Critical Assignment: Behavior Change Project, Essay Example

As humans, we have made decisions regarding our behaviours as we have progressed through life, but we must also acknowledge that we may need to adjust our actions from time to time. It can be tough to change our behaviour, mainly because there are so many elements that determine the type of conduct we engage in in the first place. It might be challenging to change our behaviours when so many factors influence what we do. Our social status, abilities, and cultural background are all characteristics that impact our lives and are difficult to change (Bailey, 2017). The Transtheoretical Model was developed to understand better how people modify their behaviour, which is generally addictive, such as smoking. The steps that people go through when striving to change their behaviour are depicted in this model. The behaviours that I decided to change are my nocturnal lifestyle, caffeine use, and excess sugar consumption. These need to be changed and replaced with healthy behaviours.

Other models that could be used to modify behaviour other than the transtheoretical models include the health belief model, which seeks to comprehend the failure of people to have and adopt strategies for disease prevention and early detection of diseases through screening tests (Hilliard et al., 2018). It predicts the adoption of behaviour through a person’s belief in a personal threat of illness. The Theory of Planned Behavior is a theory that can be used in behaviour modification and adoption. It is a unique theory in that it predicts the intentions of an individual to engage in a particular behaviour at a specified place and time. This theory has been widely and successfully used in predicting health behaviours like drinking and smoking (Hilliard et al., 2018).

My behavioural and familial concerns include PTSD, asthma, depression, anxiety, pre-diabetes, and IBS. Some of the listed problems, like asthma, run in my family, like my grandfather and mother, but I developed pre-diabetes, IBS, and PTSD as an adult. Postpartum depression exacerbated my anxiety after giving birth to my daughter. I ate poorly and worried about things I couldn’t control.

Psychological debriefing therapies include seeking advice on dealing with the condition and seeing a counsellor help cope with the circumstance. Stress management is another technique to deal with PTSD. Diabetes and IBS are often prevented by managing diets and avoiding bad eating habits like high-fat foods, increasing physical activity, avoiding alcohol, and boosting fibre consumption. Finally, the most excellent method to address anxiety and sadness is avoiding negative situations and finding ways to express myself, such as weekly counselling. Getting enough sleep and sticking to a treatment plan can also help prevent depression.

Eating healthy foods is one of the habits I can adopt to ensure success. Second, going for walks and mingling with friends can help clear the mind and help with sadness and anxiety. Anxiety and depression require support groups. Third, increasing my physical activity helps me maintain a healthy weight and avoid diseases like diabetes, often inherited. Finally, talking about our problems with loved ones can help prevent PTSD.

Getting a companion that can divert me from traumatic occurrences is vital. In severe circumstances, seek psychiatric help. I should also discover support groups that deal with such situations to learn how to control them. Changing routines is the best method to alter risky habits. Most behaviours begin with a brain cue. The brain then creates a practice of action based on pleasure or reward. This pattern must be broken. For example, not exercising can be damaged by knowing more about the risks. This inspires other affected people and me.

I need to understand how habits like eating high-fat foods develop and how I utilize them to cope. It’s easy to comprehend and modify behaviours now. Change an activity that frequently brings me to a drive-through, such as a route. This is crucial because it promotes a positive attitude towards a healthy diet and regular exercise. It’s also vital to stay cheerful. This is vital to avoiding stressful situations that might lead to melancholy and anxiety. Positive thinking is critical for avoiding toxic people and situations that often feel sadness and stress in the vulnerable. Making regular therapist visits is also crucial because it helps learn about difficulties like PTSD and how to regulate them. After all, they aren’t always prevented.

The concept of health behaviour may affect sleep health. These assumptions help predict and alter sleep hygiene behaviour. I need to understand what influences my goals and actions to enhance my behaviour. Because, like other health-related behaviours, changing personal habits can affect sleep (e.g., sleep environment and timing). To build a theory-based therapy, I first need to comprehend HBT.

According to HBT, SH has a broad spectrum of health behaviours (e.g., caffeine consumption, napping, and exercise). Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and large meals before bedtime, all of which I don’t do consistently. I had good intentions of cutting back on drinks and food tonight, but I made terrible decisions about avoiding coffee and sleeping. Other studies revealed similar views on sleep duration and coffee usage (Hilliard et al., 2018).

