LESSON 16: TAKING CHARGE OF ONES HEALTH

Objectives
 Asses own ways of dealing with stress based on ways of coping with stress.
 Formulate own way of coping with stress.
 Evaluate the effectiveness of the ways in dealing with stress which you formulated.

Introduction

“Stress, in addition to being itself, was also the cause of itself, and the result of
itself.” – Hans Selye
𝑄1According to Hans Selye, taking charge of one’s health should be everyone’s prime
responsibility. We’d be a complete mess without our bodies. Yes, we should never feel
embarrassed to ask any health questions because anything that happens to our bodies is
worth knowing about. There’s so much about the human body that we don’t know so it’s
definitely helpful to talk or ask about anything that occurs.

COPING WITH STRESS AT COLLEGE.

College students experience a lot of stress. As parents, some of us are acutely aware of our student’s
stress levels, and to others of us it may be less obvious. Of course, not every student experiences stress,
and some students actually thrive on a certain amount of it; but many college students find that increased
pressure or anxiety are part of the experience of college.
Consider some of the following information gathered about student stress as you think about your own
student’s potential stress levels. Discuss some of these findings with your student to help him realize that
he, and/or his friends, may not be alone if they are experiencing anxiety.
One reason to discuss stress with your student, perhaps before he has an opportunity to experience it, is
to help him learn to be proactive in dealing with it. One problem that many students encounter is that
stress takes them by surprise. There are four steps that can help your student actively deal with her
stress.
 Expect it. Students who are prepared for the possibility that even a wonderful college experience
can be stressful at times will not be shaken when it happens.
 Name it. Student stress may be caused by many things, or by one particular thing. It will help
your student to deal with the problem if he can identify the cause.
 Accept it. A certain amount of stress is inevitable – and possibly a good thing for some students.
It will help if your student sees this stress as part of the college experience. Much like being
caught in a current while swimming, going with the flow may be the best way to tackle the
problem.
 Tackle it. Going with the flow does not mean that your student needs to accept stress as a
continual way of existing. There are specific things that your student can do to lower stress to a
more manageable level.
Strategies to share with your student
Once your student has named his stress and determined to deal with it, here are a few suggestions that
might be helpful. Share some of these with your student so he can think about changes that may be
helpful.
 Identify the cause. See what can be done specifically to deal with the source of the stress.
 Get organized. Make lists. Use a calendar. Tidy up your desk or room or workspace. Don’t try
to carry everything around in your head, put it on paper. A list may seem daunting at first, but
knowing what needs to be tackled may be half of the battle.
 Work on your health. Get exercise. Get more sleep. Make better food choices.
 Get support. Talk to friends, but consider talking to an Academic Advisor or Counselor.
  Use calming techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, visualization or positive
imagery.
 Work on balance. Are you involved in too many activities – or not enough to provide variety?
Are you trying to work too many hours?
 Find some quiet time when you can be alone. Residence halls may be wonderfully social places
to live, but they are often continually active and busy. Whether it is a few moments or a stretch of
time, find some time to be quiet and alone. Go for a walk. Find an out of the way space and just
sit. Take time to center yourself.
 Take an occasional break from routine. Get off campus. Visit home. Visit a friend. Go for a
hike. Go shopping.
 Go to class. Don’t avoid problems. Don’t fall behind – or more behind. Talk to the professor.
Keep up with current work – even if you have to make up back work as well.
 Get involved with other people and activities. Busy, involved, active students may experience
less stress. Talk to your family. Talk to your friends. Ask for help if you need it.
 Count your blessings. Take a few moments to think about all of the things that are going well.
Even when things may seem most difficult, there are probably some things in your life that are
great. Focus on the positive. Make a list.
 Do something for others. Take the focus off of yourself. Help out someone else. Tutor a friend.
 Differentiate between the things you can change and the things that cannot be changed.
Don’t waste time and energy trying to change things that can’t be changed.
 Set some goals or make some resolutions. Be forward thinking and know where you’re
headed.
 Take action. Don’t just hope for something, create an action plan that will get you there. Think of
every small detail that you can tackle that will move you forward. Be in control.

Social and cultural influences stress

Culture and Stress Recently, we have been looking at how factors such as personality and gender can
influence how people are affected by stress. Members of different cultures vary in their stress responses.
The sources of variation include the types of stressor they are exposed to, the way they perceive
stressors, the responses they produce to stressors and the way they attempt to cope with them. These
findings have practical implications in a variety of areas including medicine, psychiatry and social work,
where professional psychologists could benefit from an insight into their clients’ cultures in order to better
help them deal with the stresses that may contribute to their clients’ physical, mental and social
difficulties.

