KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

Stress Management and Prevention

Program Resource Guide

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY

Stress Management and Prevention Program Resource Guide

By Nada Crowder Kaplan University HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention October 5, 2012

Table of Contents

UNIT

THE

NATU RE

OF

STRESS

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNIT 2 THE PHYSI OL O GY OF STRESS

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNIT 3 PSYCHOL OGY OF STRESS

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing: Journal Writing
UNIT 4 PERSONAL I TY TRAITS AND THE HUM AN SPIRIT UAL IT Y

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing

UNIT 5 DEAL ING WITH STRESS:C OPI NG STRATEGIE S

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing

UNIT 6 REL AXATIO N TECH NIQ UES 1 : BREATHI NG, M EDITATION, AND M ENTAL IM AGERY

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing

UNIT 7 NUTRITI ON AND STRESS

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing

UNIT 8 PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND ACTIVITY

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing

UNIT

APPL YING

STRESS:

CRITICAL

M ANAGEM ENT

AND

PREVENT IO N

TO

YOUR

PROF ESSI ON AL

L IF E

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing

UNIT 1 0 COURSE WRAP UP

Information to Remember Resources: Exercises Tools: Journal Writing

ADDITI ON AL INF ORM AT IO N

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
What is the definition of stress?

1
Unit

In contemporary belief, stress is the experience of a perceived threat to ones mental, physical, or spiritual well-being, resulting from a series of bodily responses and adjustments. In our world today everyone is bound to experience some form of stress. The world we live in changes from day to day, where there is change stress is not far behind. Because change can disrupt ones comfort zone, if there is not an adequate reference point to anchor oneself stress can potentially cause a sense of uneasiness in the hearts and minds of everyone (Seaward, 2009).In the Eastern cultures or an holistic view of stress is considered to be an absence of inner peace. Stress has been linked to many leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung disorders, accidents, cirrhosis, and suicide. Studies show that 43 percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects due to stress and between 75 and 90 percent of all visits to medical doctors and medical specialist are due to stress related complaints (2009). What is the stress response fight or flight? Stress is a form of physical arousal that dates back to the Stone Age days. It was a survival mechanism (Seaward, 2009, p. 4) when one was faced with a threat. The body prepares itself for one of two modes when their presents a need for immediate action. Those two modes are to attack or fight and defend yourself from the pursuing threat, or to run and escape the consequent danger. The fight response is triggered by anger or aggression and the flight response is induced by fear. There are four stages of the fight-or-flight response; GAS or General adaptation syndrome is the result of prolonged stress from biological, psycho social and social situations. The stages that make up GAS include: Stage 1: Alarm reaction in which the typical response would be fight or flight; stage 2: is stage of resistance in which the body tries to maintain a sense of homeostasis, balance or calmness; and the last stage is the stage of exhaustion in which the organs begin to fail due to lack of homeostasis, balance or calmness (2009). What are types of stress?

There are three kinds of stress, eustress which is good stress that arises when a person is faced with a circumstance that motivates or inspires; falling in love is an example of eustress (Seaward, 2009, p.9); neustress is considered neither good nor bad. This form of stress is based on sensory stimuli, for example news of a Tsunami on the other part of the world would fall into this form of stress; lastly the bad stress which we know as distress that has two forms, acute and chronic. Chronic stress lingers for longer periods of time. Some examples of chronic stress include: an injury or illness that kept you hospitalized, change in responsibilities at work; troubles with co-workers, loss of job, change in residence, divorce; arguments with loved ones, and final exams (Seaward, 2009, p. 14, 15).

Resources: Exercises:
Exercise 1.1: My Health Philosophy I chose this exercise because in my own words I can express what health and wellness mean to me. I can review the present philosophy and adjust it as I continue to develop in the area of taking care of myself. Heath to me means being free from sickness, pain and disease; wellness means taking the necessary measures to obtain health. This exercise also placed you in foreseeing your future in 25 years, I thought this was a great exercise because I am able to see what I am doing now and if it works it is definitely something I will maintain so that I am living to see the next 25 years.

