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Notes

29

STRESS AND YOUR HEALTH

You have to catch your train at 8.00 a.m., but your auto is in a traffic jam. You just
have 20 minutes to travel 5 kms. Your heart beats fast, you are sweating and
grinding your teeth, looking frequently at your watch, scolding people, unable to
think clearly.

This type of situation is a stressful situation when a pressure is built upon you to
reach your destination. The moment you reach the station, board the train and
take your seat, you tend to take a long sigh “ah” and then you feel a sort of relief.
This relief makes you realize the tension you were in. This kind of tension is often
the cause of stress. These days the life has become fast and the pressures are so
many that we are in a stressful situation in some or the other way. Also, we are not
able to manage our stresses effectively. So one should know what are the sources
of stress and how to deal with them. In this lesson, we shall study about the
concept of stress, its sources, and reactions to it.

OBJECTIVES
After studying this lesson, you will be able to:
• explain what is stress;
• list various types of reactions to stress;
• identify and name various sources of stress; and
• explain the effect of stress on health.

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29.1 CONCEPT OF STRESS

Stress means pressure and an uneasy experience. The causes of stress may be
self, other individuals around you and your environment. Let us study how stress is
Notes caused.

Stresses caused by self: Suppose you have not studied till the last date of your
examination, and suddenly you try to study every thing on the previous day of your
exam. You are not able to learn and also you are not confident whether you have
covered each topic or not. The tension mounts. What is this situation? You have
put yourself in stress.

Stress need not necessarily always be negative. For instance if you are not anxious
before any test or examination you will not prepare for it seriously and your
performance may not be good. A little bit of stress helps us by motivating to
perform well. Thus stress has both positive and negative dimensions. The positive
aspect of stress is termed as “eustress” meaning stress producing positive results.
The negative dimension is called “distress”.

Stresseses caused by environment: Suppose your crop is ripe and ready for
harvest, suddenly continuous rain makes you helpless and worried. Your stress is
due to nature or environment. The pollution of air and water or crowding is also an
example of environmental stress.

Stresses caused by other persons: In every way you are due for promotion,
but the management of your organization fails to promote you. Here your stress is
due to others.

As discussed before, stress need not necessarily always be considered negative.

The positive aspect of stress which is termed as “eustress” produces positive
results. Badminton players practice for hours together before a match. Practice is
stressful but it produces good results. The famous scientist who invented bulb,
Thomas Alva Edison, failed more than 1000 times, finally he succeeded. He was
experiencing eustress.

The negative dimension of stress or distress often causes unpleasantness and leads
to poor performance. Radha is a bright girl, who always used to get good marks.
Her marks came down drastically due to her father who comes home drunk and
beats her mother. She is worried, tense and cannot concentrate on her studies
which resulted in getting low marks in the examination. Radha is the victim of
distress.

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INTEXT QUESTIONS 29.1

Give short answers to the following:
Notes
1. What is stress?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. Name different types of stress.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

29.2 REACTIONS TO STRESS

Shyam, a young unemployed person, is lonely at home most of the time. He
often dreams about good things in life and wants to achieve them. But till
now he is not able to get a good job. Previously, he had worked in a small
company, but left it as there were problems with his boss. Shyam feels
depressed, unworthy and irritable most of the time. To overcome loneliness
and depression, he has taken to drinking habits.

Sita is a good student. She wants to excel in the class. Her parents and teachers
expect a lot from her. Due to high fever which she caught during the weekend
holiday, she is not able to complete the given assignment on time. As the last
date is fast approaching, Sita feels guilty, anxious and is not able to
concentrate on the assignment.
In both of the above examples, changes (physical and mental) can be seen which
are caused by stress. The reactions to stress can be classified into the following
categories: physiological, affective, cognitive and behavioural. Let us know more
about these reactions.
(i) Physiological Reactions: These reactions refer to the physical functions of
the human body which get affected under stress and do not work in their
normal routine. The reactions which commonly occur in an individual in relation
to stress are:
(a) rapid pounding of heart and pulse,

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(b) muscles becoming tense,

(c) dryness of the throat or mouth,
(d) feeling sick in the stomach, (colloquially it is referred to as “butterflies
Notes in the stomach”), and
(e) trembling etc.
Generally, it is the vulnerable and weak bodily system that gets affected by
stress first. The resulting symptoms are therefore called psychosomatic
reactions. For instance, if the respiratory system is weak, stress affects it and
that may lead to asthma. Similarly, if the digestive system is vulnerable, it
becomes the target for the attack of stress. It usually results in ulcer. Thus,
almost all the systems can very well reflect the impact of stress by coming out
with various symptoms like blood pressure, wheezing, stomach ache,
headache, pain of the joints, stuttering etc.
(ii) Affective Reactions: These reactions are emotional responses. People
suffering from stress get affected quickly and manifest symptoms of anxiety,
depression, anger, irritability and having poor control over the emotions.
(iii) Cognitive Reactions : This category of reactions to stress includes the
following:
(a) poor concentration,
(b) inability to learn any thing new with same speed and efficiency,
(c) forgetting,
(d) inability to take proper decision that too in time,
(e) confusion,
(f) gate crashing of ideas, and
(g) negative or unhealthy thoughts
The physiological, affective, and cognitive reactions are covert in nature. In
other words, they take place within the individual but the behavioural reactions
are overt which means that they take place outwardly. They include behaviours
like:
(a) crying,
(b) talking incoherently,
(c) irrelevant speech,
(d) hitting, and
(e) bashing or banging etc.

