What Is Stress Stress is the bodys automatic response to any physical or mental demand placed on it. Adrenaline is a chemical naturally produced in our body as a response to stress . Fight or Flight response is illicited. It was first described by Walter Bradford Cannon. The fight or flight response refers to a specific biochemical reaction that both humans and animals experience during intense stress or fear. The sympathetic nervous system releases hormones that cause changes to occur throughout the body. Stress Researchers define stress as a physical, mental, or emotional response to events that causes bodily or mental tension. Simply put, stress is any outside force or event that has an effect on our body or mind. Is All Stress Bad? Moderate levels of stress may actually improve performance and efficiency Too little stress may result in boredom Too much stress may cause an unproductive anxiety level Identifying Stressors Situations, activities and relationships that cause trauma to ones physical, emotional, or psychological self Stressors School Work Family Relationships Legal Finances Health/illness Environment Living Situation Signs of Stress Physical Headache Back Pain Fatigue Aches and Pains Mental Difficulty Concentrating Increased Errors Poor Decision Making Negative Effects of Stress 1. Physical - Weight gain/loss - Unexpected hair loss - Heart palpitations - High blood pressure 2. Emotional - Mood swings - Anxiety - Can lead to depression Can also lead to unhealthy coping strategies (i.e. alcohol, drugs, etc) Managing Stress What is your favorite stress reliever? How Can We Manage Stress? Live with an Attitude of Gratitude Be Grateful for what you have. Time Management Get organized Get structured Set short term goals Set long term goals Use a planner: daily schedule and To Do list Relaxation Breathing: practice deep breathing Progressive muscle relaxation Guided Imagery Meditation Tapes, CDs etc.: Either something structured (commercial) or soothing music Choose and schedule it in Managing Stress Stress Relief Strategies 1. Body relaxation excercises - breathing techniques - guided imagery 2. Physical exercise -yoga -work out routine 3. Meditation 4. Counseling -talk therapy -life coaching Other Helpful tips Changing perceptions and expectations Break jobs/tasks into manageable parts Set reasonable/realistic goals Avoid procrastination/postponing Set boundaries Dont compromise your values/beliefs Schedule me time Benefits of Stress Management Physical health gets better -more energy and stamina Emotions stabilized -positive attitude -hopeful/happier Ability to focus improved -able to learn and achieve How many hats do you wear? Personal Work Related Relax Our brain fires electrical waves at 14 or more cycles a second. These are beta waves and are great for getting tasks done, but not for learning new things. Taking a few minutes to relax deeply slows your brain waves down. These slower waves are alpha waves. They occur at between 7 and 14 cycles a second Studies show alpha waves improve learning. ----OnCourse by Skip Downing Cognitive (Thoughts) Pay attention to what you say to yourself Identify negative thinking and irrational beliefs Negative thinking leads to stress and anxiety Teach thought-stopping techniques Teach affirmations One negative thought leads to another.. then another.. then another .. Pretty soon you have ruined your entire life Spirituality Church, etc Help others Spend quiet time every day Be thankful Think positively Put your faith to work! "I am at peace in the midst of chaos or madness. No person, place or thing has the power to upset me.". Eating Cut down on sugar, caffeine, processed foods Eat nutritiously: all food groups, especially fresh fruits and veggies Eat a little every couple of hours or so Eat slowly More Ideas Laugh Often Try a New Thing Cry Get Enough Sleep Exercise & Fresh Air Build a Support System Friends, Family and Co-Workers SAY NO OCCASSIONALY Even More Ideas Let go of perfectionism Learn to be flexible Relax your standards Focus less on pleasing others and more on pleasing yourself Stay away from negative people Surround yourself with upbeat, flexible and fun people. Personal Stress First Aid Kit What would you put in yours? I have in mine Name Your Stressor Person Place Thing Combination Ann Landers said People take advantage of you only with your permission Q& A Poonam Menaria Career Counsellor & Psychotherapist... Poonam Menaria Career Counsellor &Psychotherapist... Dr. Sanjay Marwah orthopaedic surgeon Dhanshree Patrikar, who is preparing for her civil services... Marwah said that while we have aped the undesirable eating.. Your Time .... SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" DAD: "Yeah sure, what is it?
SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?
SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" DAD: "If you must know, I make $100 an hour.
SON: "Oh! (With his head down).
SON: "Daddy, may I please borrow $50?
The father was furious.
DAD: "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I work hard everyday for such this childish behavior." The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $ 50 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. DAD: "Are you asleep, son?" SON: "No daddy, I'm awake". DAD: "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier. It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $50 you asked for." The little boy sat straight up, smiling. SON: "Oh, thank you daddy!" Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father. DAD: "Why do you want more money if you already have some?" SON: "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do. "Daddy, I have $100 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness. It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $100 worth of your time with someone you love? If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family and friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family. Some things are more important. Exercise taught in class were from.... Yogiraj Shri Vethathiri Maharishi (19112006) was a spiritual leader and founder-trustee of the World Community Service Center in 1958 in Chennai. He founded over 300 yoga centres around the world and wrote about 80 books, many of which became academic textbooks. He was declared the 19th Siddha by the Dravidian University Shri Vethathiri Maharishi wrote over 2000 poems on philosophical subjects. In the Indian philosophical tradition, his philosophy corresponds to pure advaita; it may be called pantheistic monism. His language and attitudes are contemporary, non-sectarian and non-dogmatic. He authored about 75 books in Tamil and English, and continued to write until his death. For further details visit... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vethathiri_Maharishi