ACE® Health Coach > A Mindful Approach to Stress Management > Flashcards

A Mindful Approach to Stress Management Flashcards

Upon completion of this deck, the learner will be able to differentiate between stress and stressors, explain the physiological process of the stress response, discuss the psychological effects of stress, identify the correlations among chronic stress, health challenges, and disease states, and apply attitudinal factors of mindfulness to health coaching. (46 cards)

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1
Q

Clients with a growth mindset have what kind of views towards change?

A

They welcome change, have a desire to learn, grow, and embrace challenges.

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2
Q

Define:

Distant stressor

A

Traumatic experiences that occurred in the past yet continue to have long-lasting effects.

Examples of distant stressors include having a miscarriage, serving in the military at a time of war, or abuse as a child.

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3
Q

What are some examples of chronic stressors?

A
  • Losing a leg in a car accident
  • Being a caregiver for a disabled child

Chronic stressors are situations caused by life-changing events that do not have a clear endpoint.

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4
Q

The long-term biological and psychological consequences of stress are largely dependent on what?

A

A person’s perception and reaction to the event that triggered the stress response.

Stress is an individual response. Even if two people were exposed to the same stressors, the way they perceive the stress is dependent on the individual.

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5
Q

What are some acute responses to stress?

A
  • Increased heart rate and blood pressure
  • Increased respiration rate
  • Increased muscular tension
  • Increased blood glucose levels
  • Digestive issues such as heartburn, nausea, and vomiting
  • Dry mouth
  • Clammy hands and feet
  • Heightened senses
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6
Q

Stress has been shown to cause or exacerbate several health conditions including:

A
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Depression
  • Strokes
  • Cancer
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7
Q

Define:

Allostasis

A

The process of adaptation to short-term stress in order to restore homeostasis.

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8
Q

True or False:

Higher levels of stress are independently associated with an increased likelihood of premature death.

A

True

Higher levels of stress, and the perception of how stress affects health, are independently associated with an increased chance of poor physical and mental health which leads to an increased chance of diseases and premature death.

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9
Q

Define:

Stress

A

A person’s reaction to the experiences of everyday life.

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10
Q

Clients with a fixed mindset have what kind of views towards change?

A

They avoid change, avoid challenges, and tend to give up easily.

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11
Q

Ongoing stress will lead to craving what kinds of foods?

A

Energy-dense comfort foods

Energy-dense comfort foods are usually high in fat and added sugar. This can lead to an increased likelihood of weight gain and weight-related health issues.

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12
Q

What part of the autonomic nervous system is activated by stress: the sympathetic nervous system or the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Sympathetic

The sympathetic nervous system is our internal fight or flight response in which heart rate and breathing rate increase. The parasympathetic nervous system includes the ‘rest and digest’ response in which the heart rate lowers and the functioning of internal organs such as the stomach and liver increases.

For more information about the nervous system and its function, click here!

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13
Q

The stress response in the body is controlled by a fast-acting and slow-acting pathway. What happens in the slow-acting pathway?

A

Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.

After the fight or flight response is activated, long term the hypothalamus will release corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). CRH will travel to the adrenal cortex, a section of the adrenal gland responsible for secreting cortisol and aldosterone.

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14
Q

What are some examples of external stressors?

A
  • Physical environment
  • Sensory stimulus (such as light or sound)
  • Physical pain
  • Major life changes or unforeseen events
  • Financial

External stressors are any stressors that happen outside of the human body.

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15
Q

What are the most common types of mindful practices that can help reduce stress?

A
  • Mindful movement including yoga, tai chi, walking, and cycling
  • Meditation
  • Breathing exercises

It is important that as a health coach you give resources to the client including all types of mindful practices since each client is unique and needs to find the practice that works best for them.

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16
Q

Define:

Stressor

A

An event that challenges the body’s level of homeostasis.

Stressors can be physical, emotional, or psychological and the response can vary significantly from person to person.

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17
Q

According to the flow diagram, high skill and low challenges lead to feelings of what?

A

Boredom

When a person encounters a situation where their skills exceed the skills needed for a task, boredom will occur.

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18
Q

What is an acute time-limited stressor?

A

A sudden anxious event that tends to be short in duration.

Examples of an acute time-limited stressor include being asked to speak at a meeting or setting off the security alarm at your house.

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19
Q

What are the three parts of the general adaptation syndrome (GAS)?

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A
  1. Alarm reaction
  2. Resistance
  3. Exhaustion

Alarm reaction: the internal adjustments made by the body, including the fast and slow-acting pathways.

Resistance: if the stressor continues, the body will try to regain homeostasis by releasing more cortisol.

Exhaustion: if the stressor continues long enough, eventually the body will deplete its resources and will result in the compromised function of various organs and symptoms of the body.

20
Q

Define:

Eustress

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A

Beneficial stress that is considered to have the right amount of stimulation and discomfort.

Another name for eustress is positive stress and it is usually short-lived and often marked by feelings of excitement, fulfillment, and focused energy. For example, the nervous excitement a runner may feel before a 5K.

21
Q

What is a brief naturalistic stressor?

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A

A more serious, real-world challenge that you are able to overcome relatively quickly.

Examples of brief naturalistic stressors include taking a final exam or being stuck in traffic.

22
Q

Signs that warrant client referral to a mental health provider include:

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A
  • Significant changes in sleeping or eating habits
  • Noticeable decline in performance
  • Worsening physical symptoms
  • Overwhelming inability to cope with daily demands
  • Engagement in destructive behavior including substance misuse as well as thoughts of hurting others or self-harm
23
Q

Define:

Lifetime stress exposure

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A

Sum of life events and chronic difficulties a person has experienced over their life.

