Stress Health Miss Kilker Stress Defined STRESS The

Stress Health Miss Kilker

Stress Defined • STRESS = The body’s and mind’s response to a demand • STRESSOR = situation or thing that puts a demand on the body or mind (the thing that causes the stress)

Perception – How do I see things? • Perception = the act of becoming aware through the senses – Life experiences make everyone’s perceptions different

Types of Stressors • Environmental Stressors: – Examples: pollution, poverty, crowding, noise, natural disasters, etc. • Biological Stressors: – Examples: illness, disability, injury, etc.

Types of Stressors Continued • Thinking Stressors: – Any mental challenge, ex: test • Behavioral Stressors: – Examples: using tobacco, alcohol, poor time-management, or anything that put stress on your body • Life Change Stressors: – Examples: death of a loved one, getting married, moving, etc.

How does the body respond to stress? • Two Body Systems Respond to Stressors • Nervous System • Endocrine System

3 Stages in Stress Response 1. Alarm – Body and mind go into high alert and the hormone adrenaline is produced and released into the body. This produces the fight or flight response. • • • Breathing speeds up Heart beats faster Muscles tense Pupils dilate Digestion slows Blood sugar increases

3 stages of stress response continued 2. Resistance – Make the decision for fight or flight. You are resisting the stress in this stage. – Endurance levels rise for a period of time and can produce extra strength, speed, etc

3 stages of stress response continued 3. Fatigue – after prolonged exposure to the stressor the body loses the ability to adapt and a tired feeling takes over. Three types of fatigue set in: – Physical – weak and tired muscles causing soreness – Psychological – feeling overwhelmed, worried, depressed – Pathological – body has trouble fighting off illness due to weakening of immune system

Chronic Stress • Chronic Stress = long-term stress with no relief (very bad) – Alarm Stage = become alert – Resistance Stage = eventually become resistant to disease – Exhaustion Stage = body can’t handle resistance anymore, organs and immune system suffer

Eustress vs. Distress • Eustress = Positive – Energizes and helps you reach a goal or accomplish something – Examples: • Getting married • Having a baby • Starting a new job • Distress = Negative – Makes one sick or prevents one from accomplishing a goal – Examples: • Giving a speech • Problem • Guilty

Dealing with Stress • • • Take care of yourself! Exercise regularly Get enough rest Eat right Learn to relax – Breathing exercises – Tension-releasing exercises

Be RESILIENT • RESILIENCY = ability to recover from illness, hardship, and other stressors

Developing Resiliency • Develop your assets: – – – – Support Empowerment Boundaries Productive use of time Commitment to learning Positive values Social skills Positive identity

Other helps • Change your attitude: – Use positive self-talk – Be confident about yourself – Don’t worry about things out of your control • Manage your time: – – List and prioritize Know and set your limits Be organized Make a schedule