Define stress, discuss the most common sources of stress and why they occur

•Discuss the role of epigenetics regarding stress and how stress could impact our immune system and heart disease

•Identify and describe the three stages of the general adaption syndrome (GAS)

•Discuss how stress could influence our mood, sleep and diet

•Identify and describe the 5 domains of health behavior

•Discuss the various ways that people cope ineffectively with stress

•Discuss the various ways that people can cope effectively with stress

•Discuss the field of positive psychology, what factors this field emphasizes and what the future of this field might hold for us

 

A new study shows that stress causes novel DNA modifications in the brain that may result to

neurological problems. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation and histone modification

help a cell control gene expression by specifically turning genes on or off. Stress can affect the

immune system by raising blood pressure. Hypertension, which is steadily raised blood pressure

over several weeks, is a major risk factor in coronary heart disease.

The general adaptation syndrome (GAS), describes the configuration of responses that the body

goes through after being provoked by a stressor. There are three stages which include alarm,

resistance, and exhaustion. The alarm reaction stage refers to the initial symptoms the body

experiences when under stress. The resistance stage happens after the original shock of a

stressful event and having a fight-or-flight response. The body starts to repair itself by releasing a

lower amount of cortisol, and the heart rate and blood pressure commence to normalize.

One effect of stress is that it can cause sleep deprivation. Studies show people who are sleep

deprived report increases in negative moods like anger, frustration, irritability, sadness and

decreases in positive moods. Stress can affect your eating habits by increasing the levels of stress

hormones; precisely cortisol, circulating in your body. These hormones can cause one to have

greater intensity cravings for high fat, calorie-dense foods, which will normally make you gain

weight over time.

There are five dimensions of health: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. These five

(dimensions of health provide a full picture of health as a change in any dimension affects the

others. Physical health refers to the more traditional definitions of health as the absence of

disease and injury. Physical health can affect the other dimensions of health as a decline in

physical health can result in a decline in other forms of health, E.g. a person who suddenly gets

the flu is often isolated socially as to not infect others and they may feel sad. Mental health refers

to the cognitive aspect of health and is linked to emotional health. Greater self-esteem then leads

to more confidence in social situations and can lead one to ask the larger questions about life

leading to increased spiritual health. Emotional health is about the person's mood or general

emotional state. A person with a good self-esteem is more confident in social settings, makes

friends quickly and often performs better in physical activity. Spiritual health relates to our sense

of overall purpose in life. Spiritual health affect emotional and mental health as having a purpose

in life can help you to apply yourself to achieving goals. The social dimension of health refers to

our ability to make and maintain meaningful relationships with others. A bad social life can lead

a person to question their purpose in life and such feelings can demoralize people from physical

activity and lead them towards depression.

The various ways that people cope ineffectively with stress include: Watching endless hours of

TV, withdrawing from friends or partners or, conversely jumping into a frenzied social life to

avoid facing problems. Some involve themselves in overeating or undereating, sleeping too

much, drinking too much alcohol and lashing out at others in emotionally or physically violent

outbursts.

Research has found that maintaining good health has a positive influence on reducing and coping

with stress. Behaviors such as exercise, meditation, deep breathing, good eating habits, and

getting enough sleep can help individuals better handle stress.

Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the strengths that empower individuals and

communities to thrive. The field is established on the belief that people want to lead meaningful

and rewarding lives, to nurture what is best within themselves, and to improve their experiences

of love, work, and play. Positive psychology focuses on the positive events and influences in life;

Positive experiences, positive states and traits and positive institutions in the sense of applying

positive principles within entire organizations and institutions. It teaches us the power of shifting

one's perspective. The future of positive psychology can be in the expanding into an integrated

applied science, which is used through lives, businesses, and communities. The provoking of a

necessary uprising of consciousness within mainstream communities will create more awareness

and opportunity to make a difference through what we know. A greater proportion of people will

flourish in life as a result.