Except for sleep length goals, HBT predicts most sleep hygiene practices. Establishing intentions to get proper sleep depends on one’s sense of control over the situation. These theories can modify and predict sleep hygiene (Christiansen et al., 2018). Identifying the things that influence SH’s intentions and behaviour will help us target them. Due to the increased public awareness of sleep as a health concern, HBM, for example, may improve sleep health. People who lack sleep may not be aware that they are at risk for cardiovascular disease. Believing in the danger to one’s health and believing that specific activity (having 7–9 hours of sleep per night) will lessen it. Conversely, this approach is frequently employed to prevent or manage the disease. The HBM’s intuitive components make it particularly useful for public health programs (Bailey, 2017).

These concepts are flawed because non-voluntary variables might impact behaviour, and mulling over a recurring option seems wasteful. Second, these theories don’t adequately address the behavioural skills required for compliance. The final flaw in these theories is that they ignore where people receive their ideas and how those ideas influence other behaviours. They may overlook factors such as power ties, social reputations, and the possibility that risky conduct involves more than one person. Another theory is that people focus on one hazard and protective behaviour, neglecting other potential risks. (Christiansen et al., 2018).

The transtheoretical model is applied to many stages where they are most effective. Individuals, through this model, move through stages of change that include precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and finally, termination. Progression through these stages needs the application of evaluative, cognitive, and practical processes. In many parts of this project, I have used this model to change my behaviour and, at the same time, measure the progress made from the beginning. To achieve change, I used the stages of change to gauge how I fit into the spectrum and its processes to eliminate my negative, unhealthy habits (Sulat et al., 2018).

My nocturnal lifestyle is an unhealthy habit I would like to change. A SMART goal for my intention is to start on March 28 and end on April 11, and I will go to bed 30 minutes earlier than the day before and wake up 30 minutes earlier than the day before while using a calendar to track my progress daily. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by stress from balancing some of life’s obstacles. Also, I often feel sad for no reason. My habit of waking up early and going to bed after 2 or 3 am can be one of the causes of my mood swings. Therefore, I should take steps toward improving my sleeping habits. It must be said that caffeine and excess sugar consumption are other unhealthy habits I have been developing for the past couple of years. I eat at least one meal a day and drink 2 to 4 cups of coffee a day from Starbucks. One could hardly argue that caffeine and excess sugar consumption increase the risk of developing diseases.

There are two distinct barriers I might encounter while achieving the goal. My anxiety is an intangible barrier. At the same time, all the deadlines that run through my head between work, school, and keeping up with family schedules are also significant barriers. I have found a book that supplies practical tips for overcoming the identified intangible barrier to achieving my goal. Meanwhile, I will ask my family members to support me in improving my scheduling and sleeping habits. I am sure they will understand and keep me.

Well-being is not just about the absence of disease but is a combination of a person’s health factors that are physical, emotional, and mental. Well-being is linked to being satisfied and having high levels of happiness. Intimacy and a happy relationship with a partner and close friends influence well-being. Enough sleep, healthy nutrition, willingness to change, and a sense of purpose and meaning all positively impact an individual’s wellbeing.

In healthcare, policies and procedures are put in place to ensure that everything is done the same way. We rely on policies and procedures to provide direction when dealing with issues of health and safety, legal responsibility, and compliance with government regulations. There is no denying the significance of healthcare policies and procedures, but the ideal way to deal with them varies from firm to firm. Policy and procedure manuals are critical, and we thought it would be helpful to share what we’ve learned about their significance. Our goal is to offer practical solutions that enable healthcare facilities to manage policies and other documents to boost productivity and efficiency while still adhering to regulatory requirements. ” Then again, it’s possible that we aren’t the perfect fit for every company.

To achieve the desired objectives, it provides a framework for making decisions. Policies and procedures are designed to convey the organization’s goals to employees. Employees are taught about their jobs and obligations by these people. Healthcare policy must provide safe and cost-effective treatment. New regulations and responsibilities like the Affordable Care Act, HIPAA, and Meaningful Use have made it more challenging to design standards and effectively communicate them to employees.

