Physical Education Handout PDF

**III. Introduction/Review/Content:** **What is Physical Education?** **3 MAJOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES**: **SPORTS** -- is an institutionalized competitive activity that involves vigorous physical exertion and mental skills by individuals whose participation is motivated by a combination of the intr...

**III. Introduction/Review/Content:** **What is Physical Education?** **3 MAJOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES**: **SPORTS** -- is an institutionalized competitive activity that involves vigorous physical exertion and mental skills by individuals whose participation is motivated by a combination of the intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction or reward earned through participation. **DANCE** -- refers to a rhythmic bodily movement that projects an ordered sequence of moving visual patterns of line, solid, shape, and color. **RECREATION** -- refers to activities that take place during an experience known as leisure.  Everyone wants to be fit and healthy. There are over a hundred researches that show how to achieve fitness and wellness -- the clear solution is to move more and eat well. The solution might be simple but choosing which fitness program to follow or what food to eat is overwhelming. The fitness industry is flooded with various tools and programs that promise to help you to get fit fast with less work. This subject will help you weed out the jungle of choices and provide quick answers to common fitness concerns. **Physical Activity and Exercise** ***Physical Activity*** It involves any bodily movement caused by muscular contractions that result in the expenditure of energy. It is usually classified according to its purpose. Many people believe that one should engage in sports and exercise to be active, which is a misconception. In fact, sports and exercise are just part of the activities that can be classified under recreational physical activities. ***Exercise*** Is a planned program of physical activities usually designed to improve physical fitness with the purpose of increasing physical fitness level. While physical activity is different from exercise, research shows that both physical activity and exercise can improve one's well-being. It should be noted that the protection conferred by being fit is higher than being physically active. ***Physical Fitness*** Is a condition that allows the body to effectively cope with the demands of daily activities and still has the energy to enjoy other activities. It is a broad term and has many components. It is inappropriate to ay that a dancer is more fit than a fighter. In relation to health and wellness, experts have identified several components that an individual should maintain at an adequate level to remain healthy and reduce the risk of premature death, disease, and injury. *What does it mean to be physically \"fit?\"* Physical fitness is defined as \"a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity\" (USDHHS, 1996). In other words, it is more than being able to run a long distance or lift a lot of weight at the gym. Being fit is not defined only by what kind of activity you do, how long you do it, or at what level of intensity. While these are important measures of fitness, they only address single areas. Overall fitness is made up of five main components: **Health-related Physical Fitness** The health-related components of fitness include aerobic capacity, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. These components are important in preventing injuries and noncommunicable diseases. ***Aerobic Capacity/Cardiorespiratory Endurance*** The ability of your heart, blood vessels, lungs, and blood to deliver oxygen and nutrients to all of your body\'s cells while you are being physically active. ***Muscular Strength*** Is the amount of force that a muscle can apply in a given contraction. The key to making your muscles stronger is working them against resistance, whether that be from weights or gravity. If you want to gain muscle strength, try exercises such as lifting weights or resistance exercises. ***Muscular Endurance*** Is the ability of the muscles to keep working (contract) over a period of time. When most people think of muscular endurance, they think of things like running and cycling. The fact is, muscular endurance is important to almost any activity that requires any use of physical strength and is one of the more important aspects of physical fitness and performance. ***Flexibility*** The ability of the joints to move through their full range of motion. ***Body Composition*** Refers to the ratio of lean body tissue (muscle & bone) to body-fat tissue. A person\'s total body weight (what you see on a scale) may not change over time. But the bathroom scale does not assess how much is lean mass (muscle, bone, tendons, and ligaments). Body composition is important to consider for health and managing your weight. To improve your body composition all the health-related components of fitness and good nutrition are critical. Keep in mind that nutrition impacts exercise, and exercise impacts nutritional needs. **Skill-related Physical Fitness** The six skill-related components of fitness contribute to your ability to successfully participate in sports and activities. Those that have a high level of skill-related fitness are more likely to be physically active than those who have a lower level of skill. To improve levels of fitness one must first know their level of fitness, and set goals and work toward improving both their health