Transcript Brain, Experience, and Destiny

Stress Management
Prof. Freedom Leung
Department of Psychology
Dean of Students, Shaw College
Chinese University of Hong Kong
[email protected]
Learning objectives
1. Understanding Stress Reponses
2. Learning Stress Management Skills
Understanding Stress Responses
How would you feel if you were him?
Activating the acute stress alarm
Feeling acute stress
Cortex
Hippocampus
fast affective-bodily
reaction route
slow cognitive
processing route
(second alarm)
(first alarm)
LeDoux, J. (1996). The Emotional Brain. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Activating the sympathetic responses
The acute stress responses
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Adrenal medulla
releases adrenaline
and noradrenaline
Immediately set the
body in ‘fightflight’(F/F) alarm
mode (pupils
dilation, dry mouth,
increased heart rate,
breathing rate, shut
down digestion and
sexual activities,
strengthen muscular
contraction, etc.)
Activating the chronic stress alarm
Feeling chronic stress
Cortex
Hippocampus
fast affective-bodily
reaction route
slow cognitive
processing route
(second alarm)
(first alarm)
LeDoux, J. (1996). The Emotional Brain. NY: Simon & Schuster.
Chronic stress alarm: the HPA-Axis
The chronic stress responses
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Adrenal cortex releases
cortisol
Cortisol breakdowns
body fat, proteins, and
amino acids into glucose
(gluconeogenesis) to
guarantee long term
supply of energy in our
body when stress persists.
The Science of Stress Physiology Emotions Fight-flight. YouTube (2008).
Turning off the stress alarms
2
1
Turn on the parasympathetic system when stress is gone
Sympathetic
system: stress
response s
(fight or flight)
Parasympathetic
system:
relaxation
response s
(rest and digest)
What happen if threat persists?
Feeling stress
Cortex
Hippocampus
fast affective-bodily
reaction route
slow cognitive
processing route
(second alarm)
(first alarm)
LeDoux, J. (1996). The Emotional Brain. NY: Simon & Schuster.
What happen if threat persists?
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Prolonged stress leads to chronic elevation of
cortisol.
That results in chronic elevation of blood sugar,
blood fatty acid and blood pressure, therefore,
increased risks for Type-2 diabetes,
cardiovascular and high blood pressure related
illnesses.
Cortisol breaks down large amino acids into
glucose, but amino acids are building blocks of
body cells, neurons, neurotransmitters,
antibodies and enzymes. Breaking down basic
building blocks will lead to their deficiencies.
Biosynthesis of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin
酪氨酸
色氨酸
What happen if threat persists?
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Prolonged stress leads to chronic elevation of
cortisol.
That results in chronic elevation of blood sugar,
blood fatty acid and blood pressure, therefore,
increased risks for Type-2 diabetes,
cardiovascular and high blood pressure related
illnesses.
Cortisol breaks down large amino acids into
glucose, but amino acids are building blocks of
body cells, neurons, neurotransmitters,
antibodies and enzymes. Breaking down basic
building blocks will lead to their deficiencies.
Chronic elevation of cortisol also damages
neurons in our brain, impairs memory, learning
and mood regulation ability.
Elevated cortisol suppresses neurogenesis
and shrinks hippocampus
Stress, Portrait of a Killer: Full Documentary. YouTube (2008).
A brain in chronic stress
ACC
When AMY is out of control
ACC
Body is out of control
Sympathetic
system: stress
response
(fight or flight)
Parasympathetic
system:
relaxation
response
(rest and digest)
Cognition is out of control
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
AMY: affective responses.
Hippo: memory biases.
ACC: attention biases.
VM PFC: interpretation
biases.