Reference

Bailey, R. R. (2017). Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 13(6), 615–618. ttps://doi.org/10.1177/1559827617729634

Baughman, N., Prescott, S., & Rooney, R. (2020). The Prevention of Anxiety and Depression in Early Childhood. Frontiers In Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.517896

Christiansen, C. L., Miller, M. J., Murray, A. M., Stephenson, R. O., Stevens-Lapsley, J. E., Hiatt, W. R., & Schenkman, M. L. (2018). Behaviour-Change Intervention Targeting Physical Function, Walking, and Disability After Dysvascular Amputation: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,99(11), 2160–2167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2018.04.011

Facer-Childs, E.R., Middleton, B., Skene, D.J., Bagshaw, A.P. (2019). Resetting the late timing of ‘night owls’ has a positive impact on mental health and performance. Sleep Medicine, 60; 236-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2019.05.001

Hilliard, M.E., Riekert, K.A., Ockene, J.K. and Pbert, L. (2018). The handbook of health behaviour change. 5th ed. New York, Ny Springer Publishing Company.

Jacques, A., Chaaya, N., Beecher, K., Ali, S. A., Belmer, A., & Bartlett, S. (2019). The impact of sugar consumption on stress-driven, emotional and addictive behaviours. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 103, 178–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.021

Janke, J., & Handy, S. (2019). How life course events trigger bicycling attitudes and behaviour changes: Insights into causality. Travel Behaviour and Society, 16, 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2019.03.004

Mayo Clinic, M. (2022). Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 12 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/indepth/diabetes-prevention/art-20047639.

Mead, M. P., & Irish, L. A. (2020). Application of health behaviour theory to sleep health improvement. Journal of Sleep Research, 29(5), e12950.

Sulat, J. S., Prabandari, Y. S., Sanusi, R., Hapsari, E. D., & Santoso, B. (2018). The validity of health belief model variables in predicting behavioural change: a scoping review. Health Education.

Appendix A

Monday, March 28 – I prepared for bedtime by setting a bedtime notification on all my devices, such as my apple watch and cell phone. I opted for my sleep to be at 10:30 pm. I needed to be realistic the first night as I still needed to prepare dinner, lunch for my husband the next day, bathe, comb my daughter’s hair, and put her to bed at 8 pm. I then read for upcoming assignments for class for an hour and got myself prepared for bed which was at midnight. To say the less, I was unsuccessful.

Tuesday, March 29 – I woke up at 7:30 am, washed my face, and dressed for the day. After taking my supplements, I took my pup out for a 20 min walk. I came back, and although I had an urge for a cup of coffee, I had a glass of water and a bowl of oatmeal. I worked and pushed myself to take breaks, even if to stretch every 20-30 minutes. After my husband and daughter came home, I prepared dinner at 4:30 pm, and everyone ate by 5:45 pm. I prepared my daughter for bed and daycare and prepared my husband’s lunch for the next day. I got my daughter in bed by 7:30 pm, and I got myself ready for bed, and I was able to rest before my 10:30 pm-notification, so I changed the notification on my phone from 10:30 pm to 9:30 since I was in bed at 9:15 pm.

Wednesday, March 30 – I feel well-rested and woke up at 5:30 am, did my ritual, took time for God, read this morning, and prayed to release anxiety and worry. This is my sleeping habit because I am an overachiever, and I do not want to fail. I just felt the urge to release myself and have a clear mind. At 7:45 am, I took my pup for a twenty-five-minute walk, had a protein shake, and started my day with work, taking thirty minutes between meetings. I made a stretch meal at 2:30 pm and set my daughter’s clothes out for the week’s rest. When they came home, they could sit and eat their dinner, and we talked about their day. I got my daughter ready for bed at 7 pm, and I was able to read a devotional with my husband, and we prayed together. After getting ready for bed, I lay down before 9 pm.

