Science Friday Kids' Connection^tm -- in association with Kidsnet
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: Stress (December 2, 2005, Two)

Program Summary | Guests | Related Links and Resources | For Discussion | Activities | Hear the program | About Kids Connection | SFKC Home

Program Summary

What gets you riled up? A job interview, a barking dog, a slow grocery store clerk, an upcoming test? You could probably make a list a mile long. Our lives are full of stress, which, over the long run, can have some very serious effects on our health.

What happens when you’re stressed? Adrenalin pumps, your heart pounds, your stomach flips, and your hands sweat. This is the “fight or flight” instinct that kicks in whenever we feel threatened. We usually recover quickly once the threat has been resolved, but continual stress or an inability to “get over it” can cause a number of physical problems, such as headaches, back trouble, and a weakened immune system. Studies have also shown that chronic stress can contribute to the development of heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions. Severe shocks (natural disasters, war, death of a friend or relative) often lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a form of depression that can leave sufferers unable to cope with everyday life.

Some handle stress better than others, and then there those who thrive on it. They are skydivers, mountain climbers, spelling bee champs, and video gamers, the type of people who enjoy the rush of adrenalin that comes with facing a challenge and conquering it. Certain kinds of stress can be considered good, keeping us alert and on our game, so to speak. How does one successfully handle stress? Exercise and good nutrition are important for maintaining a healthy immune system, while techniques such as meditation and deep breathing can aid relaxation. Don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking, either, in helping to keep stress from overwhelming you.

Guests

Wendy Berry Mendes, assistant professor of Psychology at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, S. Robert Davis Chair in medicine; professor of psychiatry and psychology; director of the health psychology division in the department of psychiatry at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio

Farris Tuma, chief of the Traumatic Stress Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, Maryland

David Krantz, professor and chairman of the medical and clinical psychology department at the Uniformed Services University Bethesda, Maryland

Related Links and Resources

National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
National Institute of Mental Health: Reliving Trauma
National Ag Safety Database: Stress Management for the Health of It
PSY21 -- Psychological Science for the 21st Century

Related Science Friday broadcasts

November 5, 2004, Hour One: Election Wrap-up
April 25, 2003, Hour One: Military Psychiatry
September 6, 2002, Hour One: Psychological Effects of 9-11
December 22, 1995, Hour One: Stress and Disease
September 10, 2004, Hour Two: Women, Heart Disease, and Diabetes ...
Stress and the Body (September 10, 2004, Hour Two)

For Discussion:

• How does the body react physically to stress? What can constant stress do to health?

• What is “fight or flight?” How did this mechanism evolve?

• What kinds of things make you feel stressed out? How do you feel when you are stressed?

• Is there such a thing as good stress? What stresses you in a positive way?

• What is post-traumatic stress disorder? What are its symptoms?

• How do you cope with stress?

Activities

All wound up. Stress 101 is a good primer on the physical and emotional sources of stress, symptoms, the difference between good and bad stress, and who is most at risk. There are also links to many other articles on stress and to quizzes and self-assessment tests that can you give you some insight on how you cope. The Response to Stress (Thedoctorwillseeyounow.com) provides the layperson with an intelligible explanation of the physiology of stress and its effect on health as well as tips on managing stress.

A nervous wreck. Kidshealth’s Stress (also available in Spanish) explains the “fight or flight” instinct and issues that are sources of stress for teens. It also offers stress management tips, including an audio that gives instructions for a deep-breathing exercise. Learn this exercise together as a class. Ask students to try deep breathing whenever they feel stressed and keep notes on its effectiveness. Another article discusses triggers and symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Another good site is Stress and the Immune System from Newspapers in Education, which visits the National Cancer Institute for an in-depth look at the workings of the immune system, then stops at Thinkquest for a discussion of teens and stress. Have students keep a log for a week or two about their stress levels: what stresses them, good stress vs. bad stress, how they react mentally and physically, what techniques they use to resolve stress. Discuss changes or improvements that can be made to help them better cope.

Sick of it. Worried Sick, and episode of PBS “Scientific American Frontiers,” explores stress and its relationship to a variety of diseases as well as several other interesting topics. One segment looks at the stress of marriage, another one follows a long-term study of stress in baboons, and another examines meditation as a stress-buster. Students can watch clips from this show and related ones, take a self-assessment test, and learn the cultural history of stress. The teaching guide activities involve measuring temperature and blood pressure under stress. A quiz assesses what students learned.

Laughter is the best medicine. Why do we laugh? Neuroscience for Kids: Laughter and the Brain talks about gelotology (the physiology of laughter). Find out how laughter can relieve stress, but can also have a negative effect on occasion.

For more about stress and the mind-body connection, visit these Science Friday Kids’ Connection pages:

April 25, 2003: Hour One: Stress Effects
Alternative Medicine: A Conversation with Dr. Andrew Weil (February 11, 2005)
Stress and the Body (September 10, 2004)
December 19, 2003, Hour Two: Teacher Backgrounder: Depression

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

Hear the Program

RealAudio format (courtesy NPR Online)
Windows Media format (courtesy NPR Online)
mp3 download (Science Friday Podcast)