StressStressand the Body’s Responseand the Body’s Response

Mind/Body HealthMind/Body Health

RRCC Holistic HealthRRCC Holistic Health

Spring 2011Spring 2011

What is stress?What is stress?

Stress = non-specific response of the Stress = non-specific response of the body to any demand (Selye)body to any demand (Selye)

Eustress = pleasant & beneficial (for Eustress = pleasant & beneficial (for mind and body)mind and body)

Distress = unpleasant & can be Distress = unpleasant & can be destructivedestructive

Both = similar physiological response Both = similar physiological response (but not identical)(but not identical)

Definitions of StressDefinitions of Stress The inability to cope with a The inability to cope with a perceivedperceived threat threat

to one’s mental ,physical, emotional, and to one’s mental ,physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, which results in a series spiritual well-being, which results in a series of physiological responses and adaptationsof physiological responses and adaptations

Eastern: an absence of inner peaceEastern: an absence of inner peace Any change experienced by the individualAny change experienced by the individual A state of anxiety produced when events and A state of anxiety produced when events and

responsibilities exceed one’s coping abilitiesresponsibilities exceed one’s coping abilities Physiologically, the rate of wear and tear on Physiologically, the rate of wear and tear on

the bodythe body Physics: tension or force placed on an objectPhysics: tension or force placed on an object

General Adaptation General Adaptation SyndromeSyndrome

General Adaptation General Adaptation SyndromeSyndrome

Homeostasis- the body attempts to maintain a stable and consistent physiological state

-3 stages of GAS

• alarm- immediate response

• resistance- mobilizing body’s resources to withstand stress

• exhaustion- impaired functioning

•recovery also possible here

General Adaptation General Adaptation SyndromeSyndrome

- - Alarm stageAlarm stage-SNS activated-SNS activated-adrenal medulla- -adrenal medulla- epinephrine, epinephrine, norepinehprinenorepinehprine-fight, flight, freeze, -fight, flight, freeze, faintfaint-tend and befriend-tend and befriend

--Resistance stageResistance stage-cortisol-cortisol-immune suppression-immune suppression

Autonomic Nervous System Autonomic Nervous System ResponseResponse

Sympathetic NS- Sympathetic NS-

fight or flight fight or flight (actually fight, flight, (actually fight, flight, freeze, or faint)freeze, or faint)

Parasympathetic Parasympathetic NS-NS-

resting and digestingresting and digesting

SNS activationSNS activation Increases inIncreases in

-heart rate-heart rate-blood pressure-blood pressure-respiration-respiration-blood glucose-blood glucose-metabolism-metabolism-mental processing-mental processing-muscular tension-muscular tension-pupil size-pupil size-blood coagulation-blood coagulation-immune function-immune function

Digestive system Digestive system suppressedsuppressed

Alarm StageAlarm Stage

Sympathetic NS Sympathetic NS activationactivation

Adrenal medulla-Adrenal medulla-

Catecholamines (epi, Catecholamines (epi, NE)NE)

Resistance StageResistance Stage

Adaptation to Adaptation to stressorstressor

HPA axisHPA axis Cortisol releasedCortisol released Immune Immune

suppression- LAS suppression- LAS and B & T cellsand B & T cells

Further ReadingFurther Reading

http://www.bishop.edu/health/homeostasis.pdf

a little more in-depth look at stress,a little more in-depth look at stress,

the GAS, and the LASthe GAS, and the LAS