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DIVERSE REACTION TO STRESS

Physiological Reactions Affective Reactions

Rapid heart beat and pulse Anxiety Notes
Muscles becoming tense Depression
Dryness of the throat or mouth Anger
Trembling, Nausea etc. Frustration, hopelesness
and irritability

Cognitive Reactions Behavioural Reactions

Poor concentration Crying
Inability to learn anything new Talking incoherently
Forgetting Irrelevant speech
Unable to take proper decision Hitting
Confusion Over eating
Negative thought Substance abuse

Stressors
Peter is waiting in a room full of fresh graduates to be interviewed for a job
in a well reputed company. His academic performance is not outstanding but
he hopes to get the job through luck and by his personality. He feels that his
parents and his sister must be expecting him to get this high-prestige, high-
paying position. He is very nervous. His mouth is dry, his stomach feels tight,
his heart is pounding and perspiration has begun to sock through his new
suit.
Stressors are events and situations (such as bus rides or interviews) to which
people must react. Let us see some of the common stressors that people experience.
These stressors are perceived as mild and motivating for some and moderately or
severely stressful for others. They affect well being of people. The common stressors
include the following:

1. Boredom, loneliness
2. Frustration
3. Conflicts

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4. Pressures to meet dead lines

5. Competition
6. Increased responsibility
Notes
7. Exertion due to travel or any physical/mental work

8. Divorce, separation and death of loved ones

9. Trouble in interpersonal relations such as parents, in-laws, friends, boss,

servants etc.

10. Loss of one’s self-prestige, image or status

11. Losses in one’s profession or studies or business etc.

12. Retirement

13. Lack of freedom and privacy

14. Sexual difficulties and guilt feelings

15. Changes in the financial status

16. Change of residence
17. Payment of loans

Stress reactions are the physical, psychological and behavioural responses (such
as nausea, nervousness and fatigue) which people display in the face of stressors.

Mediating factors such as the circumstances in which stressors take place and
each person’s characteristics, makes people more or less sensitive to stressors.

Every one of us experiences stress in some or the other way at home or at work
place. But stress tolerance varies across individuals. We can always reduce the
stress. Stress can act as a promoter of self-understanding. We don’t actually know
what we can do, unless we have to do it. For example, each time we clear a
subject in exam, we gain self-confidence that we can also pass through this kind of
situation. Sometimes experience of disappointments and failures become blessings
in disguise because we realise that we were pursuing the wrong goals or the task
came to us so suddenly that we were not ready for it.

With too little stress, we become lazy and with too much stress, we become tense
and prone to illness. We should know how to manage and handle stress in some
manner so that we can make most out of the situation.

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Try it Yourself

(A) Think about and write down the frequently experienced stressors in your life
and indicate what type of stress reactions do you show/display?
Stressors Reactions Notes

_____________________ ___________________
_____________________ ___________________
_____________________ ___________________
_____________________ ___________________
(B) Do it yourself :
Given below are some items from the revised version of the daily hassles
(troubles) and uplifts (pleasures) scale. The respondent is asked to give ratings
(on 0-4) of the degree to which each item was a trouble or an uplift that day.
Ratings over several days or weeks can give a picture of your stressors and
pleasures and may allow for a better understanding of the role of daily hassles.
How much was this How much was this
item a trouble for item pleasure for
you today? you today?
01234 Your child (ren) 01234
01234 Time with family 01234
01234 Fellow workers 01234
01234 Your hard work 01234
01234 Meeting deadlines 01234
01234 Having enough money 01234
01234 The weather 01234
01234 Cooking 01234
01234 Home entertainment 01234
01234 Amount of free time 01234

Now you can identify your own stressors and add to the list above. Continue to
do the ratings as done previously.

29.3 SOURCES OF STRESS

Sources of stress can be classified into four categories, which are as follows:
Family, Occupational/Educational, Personal and Environmental. Let us understand
these sources in some detail.

