1. Stressors, Stress and Health
How stress, attitudes and lifestyles can dramatically influence our health and longevity

2. Autonomic Nervous System activates organs and glands to energize body for handle challenges

3. Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Stress Response System

4. Sympathetic nervous system activates systems that increase energy levels for flight or fight
1. Heart and breathing rates increase to increase levels of oxygen in bloodstream 2. Adrenal glands release hormones to energize the body: adrenaline and cortisol 3. Liver releases glucose and fat deposits

5. Chronic, prolonged stress negatively influences our physical and mental
Leads to heart attacks and strokes
Repress immune system so less able to kill harmful bacteria, viruses and harmful body cells
Digestive system is also repressed, leading to digestive disorders & an inflamed bowel.

6. Stress in Today’s World
Most of present-day stresses not in form of serious threat to our life and limb
Instead, present-day stress is caused by how we appraise problems in our relationships, our job and our day-to-day challenges
WE have the power to decide how serious a stressor and how best to cope with it

7. Various Sources of Stress: Which is most powerful?
Our own learned behavior patterns
Our own learned thought patterns
The conditional variables of our home-life, work, school and friendships

8. Stressful Learned Behaviors
Procrastination
Perpetual disorganization
Always running late
Type A behavior—compelled to do things very quickly

9. Stressful Thinking Patterns
Constantly worrying about past and future
Easily angered by others: a hostile & abrasive personality is very harmful to our heart
Feeling pessimistic and/or depressed about your life and your future

10. Examples of Daily Hassles
Driving during rush hour
Being judged and critiqued at work or home or in relationships on a daily basis
Time pressure: have more to do than time allows
Over-scheduled: too much on your plate

11. Ease stress by change way view or deal with source of stress
Emotion-focused coping: Change way perceive situation so not take so seriously
Problem-focused coping: Change situation to make less stressful
Traffic jam: play favorite music or books on tape & simply relax (emotion-based)
Or drive at different time of day or take different route (problem-based)

12. Activities that reduce Stress and Enhance Health
Aerobic exercise is great for the body and mind
Not sit for extended periods of time (use air desk!)
Practice the relaxation, meditative response twice a day
Stretching exercises are preventative measures for injuries to muscles and joints

13. Healthy behavior patterns reduce stress

14. Important to feel Appreciated and Accomplishing things of import
Nun Study: living to 100 very common among women in Notre Dame order
Important to participate in social networks
Terrific if able to do volunteer work
Keep learning new skills & expanding knowledge

15. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Become a less aggressive driver, talker
Turn your Melodrama into a Mellow-Drama
Don’t sweat the demanding boss or difficult interactions
Keep your “thought attacks” in check
Don’t be a backseat driver in cars and in life!
Go ahead and vent once but then move on!

16. Cognitive Therapy: people can learn to think differently
Learn to stop worrying, stop getting angry and stop feeling sad thoughts

17. Our thoughts create our moods: We control our thinking patterns