though you were in danger. This inborn reaction to stress called the “Fight or Flight” response. Blood pressure rises Increased heart rate Faster breathing Muscles get ready for action
(This is the wear and tear on our
bodies.) No, some stress is good. Stress in small amounts helps you work harder and react quickly. It can help you win a race or finish a job on time. Disruptive students Paperwork Multi-tasking Unscheduled events
Brown University found more stress related
illnesses among people whose jobs involve significant responsibility for the well-being of others. Unusual voice volume Nervous tics or habits (e.g., tapping fingers) Vibration feeling (like a motor running) Laryngitis Frequent headaches Returning to old bad habits Numbness in extremities Use of combative gestures (e.g. punching the air) Use of sarcasm Use of exaggeration in speech Hostile language Loss of temper Losing perspective (making a mountain out of a molehill) Unusual amount of blinking or yawning Repeated lateness Repeated forgetfulness Unusual heart feelings (e.g., rapid heart beat) Rigid thinking Sudden weight change Excessive illnesses and/or colds Allergies/rashes Breathing problems (e.g. shortness of breath) Accident prone (dropping or bumping into things) Misperceptions (failing to hear or see accurately) Sudden change in diet (e.g., binging or focusing on one favorite food) Inattentiveness/distractibility High or low irritability (either nothing bothers you or everything bothers you) Find out the cause(s) of your stress Look for ways to reduce the stress Learn healthy ways to relieve stress or reduce it’s harmful effects Manage your time well Eat well Get adequate rest at night Change your thinking patterns Stop worrying Let go of things you can’t change Learn to say “no” Express about your needs and concerns Resolve conflicts with others by talking Keep a journal Ask for help! Keep regular eating habits • Avoid the “eat and run” syndrome • Try to eat at regular meal times Eat foods that increase serotonin levels, lower cortisol levels, and boost the immune system. Visit WebMD for a slideshow on stress-reducing foods Mindful Meditation Deep Breathing Exercises Guided Imagery Progressive Muscle Relaxation Exercise Select a time and place where you will not be interrupted It’s ok if there may be background noises like traffic Start by meditating 10 minutes at a time, once in the morning and once in the evening Remember it’s ok if your mind wanders. Meditation takes practice! Sit or lie down in a comfortable position Close your eyes or look down at the floor Notice how your breathing feels in your lungs and chest. Do not try to change it If your mind wanders, pay attention to the thought then let it go and focus on breathing If you feel certain emotions acknowledge them but don’t get lost in thoughts they trigger Sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax and the brain sends this message to your body. It makes your cardiopulmonary system more efficient thus reducing your heart rate and blood pressure BELLY BREATHING • Sit in a comfortable position • Put one hand on your belly below the ribs and another hand on your chest • Take a deep breath in through your nose and feel your belly extend. Your chest should not move. • Breathe out through pursed lips as if you’re whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in and use it to push the air out. • Do this 3 to 10 times Close your eyes Take a few deep breaths Picture a calm and peaceful setting Add details by thinking about your senses: what do you see, smell, hear, taste, and feel Add a path and feel more relaxed as you follow it deeper into the scene When you are ready to return, count to 3 and open your eyes Take the relaxed, refreshed, and calm feeling with you! Stress causes the muscles of the body to tense, which can lead to muscle knots, tension, headaches, stiff necks, backaches, etc. Progressive muscle relaxation and/ or exercise can help pull your muscles out of this state . Tensing of a muscle group as you breathe in and relaxing the muscle group as you breathe out Work the muscle groups in a certain order CAUTION: Before practicing PMR, consult with your physician if you have a history of serious injuries, muscle spasms, or back problems, because the deliberate muscle tensing of the PMR procedure could exacerbate any of these pre- existing conditions. Lie down and stretch out comfortably Breathe in, tense the first muscle group hard (but not to the point of cramping) & hold it for 4 to 10 seconds Breathe out, suddenly and completely (not gradually) relax the muscle group Relax for 10 to 20 seconds before doing the next muscle group When all groups are done, count backward from 5 to 1 to bring your focus to the present Walk the halls
Doyoga poses and/or stretch just a few
minutes when you’re alone in your classroom
Engage in a regular exercise routine.
(Consult your physician) Do you? • Drink multiple cups of coffee? • Take pills to go to sleep and/or wake up? • Take a drink to relax? • Smoke to soothe nerves or to prevent weight gain? • Rely on mood elevators or depressors? • Use any substance to sustain a mood? Use substances Stressed To ease stress
Substances wear off, but
still facing the stressors and may feel even worse • The United Federation of Teachers. (2010). Managing Stress: A Guide for UFT Members. New York, NY: Author. Retrieved from: http://www.uft.org/files/attachments/uft- managing-stress.pdf
• WebMD Stress Management Health Center.
http://webmd.com Ifyou would like a copy of this presentation please email: • Rachael Donnelly Rachael.donnelly@onslow.k12.nc.us • Jennifer Garcia Jennifer.garcia@onslow.k12.nc.us OR • Carissa Marsh Carissa.marsh@onslow.k12.nc.us