Effects of Stress and How to Manage It

Launch Sports116 ½ W. Lime Ave.Old Town Monrovia

626.303.1999 seminars@launchsports.com

L unch & Learn Seminars 2011

AThursday

January 27th

5:30-6:30pm

No ChargeFood & Drink Provided

What is Stress?

Stress is the physical, behavioral, and psychological response of the body to demands made upon it.

What is a Stressor?

Stressor is a term used for what is actually causing the stress.

A stressor is any condition or event that causes a stress response; it may be physical, social, or psychological

Examples of Stressors

College Work Deadlines Friends/

Relationships

Graduations Holiday’s Birthday’s

Major Classifications of Stressors

L ife s tyle P e rso n a lity E n v iro n m e nt

S tre ssor C la ss if ica tio ns

Lifestyle

Adaptation Overload Frustration Deprivation

Personality

Self-concept Time-urgency Anger and

hostility Need for control Anxiety and

anxious-reactivity

Environment

Biological rhythms

Nutrition Overcrowding Noise Pollution Toxic Wastes Drugs

Different Types of Stress

Eustress Distress Optimal Stress

Eustress

Eustress is positive, action-enhancing stress.

Example: Exercise is a positive stress because we view the stressor (exercise) a benefit to good health and well-being.

Distress

Distress is to denote negative, debilitating, or harmful stress.

Example: Trying to do 10 things a once, while worrying about deadlines, being tired, forgetting to eat, etc.

Optimal Stress

Optimal stress is a point between eustress and distress at which performance should be at its best.

Example: When you are stressed out about deadlines, yet you make time to exercise. (If you balance them you will become more motivated)

General Adaptation Syndrome

(GAS)A Model that helps illustrate the body’s response

to stress

3 Stages

Alarm Stage

Resistance Stage

Exhaustion Stage

Alarm Stage

Become aware of the stressor

The body is modified to defend against the stressor.

Alarm Stage

Example: Diagnosis; Important Game; Unplanned pregnancy; Realized a deadline passed…

Your response might be…Increased heart rate, tense muscles, dry mouth, sweating, stomach may feel “queasy”.

Resistance Stage

Preparation to fight the stressor

Arousal remains high, as the body and mind try to defend against and adapt to the stressor.

Resistance Stage

Example: Realization that you have to fight; play the game; plan B

Your response might be…Heart rate and respiration will stabilize, muscles begin to relax, sweating decreases, immune system continues to ward off illness.

Exhaustion Stage

Negative consequences of stress appear.

Resources to defend against stressors are very limited; ability to resist may collapse.

Exhaustion Stage

When your at the end of completion and you are so tired because of the constant worry. You may experience illness because your body is so wore down.

Your response might be… Symptoms of the alarm stage may reappear, bodily functions weaken, immune system will shut down causing illness, even can death occur.

Alarm Reaction

Stage of Resistance Exhaustion

General Adaptation Syndrome

Do you wonder what will happen to you body after constant wear and tear?

(The Allostatic Load Theory)

Allostatic Load Theory

Researchers have termed the long-term wear and tear of the stress response as Allostatic Load.

An individual’s allostatic load is dependent on many factors including: genetics, life experiences, and emotional and behavioral responses to stressors.

High Allostatic Load

A high allostatic load may be due to frequent stressors, poor adaption to common stressors , an inability to shut down the stress response, and imbalances in the stress response of different body systems.

Allostatic Load

Researchers have linked high allostatic load with heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and reduced brain and immune system functioning.

In other words, when your allostatic load exceeds your ability to cope, you are more likely to get sick.

Systems of the body Affected by Stress

Nervous System Muscular System Gastrointestinal System

Cardiovascular System Skin System Immune System

THE BOTTOM LINE IS LEARN TO CONTROL

YOUR STRESS TO PREVENT ALLOSTATIC

LOAD FROM OCCURING!!!

Your Personality Type has a Huge Impact on How You

Control Stress!

(Type A vs Type B)

Type A Personality

Type A people tend to display excessive amounts of stress and generally do not have a moderate level of patience.

Example: Your boss yelling at you because you did not make a deadline. (boss may be Type A)

Characteristics of Type A’s

Always moving, walking, and eating rapidly.

Feel impatient with the rate at which most events take place.

Strive to think or do two or more things at once.

Cannot cope with leisure time. Are obsessed with numbers.

Type B Personality

Type B people tend to be more relax and laid back, and have a high patience level.

Example: You don’t feel guilty relaxing after work-you don’t involve your work in your home life.

Characteristics of Type B’s

Never do more than one thing at a time.

Feel no need to display or discuss either their achievements or accomplishments unless the situation requires it.

Can relax without guilt. Laid back a calm about things.

Type A vs Type BType A

Makes up about 90% of the population.

Have a higher risk for heart disease.

Display excessive amounts of stress and often times feels threatened by competition.

Type B Only makes up

10% of the population.

Decreased chance of heart disease.

Handles stress well and doesn’t feel threatened.

How Can You Control Stress?

Mental Control

Think and Act Constructively Take Control Problem-solve Modify Expectations Maintain Positivity

Cultivate your Sense of Humor Weed Out Trivia Live in the Present Go with the Flow

Control Your Mind

Sometimes controlling your mind isn’t easy, you have to train yourself to be in control.

In events that you have no control over, it doesn’t do any good to get angry or be impatient. Example: Someone cuts you off in traffic.

REMEMBER, YOU HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN MIND!!!

Training Your Mind to Be Patient Will...

Help you approach “rocky” situations with more control.

Will keep you in a better mood throughout the day.

Will allow you to relax and get more out of life, due to the fact that you are not finding flaws in everyone else.

Exercise IS Important in Controlling Stress!

Four Ways Exercise Controls Stress

1. Exercise can help you feel less anxious

Clinical studies have shown that after exercise there is decreased electrical activity of tensed muscles.

People have been less jittery and hyperactive after an exercise session.

Stress Control and Exercise

2. Exercise can relax you. One exercise session generates 90

to 120 minutes of relaxation response (also called post-exercise euphoria or endorphin response).

Endorphins improve your mood and leave you relaxed.

Stress Control and Exercise

3. Exercise can make you feel better about yourself. Think about those times that you

have been physically active. Haven’t you felt better about yourself?

That feeling of self-worth contributes to stress relief!

Stress Control and Exercise

4. Exercise can make you eat better

People who exercise regularly tend to eat more nutritious food.

Good nutrition helps your body manage stress better.

Controlling Stress Comes Down to Making

Time to Exercise...

So Exercise, Because your worth it!!!