becomes one of the best defenses against stressors %Seaward,
0==;'. Information seeking involves collecting and processing facts about a stressful
event or situation, which can then be used to help solve the problem and regain
emotional stability %Seaward, 0==;'. "hen one can control the situation knowledge is a
powerful tool to dismantle a stressor.
Y%ur Pr%1essi%nal Li1e5 5ever underestimate the power of support groupsLL
Unit
3
13
+,+-.IS+ /D.E Hridging the 1emispheres of (hought; I chose to elaborate on this
e#ercise because it tended to shed light on hemispheres of the brain. I attached an
e#cerpt from my writing to lend some clarity on the topic; Hased on the list of
associated $ualities with dominant thinking styles, I would tend to have to say I9m
more so a right@brain thinker. I think my imagination gets the best of me and I am in
touch with my emotions. It9s interesting to hear that "estern culture is said to be left@
brain dominant in thinking skills. (he attributes of left@brain thinking, i.e.
mathematical and analysis are not to be my strong suits. I9m curious how there are
ways to balance right and left sides accordingly in order to be in sync with one
another.
If I had to make an assumption as to why my thinking skills gravitate toward right@
brain thinking, I would say that I9m stubborn in my ways and tend to not always want
to think outside my bo#&comfort )one. It is hard to really gauge why my thinking skills
gravitate one way more than the other.
My dominant thinking skills are imagination, humor, and emotionality. 5on@dominant
thinking skills are mathematical, verbal acuity, and global thinking. I do not have a
denite answer on how I can balance patterns. 1owever, reviewing what I know are
my non@dominant thinking skills, I can tend to try and take these approaches when
reviewing how I should go about solving everyday problems&occurrences that I
encounter within my life.
+,+-.IS+ 0>.E (he -ainbow Piet3 (his was $uite an interesting piece on the chakras
and how one should eat based on color for certain ailments. +ating certain fruits and
veggies associated with the same chakra are said to relieve the issue. I9m :ust curious
as to the validity of these claims. I have never heard much on this approach and was
wondered on the concrete evidence to back up this techni$ue. I however understand
the importance of eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and spices within one9s
diet.
25
!dditional Information
/' 6 ways to handle stress %7merican 1eart 7ssociation'
@http3&&www.heart.org&1+7-(N-8&8etting1ealthy&StressManagement&Four"aystoPeal
"ithStress&Four@"ays@to@Peal@with@StressU*.MUE=>;;IU7rticle.:sp
0' /D ways to manage stress V
http3&&psychcentral.com&blog&archives&0=/=&=I&0E&/D@ways@to@manage@stress&
E' Seaward, H. G. %0==;'. Managing stress, principles and strategies for health and
well-being. %Ith ed.'. Sudbury, M73 Jones K Hartlett Gearning.
6' Sapolski,-. %0==6' C"hy OebraFs donFt get *lcersC, %Eed'. 5ew Qork,5Q3 St. MartinFs
8ri4n
ANh,I get the urge to e#ercise
every now and then, but I :ust lie
down till it goes away.B V Mark
(wain
21
There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek
problems because you need their gifts. Richard Bach, uthor of !llusions
22

C Sauro hw499 hw410 Unit9final

Diunggah oleh

Informasi Dokumen

Judul Asli

Hak Cipta

Format Tersedia

Bagikan dokumen Ini

Bagikan atau Tanam Dokumen

Opsi Berbagi

Apakah menurut Anda dokumen ini bermanfaat?

Apakah konten ini tidak pantas?

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

C Sauro hw499 hw410 Unit9final

Diunggah oleh

Hak Cipta:

Format Tersedia

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in

Anda mungkin juga menyukai