Tools: Journal Writing:

1.4: A Good Nights Sleep I chose this exercise because it focused on the pattern of sleep habits. Many people take sleep for granted and do not realize that sleep is very important. If we have a lack of sleep, with the required amount being 8 hours our bodies tend to function poorly over time. With this exercise I was able to describe my own sleeping pattern and habits. Using this tool would help me to point out where there was a disturbance and if there was a time that I did not obtain the required hours of sleep needed to maintain good health.

Unit 2: The Body as Battlefield

Information to Remember:

2
Unit

What damage can occur to the human Hippocampus from excess stress? Just like there are two forms of memory explicit and implicit, there are different areas of the brain involved in storage and retrieval of memory. The cortex which acts like the hard drive for memory and the sea-horse shaped region of the brain (hippocampus) that acts like the keyboard gathering images to be placed in the cortex for long term. The damage that can occur to the human hippocampus from excess stress is simply memory loss, brain shrinkage and dementia (Stress, Depression and Memory loss, 2008). Stress hormones (glucocorticoids) hinder the growth of brain cells and adversely affect memory. One of the ways the hippocampus sorts through all the sensory input it receives to determine what to do with it is through receptors that interpret signals coming from the outside cells of the hippocampus. These receptors are how the hippocampus hears what is going on around it (2008). When stress encourages the release of hormones from the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates instinctive behaviors, the receptors in the hippocampus pick them up and trigger the fight-or-flight response. And while this ability to react to acute stress such as physical danger is critical to survival, recent evidence suggests that chemicals released in the stress response are responsible for damaging cells in the hippocampus, and that prolonged stress is much more harmful to the body than acute stress. Without time to recover from stressful events the brain remains on high alert continuing to push out more of the stress hormone glucocorticoid and this causes the hippocampus to shrink. Shrinkage due to prolonged depression and chronic stress results in memory loss, dementia and brain shrinkage. What is the stress and disease connection? When stress factors exceed our natural ability to handle them the stressor causes the body to change its way of functioning by mobilizing its resources to

cope with danger (raise blood pumping and dilation of airways to increase oxygen intake, increase blood clotting) or adjusting to it. When stress becomes excessive and constant, it drains our protective means which then leads to illness and neurotic disorder (Stress and Disease-The Connection, 2012). What are the physiological effects of prolonged stress on memory? Prolonged stress has many effects on the body but I will address the effect is has on memory. An individual that suffers from prolonged stress produces an extremely high level of glucocorticoids. When there is a high level of glucocorticoids a person is likely to suffer from the development of Cushing Syndrome. Cushingoid dementia is a severe form of memory loss but the patient also suffers from tumors (Sapolsky, 2004).

Resources: Exercises:
Exercise 2.2: Immediate, Intermediate, and Prolonged Stress Effects This exercise was the only one for this unit but it helped me to recognize how my body reacts when presented with immediate, intermediate and prolonged stress. This tool pointed out physical changes to look for when I am faced with a stressor. Some of the symptoms that lets me know that I may be stressed are acne, GI problems such as heartburn, tension headaches and rapid breathing to name a few.

Tools: Journal Writing:

Exercise 3.1: Physical Symptoms Questionnaire I chose this exercise because I believe questionnaires come fairly close to providing a person with explanations behind the concerns they have. This tool focused on stress related symptoms; it asked how long and the severity of the symptoms I experienced. Using this exercise showed patterns or situations that happened in a given week that would create the symptoms I experienced while stressed. The questionnaire stated if I had a value over 30 points that was an indicator of a high level of stress. My score did not add up to 30 but if it had I would know that I needed to apply stress management techniques to alleviate the stress I was dealing with.

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Information to Remember:

