WHAT IS STRESS
TYPES OF STRESS
THE CAUSES OF STRESS
CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS
WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS
INTRODUCTION
Body’s reaction to changes /demands in internal.or external environment.
These demands are called stressors.
Stressors include major life events, such as death of a loved one , Job lost or even getting a flat tire in heavy traffic.
Stress is notis not in our environment…
…it isit is what we perceive in our mind and body.
DISTRESS / EUSTRESS
These terms were used by Selye.
Distress – Insecure - Helpless- Too much pressure/ tension.
As a negative influence, it can result in
Feelings of distrust,
Rejection,
Anger, and Depression,
In turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke or even death.
Eustress – Positive stress – accompanies achievement and exhilaration.
Opportunity when it offers potential gain , e.g. : Athlete or a Stage performer.
Stress is not necessarily bad in itself.
Selye’s Stress and job performance model applies to this conception.
Optimum stress (Eustress) may be achieved at work when jobs provide adequate challenges.
But not too little or too much pressure as shown below.
Low STRESS High
Low
High
Optimum Stress
Eustress
Optimum stress level is different for different individuals.
JOB PERFORMANCE
STRESS CAN ALSO BE CLASSIFIED AS
Time Stress – Like employees are loaded with Office Jobs with strict time schedules, School children with Home work for every day .
Instantaneous Stress
Situational Stress - We all are being subjected to Situational stress each day and each moment.
Task Demands
Physical demands
Role Demands
Organizational Stressors
Interpersonal Demands
Life Stressors
Life Changes
LIFE CHANGE
Research shows that even minor or trivial occurrences in life create stress.
SITUATION WEIGHTAGE
Death of spouse 100
Loss in business 96
Jail Term 63
Major personal injury 53
Marriage 50
Retirement 45
Change in responsibilities at work 29
Trouble with boss 23
(Source: Book written by Anant R. Sapre )
CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS
Stress and Weight Gain: How Stress Can Affect Your Weight
The fight or flight response is triggered in our bodies
Release of various hormones
Shift in metabolism and blood flow
Dangerous to our health
PROCESS
STRESS AND WEIGHT GAIN ARE ALSO CONNECTED IN OTHER WAYS
1. Emotional Eating: Excess nervous energy often causes people to eat more than they normally would.
2. Fast Food : People are too stressed and busy to make healthy dinners at home.
3. Too Busy to Exercise : Is exercise one of the last things on your to do list.
Relationship between tobacco smoking and stress has long been an area for controversy.
Clinical evidence reaffirms that smoking is associated with heightened stress.
The repeated occurrence of stressed moods between chain smoking means that smokers tend to experience a distinctly above-average levels of daily stress.
DOES SMOKING INDUCE STRESS ?
CAFFEINE, STRESS AND YOUR HEALTH
Is Caffeine Your Friend or Your Foe?
High levels of caffeine will cause you to lose sleep, suffer health consequences and, of course, feel more stress.
Here’s what you should remember about caffeine:
• Don’t Take Too Much
• Enjoy Caffeine With Physical Activity
• No Caffeine After 2pm
STRESS AND SLEEP
Stressed and busy people tend to get less sleep than they need.
Common factors that contribute to lack of sleep are:
1. Over thinking
2. Over scheduling
3. Caffeine
GENDER RESPONSE TO STRESS
Men react to stress with a fight or fight response.
Women are more likely to manage their stress with a "tend-and-befriend" response .
Men are more vulnerable to the adverse health effects of stress.
STRESS SYMPTOMSSTRESS SYMPTOMS
Have a hard time making decisionsHave a hard time making decisionsHave trouble meeting important deadlinesHave trouble meeting important deadlinesExperience feelings of fatigue or sleepiness Experience feelings of fatigue or sleepiness
even with enough sleepeven with enough sleepHave low self-esteemHave low self-esteemFeel that there just aren’t enough hours in Feel that there just aren’t enough hours in
the day to get the job donethe day to get the job doneTend to criticize and be argumentativeTend to criticize and be argumentativeExperience moodiness or depressionExperience moodiness or depressionAre forgetful Are forgetful
You may be stressed out if you…You may be stressed out if you…
STRESS SYMPTOMS IISTRESS SYMPTOMS II
Get the constant feeling that something is Get the constant feeling that something is wrong or missingwrong or missing
Have a change in appetite so that you eat Have a change in appetite so that you eat more or less than usualmore or less than usual
Find yourself smoking, drinking, or using Find yourself smoking, drinking, or using drugs to cope with your jobdrugs to cope with your job
Experience rapid, irregular heartbeats or Experience rapid, irregular heartbeats or heart poundingheart pounding
Do not have cooperation with your peers.Do not have cooperation with your peers.
