Personal Wellness - Stress & Habits

The non-specific response of the body to any demand for change

Provide a biological explanation for how we respond to stressful situations

Stressors which could take the form of many events

A theory used to explain how our body responds to and deals with stress

Similar to the “fight or flight” response, Prepares body for immediate physical activity by redirecting blood flow to the extremities

A physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival

A chemical made by special cells that is released into the bloodstream to send a message to another part of the body, During a stressful event, the body immediately releases two key hormones Norepinephrine (NE) Has more of an effect dilating your blood vessels Epinephrine (E) Has more of an effect on increasing your heart rate

Body starts releasing another hormone called cortisol, Your body can maintain this temporarily, but not for long!

This phase can last anywhere from minutes to several days

A trigger that tells your brain to go into “automatic mode” and which habit (routine) to enact

A physical or emotional response which we enact in response to the cue that generates a reward

The (inherently positive) result of participating in the routine Helps our brain figure out if the loop is worth remembering & repeating in the future

When the cue and reward become more and more intertwined, a powerful sense of anticipation emerges