Thursday, March 31 – I woke up at 3:30 am. I had to take my daughter to daycare in Los Angeles due to his location change. I got her to daycare at 5 am and headed back on the road, an hour’s drive each way. By the time I got back home at 6:15 am, I started working and did my schoolwork on lunch for an hour. Since I had made a stretch meal the previous night, I did not have to cook, allowing extra time to focus elsewhere. Towards the end of my work shift, I had to complete some last-minute reporting which heightened my anxiety. I worked until 2:30 am and did not go to bed until 4 am.

Friday, April 1 – Today, I woke up at 7 am with a chaotic night and early morning. I took a shower to wake up and feel refreshed. Before starting my day, I said a prayer and meditated for 10 minutes to have a clear mind. Everything ran smoothly throughout the morning, and I was able to take a 30 min walk with my dog. As the day progressed, I started to feel very tired, so I asked my husband if he needed anything before turning in and going to bed at 6 pm.

Saturday, April 2 – I woke up at 9:30 a refreshed. My husband and I had a planned double date dinner with family, which I was looking forward to our evening. After doing our Saturday cleaning, we took our daughter out on a lunch date, which we try to do every other weekend, to her favourite restaurant Apple Bee’s. I felt a little tired, so we came home and took a 30-minute power nap before the outing. I was able to have a wonderful time, and I was able to go to bed at 10:30 pm.

Sunday, April 3 – My alarm went off at 9 am. I completed my homework assignments and spent time watching movies with my family. I decided to get my daughter’s clothes ready for the week and meal prep a stretch meal for the week and lunches for my husband. I was able to get in bed before my notification went off at 9:30 pm.

Monday, April 4 – I woke up at 7:15 am and started my day with a protein shake and a brisk walk with my dog for an hour. My day consisted of meetings and retaining much information. I was drained and tired, so I took a 30 min power nap for lunch. After waking up, I was able to answer emails and conclude the remainder of my meetings. I prepped dinner for the week and got my daughter ready for the week’s rest. I was able to get to bed before 9:30 pm.

Tuesday, April 5 – I tossed and turned all night. I woke up at midnight, then again at 2:38 am, and again to help my husband get my daughter ready for school at 3:15 am. After that, I could not go back to sleep, so I watched the Good Doctor. At 6:30 pm, I finally got out of bed to wash a load of clothes and take the dog for a walk. I came back and started dinner, and I felt myself dragging. I had some oatmeal and decided to take the day off and get some rest. I went to sleep finally around 4 pm.

Wednesday, April 6 – I woke up at 10:30 am, feeling well-rested. I did not do much today but lounge and sit in my courtyard with homework and affirmation books. My husband and I went out for an early dinner at our favourite restaurant, and after a glass of red wine and an enjoyable conversation, I was able to go to bed around 8:30 pm.

Thursday, April 7 – I woke up at 7:13 am. I went to the park to walk and play with my dog. While he sunbathed, I was able to read and book. I went for a deep tissue massage and returned home to a light salad and journaling. My daughter and I were able to catch up on some Disney movies, and we fell asleep before 9:30 pm.

Friday, April 8 – I woke up at 9 am and met with a friend for breakfast. She has been an advocate in my life in dealing with my anxiety, so every month, we take a day off from work, have breakfast, and take a yoga class. Afterwards, we went to the beach to talk and do breathing exercises, and I came home feeling much weight lifted off me. I came home and cleaned a little bit, and read my devotional. Once my husband and daughter came home, we put a puzzle together and fell asleep watching movies around 10 pm.

Saturday, April 9 – I woke up at 8 am, and my family and I went on a nature walk for an hour and played with my daughter at the park. I relaxed for the remainder of the day and went to bed at 8:45 pm.

Sunday, April 10 – Today, I woke up at 7 am, and my family and I went to Disneyland. It was a great outing; we all had a goal of who could estimate the most steps taken that day by the end of our trip. It was an enjoyable day, and although I was not successful in going to bed at my designated period, I went to bed before 11:30 pm.

Monday, April 11 – I woke up at 8 am feeling refreshed. I went to the gym, worked on the elliptical for 45 minutes, and rode the stationary bike for 30 minutes. I ended my workout in the sauna for 15 minutes and came home to shower and start schoolwork. The day was smooth, and I could get in bed before 9 pm.