AHW Weeks 5 and 6 Lesson Positive Self Talk, Stress, and Sleep

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1 AHW Weeks 5 and 6 Lesson Positive Self Talk, Stress, and Sleep You ve made it to week 5. You re almost half way through the challenge! I hope you are thinking I keep making small changes and I WILL reach my goals! I am working hard at choosing healthy and nutritious foods my body deserves! When I am done exercising, I feel reenergized and in control! Positive thinking often starts with self talk. These thoughts can be positive or negative. The statements above are examples of positive self talk. They relate to how you want to think, feel, and behave throughout the day. Positive thinking does not mean you keep your head in the sand and ignore life s less pleasant situations. It just means you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You choose to focus your thinking in a positive realm. Research has shown positive thinking and self-talk may provide health benefits that include: Increased life span Better physiological and physical well Lower rates of depression being Lower levels of distress Reduced risk of death from Greater resistance to the common cardiovascular disease cold Better coping skills during hardships and stress If you tend to have a negative outlook, don t expect to become an optimist overnight. With practice, your self-talk will contain less self criticism and more self acceptance. Here are some ways to think and behave in a more positive way: Identify areas to change identify the areas in your life you think negatively about. Check yourself - throughout the day, stop and evaluate what you re thinking. Be open to humor give yourself permission to smile and laugh, especially in difficult times. Follow a healthy lifestyle eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, and manage stress. Surround yourself with positive people. Practice positive self talk don t say anything to yourself you wouldn t say to someone else. When your state of mind is generally positive, you re better able to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. Managing stress impacts our overall health mentally and physically. Stress is a basic part of life. Some stress in our lives is protective and adaptive. Our responses to stress help our minds and bodies prepare for difficult challenges and react in times of crisis. A certain amount of stress is necessary to help us perform at our best. Stress adds flavor, challenge and opportunity to life. Colorado State University Extension, Copyright January 2015 Colorado State University, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Logan County, Morgan County, and Golden Plains Area cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.

2 However, too much continued stress can seriously affect our health. It can interfere with normal daily activities, diminish self esteem, impair relationships, and decrease work and effectiveness. Stress can lead to self doubt, feeling burned out, or becoming clinically anxious or depressed. Can you think of specific events, people or situations that seem to make you feel stressed? It s as if these things automatically cause us to feel stressed out. In reality, it s how we perceive the event and the meaning we give to it that leads us to feel stress or not. Stress begins with our own perceptions of things! Again, the key is choosing how we respond to stress in our lives. Sometimes the only thing we can control in the situation is how we respond. Symptoms of stress can affect us physically, behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively. Learn to recognize your symptoms of stress and take action. Some possible reactions to stress are: Physical Symptoms: -Headaches -Indigestion - Stomach aches -Sweating -Muscle tension -Racing heart -Shallow breathing -Diarrhea -Dizziness Emotional Symptoms: -Nervousness, anxiety -Crying easily -Anger -Feeling burned out - Unhappiness, depression -Irritable -Feeling powerless or helpless Behavioral Symptoms: -Smoking -Overuse of alcohol -Bossiness -Eating too little or too much - Short tempered - Nail biting -Sleeping too much or too little Cognitive Symptoms: -Difficulty concentrating -Forgetfulness -Inability to make decisions -Constant worry -Loss of humor -Being self critical or pessimistic Once we realize these symptoms, we can work on reducing our stress. Some suggestions are: 1. Find a support system Find someone to talk to about your feelings and experiences. Sometimes we just need to vent or get something off our chest. 2. Change your attitude POSITIVE SELF-TALK! 3. Be realistic Set practical goals and develop realistic expectations for yourself and others. 4. Get organized and take charge Plan your time, prioritize, and make a schedule. 5. Take care of yourself Eat properly, exercise, and sleep. 6. Take breaks and time for yourself Rejuvenation and relaxation is just as important as good nutrition and exercising. Take short breaks during your busy day. Go for a 5 minute walk. Close your eyes. 7. Exercise exercising can relieve symptoms of depression and stress. 8. Learn to say no. It s okay to decline a request or favor. Saying no does not mean you are bad, self-centered or uncaring. Poorly done tasks can lead to added stress. 9. Laugh, use humor do something fun and enjoyable that makes you smile. 10. Learn to relax Relaxation techniques need to be developed so you can use them effectively during times of stress.