DLPFC: decision &
action biases
Summary: the ABC model of stress responses
Cognitive reactions
緒
Situation
Affective reactions
情
Bodily reactions
身
Learning Stress Management Skills
The ABC model of stress responses
Cognitive reactions
緒
Situation
Affective reactions
情
Bodily reactions
身
Exercise burns cortisol and calm amygdala
Exercise well
Optimal aerobic exercise:
1.burns out excessive stress
hormones
2.helps eliminate biochemical
metabolites in the body
3.increases oxygen and glucose
supply to cells and neurons
4.releases endorphin in our brain
which alleviates physical pain and
calm negative emotions
5.increases brain-derivedneurotropic-factors (BDNF)
Sleep deficits, elevated cortisol, and hypersensitive amygdala
Functions of sleep : To recuperate and repair
5 sleep cycles (90-120 mins per cycle)
Sleep well
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Always sleep sufficient hours (7-9 hours)
according to your individual need
Compensate for sleep deficits (naps before 5pm)
Exercise regularly during day time improves
sleep quality at night (because exercise burns off
excessive cortisol)
If you are a sensitive person, avoid caffeine
Avoid sleeping pills
Sleep and work according to your body clock
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-if-you-dont-get-enough-sleep-2014-2
Sleep and work according to your body clock
Why should we eat particularly well
when under chronic stress?
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Chronic stress results in chronic
elevation of cortisol
Cortisol breakdown essential amino
acids such as tyrosine and tryptophan
which are necessary for making
important neurotransmitters such as
dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin
Synthesis of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin
酪氨酸
色氨酸
色氨酸羥化酶
酪氨酸羥化酶
5－羥色氨酸
L-多巴
5－羥色氨酸脱羧酶
多巴脱羧酶
血清素
多巴胺
多巴胺B-羟化酶
去甲腎上腺素
兒茶酚胺的生物合成
血清素的生物合成 （5－羟色氨酸，或5－HT)
酪氨酸
色氨酸
有助于合成神经递质多巴 胺，
去甲肾上腺素，以及肾上腺素
合成神经递质血清素
花生，燕麦，奶酪，鸡
肉，牛肉，羊腿，小牛
肝，牛肉汤，香蕉，烤
火鸡，牛奶，火腿，鸡
蛋面，蛋黄，杏仁
花生，燕麦，香蕉，牛肉，
羊肉，牛肉汤，瑞士奶酪，
杏仁，牛奶，小牛肝，烤火
鸡，意大利干酪，蛋黄，花
生酱，鸡蛋面，青豆
Eat well
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Always eat a balance diet
Eat a larger portion of proteins for breakfast
Eat a larger portion of carbohydrates for dinner
If you are a sensitive person, avoid caffeine
(dark tea, coffee, cola, etc)
Eat 3 different vegetables plus 2 different fruits
per day (for anti-oxidants)
Drink 2 - 3 litres of water daily particularly
when over-stressed
Interpersonal support calms amygdala
Love releases serotonin and oxytocin
Love well
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Positive emotional bonding enhances
positive emotions, lowers cortisol,
enhances immune function, and
increases oxytocin, dopamine and
serotonin
Bond to animals if you can’t bond to
people
Remember, no drug can replace love!
The ABC model of stress responses
Cognitive reactions
緒
Situation
Affective reactions
情
Bodily reactions
身
心不由己
軀體不由己
呼吸不由己
Slow down your breathing
can calm your mind:
diaphragmatic breathing
technique
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心不由己
軀體不由己
呼吸不由己
Stress tense up muscles
Sympathetic
system: stress
response (fight
or flight)
Parasympathetic
system:
relaxation response
(rest and digest)
Stretching exercises relax body and calm mind
The ABC model of stress responses
Cognitive reactions
緒
Situation
Affective reactions
情
Bodily reactions
身
Mindfulness meditation practices calm your mind
數呼吸練習
1.
首先找個舒適、安靜的地方，和一張直背的椅子，它
可以幫助你把腰挺直，並支撐住背部及頭部。
2.
坐在椅子上，讓臀部頂著椅背，雙腳自然著地，雙手
輕鬆放在扶手或膝蓋上，頭部輕鬆地挺在脖子上，或
者靠在椅背上（頭勿垂下），肩膀放輕鬆自然放下。
3.
閉上眼睛，用鼻呼吸。緩慢的吸氣，腹部慢慢脹起，
脹至頂點時，慢慢的呼氣，腹部慢慢收縮，並在心中
數 “一”，下次呼氣數 “二”，數至 “十”，又重
“一” 開始。如此持續呼吸，全身肌肉放鬆，注意
力集中於覺知呼吸，排除一切雜念。每天練習 2 次，
每次 15 分鐘。
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Reappraisal of situation
“I’m incompetent!”
“He has an
anger control
problem!”