Michigan Merit Curriculum
 Strand 5: Personal Health and Wellness
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5.2 Explain the importance of regular health
screenings or exams.
5.3 Analyze the importance of rest and sleep
for personal health.
5.6 Describe health practices that can prevent
the spread of illness.
5.10 Assess personal rest and sleep practices
and create a personal plan to incorporate rest
and sleep in daily routines.
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Complete your workbook:
 Identify stress, stressors,
and stress response.
 Identify five categories of
stressors.
 Relate excessive stress to
disease.
 Identify stress management
techniques.
 Identify the 3 stages of
stress response.
 Workbook: Page
 Stress is an internal alarm
system, the body’s response to
a real or perceived threat. It
is a combination of a stressor
and a stress response
 Stress is the body’s and mind’s
reaction to everyday demands
and threats it is a part of
daily life. It can be useful or
harmful, energizing or
exhausting.
 Stress occurs in response to a “stressor”.
A stressor is any new or potentially
unpleasant situation.
 Stressors can be people, objects, places,
events, or situations that cause you to
react. Life Event on pages 4 & 5.
 Stress can be positive
or negative,
depending on how it’s
perceived, managed,
and put to use.
 Distress, or negative
stress, can result
when there is too
much pressure or
trauma and you are
unable to cope with it
it.
 Eustress, or positive
stress, can help you
achieve your goals.
 Research suggest that
acceptable levels of
stress may even help
you to focus and
concentrate better.
4 Categories of Stressors
1. Environmental stressors –poverty,
pollution, crowding, noise, or natural
disasters.
2. Cognitive or thinking stressors –
how a person perceives a situation.
Test, exams, problems.
3. Personal behavior stressors –
negative reactions in the body and
mind caused by using drugs or not
exercising.
4. Life situations stressors – having a
relative or pet die, parents who
separate or divorce.
 When you perceive a
situation or event to
be a threat, your
body begins a stress
response.
 How your body and
mind react is your
stress response.
The Body’s Stress Response
 The Nervous system and Endocrine system,
are active during the body’s response to
stressors.
 The body’s response is largely involuntary, or
automatic.
 It happens in 3 stages and can occur whether
the stress is physical or emotional, positive,
or negative.
Stage 1 - Alarm
 Alarm: when the body
and mind go on high
alert.
 Increase breathing…
 Heart rate increases.
 The pituitary gland
secretes a hormone
that stimulates the
adrenal glands, which
in turn secrete a
hormone called
adrenaline.
Stage 1 - Alarm
 Adrenaline is the “emergency hormone”.
 “Fight or flight” when we are stressed,
stress hormones surge through our bodies,
sharpening our senses, tensing our muscles,
and preparing us for battle, this is known
as the “Fight or Flight “
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When you lose your temper, the body goes
into fight-or-flight mode, as if there is
danger, a real threat of harm.
Adrenaline levels in the blood shoot up, stress
hormone levels rise, blood pressure spikes,
and the heart shifts from pumping five quarts
of blood a minute to shooting through 20
quarts of blood a minute! (more likely to have
heart disease in the future)
Stage 2 - Resistance
 If the stressor is
prolonged, the stage of
resistance occurs.
 The body tries to repairs
and return to its normal
state.
 People in extremely highstress situations have been
known to accomplish
incredible feats of
strength.
Stage 3 – Fatigue : Fatigue resulting in a tired
feeling that lowers one’s level of activity.
 Physical Fatigue may occur at
the end of a long day or after
exercise.
 Pathological Fatigue is tiredness
brought on by overworking the body’s
defenses in fighting disease. Anemia,
the flu, being overweight, and having
poor nutrition can cause fatigue.
 Psychological Fatigue can result
from constant worry, overwork,
depression, boredom and isolation.
 Complete
page in workbook
Stress Response
Stress and Your Personality Type
 Personality is another factor in
how you handle stress.
 The Type A personality is
described as a competitive,
high achieving personality type
most likely to develop heart
disease or other significant
health problems
 The Type B personality is seen
as a “laid back”, noncompetitive personality type
less likely to suffer from heart
disease.