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(1) Family: If you are experiencing stress because one of your family members is
seriously ill, then the source of your stress is family. The other familial stresses
include financial difficulty, quarrel between spouses (husband & wife) etc.
(2) Occupational/Educational: For a student stress may be the examination,
Notes stay in hostel etc. A teacher who is not teaching well may add to the stress.
Poor pay, over demanding boss, uncooperative co-worker and subordinates,
poor working conditions are some of the occupational stressors experienced
by the people.
(3) Personal: Personal stresses are many. A personal stress is often caused by
feelings of inadequacy, inferiority and insecurity. “My memory is poor,” “I am
dark”, “I am fat”, “I am not good looking”, “I cannot speak English well”, “I
am not intelligent”, “I am not talented”, “I am poor, I have poor health”, “I am
unemployed/under employed”, are some of the thoughts and attitudes making
one feel inadequate and insecure and suffer from stresses.
(4) Environmental: Unexpected natural calamities such as fire, famine,
earthquake, tsunami, floods etc. are environmental stressors. Crowd, poor
sanitation and pollution are also sources of environmental stress.
Try it Yourself
Identify your stress in various areas and fill up the blanks with your own
stressors.
Family
(1) Finance
(2) Illness of family members
(3) Discord between family members
(4) ________________________________
(5) ________________________________
(6) ________________________________
Occupational/Educational
(1) Poor pay
(2) Poor work condition
(3) ________________________________
(4) ________________________________
(5) ________________________________
(6) ________________________________

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Personal
(1) Poor memory
(2) Worried about physical appearance
Notes
(3) ________________________________
(4) ________________________________
(5) ________________________________
(6) ________________________________
Environmental
(1) Pollution
(2) Crowding
(3) ________________________________
(4) ________________________________
(5) ________________________________

29.4 STRESS AND HEALTH

Indications are there that 75% of human diseases are caused by the stress
experienced by people. During stressful period, anxiety and nervousness are quite
common symptoms. When these become intense, phobia may develop. A phobia
refers to irrational fear over an object, person, or an animal or situations. The
person feels unduly anxious when he/she comes across a phobic situation and
hence always tries to avoid them. Some of the common phobias are:
1. Social phobia—fear of addressing public audience (eg. Stage fear).
2. Claustrophobia—fear of closed places.
Anxiety refers to a vague unpleasant feeling of impending threat and danger. A
person with severe anxiety will always be worried, unclear, confused and indecisive.
Sometimes excessive anxiety may lead to speech problems like stuttering and
stammering. Urinary problems like bed-wetting are commonly seen among children.

Stress and the Immune System

In the course of our everyday life, every one of us is exposed to various germs and
viruses but we do not fall ill. This is because we have got a protective mechanism
inside our body which is called the immune system. But stress can weaken this
immune system and this can make us victim of many diseases. If the stress is for a

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shorter period there is not much damage, but if the stress prolongs, it results in
serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, headache, asthma and peptic ulcer.
It is found that individuals under stress are more likely to catch cold than individuals
who are not under stress. This is attributed to the fact that intense stress reduces
Notes body’s immune system, thus making the person easily vulnerable to infections.

29.5 STRESS AND HEALTH PROBLEMS

It is an accepted fact that certain cardiac problems like hypertension, angina and
heart attacks are caused due to emotional strain the person undergoes. Such
emotional stress caused may be due to frustration, intense anger, fear, depression
or shock.

Eating disorders can also be caused due to preoccupation with stressful situations.
Sleep disorders can also occur due to stress. Such persons have difficulty in going
to sleep or experience disturbed sleep or not getting sleep at all (insomnia). A
person who is said to frequently experience intense emotions such as anger, jealousy,
hatred, fear, panic often complain about ulcers. Intense fear or guilt can also lead
some to sexual problems.

The most common stress related health problems are cold and headache. Scientists
say that there is no specific medicine for common cold and tension headache.
They occur when an individual undergoes stressful experiences. They may vanish
under pleasant and happy situations. Pills for killing pain and cold give only temporary
relief. Hence, it is necessary to know the root cause of stress for permanent solution
for these health problems. For example a student might get headache whenever he
is asked to give a test /exam.

Psychosomatic diseases like peptic-ulcer, asthma, essential hypertension (high BP)

are also caused by stresses. You would have known that many die due to heart
attack at a younger age. Those were Mr. Victims of stress.

The combination of repeated stress and the weakness of particular system leads
to psychosomatic diseases. For example, a person gets ulcer, when under stress
his stomach (digestive system) becomes weak. These people also do not express
their emotions outwardly. For example, if a person gets angry he must show it out
in an appropriate way but if he keeps within himself repeatedly, he is likely to get
ulcer. He should be asked to learn the proper means and ways of expressing
emotions outwardly for maintaining good health.