and skill related fitness components. ***Agility*** Is the ability to change the position of your body and to control the movement of your whole body. Agility is an important quality in many sports, because you must change direction rapidly and always have your body under control. ***Balance*** Is the ability to keep an upright posture while either standing still or moving. Good balance is essential in many activities like skating, surfing, skiing, and gymnastics. ***Power*** Is the ability to perform with strength at a rapid pace. Strength and speed are both involved in power. Football players, swimmers, shot-putters, discus throwers, and high jumpers are examples of athletes who typically have a high degree of power. ***Reaction Time*** Is the amount of time it takes to start a movement once your senses signal the need to move. People with good reaction time can usually start quickly in track and swimming or react quickly in ping pong or karate. ***Coordination*** Is the integration of eye, hand, and foot movements. This component is necessary for success in such sports as baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and basketball. ***Speed*** Is the ability to cover a distance in a short amount of time. Speed is a very important factor in many sports and activities. Short runs are used to evaluate speed. Physical fitness is divided into five health and six skill-related components. Skill- or performance-related fitness involves skills that will enhance one's performance in athletic or sports events. Health-related fitness involves skills that enable one to become and stay physically healthy. In general, these benefits can be acquired by adopting a sound exercise program. A good exercise program will address the weaknesses or the demands in the occupation of an individual. It is important to note that an exercise program of a firefighter for instance, is different from a dancer because of different demands for each fitness component. **III. Introduction/Review/Content:** Exercise is an activity that will stimulate the body to adapt and become stronger. The stimulus has to be appropriate to derive the health benefits. If the stimulus is too light, the body will not adapt, and if it is too hard, it may cause some injuries. **TYPES OF EXERCISE** *Aerobic Exercise --* these are exercises that involve large muscle groups (e.g., thighs) that perform rhythmic and continuous movement for prolonged periods of time in order to improve aerobic capacity. Examples include swimming, biking, running, and dancing. *Resistance Exercise --* these are exercises that require the muscles to contract against an external load (e.g., barbel) in order to improve muscular strength, muscular endurance, and bone strength. Examples include bicep curls, shoulder press, bench press, barbell squat, and bent over row. *Stretching Exercise --* these are exercises that increase the elasticity of muscles and tendons surrounding the joint in order to improve flexibility. Examples include static stretching, ballistic stretching, and dynamic stretching. The exercise program should be designed to fit the current health condition of the individual and it should be interesting. The FITT Principle is a helpful guide in designing a personalized fitness program. **INTENSITIES OF EXERCISE** Light Exercise - The person is able to walk while exercising. Going for a walk is an example of light exercise. Moderate Exercise - The person feels slightly out of breath during the session. Examples could be walking briskly, cycling moderately, or walking up a hill. Vigorous exercise - The person is panting during the activity. S/he feels his/her body is being pushed much nearer its limit compared to the other two (2) intensities. This could include running, cycling fast, and heavy weight training. **FITT PRINCIPLE** The FITT principle is an acronym for FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, TIME, and TYPE. These are the key factors in designing an exercise program that will address the current fitness level, provide means to overload the body, and trigger positive adaptations. *Frequency* This refers to how often you exercise. The point is to meet your goals without overtraining the body. *When it comes to cardio:* As a general rule of thumb, aim for a minimum of three cardio sessions per week. If you're looking to lose weight, you might increase this number to five to six sessions. *When it comes to strength training*: It's recommended to do some sort of strength training three to four times per week. Strength training can involve the use of weights (even bodyweight workouts), resistance, barbells, or machines. *Also includes rest days:* Also account for rest days when putting together your plan. It's important to give your muscles a chance to recover. *Intensity* This refers to how difficult an exercise is. *When it comes to strength training*: If you're new to an exercise program, you don't want to make the plan too challenging. This could lead to injury or burnout. Start at a level that feels comfortable, and then gradually increase the difficulty as your strength and endurance builds. With strength training, there are three primary methods you can use to measure intensity: - amount of weight lifted - number of repetitions completed - number of sets *When it comes to cardio:* To measure how hard you're working during a cardiovascular exercise, you can look at your heart rate, which is measured by beats per minute (bpm). *Time* This refers to the duration of each exercise. Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or at least 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise a week. This can look like 30 minutes of moderate exercise or 15 minutes of intense exercise a day. Of course, you can increase or decrease this duration based on several factors, including current fitness level, age, weight, health, and others. A cardio workout is recommended to last a minimum of 30 minutes. This can be longer, depending on the exercise. A long bike ride, for example, could take up to 2 hours. Resistance workouts usually last between 45 and 60 minutes. Don't add time to your workouts until you're ready to do so. Once your endurance builds, you can gradually increase the time spent exercising. *Type* This refers to what kind of exercise you'll be doing under the umbrella of cardio or strength training. Cardio is any type of exercise that improves your cardiovascular system. This includes: - running - swimming - walking - dancing - aerobics routines - cycling Strength training is any type of exercise that tones and strengthens the muscles. It usually results in muscular hypertrophy. This includes: - the use of weights, like bicep curls and bench presses - bodyweight exercises, such as: - squats - pushups - pullups - sit-ups Fitness standards are higher than standards. People can get fit by becoming more active. However, you need to practice caution because doing MORE is not exactly doing it RIGHT. There are safe and effective principles of exercise training that can help you improve and sustain your improvements while avoiding injuries. The following principles are important in designing an exercise program. **PRINCIPLES OF EXERCISE TRAINING** *Overload* To increase strength and endurance, you need to add new resistance or time/intensity to your efforts. This principle works in concert with progression. To run a 10-kilometer race, athletes need to build up distance over repeated sessions in a reasonable manner in order to improve muscle adaptation as well as improve soft tissue strength/resiliency. Any demanding exercise attempted too soon risks injury. The same principle holds true for strength and power exercises. *Progression* This is all about the need to gradually increase the workload that you put your body through. An example of this is in weight training, you wouldn't stick to the same weight constantly otherwise you won't make any gains, so you would safely increase the weight to gain strength throughout the weeks. It is essential to combine training and rest whilst at the same time increasing the stress that the body is put through. This so-called 'stress' is a combination of the frequency, intensity time and type of the workout: *FREQUENCY:* This is the amount of time you are going to be exercising throughout the week or the number of reps/sets you are going to be doing of a given exercise. *INTENSITY:* How hard you are going to be pushing is going to determine what kind of session you are going to be doing. If it feels like a 7 on the RPE scale if you are training by effort. *TIME:* This is how long you are going to be working out for, this again can relate to how long a certain rep is as well as how long you are going to be exercising for as a whole. *TYPE:* The type of exercise you are going to be doing, dictates what you are going to be training, are you relying on your cardiovascular endurance with a longer run? Or your strength with a weight lifting session? Progression is all about small increments. It is not a case of doing a thirty-minute run one day and a two-hour run a couple of days later. You should only progress gradually, by around 5-10 per cent at a time. *Specify* States that the body will adapt specifically to the workload it experienced. It implies that improvements in fitness level will be limited to the activities that one is performing. The application of this principle is not only on the movement or the activity performed but to the intensity at which it is performed. A person who trains for a marathon should not be expected to be able to lift heavy barbells. The principles highlight the importance of performing a variety of activities to improve overall fitness. *Individuality* This is a crucial principle, the fundamental fact that everyone is different and not all training is going to be suited for everyone! Different people respond to training in a different way. If you are walking or cycling with a friend, and doing exactly the same amount of training, don't be concerned if one of you gets fitter faster than the other -- this is what individualization is all about. The same goes for training with someone who is fitter than you, it may come to a point where you are starting to overtake them instead! Lifestyle can play a big part in this, you are going to feel more rested for exercise and able to recover more if you work from home on a laptop, compared to someone who does a lot of hours and manual labor daily with minimal rest. Some days your training can go really well and the next day, even though it was exactly the same length workout, it can be a nightmare. This is what individualization is all about. *Reversibility* Overtraining is a very common problem and comes about when you don't get enough rest during your training schedule, you overdo it thinking you are making more gains by working out more but this could actually be having an adverse effect. This should not be confused with overload which is the planned exposure to an increased workload and the right amount of rest between each session. Without the correct amount of rest, you will suffer from overtraining. With the correct amount of increased