What is Stress?

1. What is Stress? • 12.The term “stress” actually refers to the body’s reactions to any demand placed upon it. • Stress can be good and bad.

2. 13.Stressor: • The events that intensify stress

3. Eustress & Distress • 14. Eustress: stress that is deemed healthful or giving one the feeling of fulfillment • 15. Distress: great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble.

4. 16. What causes stress in your life? • Grades • Tests • Expectations • Pressure to do well • Friends • Boy/girl friends • Extracurricular activities • Deadlines • Keeping up • Lack of sleep • Too much going on • Unprepared • Try outs

5. SYMPTOMS OF STRESS Accident prone Leg-wagging Anger/ Irritability Lip-biting Anxiety Lump in throat Apathy Blushing Muscle spasms Nausea Chain smoking Nervous cough Clammy hands Nightmares Continual boredom Insomnia Inability to be alone Inability to talk Increased heart rate

6. Depression Procrastination Desire to run away Shaking Diarrhea/Constipation Sighing Dry mouth Sleeping disorder Eating disorders Stomach cramps Fatigue/Weariness Stroking face Feeling faint Talking too much Fingernail biting Talking too fast Guilty feelings Tearful Hair-twirling/pulling Temper flare-ups Headache Tic in eye Heart palpitations Hyperactive/Listless Hypochondria

7. You know if you’re stressed if… • You eat standing up. • Your dog doesn't recognize you. • You're always late. • You forget what day it is. • You have trouble finishing a sentence. • Your friends greet you, "Hey, stranger!" • You're fighting more than usual. • You can't remember what "usual" is. • You do three things at once; you don't finish any of them. http://www.pamf.org/teen/life/stress/50stresses.html

8. You keep losing things. And your patience. • You only talk to people via text. • You're always tired. • You can't sleep. • You keep getting sick. • You keep dropping things. • You bite your nails, tap your feet and/or twirl your hair. • You feel like you're drowning. • You don't have time to feed your pets. • Your blood pressure is too high.

9. You jump when the phone rings. • You eat. And eat. And eat. • You have a headache. Again. • Your palms are sweaty. • Your heart is racing. • You feel nervous or jumpy. • Nothing seems fun anymore. • You snap at your friends. • Your socks don't match. • You hate getting up in the morning. • You drive too fast.

10. You talk too fast. • You cry at the drop of a hat. • You can't breathe. • You can't concentrate. • You keep bumping into things. • All your clothes seem to be dirty when you want to wear them. • You're never alone. • You're always alone. • You live on soda. • You haven't opened the email/facebook in days. • It's always someone else's fault. • People keep asking: "Are you okay?"

11. ORGANIZATION REDUCES STRESS: • Plan your life and set goals. • Have duplicate keys, scissors, tape, important papers, etc. • Write things down • Don’t procrastinate – that just makes the situation worse • Be prepared to wait. Carry a book or something to do while waiting. • Things happen. Try to be flexible.

12. Balance work with play Learn to accept what you cannot change – don’t fight the inevitable Take one thing at a time Compromise Program fun and humor into life Learn problem solving techniques – and use them Learn relaxation techniques Try new things Learn to say no Simplify Become more flexible – some things are not worth doing perfectly Develop back-up plans, just in case something happens Have personal time EVERY day Find a positive addiction. Know your own stress levels, and live within them Change your daily routine 16. LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO REDUCE STRESS:

13. 16. PHYSICAL STRESS: • Get enough sleep and rest • Exercise regularly – relaxed muscles make relaxed nerves • Listen to your body. Headaches, upset stomach, excessive worrying, and an inability to concentrate, are symptoms that you need some help. • Avoid any kind of self-medication • Eat balanced meals • Make your environment fit your needs • Dress comfortably and look your best • Take a hot bath or shower to relax nerves • Pace yourself – don’t try to do everything at once • Physically remove yourself from stressful situations

14. 3 humor skills Ability to see the absurdity in difficult situations. Ability to take yourself lightly while taking your work seriously. A disciplined sense of joy in being alive. 17. Humor!! Haha…

15. 18. Benefits of fun and laughter • Stimulates the Immune System • Stimulates Mental Functioning • Enhances Creativity • EnhancesProduction • Increases Motivation • Increases Positive Attitude • Lowers Stress • Reduces Anger and Hostility

16. Humor is an actual attitude on the brain. • 19. Stupid: Means ignorant and uneducated. People do stupid things because they do not know any better. • Silly: Originally means to have a good prosperous day.

17. Humor can help you: Thrive in change Remain creative-under pressure Work more effectively Play more; enthusiastic Stay Healthier- better immune system

18. A belly laugh is really good for you… It relieves muscular tension Improves breathing Regulates the heart beat

19. Stages of Humor Development • Giggling Prankster Stage – Early childhood, 1-5 years old • Foolish Comics Stage – middle childhood, 6-9 years • Puzzling Riddler Stage – late childhood 9-12 years • Punning Wit Stage – Early adolescent 12-15 years • Sarcastic Stage – Adolescent + adult

20. Remember!! “ stressed” is just “desserts” spelled backwards

21. STUDENT ACTIVITIES • Baby position: Students lay on the floor in the fetal position. Legs curled up against chest. • Walk, Stretch, Power, Float: Students will walk around, stop and stretch arms & legs, show power and then move around the room as if they are floating. • You are three dimensional, feel yourself breath: Turn off lights, close your eyes and mentally imagine yourself as being three dimensional. Concentrate on your breathing in and out. • SBS exercise (Stand, Breath, Sit)

22. STRESS BREAKS 10 second stress break: • Identify what is annoying you. Simply identifying the problem can reduce stress. • Tell yourself, “I don’t have to become too tense over this.” • Take two easy, deep breaths (counting from 1-4 as you inhale and exhale). • Relax any tense spot quickly, to the best of your ability (stiff neck, muscles, etc.) • Stretch and resume your activity.

23. 20 second stress break: • Sit down and take a deep breath, slowly inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. • Gently shake your head from side to side in a “no” motion and up and down in a “yes” motion. • Take a few more deep breaths, as before. At the same time, quiet your mind by slowly saying to yourself, “relax,” or, “be calm”, or words that work for you (a favorite poem or words to a favorite song). • Now go back to whatever you were doing, but approach the activity more calmly.

24. 2 minutes stress break: • Take two deep breaths and exhale each slowly. • Locate a tense spot on your body and relax it as much as possible (forehead, jaw, shoulders, back, hand). • Do two brief exercise – slowly: • Head Rotation: Rotate your head slowly around in a circular motion, once or twice in both directions. • Shoulder Roll: Slowly roll your shoulders forward and backwards a couple of times in each direction. • Recall a pleasant thought, memory, or feeling for 10-15 seconds. • Take one more deep, slow breath, exhale slowly and return to your activity.

25. Steps to handling stress • Identify the Stressor • Identify your control over the stressor. • Identify whether you can eliminate the stressor; if you can, do so. • If you cannot eliminate the stress, then build your skills to deal with it.