Coping with and Managing Stress- Objectives:

1. Coping with and Managing Stress- Objectives: • Define stress • Describe what happens in your body when stress occurs (the physiological response) • Describe the effects of stress on the immune system

2. Objectives continued: • Describe how stress affects the nutritional status. • Describe how to manage stress • Describe behaviors or habits that unnecessarily rob you of time. • Describe at least two time management tools

3. Definition of stress: • It is a mismatch between the demands in our lives and the resources we have to deal with those demands. • This mismatch is often caused by changes, either large or small. • Stress is not an event (not a person, place or thing) it is your reaction to that event.

4. Stress can be good: • It is a force that can generate and initiate action, therefore it is a motivating force. • Eustress • Gives humans an ability to respond to challenges or dangers. • It is vital for self-protection

5. The stress response is characterized by: • Muscle tension • Acute anxiety • Increased heart rate • Hypertension • Shallow breathing • Giddiness • joy

6. General Adaptation Syndrome(GAS): • A series of changes that the body undergoes whether a stress is perceived as positive or negative. • First phase is Alarm, homeostasis is disrupted, known also as the “Fight or Flight” response syndrome. Adrenaline and other chemicals are pumped into the blood stream. • .

7. GAS continued: • The emotional response stimulates a physical reaction associated with stress, such as: muscles and stomach tightening, the heart rate increasing, the mouth becoming dry, palms wet

8. GAS continued • The second stage is “Resistance” the body responds with increased strength, endurance, sensory capacity. • “Exhaustion” is the third phase, this occurs when the stress becomes chronic or pervasive. • If the person has not effectively managed stress then it affects the heart, stomach, blood pressure, muscles and joints. • Know the picture of stress on your body.

9. Stress and the immune system: • A defense system against illness and disease inside and outside the body. • Chronic stress suppresses the body’s ability to initiate an effective immune response • Suppression is due to increase secretion of corticosteroids which weaken the immune system.

10. Stress and the immune system, continued: • Research has shown that the immune system was severely compromised with social disruption: • leaving home for the first time • Feeling down for prolonged periods • Lack of self-confidence • Feelings of hopelessness and loneliness • Can make us more susceptible to colds to cancer • 2/3 of all diseases have been linked to stress.

11. Illnesses/diseases associated with stress: • Migraines • Ulcers • Asthma • Cold/flu • Depression • Heart disease

12. Stress and nutritional statusstress and how you eat: • Eating too much, too little, wrong kinds of foods. • Over using caffeine, tobacco, drugs and/or alcohol. • During stressful times, one needs more protein and vitamins

13. Managing stress: • Relaxation techniques • Deep breathing • Progressive muscle relaxation • Meditation • Visualization • Music • Humor • Massage • Exercise

14. Most of us know to eat right and do healthy activities to manage stress…. • Most of us have problems being motivated to do these things. • You could compare the process of change to build a house. • If you build your house on a shaky foundation, it will crumble. • Think of the foundation as the way you think, self-love and self awareness are the building blocks to your foundation.

15. Everything you need to better ourselves-the desire, drive, discipline….we already have, • But, it is buried under fear and low self-esteem. • That is why changing is so difficult • Poor self-esteem puts you at odds with your well-being.

16. Behaviors that can rob you of your time: • Workholism • Time juggling-over scheduling • Procrastination-consistently putting off things that can be done immediately • Perfectionism-going beyond trying to do your best and, the inability to achieve unrealistic goals which then contribute to feelings of dissatisfaction and failure. • “yesism” –the inability to say “no” extremely nice people who fear rejection.

17. Suggestions: • Write down realistic goals and priorities. • Assess current activities to determine whether they are essential, important or trivial • Develop a timeline • Allocate a certain number of time each day of the week for a project like a term paper. • Know where and when you can best complete a task

18. Suggestions, continued: • Know the circumstances under which you function the best, library, at home, with friends, alone, etc. • Do you concentrate best in the morning, afternoon or at night ? • When prioritizing, try categorizing: 1. Need to be done now 2. Wait a brief time 3. Not essential * Ask for help, say “no”, play each day!

19. Overcoming test-taking anxiety: • Plan to start studying a week before the test • Build your test taking self-esteem: on a 3x5 card write down 3 reasons why you will do well on the test, aim high and look at it often. Write + affirmations on the test • Get adequate sleep • Eat a balanced diet • During the test, if you get anxious, read affirmations.

20. Relaxation techniques for stress management: • Breathing • Yoga: 20 million American practice this • Qi Gong (pronounced chee-kong) practiced in china for 2000 years, it is one of the most fastest growing popular mind-body exercises. Taps into meridians, energy pathways. When your “chi” becomes stagnant, you feel sluggish and disease may occur.

21. Summary: • Stress is part of our lives. • The GAS involves physiological responses to real and imagined stresses. • Stress that accumulates can compromise the immune system. • College can be very stressful. • There are healthy ways to manage stress and unhealthy ways which add more stress to the mind-body-spirit.