STAYING HEALTHY

Reduce Stress
we can reduce many of these health consequences. Here are 9 simple steps you can do to reduce stress.
9. Listening to music.
Research shows that playing calm and soothing music can not only lower blood pressure, it can also
reduce cortisol, a hormone linked to stress. So, the next time you find yourself being overwhelmed by a
stressful situation, take a break and listen to some relaxing music.
8. Getting social support.
When you feel stress building up, it’s always a good idea to call a friend or loved one and talk about your
problems. A healthy relationship with family and friends is good for everyone, especially during trying
times. Having someone reassure you that everything is going to be okay really helps in putting things in
perspective.
7. Talking yourself through stress.
When calling a friend or a loved is not an option, the next best thing is to talk calmly to yourself. Don’t
worry about looking like a crazy person. Just gently and soothingly tell yourself why you’re feeling
stressed, what needs to be done to accomplish the task at hand, and most important of all, that things are
going to be okay.
6. Having a proper diet.
Eating right and stress levels are interrelated. When we’re stressed out or overwhelmed, we tend to not
only overeat or under eat, we’re also more likely to turn to sugary or fatty foods as our comfort food,
which can have a negative effect on your glucose levels and intensify our stress more. By eating healthy
and nutritious foods, we’re giving our body the fuel it needs to make it through stressful situations.
5. Laughing it off.
Laughter truly is a medicine for the soul. When we laugh, our body releases endorphins, which are our
body’s natural painkillers. It also appears to reduce the amount of stress causing hormones like cortisol
and adrenaline. Finally, laughter boosts the activity of our immune system’s defenses against infection
and other diseases.
4. Drinking tea.
It’s not a good idea to drink coffee when you’re feeling stressed as caffeine causes your blood pressure to
spike temporarily. It also causes your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to go into overdrive which can
be harmful to your body. A nice substitute for coffee is green tea. Having just half the amount of caffeine
compared to coffee, green tea contains beneficial antioxidants and the amino acid theanine, which calms
the body’s nervous system and help alleviate anxiety and stress.
3. Exercising.
We’re not saying you should train for a marathon or take up CrossFit. A short walk around the block or
simply around the office can work wonders in stressful situations. Just like laughing, doing some exercise
makes your body release endorphins which improves mood instantaneously.
2. Sleeping better.
Stress, as we all know, can cause us to lose sleep. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation is a major contributor
to stress. This unhealthy cycle of insomnia throws your mind and body off kilter and should be remedied
by learning how to sleep better and getting more sleep.

HEALTHY THINKING
Aside from healthy eating, it is also very important to think healthily too. Staying positive can prevent
depression and having mood swings. Depression can easily result in suicidal problems which are life-
threatening. To cure depression is also not an easy task. Antidepressant pills have a lot of side effects
that are detrimental to our health too. Some side effects include nausea, dry mouth, sexual dryness and
other sexual problems, headaches and constipation. Mood swings can affect work performance and our
daily interactions with people. Ultimately, our social life may be affected as well.

WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Having a work-life balance is critical too. Leading a stressful lifestyle can be a mental battle and ultimately
lead to health problems in old age. Stress can mess up our hormone levels which can, in turn, result in an
acne breakout. As for females, they might face period irregularity which is unhealthy. Tips on adopting a
work-life balance are to not bring your work home and spend more time with your friends and family. Also,
you can take a walk in the park or the beach for relaxation.

EXERCISING REGULARLY
Exercising regularly is good for the mental and physical. Exercising can reduce stress levels which boost
the mental-self. Furthermore, with lower stress levels, you are more likely to have a better sleep.
Physically wise, exercising can improve personal strength, flexibility, and endurance. Moreover,
exercising regularly can help to bring obesity rates down and aid in weight loss. Exercising can also be a
part of your hobbies and increase interaction time with the people you are exercising with. Sweating from
exercising itself can be a form of achievement and boost happiness levels too.
You see, adopting a healthy lifestyle these days is not just an option, it is a must. With all the pollution,
junk food and sedentary lifestyle, we need to realize the importance of taking care of our own bodies so
we can do more and live the life to the fullest.
https://banish.com/blogs/article/reasons-why-adopting-a-healthy-lifestyle-is-important
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