Note taking 1

Topic: What is stress?

Call no: GV706.4 .Sh26 2005
Author: Shaw, D.F., Gorely T., and Corban, R.M.
Page no: 259
Original Text
Stress is an integral part of life, it is needed to produce energy and excitement in our
lives. However, too much or too little stress is undesirable and in these conditions people may
develop symptoms such as anxiety, irritability sleeplessness or muscle tension. Although may
people talk about stress and being stressed it is actually a difficult term to define. In general
terms it is a concept meaning something that produces strain. Stress can be also viewed as
complex process where events and individual reactions to events interplay to produce physical
and mental response.
Paraphrased
Shaw, D.F., Gorely, T. & Corban, R.M. (2005) defined stress in general concept as an
idea that intends something to produce strain. It is also a physical and mental response from the
interaction of life events and individual's reaction creating a complicated process. Too much or
too little stress exposure makes people prone of developing anxiety, irritability, altered sleep
pattern, and muscle tension. In spite of these effects, stress is part of daily living that contributes
to the production of energy and great enthusiasm of life.

Note taking 2
Topic: What is Stress?
Call no: RA781 .P875 2009
Author/s: Scott K. Powers and Stephen L. Dodd
Page no: 294- 295

Summarized
Stress occurs because of the existence of stressors such as physical, emotional and
mental distress, thus, making a disruption to ones body systems and making physical and
mental tension and anxiety. Numerous stressors are present in an individuals daily living and
classified as acute, cumulative and chronic. These stressors could make one to excel (positive
stress or eustress) or make negative impacts (negative stress or distress) on his life depending
on the individuals stress response. The stress response is the bodys reaction to regain
homeostasis in ones body (Powers, S.K., and Dodd, S.L., 2009).

Note Taking 3
Topic: Stress Theory
Call no: RA781 .P875 2009
Author/s: Scott K. Powers and Stephen L. Dodd
Page no: 6-7
Summarized
According to Power, S.K., and Dodd, S.L. (2005), there are several factors that cause
stress. They proposed three theories namely: Life Events, Hardiness and Social support
theories. Life events theory was developed by Holmes and Rahe that the occurrence of stress is
triggered by when resources need are inefficient. It was concluded that more exposure to these
events the greater the stress. Hardiness theory focuses on an individuals perception of stress
and it could be a challenge or a threat. If stress is perceived as a challenge, less tension would
be experienced. Lastly, the theory of social support where Overholser and colleagues believe
that stress is developed when lacking social support that would help an individual to respond to
stress.

RRLs
1.
Reference: Powers, K.S., and Dodd, S.L. (2009). Total Fitness and Wellness (5th ed). San
Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings
Powers, K.S., and Dodd, S.L., (2009) stated that light to moderate exercise can reduce
stress and anxiety. It is recommended that types of exercise are low-to-moderate intensity
aerobic exercise such as swimming, running and cycling are effective ways to respond to stress.
The benefit of exercise if the calm feeling after the session. However, there is no exact cause
why people are getting relaxed after exercise. Numerous ideas were made like it makes the
brain release endorphins that provides calming effect or it could make diversion from the worries
of life. This book would serve as foundations because it recommended what type of exercise
should be used in responding to stress. The researchers are proving that vigorous exercise
would reduce stress, thus making congruency to what has been stated above.

2.
Reference: Lovallo, W.R. (2016). Stress & health: biological and psychological interactions. Los
Angeles: SAGE

Exercise affects most of the systems in the body, and it can interact with the
psychological state of the person (Lovallo, W.R., 2016, p. 67). Stress could alter the bodys
system from physical, emotional and mental capacities. The researchers identified effects of
stress to behavioral well-being such as disturbed sleeping pattern, alcohol, tobacco and drug
abuse and eating disorders. The study could benefit from this because it explains how and why
exercise is one of the best ways to cope up with the effects of stress on health.

3.
Reference: Toussaint, L., Shields, G.S., Dorn, G., and Slavich, G.M. (2014). Effects of lifetime
stress exposure on mental and physical health in young adulthood: How stress degrades and
forgiveness protects health. Journal of Health Psychology, 21(6), 1009-1011

According to Toussaint, L., Shields, G.S., Dorn, G., and Slavich, G.M. (2014) reoccurring
stressors that happen in everyday life are a death of loved ones, demands on education,
isolation and loneliness, relationship difficulties and financial problems. They believe that the
more a person experiences these activities the greater is its effects on physical and mental
health. The stressors identified are beneficial to the researchers because it will strengthen the
study in a way that it supports the three theories identified that causes stress. One is the life
event theory that includes the death of loved ones, and greater exposure to these scenarios
leads to greater stress. Next is the hardiness theory, wherein perceiving stress as a challenge
and lastly the social support theory when support group is lacking when coping up with stress.