The above include some of the commonly reported stress related problems. They
are experienced by the individual from mild or to moderate levels. A less often
occurring, severe disorder is known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The symptoms include anxiety, apprehension, chronic tension, sleep disorders like

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insomnia or sleepless nights, nightmares, withdrawal behaviour etc. This disorder

occurs when a person experiences severe stress after a traumatic life threatening
experience like accidents, being victimized either physically and mentally as in
rape or sexual harassment, death of near and dear ones etc.
Notes
Stress Relief: In many severe cases of experience of intense stress, an individual
must consult the psychologist for immediate help or be institutionalized for a certain
period of time. Mild to moderate stress can be easily relieved through different
way such as: regular physical exercise, relaxation, meditation, thinking positively,
seeking social activities which are relaxing and pleasurable or following certain
management techniques like time –management, stress reduction programmers
etc. Medication such as stress drugs must be used only in severe cases and under
medical supervision.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 29.2

1. Answer the following as either true or false:
a) Urinary disorders like bed-wetting occur only due to stress.
True/False
b) Stuttering and stage fear mainly occurs due to anxiety and
nervousness. True/False
c) Common cold generally occurs due to reduced immune system
that is constantly exposed to stressprone situations. True/False
2. Mention some of the health disorders (both physical and mental) that are
caused due to stress.
3. In what way can one overcome everyday stress problems?

WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

• Stress is a kind of internal pressure caused by either internal or external forces.
Generally it is because of interaction of both internal and external factors.
• Both low and high levels of stress are not helpful for the highest performance
which an individual is capable of, only the moderate level of stress results in
peak performance.
• Stress has both positive and negative consequences. If it is positive it is known
as “eustress”. The negative stress is known as “distress”.

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• Reactions to stress are physiological, affective, cognitive and behavioural in

nature.
• Stress that is experienced at the work place is called occupational stress. It
occurs due to factors like discrepancy between individual and organizational
Notes goals, poor cooperation, incoordination, unhealthy competition among workers,
role ambiguity, role conflict etc.
• Stress occurs in every day living for every one of us. Not all stress reactions
lead to disorders.
• Some of the common stressors include boredom, physical exertion, losses,
frustrations, conflicts, meeting dead lines, intense noise, etc.
• Some of the symptoms or reactions of stress are muscular tension, body pain,
increased heart beat, dizziness, nausea, sweating, inability to relax, depression,
destractibility and withdrawal, etc.
• Some of the common stress related disorders are stuttering, stammering, bed-
wetting, stage fears, depression, phobia, heart attacks, hysterias.
• Ways to combat stress are to do physical exercise, mediation, doing pleasurable
activities, seeking professional help and following stress relieving management
programmes like time management, learning to think positively, etc.

TERMINAL EXERCISE
1. What do you understand by stress? Give an example.
2. Note down the different reactions to stress.
3. List the sources of stress.
4. Write a short note on the various stressors that you know.

ANSWER TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

29.1
1. Internal pressure caused by integral or external factors.
2. eustress, distress.
29.2
1. (a) False (b) True (c) True
2. Peptic ulcer, asthma, high B.P., Cold, Upset stomach
3. By exercise, relaxation, time management, positive thinking

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Notes

30

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND

WELL-BEING

Uptil now you have studied all about what is stress and what are the health
problems related with stress. Stress is by and large manageable. If a scientific
approach is followed for managing stress, it can be relieved. This lesson deals with
the strategies which one can adopt for effective management of stress. Stress
management training refers to a package of techniques that are used for helping
the individuals cope with stress rather effectively. Wellness refers to the good
physical, psychological and social functioning of an individual.

OBJECTIVES
After studying this lesson, you will be able to:
• enumerate the relaxation procedures;
• explain the cognitive strategies for stress management;
• explain the sources of support from environment and the methods of enhancing
the support system;
• describe how effectively hobbies, recreation and leisure time activities can
control stress ; and
• list the hobbies, recreation and leisure time activities which could reduce the
stress.
• discuss various ways of managing time well;
• describe how physical exercise and nutrition can promote well-being, and
• explain the benefits one could obtain by practicing yoga and mediation.

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30.1 ALTERING BODILY REACTIONS AND

RELAXATION
Relaxation is just opposite to the state of stress or tension. It is a state in which one
Notes is able to think clearly about or reflect on a problem. Just as stress can affect the
individual at physiological, affective, cognitive and behavioural levels, relaxation
also can influence the individual at all these levels. Among the various dimensions
which an individual has in one’s personality; bodily or physiological dimension is
the one which responds first to stress. Therefore, to combat stress effectively, one
will have to regulate the physiological changes that occur because of stress.

Generally when an individual is under stress, he or she experiences stress from

head to toe. That is due to the several changes that take place in the body. All the
muscles in the body reflect stress by being rather rigid or tight. Breathing gets
altered. Heart starts beating faster. Similarly almost all organs and systems present
in the body are affected by stress.

