Fitness for Life
Stress Management
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 Exercises
08.2.2 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
Stress
Stress - A non-specific response of the
body, or the body’s 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.
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
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
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
Social Stressors
Social stressors arise from your relationships
with other people:
Family
Friends
Teachers
Employers
Peers
Image from Wikimedia Commons, John. R Neill, Public domain
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.
During the “alarm phase”
“Fight or Flight” is the body’s 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
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.
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.
How does our body
react to stress?
Allergy flare-ups
Backaches
Perspiring
Shortness of breath
Hyperventilation
Irregular Heartbeat
Tightness in throat or chest
Extreme fatigue
Muscle tension
Trembling
Muscle spasms
Acne flare-ups
Difficulty sleeping
Headaches
Neck-aches
Blurred vision
Increased blood pressure
Light-headedness
Constipation
Diarrhea
Upset stomach
Vomiting
Emotional effects of
stress
Upset or nervous feelings
Anger
Anxiety or fear
Frequently criticizing others
Frustration
Forgetfulness
Difficulty paying attention
Difficulty making decisions
Irritability
Lack of motivation
Boredom
Mild Depression
Withdrawal
Change in appetite
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.
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
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.
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.
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)
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.
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 react
positively.
Key vocabulary cont’d.
Exhaustion stage is when our body is unable to handle the stress, and it succumbs to
the stressor.
“Fight or Flight” is the body’s 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.