Stress
You are being chased by a bear! This is another name for the "stress response".
Hint: Two words together that start with an "F".
The "Fight or Flight" Response.
Fun Fact: Some research suggests that humans can also experience a "freeze" response as part of this mechanism, essentially "playing dead" to avoid danger, making it more of a "fight, flight, or freeze" response.
Caffeine
Caffeine increases stress by acting as a central nervous system stimulant that triggers the "fight-or-flight" response, raising heart rate, blood pressure, and activating the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.
The more you sleep, the more active your stress response is. True or False?
False!
Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on mood. Getting a healthy balance of sleep (7 to 9 hours) reduces your stress response.
This physical activity helps in reducing stress by releasing endorphins.
Exercise
Exercises such as walking, stretching, yoga, cycling, and swimming all help in reducing stress hormones.
Name some hobbies or activities that can assist with reducing stress.
Trick question! Most, if not all hobbies, can reduce stress if done in moderation and within positive environments.
Some examples include: Dancing, singing, drawing, painting, colouring, playing sports, going on walks, etc.
Reducing your time doing this online activity can help to reduce your overall stress levels.
Social media.
Fun Fact: Reducing time on social media can decrease stress because it minimizes the constant comparison to others, which often leads to feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. It also gives space to focus on yourself and your well-being.
Lack of this nightly activity can increase stress.
Sleep
Without adequate sleep, the brain's amygdala (fear center) becomes overactive while the prefrontal cortex (rational center) under-functions, leading to heightened irritability, anxiety, and reduced ability to handle daily pressures.
Being deficient (low) in this particular vitamin can lead to lower mental health levels.
Hint: You get this vitamin from the sun!
Vitamin D
Fun Fact: Most Canadians (36%) are Vitamin D deficient due to our long winters. You can buy tasteless drops of Vitamin D in the pharmacy section of stores to strengthen your mental health!
These are items you could have in your room to encourage a calming environment.
This tool involves prioritize tasks, break large projects into smaller steps, and learning to say "no" to excessive demands. Hint: Two words, “T ___ M____”
Time Management
Time management reduces stress by creating clarity, control, and focus, focusing on prioritization, breaking down tasks, and scheduling breaks. It shifts you from reactive chaos to proactive planning, ensuring important things get done without last-minute panic.
Chronic Stress over an extended period of time can lead to this diagnosis.
Hint: Prolonged feelings of sadness.
(Clinical) Depression.
Fun Fact: Utilizing stress management techniques can assist in decreasing stress, and can assist with lessening symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Eating these kinds of foods can cause an increase in stress.
Unhealthy foods (high fat, sugars, salts, etc.)
A poor diet increases stress by causing blood sugar instability, systemic inflammation, and gut microbiome imbalances, which in turn heighten anxiety. Nutritional deficiencies from a bad diet impair the body's ability to regulate stress hormones like cortisol, leading to higher, more prolonged stress responses.
What are two effects/symptoms associated with acute stress?
Hint: How stress affects the body.
Dizziness, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, foggy thinking, irritability, etc.
Name at least two independent activities that provide calm and relaxation.
This kind of thought process focus on positive aspects of life, practicing gratitude, and shifting your mindset away from negative thinking.
Positive Thinking
Positive thinking decreases the production of cortisol (the stress hormone), lowers blood pressure, and boosts neurotransmitters like serotonin, promoting calm and resilience. It allows individuals to view challenges as temporary and manageable, rather than insurmountable, which helps to mitigate anxiety and improve physical health.
Name two different kinds of pressures that can happen in a school/work setting that may cause stress
Name at least two environmental factors that can cause and/or increase stress
What are two signs/symptoms of someone with high amount of stress (i.e Chronic stress)?
Hint: What can happen if your body is under stress for long periods of time?
This reaction to funny or humorous things can assist in reducing stress.
Laughter
A good, hearty laugh decreases stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline), relaxes muscles, improves circulation, and releases endorphins, which act as natural pain relievers and mood boosters.
The activity of reaching out to friends, family, or support groups to share feelings and reduce feelings of isolation.
Being Social/Socialization
Being social reduces stress by triggering the release of calming hormones like oxytocin and endorphins, which counteract the "fight or flight" response. Positive social interaction lowers cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, providing a "social buffering" effect that increases resilience against, and helps manage, daily challenges.
Stress that happens suddenly, is surprising, and is short-term is called...
Hint: Starts with an "A"
Acute Stress
Unlike chronic stress, acute stress can be positive (e.g., the thrill of a roller coaster) or negative (e.g., a car accident).
This personality trait is defined by a compulsive, rigid striving for flawlessness, excessively high standards, and harsh self-criticism.
Perfectionism
It is rooted in a fear of failure, shame, or judgment, and is distinct from healthy striving for excellence. This mindset often leads to chronic stress, anxiety, burnout, and procrastination.
These are the hormones that are triggered in the stress response
Hint: One starts with the letter "A", another starts with the letter "C"
Adrenaline and Cortisol, which are known to lead to long-term effects such as weight gain, heart disease, stroke, and other health complications.
This is a technique that originated from the army, where you are do progressive clenching of your muscles, then relaxing them, to help you destress and sleep.
Hint: All the words for the answer are in the question.
Progressive muscle relaxation
There is a "4 A's of Stress Management" Model, including the words "Avoid, Alter, Adapt, and Accept". Explain two of these techniques based on what you know about stress management.
Avoid: Manage your environment by saying "no" to unnecessary tasks, avoiding stressful people, and controlling your surroundings (e.g., taking a quieter route).
Alter: Change the situation by communicating your needs clearly, managing your time, and asking others to change their behavior.
Adapt: Change your standards and expectations by reframing problems, looking at the big picture, and adopting a more positive attitude.
Accept: Accept the things you cannot change, practice forgiveness, and share your feelings with a trusted friend or therapist.