7th Grade Chapter 5 Lesson 3 - Stress Management PDF

What is Stress? MAIN IDEA​ ​Both positive and negative events can cause stress. Chandra is feeling nervous. In just a few minutes, she has to make a presentation for her history class that will count as a major part of her grade. Her heart is pounding, her palms are sweating, and her stomach feels...

What is Stress? MAIN IDEA​ ​Both positive and negative events can cause stress. Chandra is feeling nervous. In just a few minutes, she has to make a presentation for her history class that will count as a major part of her grade. Her heart is pounding, her palms are sweating, and her stomach feels like it’s tied up in knots. These symptoms are all normal responses to stress​. Stress is a normal part of life, and it isn’t always bad. Many events that can cause stress are also rewarding. You may feel tense while watching a close football game, but that tension is part of the fun. A little bit of positive stress can motivate you to do your best. However, when you face too much negative stress or distress, it can cause health problems. You might feel tense or irritable, have headaches, or have trouble sleeping. Causes ​of​ Stress Many different events can be sources of stress in your life. Anything that causes stress is a stressor. Some stressors are just everyday problems, like an argument with a friend. Others are serious threats, like having an earthquake strike your town. Sometimes, even positive events can be stressful. Moving to a new house or adding a new member to your family is a happy event, but it can still cause stress. Also, different people react to stressors in different ways. One person, for example, might find driving in traffic very stressful, while another might find it enjoyable. The table in the Lesson Resources panel shows some common sources of stress for teens. Reading Check Explain​ How can stress be positive? How Your Body Responds to Stress MAIN IDEA​ ​Long-term stress can damage your physical, mental/emotional, and social health. Suppose that you are riding your bike down the road. Suddenly, a car pulls out right in front of you. As you squeeze the brake, you feel your heart speed up and your stomach clench. What you are experiencing is the fight-or-flight response​.​ When you encounter a stressor, your brain signals your body to begin producing adrenaline​.​ The release of adrenaline triggers a process that affects nearly every part of your body. The diagram in the lesson resources panel shows how stress affects your body. How Stress Affects Your Health The fight-or-flight response is useful because it helps you respond to threats. However, in some cases, you feel stress even when there is nothing to “fight or flee.” In other cases, the stress continues for so long that your body can’t handle it. When your stress levels are high, all three sides of your health triangle can suffer. Physical effects​ of stress can include headaches, back pain, fatigue, and upset stomach. Stress can also cause sleep problems. Over time, it can lead to problems like weight gain, high blood pressure, or heart disease. It can also reduce the body’s ability to fight off infection. Mental and emotional effects​ include feelings of anxiety, anger, or sadness. Stress can affect your mind as well, making you forgetful and unable to focus. As a result, your schoolwork might suffer. You may also feel “burned out” and lose interest in activities you enjoy. Social effects​ of stress are related to the mental and emotional effects. Because stress can make you irritable with others, your anger may burst out in harmful ways, leading to conflicts in your relationships. In  some cases, high levels of stress can lead people to withdraw from friends and family members. This cuts them off from the very people who might be able to help them deal with their stress. READING CHECK Identify​ Give an example of how stress can affect your social health. Managing Stress MAIN IDEA​ ​You can manage your stress level partly by avoiding stressors and partly by finding ways to cope with stressors you cannot avoid. In some cases, you can take steps to avoid stress. For example, you can learn to recognize and stay away from stressful situations. However, it isn’t possible to remove all sources of stress from your life. When you can’t escape from stress, you can learn to manage your response to it. Strategies ​for​ Reducing Stress In order to reduce stress in your life, it helps to know what is causing it. Once you know situations are most likely to be stressful for you, you can sometimes find ways to avoid them. For example, if riding on a crowded bus makes you feel tense, you could try walking instead. Another important strategy for reducing stress is time management​.​ If you’re like many teens, you may have trouble finding enough time for everything you need to do. Planning ahead can help. If you set aside regular blocks of time for schoolwork and chores, you won’t have to rush to get them done at the last minute. Making a day planner—a detailed list of your daily activities—can help you stay organized. Of course, no matter how carefully you plan your time, there’s a limit to how many activities you can cram into your day. Trying to play a sport, act in the school play, and sing in a choir all at once is a recipe for too much stress and too little sleep. That’s why you need to learn to set priorities. Decide which activities are the most important to you, and then give yourself the time to focus on them. Learn to say no when you are asked to take on more than you can handle. Reading Check Identify​ Give three strategies for reducing stress. Strategies ​for​ Coping with Stress Good health habits can help you deal with the stressors you can’t avoid. When you eat healthy meals and snacks and get enough sleep, you have the energy to deal with your problems. It may also help to try some specific stress-relieving strategies, such as: Relaxation.​ Taking deep breaths is one good way to help yourself relax. Doing stretches or taking a hot shower can help loosen the tension in your muscles. You can also relax by just doing something you enjoy, such as reading a book or listening to music. Physical activity.​ Stress can make you feel all wound up. Physical activity can be a good way to use up that extra energy. Being physically active releases chemicals in your body that help you feel happy and calm. You can try lifting weights, playing sports, or just going for a walk. Talking it out.​ Talking about your feelings, or writing about them in a journal, can help get them off your chest. It may also help you think of new ways to deal with your problems. Keeping a positive outlook.​ A good laugh can be the best medicine. Laughing out loud relieves tension and leaves you feeling more relaxed. Even if you cannot see any humor in your situation, you can still try to think positively. For example, if you have a tough test coming up, you can tell yourself, “I know this subject, and I know I’ll do well.” READING CHECK Explain​ How can budgeting your time help you manage stress?