Short Term Physical Symptoms :•Dry Mouth •Cold hands and feet •Increased sweating •Rapid Breathing •Faster heart beat •Feelings of Nausea, or 'Butterflies in stomach' Etc.
Long Term Physical Symptoms :
• Insomnia • Change in appetite• Illnesses such as:
1. asthma 2. back pain 3. digestive problems 4. headaches
• Feelings of intense and long-term tiredness. Etc.
BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS OF LONG TERM STRESS
Talking too fast or too loud Nail biting, grinding teeth, drumming fingers, etc. Bad moods:
DefensivenessBeing critical Aggression Being more forgetful Being unreasonably negative Making less realistic judgmentsMaking more mistakes Being more accident prone Neglect of personal appearance
Changing work habits Increased Absenteeism
MIND MIND OVEROVERMANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT
• Our goal is not to eliminate stress but Our goal is not to eliminate stress but to learn how to manage it.to learn how to manage it.
• Begin with educating yourself.Begin with educating yourself.
• RRemember:emember:
“ “ Knowledge is power!”Knowledge is power!”
Let the stress reduction begin !
METHODS TO REDUCE STRESS
1. ACCUPRESSURE
2. ACCUPUNCTURE
3. MEDITATION
1. MEDICINES AND DRUGS
Various medications like :
Allopathic
Ayurveda
Homeopathy
Herbal
2. EXERCISE
Exercise provides a distraction from stressful situations, as well as serve as an outlet for frustrations.
3. MUSIC THERAPY
Music Therapy has shown numerous health benefits for people with conditions ranging from mild (like stress) to severe (like cancer).
When dealing with stress, the right music can actually lower blood pressure, and calm your mind.
People are generally attracted to the types of music appealing to their inherent body vibration.
Some people may love to listen to the high and racy vibrations of jazz, but to some other it's the slow and lilting sound of flute that appeals most.
The sound of music, when coordinated well with one's inner vibration, untangles the knotted and stressed out nerves, smoothens the mind-body, and promotes well-being in human.
Modern therapeutic science says that music has a massaging effect on our brain.
4. VISUALISATIONS
Developed by Charles Simonton
Helped individuals with cancer and other tumors to contribute to their own healing.
System constitutes visualizing a relaxing imageries such as beautiful and peaceful places—a beach, a placid lake, a garden full of blossoms or chirping birds in boughs.
E.g. - The Rainbow Visualization is designed to build a child's self-esteem and self-confidence in many different areas.
5. YOGA
Yoga, an ancient Hindu mind-body practice, can reduce stress and help you become calm and centered.
It also builds strength and flexibility.
The purpose of asana is to create a free flow of life energy in and out of the body in order to perfect its functioning.
Mudras help to reduce physical stress and energize the whole body.
How natural respiration not only increases longevity , self development but also helps in medical conditions.
Works to unblock tensions and calm and strengthen nerves.
YOGIC BREATHING TECHNIQUES
PRANAYAMA
YOGASANAS & MUDRAS
APAN VAYU MUDRA (Also known as Mritsanjeevini Mudra)
Fold the forefinger down and touch the mound of the thumb. The little finger should be held erect.
It regulates complications of the heart. In a severe heart attack, if administered as a first aid measure within the first two seconds, it provides instant relief.
LINGA MUDRA Join both the palms and lock the facing fingers together, keeping one thumb upright. The upright thumb must be encircled by the other thumb and the index finger. Makes the body resistant to colds, coughs
and chest infections by generating heat in the body, and destroying accumulated phlegm in the chest.
It helps in weight reduction too, but has to be practiced with restraint.
6. TAI CHI
This Chinese exercise simultaneously heals the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual body.
OTHER TECHNIQUES
1. TALK TO YOURSELF
As you slowly breathe in, say to yourself, "I am." As you breathe out, say slowly to yourself "calm." Repeat this until your mind is calm and you can focus on your breathing.