Techniques for Stress Reduction

Physical exercise, sports, and yoga, etc. are found to be of immense value in
preparing a person for relaxation. Apart from these well known methods, there
are some more techniques which are scientific and systematic in nature. One such
procedure is deep muscle relaxation. This technique is based on the assumption
that mental relaxation follows muscular relaxation.

Deep Muscle Relaxation

The individual is taught to experience both tension and relaxation alternately in
each and every group of muscles in the body. Experience of relaxation and
appreciation of difference between tension and relaxation immensely helps the
individual in maximizing the feeling of calmness. It is also called progressive muscle
relaxation, because as the individual practices this technique, experience of
relaxation increases.
Biofeedback
Another procedure which is generally adopted for inducing relaxation through
altering bodily reactions is biofeedback. In this procedure, based on skin response
(GSR), feedback on brain waves (EEG) and feedback on any other physiological
parameter, the individual is made to study the internal reactions to stress and
relaxation. By giving the individual, feed back whether he/she is in a state of stress
or relaxation, the individual can be made to alter the reaction in favour of relaxation
which he/she will have to maintain as much as possible. Visual or auditory feedback
is given. In the visual feedback, when the individual experiences stress, red light
will be on. The individual, then, will have to relax and the state of relaxation will be

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indicated by green light. Hence the goal is always to keep the green light on when
the individual undergoes treatment for management of stress through bio-feedback.
Once, the individual masters the art of relaxation through bio feed back, he/she
can easily generalize the same state of relaxation to any other situation. Thus one
can gain perfect control over all the situations. Notes

In the case of auditory feedback “beep” sound will come whenever the individual
is tense. Focus is given by the individual to successfully put off the beep sound. As
the very sound may at times prevent the individual from relaxation, visual feed
back is preferred more than the auditory one.

Try it Yourself
1. Analyze the ways which you follow for experiencing relaxation. Then note
the changes that take place in your body and behaviour.
2. Visit any well equipped psychological clinic and see for yourself the
mechanism of bio feedback.
3. Try to learn the procedure of deep muscle relaxation from a qualified and
practicing psychologist who advocates the procedure to his/her clients.

30.2 COGNITIVE STRATEGIES

The term cognition is closely associated with thinking. Behind every action there is
a thought or cognition. So by altering the cognitive environment, behaviour can be
modified. Healthy thoughts lead individuals to adaptive behaviour whereas unhealthy
thoughts result in maladaptive behaviour. Experience of too much of stress and
later on coming out with abnormal behaviour patterns are regarded as maladaptive.
The experience and expression of stress are also guided or influenced by a set of
thoughts which are generally unhealthy. So by making those negative or unhealthy
thoughts, positive or healthy, both the experience and expression of stress can be
minimized. Let us examine some of these strategies.

(i) Systematic Desensitization: Maladaptive behaviour in the form of strong

expression of stress is characterized by emotional hypersensitivity. So the
individuals will have to be desensitized systematically against the situations
that cause stress or anxiety. Before the situation could have any impact on
individuals, the very thought of situation will cause stress in the individual.
Therefore, he/she will have to get rid of the stress through imagination. So the
individuals are, at first, given training at thought level to cope with stress by not
being that emotionally sensitive as he or she had been. All the situations are
graded on the intensity of stress that each situation produces. These situations,
then, are presented to the individual one by one who imagines the situations

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and slowly or gradually, he/she counters those provoking situations with the
pleasant scenes which bring relaxation. Thus, the individual learns to relax
against all stress producing situations through systematic desensitization.
(ii) Thought Stopping: Another cognitive technique which is used for stress
Notes
management is thought stopping. The individual is actively helped to stop
entertaining those negative or useless unnecessary thoughts which prevent
effective functioning. Strongly saying “Stop” results in getting the thought out
of the individual’s brain for a minute. It has to be practiced repeatedly. Slowly
and steadily the individual starts showing remarkable improvement in
successfully keeping the thought away from him/her. Finally, this results in
successful termination of stress that mainly occurs due to interference caused
by unnecessary thoughts.
(iii) Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT): Rational emotive
behaviour therapy (REBT) is yet another cognitive technique which helps the
individual to think rationally and realistically so that positive emotion comes
out of it. The individual is, thus, made to understand the fact that every successful
action depends on rational or logical thinking which takes reality into account.
Self talk is another method which is useful in preparing the individual cognitively
for effective management of stress. For example a person who is poor in
memory can have a self talk saying that “My memory has become better, now
a days I am able to recall better” etc. Subsequently he/she has to use other
strategies like using mnemonics for improving memory. These two together
will be more effective.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 30.1

1. Explain biofeedback.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. Name any two cognitive strategies.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

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30.3 ENHANCING SUPPORTIVENESS OF THE

ENVIRONMENT
For effective living all the human beings must grow in an environment which is
supportive and highly encouraging. As stress causes a lot of feelings of insecurity Notes
in an individual, it becomes essential and rather imperative on the part of the
environment to be highly supportive so as to make him/her feel secure. If the
external environment is also as negative and as discouraging as the internal
environment (mainly cognitive or thought environment), the individual will feel stress
all the more.