training and the right rest, you get overload which will lead to an increase in performance. You can also be a victim of reversibility when you don't train as often as you are used to, this is why you always hear the term 'consistency is key' floating around. Without consistent training your body will start to lose its fitness gained in those few weeks where you were exercising 3-4 times a week, if you suddenly drop that to once or none a week then your performance and fitness starts to decline. ***Identifying the Body Mass Index (BMI)*** The Body Mass Index (BMI) is the measure of relative weight based on an individual\'s mass and height. It is equivalent to your weight over your height squared. For instance, the height of a person who is 5'3\" and weighs 125 lbs. is calculated as follows: 1. Divide the weight in pounds by 2.2 to determine the weight in kilograms. 2. Multiply the height in inches by 0.025 to determine the height in meters. 56.82/2.480625 = 22.90551776266062 or 22.91 or 23 Therefore, the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a person who is 5'3\" and weighs 125 lbs. is 22.91 or practically, 23. Proposed Classification of Body Mass Index (BMI) Categories of Asia International Obesity Task Force (IOTF).  **III. Introduction/Review/Content:** Noncommunicable diseases (NDCs) account for the most deaths in the Philippines. NDCs can be acquired through heredity and lifestyle. Heredity or genes of high chances of having NCDs are non-modifiable risk factor. Doing away with smoking, poor dietary habits, and sedentary lifestyle reduce danger of developing lifestyle diseases. These are modifiable risk factors and are responsible in developing various diseases. **SMOKING** Almost every organ in the body is damage when a person smokes. It weakens the body and leads to many diseases. Around five million die yearly from tobacco, wherein one individual dies every eight seconds. Each stick of cigarette has more that 4,000 chemicals and consuming it would cut an individual's life for at least five minutes. *What are the kinds of tobacco smoke?* ***Mainstream smoke***, commonly known as "first-hand smoke" is the smoke from cigarette that is both inhaled and exhaled. ***Second-hand smoke*** is a very dangerous smoke when taken in. it is the smoke puffed out by smokers called environmental tobacco or "side-stream" smoke. ***Third-hand smoke*** refers to cigarette offshoots which is attached to the smokers' hair and clothing as well as various surfaces like walls, floors, furniture, chairs, and toys. This will remain in the environment even if smoke is already gone. ***Why do people start smoking?*** a. Parental Role Model e. Weight Control b. Adolescent Experimentation and Rebellion f. Aggressive Marketing c. Depression g. Stress d. Limited Education h. Addiction ***Why do people keep smoking?*** a. Pleasure b. Fear of weight gain c. Nicotine Dependence d. Use of other substances (many smokers also use alcohol and drugs) **POOR DIETARY HABITS** *Dietary habits* are usual choices of food that people make. Diet affects an individual's health condition. For a person to grow and develop, he/she needs a healthy and balanced diet that provides energy for everyday activities. Having a healthy balance diet early reduces the chance of developing diseases like cancer, osteoporosis, and diabetes in the future. ***What is a poor dietary habit?*** *Poor dietary habits* occur when the person does not follow the principles of good nutrition\--adequacy, balance, and variety. Adequacy refers to moderate amounts of nutrients to maintain normal body function. Balance refers to correct combination of nutrients, and variety to consumption of different types of food product. ***What are the usual reasons of developing unhealthy eating?*** a. Learning from parents/guardians without healthy eating habits b. A family not having meals together c. Uniformed about healthy eating d. Busy schedule e. Too much traveling f. Lack of desire to eat healthy g. Poverty h. Extreme emotional conditions Poor dietary habits lead to malnutrition, resulting to stress, tiredness, sleep deprivation, weak brain functions, indigestions, and heart problems. It adds up to the risk of developing diseases and health problems. Starting a healthy eating habit begins with knowing what you eat. Eating should be planned. This includes evaluation of the food intake whether it provides sufficient nutrients or is harmful to your body. Eating only for the reason to be "in" with peers is unhealthy. Eating to overcome the feeling of rejection, depression, or anxiety is unhealthy as well. Eating to cope with feelings may be detrimental and lead to eating disorders. **SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE** Sedentary lifestyle occurs when an individual lacks the recommended level of regular physical activity or if he/she is physically inactive. Physical inactivity is the leading risk factor of death worldwide. According to the WHO, 60-80% of the world's population does not have enough physical activity. In the Philippines, the 7^th^ National Nutrition Survey in 2008 reveals that nine out of ten Filipinos do not exercise regularly. **What does physical inactivity cause you?** a. Increase risk of certain cancers b. Contribute to anxiety and depression c. Risk factor to certain cardiovascular diseases d. Increase risk of having a coronary heart disease and obesity e. Decrease in skeletal muscle mass due to excessive sitting f. High blood pressure and increased cholesterol levels **What are the type of diseases associated with unhealthy lifestyle?