3
Unit

What are the Building Blocks of Psychological Stressors according to Robert Sapolsky? Robert Sapolsky believes successful stress management heavily revolves around combating the building blocks of psychological stress (boingboing.net, 2012). There is more to life than what is making you fanatical and stressed at any given time. We humans tend to deal better with stressors when we have outlets for frustration (Sapolsky, 2004). If we have outlets such as running super-fast on a treadmill, eating a half dozen glazed doughnuts, or focusing attention on creating a unique piece of jewelry we have diverted the stressor if only for a time being and we find some relief. An essential feature of an outlet being effective is if it distracts from the stressor and if it is something that has positive benefits for you. Having a social support network is a great way to get relief from stress. It helps to have a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, a great big hug or someone to simply tell you that everything will be okay to decrease the stress level that one could experience. Social support can have a positive influence on human physiology (2004). When there is a feeling that you have no predictive information about the stressor it triggers a stress-response; however, predictability makes stressors less stressful. By being given news about a particular situation (stressor) to come, you are implicitly being comforted by knowing what to expect and what not to expect from the situation, releasing a smaller stress-response. Exercise of control is another form of alleviating stressors. When we feel that we are in control of a situation our stress response decreases. For example you give a rat a lever to push when he is the study of electrical shock. Each time the shock is released, its the rat it knows that he has control or thinks he has control by pressing a level to have the shock cease. Exercise of control is one of the building blocks of psychological stressors and similar is the theory Locus of control in which an individual believes that they can control events that affect them. The perception of things worsening is another variable in the stress-response. When you are used to something happening you are better prepared for it but once there is a change in pattern or uncertainty the stress increases and homeostasis becomes imbalanced.

In what ways is anger mismanaged? Anger is a healthy emotion when it is expressed and ventilated properly. Anger can be mismanaged when it is suppressed or expressed violently (Seaward, 2009, p. 141). There are four distinct ways in which people mismanage their anger: somatizers: People who never show any signs of anger and internalize their feelings until eventually there is major bodily damage; self-punishers: people who neither repress their anger nor explode, but rather deny themselves a proper outlet for anger because of guilty feelings; exploders: 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, and underhanders: people who harm others or seek revenge through somewhat socially acceptable behavior (Seaward 2009). What is Subtleties of Control and provide an example.

Subtleties of control are how an individual is taught to deal with or be in control of a stressor. Its a sense of control. If someone or something has confidence that they have the ability to impact the chain of events, they can take stress in stride and deal with it better. If an individual is defenseless then they will have the feeling that things are out of their control. For example, the rat felt like the lever was controlling the amount of times he was shocked and he was able to deal with being shocked better. However, the rat became vulnerable and lost his control because he felt like he was causing himself to get shocked. If you believe you have control over stressors that are beyond your control, you may consider somehow that the inevitable is your fault too (Sapolsky, 2004, p. 267).

Resources: Exercises:
Exercise 5.4 Anger: The Fight Response I really enjoyed this exercise because it asked for was to channel anger in a positive way. Anger can be mismanaged but the key is being able to diffuse the anger in a creative ways. This exercise allowed me to reflect on ways that I use my creativity to overcome anger. I see this being an exercise that I will use time and time again.

Tools: Journal Writing:

4.1 The Psychology of Your Stress This journal writing exercise focused on my perceptions, attitude and behavior during stress. What I liked about this exercise was how it pointed out defense mechanisms I used that I was not aware. During stressful moments I am very defensive. Another part of the exercise that I enjoyed was how it talked about our dreams and we tend to bring what stresses us into our realm of sleep.

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the

Human Spirituality
Information to Remember:
How does income inequality and feeling poor translate into bad health?

4
Unit

Being poor certainly involves lots of physical stressors; some of the things that people who live below poverty limits worry about are manual labor with greater risk of work related injuries, working two or three jobs resulting in sleep deprivation; walking to the grocery store or Laundromat carrying the heavy bags, too little money to buy your child a pair of much needed shoes and on top of that forfeiting on the payment arrangement made with the electric company because the paycheck wont be in the savings account for another five days. Furthermore, being poor brings about disproportionate amounts of psychological stressors as well (Sapolsky, p. 364, 2004). When you are poor you basically have a lack of control regarding life situations. There typically are no resources reserved so planning for the future is limited. A person within poverty limits can only respond to present crisis (p. 365, 2009). The hardships, in which I only mentioned a few, suggest that low socioeconomic status (measured by income, occupation, housing conditions, and education) should be associated with chronic activation of the stress-response. The health risk of poverty is a huge effect; if you want to increase the odds of living a long and healthy life, dont be poor (Sapolsky, p. 366, 2004). List the stress-resistant personalities and give an example of each. The hardy personality, the survivor personality and sensation seeker are the personalities that are believed to be stress resistant (Seaward, 2009). Anyone with either of these personalities has high self-esteem. People with these traits possess coping skills to deal with stress. The resilient or hardy personality is one that buffers against stress; they tend to pick themselves up after being knocked down. They have the attitude of control, commitment and challenge. A person that has the survivor personality has a winning attitude to overcome adversity and misfortunes no matter what the odds maybe. Many people that have terminal illnesses are known to have survivor personalities. Traits of this personality include: optimism, flexibility, responsive and creative at problem solving. They are the people who see themselves as being the victor, and not the victim. Lastly, personality Type R, the