How are we to enhance supportiveness of the external environment? First, a proper

analysis of the environment will have to be made and place the individual in a
relatively stress-free environment which will nurture him/her on healthy lines. “Stress
free” environment will be characterized by certain features like having regard for
an individual without any conditions, empathy, careful listening, providing useful
tips to overcome stress which occurs mainly because of poor resolution of conflicts,
appreciating adaptive behaviour etc. Such a positive environment will not only
strengthen the personality make-up of the individuals, but also make the individuals
learn certain new skills important for effective living. It is applicable for home and
office environment too. A person having warm and positive environment is less
likely to go in to stress.

Try it Yourself

1. Analyze your environment and find how people are supporting you. Find
the positive and the negative points.

30.4 HOBBIES, RECREATION AND LEISURE

Hobbies, recreation and leisure provide a highly admirable support to individuals

for overcoming stress. They help individuals (who are under stress due to several
reasons) relax and gain much wanted relief from stress. Relaxation sets in rather
fast when an individual who is experiencing high stress, engage himself/herself in
an activity which becomes a hobby or forms a part of recreation, because the
individual does this task in a leisurely manner which does not add much pressure
to him/her.

Leisure activities may be active such as participation in sports or in artistic creation

or they may be passive like engaging in spectator sports, attending musical

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programmes or visiting museums, art galleries. Leisure activities can include solitary
pursuits such as reading or quiet contemplative activity. Some aspects of leisure
activities are creative as they allow human beings to develop their potentialities
and to employ their talents and skills in new ways. The leisure activities have a re-
Notes creative function enabling the individuals to renew their energies. Thus again they
can prepare themselves for confronting the demands of their everyday responsibilities
including those connected with their work.

Certain leisure time activities like reading, T.V. viewing, card playing etc. contribute
to the maintenance of personality.

Hobbies, recreation and leisure helps in managing stress adequately because the
activities provide good exercise to both body and all the psychological systems.
The individuals experience relaxation and they get immense happiness in knowing
what their potentialities are. Moreover these activities enable them to develop or
maximize the potentialities. As these activities are done in a less formal atmosphere,
there is greater scope for sense of humour which acts as an antidote to stress.
People acquire the ability to concentrate on the present more than the past or
future by engaging themselves in the leisure time activities with a lot of interest. As
many of the hobbies, recreational and leisure activities give an opportunity to the
individuals to know more about others, the very socialization process becomes
healthier and in the course of time the philosophy of each individual changes for
the better because he or she gets a better view of the world. Thus, the value
system becomes quite strong and well-knit. These informal activities very effectively
contribute to the development of individuals. If each individual is fully developed,
management of stress becomes pretty easy.

30.5 TIME MANAGEMENT

Time is an important factor which contributes to life in so many ways. That’s why
proverbs like “Time is gold”, “Time is precious”, “Time wasted cannot be taken
back” are popular in society. We often think about time and keep doing things as
per the time schedule. Time management is necessary for effective use of the
available time for doing many activities within a short duration of time, thus,
increasing the quality of the performance and life. Time acts as pressure when we
simultaneously try to do many things without priorities. Time management techniques
mainly involve (1) efficiency in doing things, (2) planning, and (3) prioritizing.
Efficiency is increased by using simple notes, check lists etc. as one is shown in
Figure 1.

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Today’s Job
1) letter posting
2) going to bank
3) calling a friend Notes
4) purchasing a ticket
5) ————————————
6) ————————————
Fig. 1 : Preparing schedule of a day with a check list.

Planning would involve preparation, goal setting, scheduling future events and
activities like fixing up appointments, setting dead lines, maintaining calendar etc.
For example let us assume that you want to visit a hill station during summer
vacation, you will have to plan the following steps.
Step 1 : Decide the hill station you want to visit. This can be based on
the time and money available to you.
Step 2: Consult friends or tourist office for information like distance,
accommodation, tourist spots, mode of transport, etc.
Step 3 : Book the ticket and the room (accommodation) in advance.
Step 4 : List out the things you would be taking for the trip such as eatables,
clothes (casual and warm), camera, and other equipment for special
purposes like trekking, entertainment etc.
Planning would make your trip more pleasant because you will be saved from the
last minute hurry.
Prioritizing simply means sequencing as to what should be done first, second etc.
From the example stated earlier, it could be noted that deciding the hill station,
booking the accommodation and purchasing the ticket should be done first before
making other arrangements. Even among the three, deciding a hill-station should
be the first task.
Effective time management is a skill which one can acquire with conscious effort.
The first step in this process is to identify the tasks which one wants to do. Then
analyze the tasks in the following categories:
(1) “A” tasks, (2) “B” tasks, (3) “C” tasks.
“A” tasks should be done everyday during prime hours when one’s performance
is at best. “B” type of tasks are those things which can be done, but with secondary
importance. Perhaps 20 per cent of everyday’s time may be allotted for performing
“B” tasks. “C” tasks are those which do not contribute to the priorities. These
tasks can be ignored and they may be done at the leisure hour.

