Managing Stress

Chapter 8Lesson 2

Mr. Martin

You’ll Learn To

• Identify personal causes of stress.• Demonstrate refusal strategies for avoiding

some stressful situations.• Develop strategies for managing stress.• Examine how healthful behaviors help reduce

stress.

Vocabulary

• Stress Management Skills• Relaxation Response

Identifying Personal Causes of Stress

• Life events – Illness, divorce, disease• Physical stressors – lack of rest, poor diet,

physical injury, lack of exercise• Daily hassles – Time pressures, too many

responsibilities, deadlines, conflicts with others.

Stress Management Skills

• Stress management skills are skills that help an individual handle stress in a healthful, effective way.

Avoiding Stress with Refusal Skills

• You may be able to avoid certain stressful situations by just walking away.

• Say no at appropriate time when you see the possibility of stress, conflict or threat.

• Can you give me some examples of situations that may cause you stress?

Ways to Manage Stress

• Plan ahead• Get adequate sleep• Get regular physical activity• Eat nutritious foods– Eat regular meals– Limit comfort foods– Limit caffeine

• Avoid tobacco, alcohol, and other DRUGSPhysical Activity Releases Stress

How to Manage Stress

Stress Management Techniques

• Stress Management Skills are skills that help people handle stress healthful and effective ways.– Successful techniques for managing stress:• Redirect your energy (Do something)• Relax and laugh. Laughing lowers blood pressure and

makes you feel better. • Keep a positive outlook. The way you think often

determines how you feel.• Seek support from others.

Relaxation Response

• The relaxation response is a state of calm that can be reached if one or more relaxation techniques are practiced regularly.

Relax Techniques

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation• Visualization• Autogenic relaxation

Benefits of Relaxation Techniques

• Practicing relaxation techniques can improve how you physically respond to stress by:– Slowing your heart rate – Lowering blood pressure – Slowing your breathing rate – Reducing the need for oxygen – Increasing blood flow to major muscles – Reducing muscle tension

Relaxation Technique

Simple Relaxation Technique

• Deep Breathing – Breath in for 5 seconds and then exhale for 5 seconds. Do this several times.

Relax