2. WRITE IT OUT Writing can be good therapy.
Take a pencil and paper and spend 20 minutes writing down your concerns and possible solutions to the problems.
3. TAKE A BREAK Get a change. A walk outdoors can give you a new outlook on a situation
4. WEAR COMFORTABLE AND LOOSE CLOTHING when possible.
Take off your shoes when you can.
5. GET BACK TO NATURENature can be a great stress-reducer.
Stroll through a flower garden or nature trail. Listen to a tape of ocean sounds or birds. Relax for 15 minutes or more a day.
6. HAVE PROPER NUTRITION AND EATING HABITS
Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods.
Don't forget to eat breakfast.
7. HAVE A CLEAN AND HYGENIC ENVOIRNMENT
Clean a little bit every day, and you just may have the magic formula for a cleaner, stress-free living environment.
8. BE GENEROUS
Give a compliment to a deserving person in a day.
It will not cost anything , but means everything to others.
9. DO FAVOURS
Do somebody a favor each day
Like : offering a seat on a bus
11. AVOID DRUGS/ ALCOHOL
Avoid using drugs to lower your stress, since they can lead to other problems and limit your opportunity to grow and learn new skills. Don’t touch tobacco !
Otherwise result
12. HUMOR AS A COST-EFFECTIVE MEANS OF STRESS MANAGEMENT
Humor is that which lends itself to laughing, smiling, or amusement.
Humor acts as a major healthy coping mechanism, relieving anxiety and tension.
Here's some ideas that will put humor to work for you!
1. Make a list of things that are fun for you and do one item daily.
a. Going out with your loved ones ;
b. ………
c. …….
2. See a movie of your choice (via theater or video )
3. Read something for enjoyment
4. Leave a humorous message on your own answering machine .
5. Lighten up your work environment (cartoons/props/photos/toys/etc.)
6. Start your day with 20 seconds of laughter
13. Let it Go
14. Play
15. Call your Mom !
HOW OWNING A DOG OR CAT CAN REDUCE STRESS
Research shows that pets can provide excellent social support, stress relief and other health benefits—perhaps more than people!
A recent study found that men with AIDS were less likely to suffer from depression if they owned a pet.
Pets Control Blood Pressure Better Than Drugs-Yes, it’s true.
Pets Encourage You To Get Out and exercise.
Pets Can Reduce Stress.
16.
17. AQUARIUM AND STRESS
Gazing at aquarium fish reduces stress and subsequently lowers blood pressure.
Fish Make a Difference
Watching fish has been shown to calm children who suffer from hyperactivity disorder
18. SMILE
Smiling not only makes us look good but it can also have a huge effect on our mood.
It is the confident sales person who makes the sales. It is the confident student that gets the good grades. It is the confident single that gets the dates. Confidence is a large part of success and smiling is a way of showing your confidence to others without saying a word.
Stress is created by what we think rather than by what has actually happened..
Failure in adopting a realistic attitude to events creates symptoms of depression and aggravates stress situations.
Life is 10 per cent what happens to us and 90 per cent how we react to it
ALWAYS BE POSITVE
BE HAPPY AND MAKE OTHERS HAPPY, IT DOESN’T COST ANYTHING.
19. WATCH YOUR ATTITUDE
Negative Attitudes Positive Attitudes
1 My stress reactions are caused by external events and other people.
1
My stress reactions are usually my own creation.
2 My stress reactions are outside my control.
2 I can learn to manage my stress reactions.
3. If I don't feel under stress or pressure, I won't achieve as much.
3. If my energy can be freed from stress, it will be available for other things I want to do.
20. TIME MANAGEMENT
Many people find themselves too busy these days, and this busy-ness causes stress.
Tips to help you improve your time management skills both at work and at home :
1. Keep Prioritized "to do" Lists
2. Schedule Breaks
3. Learn to Delegate
4. Map it out.
Never take important decisions while under stress.
Be part of interactive groups/communities helps in weaning away an individual from stress and its effects.
Don't take criticism personally. When someone criticizes you or is angry with you, try to focus on what you did or didn't do and ignore any generalizations or personality attacks that also come along.
SOME DOS AND DONT’S
REMEMBER
One who ‘Dares’ stress conquers it :
D- Diet
A- Activity
R –Relaxation
E- Empathy
S- Spirituality
THANK YOU !