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For a student studying for an hour between 5 : 30 to 6 : 30 am can be called as

“A” tasks. Polishing the shoes, ironing the uniform can be considered as “B” tasks
and buying milk and vegetables may be considered as “C” tasks.
Distribution of work: A mother has a lot of work in the morning like cooking,
Notes preparing children for school, packing meal for husband. If she has to manage her
time well, she has to train children to share the work such as polishing shoes,
preparing a cup of tea, packing lunch for themselves. Children can do things better
only when parents allow them to take care of themselves in eating, dressing, studying
and so on. This type of distribution makes the mother free from time pressure and
helps children learn skills for their well-being.
Some people have a tendency to do every work by themselves. A manager will be
efficient only when he/she distributes the work amongst subordinates and gets it
done. The allocation of the work must be done according to each one’s capacity,
interest and skills.
Time Budgeting: Time-budgeting is similar to money budgeting. At the beginning
of a month individuals allocate money to be spent for various things such as milk,
vegetables, provision, transport, school fees etc. Likewise, planning to spend time
for a day and for a week is necessary.
Time budgeting is done by considering priorities, which are determined by personal,
familial and professional goals etc. The priorities can be divided as short-term and
long-term and accordingly they have to be executed. Time available should be
calculated after deducting the time spent for personal necessities like, brushing,
bathing, washing, eating, sleeping etc.
For example: If one can take out 12 hrs. (8 hrs. for sleeping + 4 hrs. for personal
care and travelling) one is left with only 12 hrs. These 12 hours can be budgeted
for spending in office, family and personal hobbies etc. Personal needs should be
given priority during Saturdays and Sundays. Short term goal/priority may be
studying for the coming examination. The long term goal may be getting a promotion
after obtaining the degree.
Time availability partly depends on the way time is spent. Carefully spending and
enjoying the activities can add satisfaction and quality to our lives. Time spent
without any purpose can be a great source of frustration and can result in stress.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 30.2

State whether the given statements are true or false:
1. Wellness refers to the good physical, psychological and social functioning of
an individual. True/False
2. Time wasted cannot be got back. True/False

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3. Time does no act as pressure when we simultaneously try to do many things

without priorities. True/False
4. Time management technique mainly involves efficiency, planning and prioritizing.
True/False
Notes
5. Time budgeting is differnt than money budgeting. True/False

30.6 YOGA
Yoga is a way of life that promotes physical as well as psychological well-being.
Yoga has eight main steps. The most important steps which can be ordinarily
practised by us are given below:

1. Yama: practicing self-regulation.

2. Niyama: observing behavioural norms.
3. Pranayama: Pranayama is an exercise meant to regulate breathing. It makes
the respiratory system work to its optimum thus ensuring proper supply of
oxygen to the blood and improving blood circulation.
4. Asanas: Asanas are the physical aspect of yoga in which postures are checked
and modified as required for setting right the imbalance of inner functions
which include both physical and physiological aspects of the human body
system. Asanas have preventive, curative, and promotive values.
5. Pratyahar: Means withdrawing the senses from the external objects and turn
them inward. Yoga helps us to train our sense organs to remain quiet without
outer stimulation.
6. Dharna: is focusing of mind on a particular object.
7. Dhyan: study contemplation or meditation.
8. Samadhi: Extreme level of Dhyana when one looses sense of time and place.

Preventive and Curative Values of Asanas

Assimilation of food becomes better; waste products get eliminated more easily.
Endocrine glands function more effectively. Certain disorders of liver, spleen,
pancreas, kidneys, bladder and heart get corrected to a great extent. Conditions
like asthma, diabetes, spondylosis, and constipation etc. can be managed by yoga.
Those who suffer from conditions like hypertension (high B.P.), heart ailment, slip
disc, lumbar, spondylosis are advised to do asanas under the constant supervision
of trained experts in Yoga, that too with the consent of medical practitioners who
have been treating them.
Promotive Values: The most important steps of practice of Yoga can also
bring benefits for the psychological functioning. They are:

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(i) relief from tension, stress and strain, anxiety, frustration, anger etc. Yoga steps
produce relaxation, positive thinking, self-confidence, self-awareness, development
of personality, improvement of memory, reduction of sleep deficit, etc.
Patience, endurance, cheerfulness, straightforwardness, discipline and perseverence
Notes are also achieved by practising yoga systematically for a long time.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 30.3

Match the following statements:

1. Yama a. Physical aspects of yoga (postural practices)

2. Niyama b. Focusing one’s attention
3. Pranayama c. Practicing self regulation.
4. Asana d. Observing behavioural norms.
5. Dhyan e. Regulation of breathing.