3 Chronic stress can lead to burnout, anger, depression and medical problems. Our bodies need to be allowed to deeply relax and experience a decrease in heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and oxygen consumption. Sleep gives our bodies the opportunity to accomplish all of these things. An adequate amount of sleep for adults is an average of 7-9 hours per night; and adequate sleep has been linked to the following positive impacts: 1. Learning and memory sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory. 2. Metabolism and weight Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies store carbohydrates and altering hormones that affect our appetite. Do you ever crave junk food when you are tired? 3. Safety not enough sleep contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep and can cause mistakes such as falls, traffic accidents or medical errors. 4. Mood sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate and moodiness. 5. Cardiovascular health - Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, irregular heartbeat, and increased stress hormone levels. 6. Disease sleep deprivation has been shown to alter immune function. Keep working hard on making wise food choices and exercising! Think about how you can improve your positive outlook, engage in some positive self talk, take action to reduce stress, and get some sleep. Try it out. It works! To learn more: Make Progress Every Day, examples of positive self talk CSU Health Network, Sleep CSU Health Network, Stress

4 Recipes for Stress Relief * These recipes are not for eating * Simple Scented Bath Salt Recipe Ingredients: Directions: 16 oz Epsom salt or any natural bath salt drops of oil such as lavender or eucalyptus In a mixing bowl, add drops of the essential oil to the bath salt and mix well. Store in a glass jar. Add 1/3 to ½ cup of the scented salts to your bath. Relax. *Don t have any oils? Try a little vanilla, almond, or orange extract from your cupboard. * Milk and Cookies Bath Ingredients: Directions: 1 Cup Cornstarch 2 cups powdered milk ½ cup old fashioned oatmeal 1 teaspoon cinnamon Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor until it is a fine powder. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons to your bath. Foods for Stress Relief: 1. Avocado and Banana they are loaded with potassium, a vital mineral for keeping blood pressure low. 2. Swiss Chard and other leafy vegetables are high in magnesium that helps balance the body s stress hormone cortisol. 3. Salmon, sardines and tuna are rich in Omega-3 fats that help keep you calm, cool and collected. 4. Whole-grain snack high fiber carbohydrates offer an energy boost and trigger the brain to release a feel-good chemical called serotonin. 5. Carrots, celery and other crunchy, fresh veggies offer satisfying crispness without many calories. 6. Milk or yogurt dairy s B vitamins, protein, vitamin D, and calcium help relieve tense muscles and promote sleep that is more restful. 7. Nuts almonds, pistachios and walnuts can boost your immune system with vitamins and zinc.

5 AHW Weeks 5 and 6 Activities Positive Self Talk, Stress, and Sleep 2015 Weeks 5 and 6 Putting it into Action To complete the action portion of lesson, complete one or more of these activities by the end of week #6 (2/21/15) to demonstrate your understanding of this lesson. Report your steps each week and the results of your application activity in the even-numbered weeks to your local county Extension office. 1. Practice positive self talk this week. Think about your goals. Write a daily positive selftalk sentence for 1 or more of your goals. Your goals can be for any area of your life such as health, fitness, work, or family. Example: I am doing well at watching my portions. I will not overeat when we go out tonight. This will be easy. 2. Copy and paste: then click Stress Sources. Complete the stress assessment. Based on your answers, identify areas where you feel stressed. Think about the actions you will take to reduce stress. Write a sentence or paragraph indicating you have identified some areas of stress in your life and how you are going to work on reducing that stress. You do not have to include specifics in the statement you submit. However, have something specific in mind when you are thinking about it. For example, I have some areas of stress in my family life. I will get organized to reduce that stress. 3. Go to: Click on assessments, then assess your sleep to take the self assessment. Take the assessment. Write a sentence or 2 about your sleep habits. What actions can you take to improve your sleep? If you already sleep well, what can you do to make sure it stays that way?