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risk taker or sensation seeker; these people are so inclined and driven toward the extreme. They live by the adrenaline rush of life. Because they are so spontaneous at how they approach life this often prepares them for unexpected life events. This personality has coping skills such as confidence, courage, optimism and creativity that they are not prone to stressful situations because they have already calculated how they would approach anything leading to distress. What is a stress prone personality and provide an example. Type A personalities are stress prone personalities. These individuals live a rushed or hurried lifestyle. Some of their characteristics include polyphasia which is doing many activities at once; multitasking which is acting on many responsibilities at one time and they are usually time urgent (Seaward, p. 136, 2009). Type As are also very self-conscious; you will find this type of individual comparing themselves with others of similar social status. They are found to raise their voices in normal conversations and use explosive words to impact, control or intimidate others. Type A personalities are manipulative and assert control when they feel threatened. Its no wonder that this personality are noted to have free-floating hostility or permanently indwelling anger that burst forth at minor incidences like long lines at the teller window, or when driving behind a person doing 25 in a 40 mile driving lane. Type A personalities have an inability to express their anger creatively, they keep things bottled up an eventually explode.

Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 7.6 Your Meaningful Purpose in Life Even though this exercise was brief I found it useful. In this exercise I had to consider what my purpose in life at this point in time was. And what was interesting is how it can change as I see fit. For instance, my purpose today is to raise my son and be a good role model for him as a parent. When he is off to college in four years my purpose in life will change or be modified again. At that time my purpose may be to do missionary work in another part of the country.

Tools: Journal Writing:

EXERCISE 6.3 Stress-Resistant Personality Survey I felt that this exercise would be a good tool for me to go over when I am feeling overly stressed. The questions listed and the way I answer them will determine if I am still a personality that is stress-resistant. If I ever fell below the 30 point count then I would need to re-evaluate my situation and focus on things that cause me to be stressed and apply stress management techniques to bring me back to homeostasis.

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Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping

Strategies
Information to Remember:

5
Unit

What are some of the factors to Successful aging according to Robert Sapolsky? Aging successfully starts from the early years of childhood. A study conducted on rats proved that when handled neonatal during the first weeks of life, the hormone glucocorticoid decreases as the rat becomes an adult. The experiment drew an conclusion that if the amount of glucocorticoid secretion decreases while being handled as an infant, this would likely carry over into the amount released as an adult and it would influence the rate of hippocampal (memory) degeneration in old age (Sapolsky, 2004). When a mother rat spends time licking and grooming her pup the first few weeks of its life, this induces the same phenomenon; old age can be derailed by subtle mothering years early in life (2004). Another factor contributing to successful aging would be the benefits of being respected and needed by your family, social circle and even community. My grandmother for example lived until the age of 89. She looked every bit of 60 and I believe in great part it had much to do with her socialization. She took pride in staying involved with church organizations and held many positions on varied committee boards; she mentored as a Mother of the church to young adult women and chastised in wisdom the teenage girls including her own grand-daughters. She was always engaged in social affairs pertaining to senior citizens and was both openly and secretly adored by men in her social circle. Had my grandmother not been so involved and respected by her peers, family and community I do not believe she would have lived such a vibrant life. Other aspects that lead to successful aging prior to the age of 50 would be: no smoking, minimal drinking, exercising on a regular basis, maintaining an