30.7 DHYAN (MEDITATION)

In ancient times “Rishis” (sages) used to meditate in calm and quiet places. This
helped them to maintain good health and be clear in thinking. This, enabled them
to advise the kings for effective rule for the welfare of the people. You can also do
meditation. Dhyan (meditation) is focussing one’s attention to a particular state
and not letting any thought disturb it. The aim of meditation is to relax the body and
mind. Meditation can provide inner peace and reduce stress from the hustle and
bustle of daily life. The basic common element found in all forms of meditation is
pointedness which means all the attention is directed to one feature of experience
and everything else is excluded.
Dhyan brings down intense emotions. Pulse rate, skin conductivity, and muscle
tension, become better due to meditation. Therefore almost all stress related
disorders such as high Blood Pressure, migraine etc. can be managed rather
effectively through meditation. Meditation gives healthy thinking characterized by
clarity, good concentration and intellectual power. It reduces anger, anxiety,
frustration, inferiority complex, tension. Ultimately it can be said that meditation
enhances wellbeing.

30.8 PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND NUTRITION

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is an old saying. Yes, it is indeed so.
If an individual goes without proper physical exercise, he/she loses control over
the functioning. Physical exercises to a great extent trim the body and discipline

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the mind. If individuals cannot do rigorous physical exercises, they can at least go
for walking, jogging, skipping etc., depending upon their health status. Exercises
do produce a lot of positive change in the body. Warming up every part of the
body systematically and cooling it down in systematic manner do good. Blood
circulation becomes quite rhythmic and thinking becomes clear and positive, thereby, Notes
both body and mind are kept in the state of well being.
Adequate and balanced nutrition helps the individual to promote health. The best
defence for the demands of stress is a healthy body. An old quote says that “a
sound mind exists in a sound body”. Nutrition and physical exercises help individuals
remain healthy. The body’s energy supply and the basic building blocks needed
for the growth and maintenance, come from the three main macro nutrients namely
carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Salads, vegetables and fresh fruits should form a
substantial part of the day’s eating. Eating snacks between meals (that too, snacks
like chips, chocolates, soft drinks, sweet, biscuits) is not good for both the waistline
and the healthiness of diet.
Vegetarian diets are in many ways closer to the ideal healthy diet than non-vegetarian
ones as they contain saturated fat and fiber. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water
everyday provides the cells with ample fluid and aids the kidneys in flushing out
waste products. Eating a healthy and regular diet will ensure healthy body and
mind.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 30.4

1. What is meditation? Mention any two of its effects.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. What are the three macro-nutrients?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

• Relaxation is a state which is just opposite to the state of stress or tension.
Among the several methods by which one can attain relaxation, deep muscle
relaxation and biofeedback are the most widely used and popular procedures.
• Thought stopping, systematic desensitization, Rational Emotive Behaviour
Therapy are some of the cognitive strategies by which stress can be effectively
managed.

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• Hobbies, recreation and leisure time activities not only divert the attention of
individuals from stress producing thoughts to relaxation, but also do those
activities which enable the individuals to realize their potentialities and to grow
healthy.
Notes • Besides stress management, it is also important to know about time
management for well being. Task analysis, proper time budgeting and distribution
of work will enhance the state of well being achieved by effective time
management.
• Yoga offers improved physical flexibility, freedom from stress and profound
sense of wellbeing. People of all ages and conditions can do Yoga. Yama,
Niyama, Pranayama, Asanas and meditation are important constituents of
Yoga. Meditation is a state in which attention is directed to one feature of
experience and everything else is excluded.
• The aim of meditation as well as Yoga is to induce relaxation.
• Physical exercises and nutrition provide the individuals with good physical
health which in turn promotes psychological wellbeing.

TERMINAL EXERCISE
1. Explain any two cognitive strategies for the management of stress.
2. What role do hobbies, recreation and leisure play in the management of stress?
3. Briefly describe the procedure of time management.
4. How do physical exercises and nutrition promote wellbeing?

ANSWER TO INTEXT QUESTIONS

30.1
1. A procedure in which changes in internal bodily reactions are made available
to the person and he or she may alter the reaction in favour of relaxation.
2. Altering the cognitive environment by systematic desensitization, thought
stopping, rational emotive behaviour therapy.
30.2 (1) True, (2) True, (3) False, (4) True, (5) False
30.3 (1) c (2) d (3) e (4) a (5) b
30.4
1. Focussing of attention, inner peace, stress reduction.
2. Carbohydrates, protein, fat.

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