24
Q

At what part of the general adaptation syndrome will long-term damage occur?

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A

The exhaustion phase

25
# True or False: Stress can be enhancing or debilitating depending on how an individual perceives and responds to the stressor.
True ## Footnote *Stress is individual and can vary greatly from person to person.*
26
# Define: Distress
A severe and negative kind of stress that can occur both short and long term. ## Footnote *Distress is often caused by a situation or event that seems to be outside of individuals coping abilities and is shown with signs of frustration, feeling overwhelmed, and demotivation. An example of distress is an unreasonable timeline at work.*
27
According to the flow diagram, **low skill and high challenges** lead to feelings of what?
Anxiety and fear ## Footnote *If an individual is not skilled at a task, feelings of anxiety and fear will arise because there are high amounts of challenges and few skills to complete these challenges.*
28
# Define: Allostatic load
Accumulated wear and tear on the body. ## Footnote *Allostatic load occurs when the body's ability to respond to challenges and adapt accordingly is exceeded or inefficient as a result of repeated or prolonged stress.*
29
What are some of the most common stressors in the U.S.?
* Healthcare costs * The future of our nation * Health concerns * Finances * Work
30
# Define: Resilience
The ability to successfully adapt under stress.
31
What are the _seven_ specific attitudinal factors that serve as the major pillars of mindfulness?
1. Non-judging 2. Patience 3. Beginner's mind 4. Trust 5. Non-striving 6. Acceptance 7. Letting go ## Footnote *Generosity and gratitude were later added as factors.*
32
The common underlying foundation of most mindful practices has been the elicitation of what response?
Relaxation response ## Footnote *The relaxation response is also considered to be the parasympathetic response of the autonomic nervous system. For more information on the autonomic nervous system and the differences between the sympathetic and parasympathetic response, click [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71pCilo8k4M)!*
33
Chronic stress can cause what other conditions or risk factors?
* Altered emotions * Reproductive problems including reduced sexual desire and fertility problems such as decreased sperm and testosterone production in males or painful, irregular, or absent menstrual cycles in females. * Increased risk for osteoporosis * Increased insulin resistance - a factor in the development or exacerbation of type 2 diabetes * Chronic inflammation and pain * GI issues * Weight gain * Memory impairment * Cardiovascular disfunction
34
The stress response in the body is controlled by a fast-acting and slow-acting pathway. What happens in the **fast-acting** pathway, physiologically speaking?
Sympathetic-adrenal-medullary pathway ## Footnote *The sympathetic nervous system signals the adrenal medulla, a gland that releases catecholamines such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. Epinephrine and norepinephrine prepare the body for a perceived threat by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and raising blood glucose levels in order to increase alertness.*
35
What are some examples of a stressful event sequence stressor?
* Experiencing the death of a loved one. * Losing everything in a fire. ## Footnote *A stressful event sequence is a focal event that produces a series of challenging consequences that will eventually subside over time.*
36
Which kind of client will benefit from the stress response and stress-related outcomes - a client with a fixed mindset or a client with a growth mindset?
Growth mindset. ## Footnote *Clients with a growth mindset are eager to learn and grow. These individuals have an improved response to stress, including more adaptive physiological responses.*
37
According to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, optimal performance is achieved with what level of stress?
Medium levels of stress. ## Footnote *According to the Yerkes-Dodson Law, low or high levels of stress will show the lowest level of performance while medium stress levels cause higher performance due to the theory that appropriate and controllable levels of stress offer excitement and motivation which leads to greater achievement.*
38
According to the seven pillars of mindfulness, what is a **beginner's** mind?
Releasing what a person believes he or she knows in order to truly see things as they are.
39
# True or False: Chronic stress can increase self-efficacy and increase motivation.
False ## Footnote *Chronic stress will lower a client's level of self-efficacy, decrease motivation, and negatively impact feelings of self-control.*
40
# Define: Self-regulation
The ability to monitor and manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. ## Footnote *Self-regulation is a key aspect of emotional intelligence. For more information on emotional intelligence, refer to [chapter two](https://www.brainscape.com/l/study?classes=16999147-9587021&type=progressive&origin=dashboard).*
41
# True or False: Eustress is beneficial in terms of improving performance and initiating a state of flow.
True ## Footnote *Eustress is part of the biological design to ensure safety and survival and generally does not lead to long term health concerns.*
42
What are some factors that can contribute to an individual's stress response?
* Biological predisposition (genetics) * Life experiences * Protective factors such as coping skills and social support
43
Cortisol and aldosterone have what long-term effects on the body?
* Reduced levels of serotonin * Chronic low-grade inflammation * Damage to the hippocampus * Damage to blood vessels * Increased insulin resistance * Suppressed immune function * Impaired metabolism of protein and fat * Increased risk for heart and kidney disease
44
# True or False: Men report higher levels of stress than women.
False ## Footnote *Women, individuals with chronic health conditions, and those living with low-income report higher levels of stress.*
45
# Fill in the blank: If the information from a stressor processed by the amygdala is considered to be a threat or danger, a distress signal is sent to the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_.
Hypothalamus ## Footnote *The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that links the brain and nervous system to the endocrine system (glands and hormones) via the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system regulates functions in the body that are automatic such as heart rate, breathing rate, and the functioning of all other internal organs and glands.*
46
After a stressor is encountered, the sensory information will be processed by what part of the brain?
Amygdala ## Footnote *The amygdalas are located deep in the temporal lobes of the brain and are the centers for emotional processing and decision making. There are two amygdalas, the right amygdala (used to process information from the left side of the body) and the left amygdala (used to process information from the right side of the body).*
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