Stress

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Stress
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What is Stress anyway?

• Stress-
• The bodys and minds reaction to everyday
  demands or threats.
• Stressor-
• Anything that causes
• the stress response
• Distress-
• Negative stress
• Eustress-
• Positive stress

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Fight or Flight mode

• We react quickly, usually without thinking and
  either fight or flee the scene to SURVIVE !

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What happens when you're stressed?

• Adrenaline- emergency hormone secreted by the
  adrenal glands to prepare the body to respond to
  a stressor. (fight or flight mode)
• - Think of it as a survival mechanism
• - Physical effects? Think of a situation in
  which you felt scared/threatened...what happened?
• - heart beat and breathing faster
• - pupils dilate to see better
• - increased strength and speed as blood goes to
  muscles and brain
• decreased digestion (thank goodness)?
• Increased stomach acid
• Decreased sensation to pain

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Stress test

• Take this mini stress test to get a good
  indicator of your current stress level.
• Well learn how to cope in healthy ways at the
  end of this lesson

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Stress Related Illnesses

• Stomach aches
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Constipation/diarrhea
• High blood pressure
• Anxiety / Depression / panic attacks
• Memory problems
• Acne
• Back pain / tight muscles
• Shortness of breath
• Greater risk of getting colds/flu
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Changes in sexual desire and performance
• Seriously Stress can effect EVERY body
  system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Whats your type?

• Each time you agree with one of the statements,
  put a tally mark in your notes
• I become angry or aggravated if I have to stand
  in line for more than 10 minutes
• I enjoy doing more than one thing at a time
• I try very hard to win at ANYTHING
• I feel guilty if I am doing nothing
• I hate to lose at anything and I actually become
  angry if I do
• I speak, eat, and move quickly
• I interrupt people who talk slowly to speed up
  the conversation
• I rarely, if ever, procrastinate
• I have a strong need to be successful at
  everything
• I set deadlines, to do lists and schedules for
  myself

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Results

• The more tally marks on your paper, the more
  likely you are
• TYPE A
• The fewer tally marks, the more likely you
  are..
• TYPE B
• It is important to know our type and know how to
  work to relax, reduce unnecessary stress, be
  successful in life!

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What's your personality type?

• Type A Personality Competitive, need to
  succeed, focused on time, organized, loves
  schedules, impatient, may walk and talk fast
• - most likely to develop stress related
  illnesses.
• Type B Personality- A laid back,
  noncompetitive, not concerned about time, does
  not like schedules, patient, may walk and talk
  slowly
• - less likely to suffer from illnesses related to
  stress.

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Key Point

• You can actually avoid stress-related illnesses
  by coping with stress in a healthy way !
• Its important to know how to cope with stress!

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Reducing Stress

• Eat Healthy Meals each day (seriously, it helps)
• BREATHE! (obvious but deep breaths decrease with
  STRESS!)
• Get at least 9 hours of sleep each night
• Exercise on a regular basis
• Confide in / Express Feelings to a trusted person
  or journal
• Do something you enjoy (as long as it is
  healthy!)
• Sports, read, listen to music, draw, take a nap,
  etc
• Just remember HOMEOSTASIS
• Listen to your body
• headache, stomach ache, etc why is it happening
  at that moment? Get help from a trusted person!
• Learn and use better time management skills
• Make a list of stressors
• Change the ones you can Accept the ones you
  cant.

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More Stress Reduction Tips

• Remember, we CHOOSE our attitudes!
• Avoid demanding too much of yourself (ask for
  help!)
• Make to do lists
• Make time to relax
• Remember it is ok to CRY or be sad!
• Avoid prolonged sitting!

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Things that do NOT reduce stress

• Caffeine (energy drinks, coffee, soda, chocolate,
  tea)
• Alcohol
• Marijuana
• Nicotine (cigarettes, chew)
• Sugary comfort foods
• TOO MUCH relaxing (tv, video games, internet,
  naps) can lead to procrastination and time
  pressures!

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Conclusion

• You get to choose how to handle stress
• There are healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with
  stress
• The choice is yours! Choose wisely because the
  effects of stress do add up over time!