PE & Health 11 (week 1)

Course Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Evaluate baseline activities and recreational pursuits based on physical activity

recommendations.
2. Explain changes in physical activity patterns across the lifespan.
3. Identify barriers to physical activity.
4. Adopt strategies to overcome barriers to physical activity.

Health-Enhancing Physical Activity

SLEEPING HABITS

Healthy Sleep Habits

Your behaviors during the day, and especially before bedtime, can have a major impact
on your sleep. They can promote healthy sleep or contribute to sleeplessness.

Your daily routines – what you eat and drink, the medications you take, how you
schedule your days, and how you choose to spend your evenings – can significantly
impact your quality of sleep. Even a few slight adjustments can, in some cases, mean the
difference between sound sleep and a restless night. Completing a two-week sleep diary
can help you understand how your routines affect your sleep.

The term ―sleep hygiene‖ refers to a series of healthy sleep habits that can improve your
ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. These habits are a cornerstone of cognitive-
behavioral therapy, the most effective long-term treatment for people with chronic
insomnia. CBT can help you address the thoughts and behaviors that prevent you from
sleeping well. It also includes techniques for stress reduction, relaxation, and sleep
schedule management.

If you have difficulty sleeping or want to improve your sleep, try following these healthy
sleep habits. Talk to your doctor if your sleep problem persists.

Quick Sleep Tips

Follow these tips to establish healthy sleep habits:

 Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time every day, even on weekends
or during vacations.
 Set a bedtime that is early enough for you to get at least 7 hours of sleep.
  Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
 If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed.
 Establish a relaxing bedtime routine.
 Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
 Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool
temperature.
 Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings.
 Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
 Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry at night, eat a light, healthy
snack.
 Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
 Avoid consuming caffeine in the late afternoon or evening.
 Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
 Reduce your fluid intake before bedtime.

Changing your sleep habits

Sleep patterns are often learned as children. When we repeat these patterns over many
years, they become habits.

Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. In many cases, you can relieve
insomnia by making a few simple lifestyle changes. But, it may take some time if you
have had the same sleep habits for years.

How Much Sleep is Enough?

People who have insomnia are often worried about getting enough sleep. The more they
try to sleep, the more frustrated and upset they get, and the harder it becomes to sleep.

 While 7 to 8 hours a night is recommended for most people, children and teenagers need
more.
 Older people tend to do fine with less sleep at night. But they may still need about 8
hours of sleep over a 24-hour period.

Remember, the quality of sleep and how rested you feel afterward is as important as
how much sleep you get.

Change Your Lifestyle

Before you go to bed:

 Write down all the things that worry you in a journal. This way, you can transfer your
worries from your mind to paper, leaving your thoughts quieter and better suited for
falling asleep.

During the day:

  Be more active. Walk or exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days.
 DO NOT take naps during the day or in the evening.

Stop or cut back on smoking and drinking alcohol. And reduce your caffeine intake.

If you are taking any medicines, diet pills, herbs, or supplements, ask your health care
provider about the effects they may have on your sleep.

Find ways to manage stress.

 Learn about relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery, listening to music, or

practicing yoga or meditation.
 Listen to your body when it tells you to slow down or take a break.

Change Your Bedtime Habits

Your bed is for sleeping. DO NOT do things like eating or work while in bed.

Develop a sleep routine.

 If possible, wake up at the same time each day.

 Go to bed around the same time every day, but not more than 8 hours before you expect
to start your day.
 Avoid beverages with caffeine or alcohol in the evening.
 Avoid eating heavy meals at least 2 hours before going to sleep.

Find calming, relaxing activities to do before bedtime.

 Read or take a bath so that you do not dwell on worrisome issues.

 DO NOT watch TV or use a computer near the time you want to fall asleep.
 Avoid activity that increases your heart rate for the 2 hours before going to bed.
 Make sure your sleep area is quiet, dark, and is at a temperature you like.

If you cannot fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up and move to another room. Do a
quiet activity until you feel sleepy.

When to Call the Doctor

Talk to your provider if:

 You are feeling sad or depressed

 Pain or discomfort is keeping you awake
 You are taking any medicine that may be keeping you awake
 You have been taking medicines for sleep without talking to your provider first

EATING HABITS
Eating habits and behaviors
Food gives our bodies the energy we need to function. Food is also a part of traditions
and culture. This can mean that eating has an emotional component as well. For many
people, changing eating habits is very hard.

