STRESS MANAGMENT

This month’s topic is on stress management. Do you know what stress is doing to your body? Do you know the affect stress has on your health and well-being?

1. Environmental Stressors – these are things in your immediate environment that put stress on your physical body.

a. Air pollution

b. Polluted drinking water

c. Noise pollution

d. Artificial lighting

e. Bad ventilation

f. Allergens of all kinds

2. Physiological Stressors – these are stressors within your own body that cause stress.

a. Hormonal changes

b. Bad health habits such as smoking, drinking too much, junk food, being sedentary

c. Illness

d. Injury

Body/Mind – example: getting caught in heavy traffic may stress your body directly (air pollution) but indirectly you get so worked up and irritated sitting in your car in the middle of a traffic jam that your blood pressure rises, your muscles tense and your heart beats faster. This is a very stressful situation for many people. w that stress can affect your health and well-being?

Let’s interpret this in a different way: make this an opportunity to relax and listen to your favorite CD before getting to work… your body might not experience any stress at all. Remember, attitude plays a major role in controlling your stress level.