** 1. Cardiovascular Disease -- a disease of the heart and blood vessels and is the leading cause of death in the Philippines. 2. Cancer -- a disease where cells divide in an uncontrolled pace. These cells can form a tumor, which can be identified benign or malignant through biopsy procedure. 3. Diabetes or Diabetes Mellitus -- disease resulting from a condition of the body wherein the body is not able to produce or effectively use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas, which regulates the utilization of glucose. 4. Chronic Respiratory Disease -- commonly called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); occurs in the air paths and other parts of the lungs. Symptoms include breathlessness, chronic cough, and excessive mucus production. It can be life threatening and may lead to death if not detected and cured early. **What is a healthy lifestyle?** "Health is wealth". A lifestyle is all about making one's health and well-being a priority. It is a choice made by an individual, a commitment made for his own good and that of his loved ones. -- Pilipinas Go4Health 2013 **What are the ways to prevent lifestyle diseases?** Noncommunicable diseases prevention requires an individual to follow certain guidelines leading to healthy lifestyle. a. Eat healthy food b. Do daily routines of physical activity c. Do not smoke d. Drink moderate amounts of alcohol only e. Manage stress Likewise, changing the way you think helps you become more successful in achieving a healthy body. f. Stop comparing yourself to others g. Awareness of how hungry or full you are h. It's not about the diet; it's more of the routine i. Be determined that you're going to improve your health **Introduction/Review/Content:** **Eating habits** characterize the way an individual consumes food. It relates how, why, what and with Whom an individual eats, as well as the way he/she gains, stores, uses, and discards foods. Eating habits are likewise influenced by culture, religion, economic status, society, and environment. ***Weight control*** is the process of achieving and maintaining the desired weight of an individual. The desired weight, or the best weight, is based on gender, height, and body frame (small, medium, or large). Individuals maintaining their desired weight have greater chances of being healthier than those who are overweight and underweight. ***What are ways to improve eating habits?*** **REFLECT** on all specific eating habits, both bad and good; and, identify common triggers for unhealthy eating. **REPLACE** unhealthy eating habits with healthier ones. **REINFORCE** it with new, healthier eating habits. *What are the factors that can affect weight control?* In general, the complex interaction between internal and external factors is the reason for being obese. These ***internal factors*** are mainly body related like genetics and hormonal secretions. The ***external factors***, However directly influence weight management such as diet, physical activities, and social settings. 1. **Genetic Factors and Hormones.** 2. **Environmental Factors.** 3. **The Concept of Energy Balance.** **FAD DIETS AND SUPPLEMENTS** A diet that promises quick results with little effort easily earns and loses popularity shortly after consumers realize it as just a false advertisement. These kinds of diet are \"fad,\" as they come and go. Any diet claiming instant results without exercise or reduction of calorie intake will not reduce body fat. Here are guidelines for safe and nutritious diet: - Eat food that is low in calories but provides all required essential body nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. - Fat should be less than 30% of total calories with high complex carbohydrates. - Variety of food to suit tastes and avoid hunger between meals - Compatible with lifestyle and readily available. - Diet should be lifelong and sustainable. ***Dietary Supplement*** Dietary supplements are substances that contribute to health maintenance and overall diet. These include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and animal extracts. Dietary supplements come in different forms usually in tablets and capsules ***Benefits of Dietary Supplements*** These supplements complement the dietary intake of essential nutrients and help reduce the risk of diseases. But these are not medicinal drugs intended to \"cure\" particular diseases. *Are there any risks in taking supplements?* Taking supplements has its risks. The active ingredients in supplements have strong biological effects on the body, which might harm or worsen an individual\'s health. Below are examples of improper intake of supplements, which may lead to dangerous or life-threatening consequences: - combination of supplements; - supplements combined with medications; - taking supplements in replacement of prescription medicines; - overdosage of certain supplements like vitamins A, D, and iron; and - certain supplements can be dangerous before, during, and after surgery. Hence, the best option is to avoid taking supplements unless prescribed by a licensed physician. Proper nutrition plays a big role in performing casual to heavy physical activities. Taking in nutrients are necessary before, during, and after such activities. It is also essential in the body\'s recovery, immunity from sickness, and maintenance of proper body weight. Nutrients (both macro and micro) are very important for the body to achieve proper mental and physical performances. Macronutrients like water, protein, carbohydrates, and fats are required by the body in large amounts while micronutrients