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Hans Selye defined stress as “the nonspecific (that is, common) result of any demand upon the body, be the effect mental or somatic.” [5] This includes the medical definition of stress as a physical demand and the colloquial definition of stress as a psychological demand. A stressor is inherently neutral meaning that the same stressor can ...
However, the problem arises when there is a persistent threat. First-time exposure to a stressor will trigger an acute stress response in the body; however, repeated and continuous exposure causes the stressor to become chronic. [4] McEwen and Stellar (1993) argued there is a "hidden cost of chronic stress to the body over long time periods". [8]
The reaction of these systems causes a number of physical changes that have both short- and long-term effects on the body. [24] The Holmes and Rahe stress scale was developed as a method of assessing the risk of disease from life changes. [25] The scale lists both positive and negative changes that elicit stress.
When a child or adult experiences a stressor, the body will attempt to regulate the stress through releasing hormones that pass through the body. [4] However, effects of the prolonged or frequent biological stress response may increase the risk for future physical and mental health problems in early childhood. [ 23 ]
Excessive stress and sleep deprivation can cause cardiovascular issues, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. In a study focusing on the impacts of chronic stress on the heart, it was found that during times of chronic stress, the body hyperactivates the sympathetic nervous system which leads to changes in heart rate variability. [22]
The effects of stress on memory include interference with a person's capacity to encode memory and the ability to retrieve information. [1] [2] Stimuli, like stress, improved memory when it was related to learning the subject. [3] During times of stress, the body reacts by secreting stress hormones into the bloodstream.
Eustress is not defined by the stress or type, but rather how one perceives that stressor (e.g., a negative threat versus a positive challenge). Eustress refers to a positive response one has to a stressor, which can depend on one's current feelings of control, desirability, location, and timing of the stressor.
The model further describes that social support is especially beneficial when levels of stress are also high, but buffering effects are not as relevant when levels of stress are low. Social buffering has been explored in humans and other social animals, and is important to questions about physical and mental health.