STRESS RESPONSE
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Complete pp. in workbook
Stress Related Illnesses
Alcohol and drug dependencies
Asthma, allergies and skin diseases
Anxiety
Backaches
Cancer
Depressed immune system/increased
likelihood of colds and infections
Depression and suicide
Headaches (migraines, too)
Heart disease/heart attack
High cholesterol
Sleep disturbances
Stroke
TMJ (temporomandibular) joint
syndrome
Ulcers and digestive disorders
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Stress and High Blood Pressure: Mental
and Emotional stress can cause an increase in
your levels of cholesterol (fatty substance) that
blocks arteries.
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(Go to page 12 in workbook)
What is blood pressure? The measurement of
the force of blood flowing against your artery
walls.
Systolic: top reading – the highest pressure in
the cycle.
Diastolic: bottom reading – the lowest pressure
in the cycle
Inflation System
Pressure gauge
120/ 80
Air Valve
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How many Americans have high blood
pressure?
1 in 3
Factors that determine your blood pressure:
age, race, weight, gender, physical condition.
Normal blood pressure reading for an adult
between ages 18 – 45 is 120/80
List things that can increase your blood
pressure: Anxiety, physical activity, wintertime,
stress, and excitement.
List things that can lower your blood pressure:
Relaxation, therapy, bubble bath, massage,
sleep, summertime.
Name the device used to measure blood
pressure: SPHYGMOMANOMETER AND
STETHOSCOPE
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Your blood is more
likely to clot when you
are under stress which
could lead to a stroke.
Stress hormone levels
spike, damaging cells in
your brain and impairing
your ability to
remember.
Stress Management
 Some people show more
resilience/hardiness, and seem to stay
healthy despite major or even traumatic
stressors.
 Such people share 3 important traits.
 Change. They like and welcome change,
viewing it as an opportunity for growth.
Stress Management
 Commitment. They have a strong sense of
purpose and commitment. To people,
activities, and principles that bring meaning
to their life.
 Control. They recognize that some things
cannot be controlled.
Everyone has their pet peeves. They
are those one or two things that can
put you over the edge and make your
stress and anxiety levels skyrocket.
What are your pet peeves?
Being late? Having to wait in line?
Often you can not control what’s
stressing you out (school work), but
you can control how you are reacting
to that stress.
 Eliminate the stressor or reduce your
exposure.
 Change the way you perceive or react to the
stressor.
 Rethink, or get a new perspective on, a
stressful situation, making it a learning
opportunity instead of a threat!
 Go to page 21 in your workbook.
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Planning – you decide in advance what you
want, what you need, and what is expected
of you so that you can come into situations,
well prepared.
If you are prepared for the unexpected, you
are also better able to deal with changes,
disappointments, or delays, enabling you to
keep your stress to a minimum.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
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Rechanneling Energy means redirecting your
energies.
You can use pent-up energies in useful ways
by turning negative energy into positive
actions and thoughts.
When you feel stressed, why not use the
energy to do something positive.
 If
you are unable to put physical distance
between yourself and a stressful situation,
find ways to take a mental break.
 Let your mind wander for a few minutes,
listen to soothing music, or simply daydream.
 Laughing can instantly
relieve some stress.
 It gets more oxygen
moving through the
blood stream.
 It works the muscles of
the stomach.
 Blood pressure is
lowered. Practice
relaxation techniques
regularly.
 Seeking Support - Talking to an individual you
trust is vital. (Parents, teachers, coaches,
siblings, close friends, clergy, neighbors, or
peer helpers can prove to be helpful choices
when you need support.
 A support group is an informal or formal
gathering of people who meet and share
experiences, feelings, and trust, can also be
helpful.
 Time management
 Priorities are those
goals, tasks, or
activities that you
judge as more
important to do than
others.
 Take control of your
day – set and
prioritize goals. Set
specific goals each
day.
Quiz
1. Define “Stress”
6. List 5 ways to
2. Define “Stressor”
manage stress.
7. What is a support
group?
8. How can stress
effects a person’s
blood pressure?
9. What does “fight or
flight” mean?
3. Define “Stress
Response”
4. List 3 short term
effects stress can
have on the body?
5. List 3 long term
effects stress can
have on the body?
Stress Management
 YouTube - Top 10 Stress Busters