...Deepinder K. Virk Nearly everyone experiences stress at some time. Stress produces changes in many body systems; examples include increased heart rate and blood pressure and altered immune function. Stress isn’t always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best, but excessive stress, left untreated, can lead to anxiety and illness. When you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. Stress can affect all aspects of your life, including your emotions, behaviors, thinking ability, and physical health. No part of the body is immune. But, because people handle stress differently, symptoms of stress can vary. Low energy, headaches, upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, aches, pains, and tense muscles, rapid heartbeat, frequent colds and infections, cold or sweaty hands, dry mouth and grinding teeth are some of the physical responses to stress. When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections. Hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of the brain, sets off an alarm system in our body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts our adrenal glands, located top of the kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline increases heart rate, elevates blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases...
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...This essay will define stress and stressors. It will also explain the how stress can affect an individuals and outline and evaluate the at least two models of stress. It will explore how stress can be measured and outline and evaluate two models of stress and stressors. Stress is a pressure or force exerted on an object according to engineers and physicians (Gross r,Mcilveen r and Cooligan2000). Lazarus and folkman (1984) define stress as “a pattern of negative physiological states and psychological response occurring in a situation where people perceive threats to their well-being which they may be unable to meet” (Grossr,Mcilveen r and Cooligan 2000). There are different views of stress. Stress as a “stimulus” which means it is applied to the person or stressor and it is in the environment. This relates to the engineering model of stress identified by Cox (1978)(blackboard).secondly stress is seen as a “response”, the body identifies stress as a reaction made within the body(Blackboard).Selye 1956 defines stress as “the non-specific response of the body to any demands made upon it” this relates to the physiological model of stress(Blackboard). Finally stress is viewed as an interaction, in this view stress is seen as a transaction between environment and the individual and this relates to the “transactional model of stress” (Blackboard). The ability to cope with stress and the meaning people give to stressors will define the stress experienced (Blackboard).How people react...
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...HOME ABOUT CURRENT ISSUE ARCHIVE SUBSCRIBE BUY BACK ISSUES HELP SUBMIT ARTICLES ASSOCIATE EDITORS CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE HOME > VOLUME 64 > NUMBER 4 > VIEWING HTML W/LINKS Peer-Reviewed Research Article Effects of stress on health and aging: Two paradoxes Authors Carolyn Aldwin, Oregon State University Loriena A. Yancura, University of Hawai'i Publication Information California Agriculture 64(4):183-188. DOI: 10.3733/ca.v064n04p183. October-December 2010. Author Affiliations C.M. Aldwin is Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Manoa. L.A. Yancura is Associate Professor, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Hawai'i, Manoa. Abstract Although older adults are thought to experience more stress and to be more vulnerable to its adverse effects, they often report less stress than younger adults and sometimes show more resilience. Paradoxically, while stress sometimes has long-term positive effects on well-being, studies differ as to whether this increases or decreases with age. We conclude that older individuals have learned to appraise and cope differently with stress. This protects them in spite of their increased physiological vulnerability and may also increase the possibility of stress-related growth and optimal aging. Full Text [View Enlargement] As people age their health trajectories tend to diverge, with some developing multiple chronic conditions and others maintaining good...
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