YOU, STRESS AND STAYING HEALTHY

WHAT IS STRESS? Threat, challenge, change Stressor = any situation or activity that has physical, mental or emotional demands 5 categories of Stressors:

STRESSORS Environmental Stressors Biological Stressors Thinking Stressors Behavioral Stressors Life Change Stressors

STRESSORS Environmental –Natural disasters –Temperatures, too hot or too cold –Power outages –Flooding –Pollutants

STRESSORS Biological –Injury –Illness

STRESSORS Thinking –School! –Debt –Difficult Decisions

STRESSORS Behavior –Arguing –Negative behaviors

STRESSORS Life changes –Deaths, births –Wedding(s), divorce(s) –Move to new residence, country

STRESS RESPONSES Physical Stress –Breathing speeds up –Heart beats faster –Muscles get tense –Pupils dilate –Digestion slows –Blood sugar increases

STRESS RESPONSE CONTINUED Emotional and Behavioral Response –Eustress (Positive Stress) energizes and helps you reach a goal in a stressful situation, makes you fell alert and lively –Distress (Negative Stress) makes you feel sick or keeps you from reaching a goal, can keep you from performing at your best

SICKNESS AND STRESS: GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME Alarm Stage- alert body/mind, “fight or flight” response, all efforts focused on responding to demand Resistance Stage- body more resistant to disease and stress, body can cope for awhile Exhaustion Stage- body cannot resist stressor anymore, body becomes exhausted past normal exhaustion

STRESS-RELATED DISEASE AND DISORDERS Tension Headache Cold and flu Asthma Migraine Backache Heart disease Stroke High blood pressure Chronic fatigue Ulcer Anxiety disorder Insomnia Depression

5 WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS Take Care of Yourself Learn to Relax Build Resiliency Change Your Attitude Manage Your Time

5 WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS Take Care of Yourself –Proper nutrition –Rejuvenating sleep –Regular exercise

5 WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS Learn to Relax –Relaxation breaths –Progressive muscle relaxation –A-Z by themes (animals, foods) –Transcendental Meditation –Yoga

5 WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS Build Resiliency –Mental –Physical –Emotional –Family, social support systems –Recuperative sleep

5 WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS Change Your Attitude –Positive! –Self advocacy

5 WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS Manage Your Time –Write down homework due dates –Regularly check Dashboard, teacher websites –Daily work instead of all-nighters –DON’T PROCRASTINATE!