Fitness for Life

1
Fitness for Life

• Stress Management

2
Assignments related to this unit
If you have the textbook, read chapter 17 (pages
292-303) 08.1.1 Stress Inventory 08.2.1
Relaxation Exercises08.2.2 Activity log 11 08.3
Cardiovascular Risk Health Profile (Re-test mile
a half compare with Assign. 1) 08.4.1 Unit
8 quiz 08.4.2 Activity log 12
3
Stress
Stress - A non-specific response of the body,
or the bodys reaction to a demanding
situation. A. Eustress Results from something
good, and we react positively. B. Distress
Results from something bad, and we react
negatively.
4
What causes stress?
Stressors (things that cause stress) may be
physical, emotional, or social. Almost
everything may be a stressor, depending on the
individual Family Relationships School Peer
Groups/Friends Discrimination Injury or
Sickness Fatigue Any Major Changes
5
Physical Stressors
These are physical conditions of your body and
the environment that affect your physical
well-being Thirst Hunger Lack of
sleep Sickness Accidents or catastrophes Heat or
cold
Image Wikimedia Commons, Thue, public domain
6
Emotional Stressors
These are stressors that affect your physical and
emotional well-being Worry Fear Grief Depression
Anger
Images Above, Wikimedia Commons, US DOD, Public
domain right, Raja Patnaik, Creative Commons
Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
7
Social Stressors
Social stressors arise from your relationships
with other people Family Friends Teachers Employe
rs Peers
Image from Wikimedia Commons, John. R Neill,
Public domain
8
How do we react?
Under stress, our body goes through three stages
alarm, resistance and exhaustion. The first
is an Alarm Stage which is referred to as
Fight or Flight. This is when the body reacts
to the stressor. Anything that causes you to
worry or get excited, or causes emotional or
physical changes, can start the alarm
reaction. We have these reactions to both
positive and negative types of stress.
9
During the alarm phase
Fight or Flight is the bodys natural
protective technique. Adrenaline, the chemical
which gives our body energy to perform physical
acts, is released. In an emergency, our
adrenaline level rises.
Image from Wikimedia Commons, Urville Djasim,
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
Generic
10
Stage 2, resistance
In the next stage, the immune system starts to
resist or fight the stressor. You feel
exasperated and are impatient with trivial
matters. You miss your sleep schedules and find
your resistance lower. The normal indications of
this level are feeling tired, anxious or annoyed,
and being forgetful.



11
Stage 3, exhaustion
In extreme cases, our body is unable to handle
the stress, and it succumbs to the stressor. We
may become sick, or medical treatments may become
necessary. If the stressor is too great, as in
the case of disease that the body cannot fight,
death can occur.
12
How does our body react to stress?
Acne flare-ups Difficulty sleeping Headaches Neck-
aches Blurred vision Increased blood
pressure Light-headedness Constipation Diarrhea Up
set stomach Vomiting
Allergy flare-ups Backaches Perspiring Shortness
of breath Hyperventilation Irregular
Heartbeat Tightness in throat or chest Extreme
fatigue Muscle tension Trembling Muscle spasms
13
Emotional effects of stress
Upset or nervous feelings Anger Anxiety or
fear Frequently criticizing others Frustration For
getfulness Difficulty paying attention
Difficulty making decisions Irritability Lack of
motivation Boredom Mild Depression Withdrawal Chan
ge in appetite
14
Physical effects
Increased stomach acid can create or irritate
ulcers. High blood pressure can lead to heart
disease and disorders. Lowers the effectiveness
of the immune system. Cancer or severe illness
can occur.
15
Managing stress
One of the best and most productive ways to
handle stress is to exercise! Exercise
releases stress-reducing chemicals in the body
called endorphins.
Image Wikimedia Commons, vitautas, public
domain
16
Eat a healthy diet
Your diet can create a great deal of stress
within your body and its systems. Your body
cannot function properly without adequate
nutrition. Eat three healthy meals each day.
17
Get enough sleep
Lack of sleep can contribute to distress and can
make decision making difficult. You should get
at least eight hours of sleep each night.
18
Other ways to manage stress
Talk to friends Watch a movie or read a good
book Do something you enjoy Spiritual
practices Listen to music Spend time with pets
Images Wikimedia Commons Yoga
(theHolisticCare.com, attribution license) cat
(mylissa, Share-Alike)
19
Find what works for you!
Explore a variety of stress reducing strategies,
and do what works best for you. The better you
become at handling stress, and stressful
situations, the healthier you will become.
20
Key vocabulary
Adrenaline is the chemical which gives us energy
to perform physical acts.   In an emergency our
adrenaline level rises. Alarm stage is referred
to as Fight or Flight and is when the body
reacts to the stressor by increasing adrenaline
levels.Distress is negative stress that can
cause mental and/or physical problems and you
react negatively.Emotional stressors can include
anger, grief, anxiety, and many other emotions
that interfere with your ability to function
optimally. Endorphins are stress reducing
chemicals that are released during
exercise.Eustress is positive stress that
motivates you to "rise to any challenge and you
reactpositively.
21
Key vocabulary contd.
Exhaustion stage is when our body is unable to
handle the stress, and it succumbs to the
stressor. Fight or Flight is the bodys natural
protective technique.Physical stressors include
things like lack of sleep, overheating or feeling
cold, noise, or any natural disaster such as a
tornado or forest fire. Resistance stage is when
the immune system starts to resist or fight the
stressor. Social stressors arise from your
relationships with other people. Stress is a
nonspecific response of the body to a demanding
situation. Stressors are things that cause
stress. Almost everything can be a stressor,
depending on the individual.