You may have had certain eating habits for so long that you do not realize they are
unhealthy. Or, your habits have become part of your daily life, so you do not think much
about them.

Keep a Journal

A food journal is a good tool to help you learn about your eating habits. Keep a food
journal for 1 week.

 Write down what you eat, how much, and what times of the day you are eating.
 Include notes about what else you were doing and how you were feeling, such as
being hungry, stressed, tired, or bored. For example, maybe you were at work and
were bored, so you got a snack from a vending machine down the hall from your
desk.
 At the end of the week, review your journal, and look at your eating patterns.
Decide which habits you want to change.

Remember, small steps toward change lead to more success in making long-term
changes. Try not to overwhelm yourself with too many goals. It is a good idea to limit
your focus to no more than 2 to 3 goals at one time.

Also, take a look at the healthy habits you have and be proud of yourself about them. Try
not to judge your behaviors too harshly. It is easy to focus only on your poor habits. This
can make you feel stressed and give up trying to change.

Taking on new, healthier habits may mean that you:

 Drink skim or low-fat (1%) milk instead of 2% or whole milk.

 Drink more water throughout the day.
 Eat fruit for dessert instead of cookies.
 Plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks to increase your chance of success.
 Keep healthy snacks at work. Pack healthy lunches that you make at home.
 Pay attention to your feelings of hunger. Learn the difference between physical
hunger and habitual eating or eating as a response to stress or boredom.

Now Reflect
Think about what triggers or prompts may be causing some of your eating habits.

 Is there something around you that makes you eat when you are not hungry or
choose unhealthy snacks often?
 Does the way you feel make you want to eat?

Look at your journal and circle any regular or repetitive triggers. Some of these might
be:

 You see your favorite snack in the pantry or vending machine

 When you watch television
 You feel stressed by something at work or in another area of your life
 You have no plan for dinner after a long day
 You go to work events where food is served
 You stop at fast-food restaurants for breakfast and choose high fat, high-calorie
foods
 You need a pick-me-up toward the end of your workday

Start by focusing on one or two triggers that occur most often during your week. Think
about what you can do to avoid those triggers, such as:

 DO NOT walk past the vending machine to get to your desk, if possible.
 Decide what you will have for dinner early in the day so that you have a plan after
work.
 Keep unhealthy snacks out of your house. If someone else in your household buys
these snacks, devise a plan to keep them out of sight.
 Suggest having fruits and vegetables during workplace meetings, instead of
sweets. Or bring healthier selections in for yourself.
 Swap out juice or soda for sparkling water.
Replace Your Old Habits with New, Healthy Ones
Find healthy choices for snacks and plan:

 If you are in the habit of eating candy at the end of the day for energy, try having
a cup (240 milliliters) of herbal tea and a small handful of almonds. Or, take a
quick walk when you're feeling an energy low.
 Eat fruit and yogurt in the mid-afternoon about 3 or 4 hours after lunch.

Control your portion sizes. It is hard to eat only a few chips or other tempting foods
when there is a lot in front of you. Take only a small portion and put the rest away. Eat
on a plate or in a bowl instead of straight out of a bag.

Eat slowly:

 Put down your fork between bites.

 Wait until you have swallowed your mouthful of food before taking the next bite.
Eating too quickly leads to overeating when the food you have eaten has not yet reached
your stomach and told your brain you are full. You will know you are eating too quickly
if you feel stuffed about 20 minutes after you stop eating.

Eat only when you are hungry:

 Eating when you feel worried, tense, or bored also leads to overeating. Instead,
call a friend or go for a walk to help you feel better.
 Give your body and your brain time to relax from the stress of daily life. Take a
mental or physical break to help you feel better without turning to food as a
reward.

Make healthier, nutrient-rich choices:

 Replace your candy dish with a bowl of fruit or nuts.

 When you do have unhealthy foods in your house, put them in a place that is hard
for you to reach rather than out on the counter.

Plan your meals:

 Know what you will eat ahead of time so you can avoid buying unhealthy foods
(impulse buying) or eating at fast-food restaurants.
 Plan your dinners at the beginning of the week so you can prepare healthy, well-
balanced meals each evening.
 Prepare some dinner components ahead of time (such as chopping vegetables.)
This will allow you to put together a healthy meal more quickly at the end of the
day.

