Using Mindfulness to deal with stress. Being aware of one's breath can help feeling grounded and give relief with anxiety

1. DEALING WITH STRESS
THROUGH MINDFULNESS
STRESS REDUCTION
BEING VS DOING

2. WHAT IS STRESS
• WHAT IS STRESS?
• STRESS CAN BE DEFINED AS THE BRAINS RESPONSE TO ANY DEMAND.
• MANY THINGS TRIGGER THIS RESPONSE INCLUDING CHANGE.
CHANGE CAN BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE AS WELL AS REAL OR PERCEIVED.
• THEY MAY BE RECURRING SHORT TERM OR LONG TERM LIKE COMMUTING TO
SCHOOL EVERY DAY OR TRAVELING FOR A YEARLY VACATION.
• SOME CHANGES CAN BE MILD OR HARMLESS WINNING A RACE OR SCARY MOVIE
• SOME CHANGES ARE MAJOR SUCH AS A TRAUMATIC EVENT, LIKE WAR OR
WITNESSING VIOLENCE.

3. STRESS WARNING SIGNS
• When the body is perceives danger it releases chemicals and hormones that set the body up for fight or
flight response. Our sympathetic and parasympathetic systems take over, the body perceives danger through
signaling from the brain then we experience our hearts racing, glucose goes to the muscles so we may feel
tense and get the signal to flee, the brain uses more oxygen all aimed for survival. When the threat has
passed our body knows how to regulate itself and come back to homeostasis. Balance. This may be ok when
we had lions tigers and bears chasing us but not now. Continued release of cortisol in our systems from the
stress response can affect our overall health.
•

4. PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS
Physical symptoms
Tight neck and shoulders
Back pain
Sleep difficulties
Tiredness or fatigue
Racing heartbeat or palpitations
Shakiness or tremors
Sweating
Ringing in ears
Dizziness or fainting
Choking sensation
Difficulty swallowing
Stomachache
Indigestion
Diarrhea or constipation
Frequent, urgent need to urinate
Loss of interest in sex
Restlessness

5. BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS
Behavioral symptoms
Grinding of teeth
Inability to complete tasks
Overly critical attitude
Bossiness
Fidgeting
Overuse of alcohol
Emotional eating or
overeating
Fist clenching
Changes in the amount of
alcohol or food you consume
Taking up smoking or
smoking more than usual
Increased desire to be with
or withdraw from others
Rumination (frequent talking
or brooding about stressful
situations)

6. DOING VS BEING
HUMAN DOING HUMAN BEING

7. FEELING STRESSED? A FEW QUICK BODY CHECKS
CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION:
• ARE YOU BREATHING SHALLOWLY? PUT ONE HAND ON YOUR CHEST AND THE OTHER
ON YOUR BELLY. WHEN YOU BREATHE IN AND OUT, PAY ATTENTION TO WHICH
HAND IS MOVING. CALMING BREATHS DRAW AIR DEEP INTO YOUR LUNGS, SO THAT
YOUR CHEST AND BELLY EXPAND; SHALLOW, TENSE BREATHS INVOLVE ONLY YOUR
CHEST.
• ARE YOUR NECK AND SHOULDERS TENSE? TAKE A DEEP BREATH. AS YOU BREATHE
OUT, SLOWLY ROLL YOUR SHOULDERS UP TOWARD YOUR EARS, BACK, AND DOWN,
RELAXING THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ARE YOUR SHOULDERS LOWER THAN THEY
WERE A MOMENT AGO?
• ARE YOU CLENCHING YOUR JAW OR YOUR FISTS? TAKE A DEEP BREATH, THEN RELAX
YOUR JAW UNTIL YOUR LIPS ARE SLIGHTLY PARTED. TAKE ANOTHER DEEP BREATH
AND RELAX YOUR HANDS SO THAT YOUR FINGERS ARE LOOSELY PARTED.