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appropriate weight and BMI, limit depression, having a support network and a resilient coping style. What is Vulnerability to Learned Helplessness according to Robert Sapolsky? Vulnerability to learned helplessness is how we attribute the events that arise in our lives as a significant effect on our attitudes and efforts in improving our ration (Changingminds.org, 2012). In particular there are three types of beliefs that affect us, these are: Stable or unstable cause: If we believe that events are caused by factors which do not change, we presume that it is not worth us trying to change them. For example, if I believe my achievement is based on an unchangeable ability, it will seem that it is not worth my trying to improve myself. Internal or External cause: When you believe that events are caused by you or something outside of yourself. For example, If I believed all of my coworkers obtained diarrhea after eating brownies I made I would consider it was my fault, I will be less likely to bring in dessert than if I attribute it to a bout of stomach flu. And lastly, global or specific cause: If we believe that events are caused by a large number of issues then we feel we can do less to change things than if we see few and specific causes. What is cognitive restructuring? Cognitive reconstructing or restructuring is a stress management tool used to turn around negative thinking. It involves learning how to reason differently, to change faulty thinking into a more realistic and perhaps positive way of viewing things (Cognitive Restructuring: Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Attitude, 2012). How we think affects how we feel and act, so when we operate out of a negative thinking, it can lead to depression, anxiety, or avoidance of people and experiences. Cognitive restructuring helps people learn to think and react to situations positively. How it works: you pay attention to your thoughts, and recognize when they become irrational. Then you challenge yourself by learning how to talk yourself out of self-defeating verbiage. Here is an example; you are stuck in traffic and already running ten minutes late for work. Your heart is racing and you feel perspiration beading across your forehead. You become agitated with the driver in front of you even though they cannot move any faster than you can. You can either continue to think negative thoughts or you could think about positive things in the situation. In this example, if you chose to think positively then you have applied cognitive restructuring (2012).

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Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 8.1 Reframing: Seeing a Bigger, Clearer Perspective

6
Unit

This exercise helped me to list possible stressors that pose as a threat or uncomfortable feelings. Instead of complaining and having a foul attitude I can reframe my perspective on the matter to see things in a brighter and more delightful way.

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing, Meditation, and Mental Imagery Information to Remember:
What is diaphragmatic breathing? Diaphragmatic breathing is an effective way to achieve relaxation by controlled deep breathing. It involves the movement of the lower abdomen. It is considered by those that special in this form of breathing to be a singular repetitive thought or motion to cleanse the mind. This form of breathing promotes concentration on one body sensation to the exclusion of all other sensory stimuli, it improves the flow of blood, slows down the rate of breathing so less energy is consumed in breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing strengthens the lungs and diaphragm and decreases the demand of oxygen and it also builds up the immune system. People today are breathing from their lungs but natural breathing is both the correct and healthy way to reduce stress.

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What is mental imagery and how does it differ from visualization? Visualization is often used one and the same as with mental imagery, it is a particular aspect of mental imagery. Visualization does not directly have a relaxation affect, it is more of a conscious choice with intentional instructions (Seaward, 2009) whereas mental imagery is a spontaneous flow of thoughts originating from the unconscious mind (2009). The skill of visualization entails the creation of images, scenes, or impressions by connecting ones imagination with the bodys physical senses such as sight, sound, touch, smell and even taste for an overall pleasurable desired effect. Mental imagery as well as visualization is both used as healing modalities. A form of imagery known as guided imagery is a kind of directed daydreaming, a way of using the imagination specifically to help the mind and body heal, stay strong and perform at best. Just as a real or imaginary thought can prompt the stress response, relaxing thoughts can promote the relaxation response and this is the main goal of mental imagery. Some of the images people mentally place themselves in when using this specific modality include natural settings such as tropical places, mountain vista, evergreen forest or the sound and image of a waterfall, the point is to imagine a place that you can relate to that will promote a deeper sense of calmness throughout the body. What is the difference between abdominal breathing and alternate nostril breathing according to the University of Minnesota relaxation strategies information? The technique in the abdominal and nostril breathing is what makes them different. Both are used to relax and reduce stress but they are performed differently. For abdominal or diaphragmatic breathing you would put one hand on your chest and the other hand right around the belly button. Then you breathe so that only the hand on your belly button moves out as you inhale and moves in as you exhale. With the alternate nostril breathing you sit with your back straight. Use the index finger to close one nostril, and then you breathe in for a certain count. Then you release that nostril and close the opposite nostril and exhale for a certain count (University of Minnesota Relaxation Strategies pamphlet, 2012).

Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 18.3 Bridging the Hemispheres of Thought Because of this exercise I found out that I am a right sided thinker. Right side brain thinkers associate with global thinking, holistic thinking, imagination, humor, emotionality, intuition and spatial orientation. The characteristics mentioned fit me identically. Other interesting points that I thought good to include is dominant thinking skills are expressing emotions, discernment, relate more to images, creativity. Non-dominant thinking skills are logic, critical thinking, reasoning and mathematics. A way to bridge between my right and left side thinking hemispheres is by working the dominant thinking along with the non-dominant thinking pattern. For example I learn better by visual, someone can explain something to me verbally but I wont get the full understanding of something that requires critical thinking unless it is drawn out for me. I am more of hands on learner.

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Tools: Journal Writing:

EXERCISE 20.1 I Have a Vision: The Art of Visualization

7
Unit

Imagination works wonders for relaxation. I enjoyed this exercise because it allowed me to take a mini vacation in my mind. Using visual imagery as a modality eliminates stress. It is a technique that is now being used to help people suffering from many painful diseases. When I was dealing with cancer and going through radiation treatments, I would lay flat while the radiation was being administered and picture myself on flying over the ocean. I would envision the clear blue sky above me and smell the crisp salt from the ocean beneath me; sometimes I would feel the sun warming my skin. It is truly amazing how we can close our eyes and go just about anywhere in the world we would like to go thanks to our imaginations. Examples of other visuals I can use to restore myself back to health would be pictures of waterfalls, sounds of crackling wood; thoughts of what Heaven must be like.

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
What are the four stress domino factors according to Seaward? Seaward illustrates using the metaphor of standing dominos how delicate the relationship between stress, nutrition, lifestyle and disease are. If one domino should fall the others will topple in sequence (www.authenticliving.com, 2009). Domino 1: nutrient depletion, chronic stress (the fight or flight response) tends to deplete nutrients essential for metabolism. Domino 2: Lack of nutrient dense foods, too many high calorie, and low nutrient content foods are being consumed lowering the bar for a compromised immune system (2009). Domino 3: stress trigger foods such as caffeine and chocolate, refined sugars and bleached flour which are substances used in common comfort foods used to pacify stress. Domino 4: suppressed immune system due to toxins that are found in our foods.

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What foods trigger the stress response? Why? Our emotional condition can create harmful physical effects on our bodies, including digestive problems, gas, ulcers, fluctuation in weight, and concentration issues. Stresses as well as other anxiety related issues are connected to our mood, fat storage and food cravings (Foods That Can Cause Stress, 2011). Some of the foods that trigger stress are caffeine, sugar and alcohol. These foods stimulate the central nervous system which increases the levels of stress you carry. Caffeine creates hyperactivity, when someone is hyper, patience is low and they are easily irritated. Sugar quickly raises the energy level for a short period of time; once the high is gone it leaves a person feeling fatigued and full of anxiety. The end result of eating these foods leads to heightened stress. How do herbs create homeostasis? Herbs are also known as adaptogens (www.healthline.com, 2012). Adaptogens are a mixture of plants used alone or in combination with others. Whole herbs promote the balancing of the endocrine system and boost the immune system. Herbs have been a long tradition of Eastern medical practices such as Ayurveda, and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Today adaptogens are being used as an alternative modality in Western medicine. Currently integrative practitioners and herbalist are allowed to administer this technique to patients suffering with chronic diseases. These people experience great levels of stress so adaptogens are used to promote healing and create balance.

Tools: JournalWriting: EXERCISE 27.1 Stress-Related Eating Behaviors This was an interesting exercise which pointed out my eating behavior and pattern. I scored a 27 upon answering the questions provided which indicates that a score of more than 20 points specifies that my eating behaviors are not conducive to reducing stress. A score of more than 30 suggests that youre eating habits may seriously compromise the integrity of your immune system. So this tool was good to use because it made me aware of how much bad and good foods I consume when I am experiencing stress. EXERCISE 5.7 Fear This! This helped me to recognize fear of rejection. This is something that causes me self-esteem issues which lead to stress. I found this tool to be useful because it mentioned the basic human fears and I was able to relate to the description of one.

