STRESS MANAGEMENT

WHAT IS STRESS?

COMPLEX INTERACTIONENVIRONMENTAL DEMAND

COPING ABILITY

STRESS – THE MODERN DAY PLAGUE

EUSTRESS VS DISTRESS

EUSTRESS – POSITIVE EXHILARATING, CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES OF SUCCESS

FOLLOWED BY HIGHER EXPECTATIONS

DISTRESS – DISAPPOINTMENT, FAILURE, THREAT, EMBARRASEMENT AND OTHER

NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES

GOOD STRESS VS BAD STRESS

• OPTIMAL STRESS AND PERFORMANCE

X-AXIS : PRFORMANCE

Y AXIS: STRESS

STRESSORS

• EMOTIONAL STRESS• ILLNESS• ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS• PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS – PUBERTY,

PRE-MENSTRUAL, POST-DELIVERY, MENOPAUSE

HOW DO I KNOW I AM STRESSED?

• EMOTIONAL REACTIONS• BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES• COGNITIVE PROCESSES• PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

PHYSICAL DISORDERS AGGRAVATED BY STRESS

• HYPERTENSION• CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS• MIGRAINE & TENSION HEADACHES• ARTHRITIS• RESPIRATORY DISEASES• ULCERS• COLITIS

EMOTIONAL DISORDERS

• ANXIETY• PANIC ATTACK• DEPRESSION• ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS

BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS

• CONDUCT DISORDERS• EATING DISORDERS• ALCOHOLISM• HYPRCHONDRICISM

TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE STRESS

PICK-ME-UPS

• SUGAR AND SWEETS• CAFFEINE-COFFEE, CHOCOLATES, SODAS, TEA• ALCOHOL• TOBACCO, COCAINE, HEROIN AND OTHER DRUGS• SHOPPING & GAMBLING SPREES“WRONG WAY TO HANDLE STRESS!!!”It is riding a “Wild roller coaster” – sometimesfeeling well, mostly feeling ill, never achievingBalance.

HOW TO DEAL WITH OVERSTRESS

• MAKE YOUR LIFE REGULAR…AS “CLOCK WORK” – SYNCHRONIZA YOUR BODY CLOCK TO YOUR SCHEDULE. Avoid shift duties. If shifts “must”, try at least three weeks in each shift.

• Give yourself a break today

• Lighten up your load of social engagements

• Do not be a “workaholic”

STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

• RELAXATION EXCERCISES• DISTRACTION• COGNITIVE REFRAMING• PROBLEM SOLVING• ALTERNATE METHODS

NEED FOR RELAXATION

• STRESS CAUSES RELEASE OF HORMONES – “FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT RESPONSE”

• BIOLOGICAL RESPONSE – SHIFTING OF BLOOD FLOW FROM LIMBS TO ORGANS

• CAUSE MUSCLE TENSION• INCREASES BLOOD PRSSURE• LEADS TO IRREGULAR BREATHING PATTERN

PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION (PMR)

• RELIEVES MUSCLE TENSION• LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE• REGULATES BREATHING• SERVES AS A DISTRACTION• LONG TERM BENEFITS

CLINICAL EVIDENCE – PMR

• RELAXATION USING PMR HAS REDUCED THE INCIDENCE LEVEL AND SEVERITY OF ANXIETY INDUCED BY PHYICAL AS WELL AS MENTAL STRESS.

• A COMBINATION OF PMR AND MEDICAL TREATMENT IS RECOMMENDED BY MOST EXPERTS

DEEP BREATHING EXERCISES

• SIT COMFORTABLY IN YOUR CHAIR• CLOSE YOUR EYES• KEEP YOUR ARMS BY THE SIDE OF YOUR BODY• REMOVE ALL DISTRACTIONS FROM YOUR MIND • FOCUS ON INSTRUCTIONS• KEEP YOUR MIND FREE OF ANY THOUGHTS• YOU WILL SLOWLY FEEL RELAXED AND CALM• REST YOUR RIGHT HAND ON YOUR STOMACH• TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN AND FEEL YOUR STOMACH RISE• NOW BREATH OUT AND FEEL YOUR STOMACH GO DOWN• REPEAT THIS EXERCISE TO A COUNT OF FIVE (IN AND OUT)• NOW SLOWLY OPEN YOUR EYES AND FEEL RELAXED & ALERT

SIMPLE DISTRACTION

• THIS HELPS TAKE THE FOCUS AWAY FROM THE STRESSOR

• INCREASES THE POSSIBILITY OF EXPERIENCING POSITIVE EMOTION

• ENGAGING IN A PLEASURE ACTIVITY – WATCHING TELEVISION, READING, GARDENING, ARTS, CRAFTS, MUSIC, DANCE ETC.

• CREATING A CHANGE IN THE ENVIRONMENT CAUSING STRESS

• TAKING TIME OUT

COGNITIVE REFRAMING

• THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND ACTION CYCLE

• NEGATIVE THOUGHTS LEAD TO INCREASED STRESS

• REFRAME THE THOUGHTS TO REDUCE STRESS

• POSITIVE SELF – TALK- “I’LL BE ALL RIGHT / RELAX, KEEP YOURSELF CALM / I DON’T HAVE TO OVERACT / I’VE GROWN FROM PAST CHALLENGES BEFORE.

PROBLEM SOLVING – FIVE EASY STEPS

• IDENTIFY THE STRESSOR• BRAINSTORM ABOUT POSSIBLE

SOLUTIONS• DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF

EACH SOLUTION• CHOOSE THE MOST VIABLE SOLUTION• ENSURE A BACK-UP PLAN

ALTERNATIVE METHODS

• YOGA• MEDITATION• REIKI

POTENTIL BENEFITS SUPPLE BODY, IMPROVED CO-ORDINATION, IMPROVED IMMUNITY,

DELAYED AGING, TRANQUILITY AND INNER AWARENESS.

GUIDELINES FOR YOGA (cont.)

• ALWAYS BEGIN AND END YOGA WITH PRAYER/MEDITATION

• EARLY MORNING AND EARLY EVENING ARE THE BEST TIMINGS

• ATLEAST FOUR HOURS GAP BETWEEN A HEAVY MEAL AND YOGA

• AVOID VIOLENT, JERKY MOVEMENTS WHILE DOING ASANAS

• AVOID ASANAS ON DAYS OF ILLNESS OTHER THAN DOING SHAVASANA.

MEDITATION

• ANCIENT ART• CONSCIOUS RELAXATION• TECHNIQUE – SIT IN A COMFORTABLE

POSITION, CLOSE YOUR EYES, RELAX YOUR MUSCLES, BREATHE THROUGH THE NOSE AND CONCENTRATE ON BREATHING OUT SAY “OM” SILENTLY, FOR 10 – 20 MINUTES A DAY, BUT NOT WITHIN 2 HOURS OF MEALS.

CLINICAL EVIDENCE

• MEDITATION IMPROVES BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL

• REDUCES PAIN – BACKACHE, MIGRAINE AND TENSION HEADACHES.

EXERCISE – MEDITATION

• OUTLET ANGER AND HOSTILITY• MOVING MEDITATION (E.G;JOGGING, CYCLING)• CONTROL OF WEIGHT, REDUCED IMPACT OF

DISEASES LIKE DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, ASTHMA, OSTEOPOROSIS

• DECREASED BOREDOM, IMPROVED SLEEP AND DIET.

• OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL SUPPORT

• LET STRESS MANAGEMENT BE A PART OF YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE.

THANK YOU !!!