In This Series
What is Our Theme Text?
“Beloved, I pray that you
may prosper in all things
and be in health, just as
your soul prospers.”
3 John 2.

Attention!
The information given in
this series is for health
education only. It is not
designed to be a substitute
for the medical care of
your physician.
Worksheet

Stress Can Kill
You! Six Things
You Can Do.

The CNN World Business
report of February 3, 2005
carried this title “Monday
morning bad for your health.”
It revealed that more people
suffer a heart attack on
Monday than on any other
day of the week!

Why?
▪ The stress of going
back to work!
▪ The stress of Monday
morning traffic!
▪ The stress of facing
that boss – again!

So Beware!
Stress can Kill You!

Stress is the
body’s physical,
mental, and
emotional
response to a
demand which is
called a stressor. What is
Stress?

Who’s the Stressor?
▪ Your boss or colleague?
▪ Your relative or friend?
▪ Your husband or wife?

Here’s How Stress
Works.
For your protection,
the brain is
hardwired with an…

When a
threat is
perceived
a signal
is given.
Alarm
System

And the body releases a burst
of hormones like adrenaline
and cortisol.

So the heart
pounds
faster!
And blood
pressure
rises!

►The muscles tighten!
► Breathing gets
heavier!
► Senses get sharper!
► We are ready for
“fight or flight!”

When the
threat
disappears,
the body
relaxes and
returns to its
original state.

Stress
is
helpful
to cope
with
emer-
gencies.

!
But if the body stays in the
emergency mode for a long
time, stress becomes harmful!

Stress Can Cause
Heart disease, stroke,
diabetes, high
cholesterol, ulcers, high
blood pressure, colitis,
obesity, and even
cancer.

So what can
you do when
someone
stresses you?
Use Six
Strategies!

Use
Whole Body
Therapy
Strategy #

This Means
Employ
techniques that
enable the
whole body to
withstand
stress.
What are
they?

1. Eat a nutritious diet to
provide the body with power
to cope with stress.

2. Get
adequate
sleep to
enable
mind and
body to
handle
stressors.

3. Avoid caffeine. It gives a
temporary “high” then a crash
in energy.

4. Shun
alcohol.
It provides
an escape,
but it
decreases
resistance
to stress.

5. Exercise
Daily.
It diffuses
pent up
feelings and
helps us to
relax.

Whole Body Therapy
“But I discipline my
body and bring it into
subjection.”
1 Corinthians 9:27

Take Charge of
the Areas of Life
You Can Control.
Strategy #

Some areas
of life are
beyond your
control!
So don’t try
to control
them.

Instead,
focus on
the areas
that you
can
control.

Useful Idea!
Write up a To-Do
List at the start of
each week, and at
the start of each
day.

Start Out Early.
Less Haste: Less Stress!
If you have an
appointment

Engage
in Relaxing
Activities
Strategy #

1. When your vacation
is due, take it!
2. While at work,
break your routine
often.

3. Go
Outdoors!
Work in a
garden.

4. Take a
nature
walk.
Stop to
smell the
flowers!

5. Use your imagination to
visualize yourself in a place
of peace – like being at the
beach.

6. Listen to Music
Like King Saul did!
“David would take a harp and
play it with his hand. Then
Saul would become refreshed
and well”

7. Breathe
deeply - from
your
diaphragm.
This increases
oxygen supply
and lowers
stress.

Deep breathing can be
used in many stressful
situations.
We know about “Count
10.” To lower stress,
“Breathe 10!”

Practice
▪ Stand with hands on hips, and
fingers pointing forward.
▪ Inhale slowly to fill the lungs.
You should feel your stomach
rising!
▪ Exhale slowly. You should feel
it deflating.
▪ Keep repeating this process.

Do Positive
Self Talk!
Strategy #

our blood
pressure
will stay
normal, and
our stress
level will be
low.
With Positive
Self Talk,

Positive thinking
affects our health!
“A merry heart does good,
like medicine, but a
broken spirit dries the
bones.” Proverbs
17:22

Communicate
Wisely with
Your Stressor.
Strategy #

To lower
stress, avoid
making “You”
Statements.

Instead of
“You”
statements,
use “I”
statements.

Now Let’s Try It!
Instead of saying,
“You’re making me more
angry every day!”
What can I say?
“I’m feeling more angry
every day!”

What does God say about
wise communication?
“Let your speech always
be with grace, seasoned
with salt, that you may
know how you ought to
answer each one.”
Colossians 4:6

Practice
God-centered
Meditation.
Strategy #

Meditation
trains the
mind to move
from the
stressor to a
power that is
stronger.

Divine
meditation
says that
this power
comes from
God.

We can access God’s Power
through
▪ Prayer
▪ Bible Study
▪ Divine Meditation
At the start of each day.

We connect
with a God
who is bigger
than our
stressor!

Listen to His advice!
“Be still and know
that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10

So what are Six Actions
I can take to Manage Stress?
1. Use Whole Body Therapy.
2. Take Charge of the Areas
of Life that I Can Control.
3. Engage in Relaxing
Activities.

4. Do Positive Self talk.
5. Communicate Wisely
with My Stressor.
6. Practice God-
centered Meditation.