like vitamins and minerals are only consumed in small amounts. These nutrients are consumed by the body during the performance of day-to-day activities and should be replenished through proper diet and nutrition. It is therefore important for each individual to prepare a daily, weekly, and monthly diet plan that enables the body to meet the required energy for mental and physical activities. The DNG Pyramid and the Pinggang Pinoy designed by the FNRI can serve as guides preparing this plan. **Introduction/Review/Content:** *Stress* is a reaction of the body and mind to unkind or challenging life incidents such as tense feelings, worry, and discomfort. The imbalance between the demand from the environment and the person's ability to cope can trigger feelings of anxiety. Some responses like being irritated, frightened, or anxious can cause headache or stomach ache. The enhancing influence on our productivity and satisfaction is called 'eustress' while the harmful physical consequence of stress is called distress. *Eustress* or positive stress promotes growth and accomplishments and stimulates you to go on. On the other hand, *distress* or the negative stress often causes poor performance. The perception of stress as positive or negative varies from person to person. One event might elicit a positive response to someone while it could be negative to another person. **Causes and Effects of Stress** ***What causes stress?*** A *stresso*r is an event or a situation that causes stressful situations, which are seen as a risk to the well-being of a person. The body responds to stress by secreting hormones that prepare he body to respond to the situation. Stress affects health and can be classified as acute, cumulative, or chronic. ***Acute stress***, the most common form, arises from recent, past, and foreseen difficulties. It occurs briefly and appears in bits of thrill. ***Cumulative stress*** is a series of stress that has built up. Several individuals ignore the signs early and end up accumulating them. ***Chronic stress*** is a form of stress that is recurring. It is a prolonged stress that is dangerous and can lead to severe health problems. There are different sources of stress, which range from life-threatening events to small events like being late to class. Some of these include: 1. *Major Life Changes* - Majority of stressors are key life changers that influence an individual\'s family and social life. These stressful changes threaten one\'s sense of security and self-esteem. Changes due to stressful events in life endanger an individual\'s sense of safety and confidence. Some examples include death of a loved one, losing a job, etc. 2. *Everyday Problems* - The stress or \"hassles\" we encounter everyday or occasional petty incidents are part of this group. Examples of these stressors include dressing concerns, misplacing or losing things, too much things in mind, or physical appearance. These may be insignificant but they accumulate as it happens daily. 3. *Physical Surroundings -* The immediate surroundings affect the level of day-to-day stress (i.e, crowded transportation in going to school or workplace, street walks with foul odors, or unbearable weather conditions). Noise is also one of the overlooked factors causing stress especially if you are residing near airports, train rail tracks, or factories with loud machines. People in depressed, dangerous, or polluted areas also suffer high stress levels as well as those exposed to calamities, tragedies, armed conflicts, and other disasters. 4. *Other Stressors* - Other stressors involving teenagers include worrying about their future, conflicts and disagreements with family members, friends, and other people, among others. Sometimes, teenagers who cannot manage their issues resort to alcohol and prohibited drugs. **Which of these common reactions do you experience during stressful situations?** **Physical Signs** - Muscle tension - Headache - Pounding heart - Shortness of breath - Increased sweating - Dry mouth - Skin rash - Grinding teeth, nail biting **Emotional Signs** - anger, irritability - impatience. - nervousness - forgetfulness - inability to concentrate - negative thinking - excessive worrying - loss of interest - self-criticism - frequent crying **Behavioral Signs** - loss of appetite - Overeating - drug abuse sleep problems - restlessness - hurrying and talking to fast - criticizing others - reckless behavior - fidgeting **Psychological Signs** - constantly irritable with other people - feeling of being a failure - difficulty in making decisions - loss interest in other people - having a hard time to concentrate **The General Adaptation Syndrome** Once a person senses a stressor, his/her body goes through the following stages of General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), a theory developed by Austrian-Canadian Hans Selye. 1. *Alarm stage* is the phase where the brain deciphers the distress and instantly deals with it. This is also known as \"fight or flight. 