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Unit 8: Physical Exercise and

Activity
Information to Remember:

8
Unit

What are the specific effects of physical exercise on managing and preventing stress? Physical exercise especially when done long term reduces stress and keeps the body at a profound state of homeostasis. The positive effects of exercise are lowered heart rate, resting blood pressure and muscle tension which help to maintain and regain physiological calmness. Physical exercise evokes not only physical changes but it also has an effect on the mental aspect of a person. Cardiovascular effectiveness can be paralleled with better health conditions. Other benefits of physical activity include better quality of sleep, a resistance to colds and illness, decrease in cholesterol and triglycerides, decrease in bone demineralization and rate of aging slows down. What is the mind/body connection' mentioned by Seaward and why is physical exercise part of holistic stress management? Seaward's theory that activities with rhythmic, repetitive motion, such as swimming, running, walking, or cycling, propose a meditative form of conscious awareness. One incident in which several long distance runners revealed that running heightened mental receptivity, resulting in greater imagination and creativity to apply to problem solving (Seaward, 2004). The assumption drawn from research is that athletic training or exercise is worthwhile as both a relaxation technique and a coping technique to deal with stress. The benefits of habitual exercise are improved self-esteem, improved sense of self-reliance, self-efficacy, improved mental alertness, increased perception of acceptance by others, decreased depression and anxiety, and a decreased overall sense of stress and tension (Seaward, 2009). How does anaerobic exercise differ from aerobic exercise? Anaerobic exercise is defined as a physical motion intense in power and strength, however, short in duration. Anaerobic means without oxygen (Seaward, 2009). Examples of anaerobic exercise would be sprinting and

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weightlifting. Aerobic exercises are rhythmic and continuous. They involve an equal supply and demand of oxygen in the working muscles. Aerobic exercise is the flight of the fight-or-flight response, and its primary energy source consists of fats.

Tools: Journal Writing:

EXERCISE 28.1 Physical Exercise This was the only exercise for this unit. This tool was useful because it pointed out the activity I find myself doing to relieve stress. Exercise is a great way to calm down, relax and bring your body back to homeostasis. I can see myself continuing to use this exercise in the future to see if I have added any additional activity. It is also helpful because it allows you to think about how much and often you move, a motivational tool to get me desiring to be fit. EXERCISE 28.3 Your Circadian Rhythms This was a schedule used to measure just how much I keep to a daily routine. It is said that a person that maintains a regular pattern is less likely to acquire colds and the flu. A person that follows a regular schedule is much healthier. So after completing the exercise I recognized a consistent pattern and it is one that I will continue. This is also a great tool to use when something disturbs your regular schedule, you can look at when the disturbance happened especially if it is causing signs of stress and get back into your former routine.

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Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical

Management to your Professional Life

Information to Remember:
How does information seeking both reduce and promote stress?

9
Unit

A coping technique used to reduce stress can be information seeking. How this technique reduces stress is by collecting and processing facts about a situation which can be used to help solve a problem. This allows you to gain control over the situation, the more knowledge you have over the matter the more power you have to confront and dismantle the stressor (Seaward, 2009). Information seeking can also promote stress; too much information can feed the imagination which creates worse case scenarios that are then adopted as reality (2009). For example, I noticed a medium sized flat spot on my calf about a year ago. I decided to do some research via the internet to see what the possibilities of what it could be before contacting my doctor. When I read the possibilities of what the description stated on the internet about what I had on my calf, I panicked because I had cancer once before. I took the information from the article and created a series of what ifs that caused me to be more stressed. How do hobbies help one to reduce stress? Hobbies offer a temporary escape from the sensory overload that can produce stress. Hobbies install self-confidence, it distracts from the problems you have on your mind and self-confidence relive stress. Some hobbies that I have now due to stress related issues of my past are jewelry making, quilting, bike riding and mentoring other women with breast cancer.

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Tools: Journal Writing:

EXERCISE 28.2 My Body, My Physique

10
Unit

No two people are identical in height, weight or appearance. I suffer with being satisfied with who I am in appearance. I am one that always compares my body measurements to someone that weighs the same amount that I do. I am that person that wants to be the Jennifer Lopez size, only the problem with that is that I am not Jennifer Lopez and no matter how hard I try to lose weight or body build I will never have the same body structure that she does. This was an awesome tool for me, simply due to it allowing me to be honest with my own struggles with my body.