2. *Resistance stage* is the process where the stress is being resolved after meeting its demands then the body goes back to normal afterward 1. *Exhaustion stage* develops when stress recurs until it becomes chronic and reaches this final stage. Stress level peaks and plateaus then develops health risks that cause high blood pressure, stomach, and heart problems. When the body reacts to a stressor, it has an automatic mechanism that copes with stress for survival. This response is also known as the \"fight or flight. The response initially releases the adrenaline hormone resulting in more body strength. The heart beats fast, blood rush to the brain and muscles, then the breathing gets faster which gives body cells more oxygen. This sudden series of hormonal changes and body responses allow a person to fight threats or go on a flight to safety. The body is in \"attack mode\" throughout the fight or flight response, concentrating on the immediate threat but not always producing appropriate responses. If the stressor continues, the body mobilizes to withstand the stress and return to normal. Severe stressors in the long run diminish the body\'s resources making it to function less than normal **APPROPRIATE STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES** How can stress be managed? 1. ***Manage stressors*.** An important approach to minimize stress is to lessen stressors. Stressors cannot be eliminated but it can be avoided. Being burdened with too much work could be prevented by prioritizing and time management. Refrain from unnecessary matters and focus on the important ones. 2. ***Rest and sleep***. A very helpful way of reducing stress and relieving tension is having a good amount of rest and sleep. Grown-ups normally need seven to nine hours of comfortable sleep every night. It also helps taking a 15-to 30-minute daytime nap. Stress and exhaustion are best countered by a sound and relaxed body. 3. ***Exercise***. Exercising naturally relieves the body from the effects of stress. An aerobic workout stimulates hormones, wears down tight muscles, and gives a nicely tired but stress-free condition. Exercise has also been known to help secrete feel-good hormones called endorphins, which help the body relax. 4. ***Use relaxation methods in coping with stress***. Numerous types of relaxation methods can be done to counter the adverse effects of stress. Some of these are progressive relaxation, deep-breathing, meditation, and creative visualization. a. b. c. d. e. **COUNTERPRODUCTIVE COPING STRATEGIES** Coping is defined as the \"capacity to respond and recover from something stressful\" (WHO 1999). Coping is the conscious response to psychological stress in an attempt to balance mental and conditions. Stressors are commonly labeled as negative incidents in life, like loss of a family member or loved ones, separation, and loss of a job. However, there are also positive life changes like birth, marriage, and finding a new job. Both positive and negative incidents need coping skills that will accommodate these changes in life. These include how to behave, thinking of ideas, and controlling emotions in order to minimize or tolerate stressful events. **Coping Styles** People use various coping styles to counter stress but its effectiveness depends on the situation and the individual. Coping can be adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive coping involves direct confrontation and prevention of stress while maladaptive coping is a counterproductive mechanism that includes the use of alcohol and drugs. **Coping Strategies** 1. Time management requires planning a schedule ahead and sticking with it. This helps in avoiding cramming and things piling up. Success in planning builds self-respect. 2. Sharing and talking about problems with someone-a friend, teacher, or family member- to relieve stress. Other people with \"bird\'s eye-view\" or those who can see problems from a distance usually have clearer answers. 3. Using adrenaline-raised energy for simple tasks like cleaning the house or the car redirects how the body reacts from stress. 4. Being at ease lying or sitting down while emptying the mind with upsetting ideas, listening to gentle music, or imagining being in a quiet place can relieve stress. Having a good laugh with friends or family, watching different movies, or going to funny places after a stressful day. Here are some specific coping strategies that you can adopt: - **Humor**. Look at the funny side of a problem. 'Positive reframing\' is believed to relieve small flops. - **Seek support**. In course of a stressful event, support from family members or friends keeps emotional health balanced - **Problem-solving.** It is a helpful mechanism that aims to pinpoint the source of the problem and determine solutions. This is often helpful in work conditions. - **Relaxation.** Unwinding events or calming skills help manage stress and enhance overall coping. - **Physical recreation**. Regular exercises like yoga, meditation, and muscle relaxation are helpful in handling stress. - **Adjusting expectations**. Accepting different results of situations in life may help in adjusting the stress associated with any given change or outcome. - **Venting**. An expressing-type of coping technique by voicing out strong sentiments with friends or family. Moderate venting can be beneficial but pondering the negative may end up to edgy relations over time. Stress is the reaction to stressors and causes risks to an individual\'s comfort. Eustress is the positive stress which promotes growth, while distress is the common negative stress that causes poor performance. Stressors mostly come from major life changes, physical surroundings, and everyday problems. They also originate from pressures from decisions in life and conflicts with other individuals. Stress can go through different stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Individuals in every stage have different coping capabilities. Stress can be managed through minimizing stressors, relaxing, doing exercise, resting, and having a good sleep. Coping mechanisms or strategies are a great help to counter stress.