Unit 10: Course Wrap-Up: Applying Stress: Critical Management to your Personal Life
Information to Remember:
What is muscle tension? Muscle tension is believed to be the most common symptom of stress (Seaward, 2009). Muscles contract and when they do they shorten (concentric contraction) or lengthen (isometric contraction). Isometric contraction is most commonly associated with the painful muscle tension caused by stress. Tension can manifest in various ways, including tension headaches, stiff neck, lower-back pain, stomach cramps and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ). Edmund Jacobson is known for what technique? Edmund Jacobson created a technique to teach his patients that had stress how to relax. This simple technique called progressive muscular relaxation is used to increase physical neuromuscular awareness. In this exercise, a person contracts and relaxes each muscle group. If a comparison between tensions and complete relaxation of muscle fibers were recognized by the individual, the

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awareness would promote a deepened sense of relaxation throughout the entire body (Seaward, 2009). 1. 2. 3. What are the original steps of Jacobsons PMR? Progression of muscle groups starts with lower extremities and moves upward. Muscle groups should be isolated during contracting phase so that all the remaining muscles are relaxed. The same muscle groups on both sides of the body should contract at the same time.

4. Hold the contraction for 5 to 10 seconds, and then relax the muscle for about 45 seconds. 5. Focus on the intensity of the contraction, sensing the tension level produced. 6. While in the relaxing phase, focus on the difference made when you contracted the muscle to when the muscle was relaxed (Seaward, p. 457, 2009).

Resources: Exercises:
Exercise 3.3 My Health Profile This exercise allowed me to look at my overall health due to the data that was obtained. This profile assessment sheet is similar to what doctors use. The reason why I like this exercise is because it makes me aware of my status. I know that my systolic heart reading is usually around 130 to 140 and diastolic is typically between 80 and 72, if these numbers are off I would know that something was not right which would prompt me to monitor my blood pressure more.

Tools: Journal Writing:

EXERCISE 5.1 Anger Recognition Checklist This journal entry reminded me of how I respond physically, emotionally and rationally. There was a quote included with this exercise that I found to be true, it said He who angers you, conquers you by Elizabeth Kenny. This phrase alone will help me to diffuse any anger I feel rising. Checklist like these is always good to use personally or in a profession it is definitely a great tool to have.

Additional Information
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Secondary sources Joyce Meyers is a best-selling author of many books I have in my collection but one that I am particularly fond of is Battlefield of the Mind. This book has helped me deal with life events that cause me much stress when I ended an eight year relationship and when I was overcoming alcoholism. I have shared this instrument of encouragement with other people and I believe it is an excellent source when dealing with issues that create stress.

Meyers, Joyce. (1995). Battlefield of the Mind.

Primary sources
http://www.kushs.net/kaplan/HW410/TheCrimeOfTheCentury.mp3

o In unit 6 this mental imagery exercise was used to help find relaxation. It was a good tool because it helped me to visualize another place and when I performed what it asked I found myself floating and the weight of everyday stress lifting from me. Kaplan University HW410: Critical Issues in Management and Position, Unit 2, Chapter 3 power point presentation on stress and disease. This presentation was very well put together. I liked this presentation because the image of the lady with the scarf immediately became something I could relate to. The slides were all informative and directly to the point of the units discussion. The material is something that could be shared with others.

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References Adaptogens (n.d.). Retrieved on September 29, 2012, from http://www.healthline.com/natstandardcontent/alt-adaptogens Lawrence, K. (2008). Stress, Depression and Memory Loss. Physcology at Suite 101. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from www.http:/suite101.com/article/managing-stressand-depression-for-better-memory-a83782 Learned Helplessness Theory. Retrieved on October 2, 2012, from http://www.changingminds.org/explanations/theories/learned_helplessness.htm Sapolsky, Robert. (2004). Why Zebras Dont Get Ulcers, Third Edition. St. Martins Press: New York, NY. Seaward, B. (2009). Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Well-Being. Jones and Bartlett Publishers: Boulder, CO. Solomon, Avi. (n.d.) Robert Sapolsky on Stress: An Interview. Retrieved on October 1, 2012, from http://boingboing.net/2011/11/23/robert-sapolsky-on-stress-an.html

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