Breakfast sets the tone for the day. A hearty, healthy breakfast will give your body the
energy it needs to get you to lunch. If you are not hungry when you wake up, you could
try a glass of milk or small fruit and a dairy-based smoothie.

Plan a good lunch that will satisfy you, and a healthy afternoon snack that will keep you
from becoming too hungry before dinner time.

Avoid skipping meals. Missing a regular meal or snack often leads to overeating or
making unhealthy choices.

Once you have changed 1 or 2 old unhealthy habits, try changing 1 or 2 more.

Practice Helps

It may take a while before you can turn your unhealthy habits into new, healthy ones.
Remember, it took you a while to form your habits. And it may take just as long to
change them. DO NOT give up.
If you start an old habit again, think about why you went back to it. Try again to replace
it with a new habit. One slip does not mean you are a failure. Keep trying!

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. A small
amount of stress can be good, motivating you to perform well. But multiple challenges
daily, such as sitting in traffic, meeting deadlines and paying bills, can push you beyond
your ability to cope.

Your brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for your protection. When your
brain perceives a threat, it signals your body to release a burst of hormones that increase
your heart rate and raise your blood pressure. This "fight-or-flight" response fuels you to
deal with the threat.

Once the threat is gone, your body is meant to return to a normal, relaxed state.
Unfortunately, the nonstop complications of modern life mean that some people's alarm
systems rarely shut off.

Stress management gives you a range of tools to reset your alarm system. It can help
your mind and body adapt (resilience). Without it, your body might always be on high
alert. Over time, chronic stress can lead to serious health problems.

Don't wait until stress damages your health, relationships, or quality of life. Start
practicing stress management techniques today.

Stress Management: How to Reduce, Prevent, and Cope with Stress

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t
going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and
your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more
control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your
life is the foundation of stress management.

Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your
emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The
ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun –
plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head-on.

Identify the sources of stress in your life

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as
easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy
to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may
know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your
procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.
To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:

 Do you explain away stress as temporary (―I just have a million things going on
right now‖) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?
 Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (―Things are
always crazy around here‖) or as a part of your personality (―I have a lot of
nervous energy, that’s all‖)?
 Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely
normal and unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your
stress level will remain outside your control.

Start a stress journal

A stress journal can help you identify the regular stressors in your life and the way you
deal with them. Each time you feel stressed, keep track of it in your journal. As you keep
a daily log, you will begin to see patterns and common themes. Write down:

 What caused your stress (guess if you’re unsure).

 How you felt, both physically and emotionally.
 How you acted in response.
 What you did to make yourself feel better.

Look at how you currently cope with stress

Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress
journal can help you identify them. Are your coping strategies healthy or unhealthy,
helpful, or unproductive? Unfortunately, many people cope with stress in ways that
compound the problem.

Unhealthy ways of coping with stress

These coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more damage in
the long run:

• Smoking
• Drinking too much
• Overeating or undereating
• Zoning out for hours in front of the TV or computer
• Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities
• Using pills or drugs to relax
• Sleeping too much
• Procrastinating
• Filling up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems
• Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence)
Learning healthier ways to manage stress

If your methods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and
physical health, it’s time to find healthier ones. There are many healthy ways to manage
and cope with stress, but they all require change. You can either change the situation or
change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the
four To avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.

Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no ―one size fits all‖ solution to
managing it. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment
with different techniques and strategies. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in
control.

Dealing with Stressful Situations: The Four A’s

Change the situation:

 Avoid the stressor.

 Alter the stressor

Change your reaction:

 Adapt to the stressor.

 Accept the stressor.

Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be
addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that
you can eliminate.

 Learn how to say ―no‖ – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your
personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re
close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe
for stress.
 Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your
life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you
spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
 Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn
the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going
to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
 Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off
your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the
same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of
discussion.
 Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily
tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the ―shoulds‖
 and the ―musts.‖ Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or
eliminate them.

Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to
change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves
changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

 Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is

bothering you, communicate your concerns openly and respectfully. If you don’t
voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the
same.
 Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be
willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a
good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
 Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems
heads on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to
study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say upfront that you only have
five minutes to talk.
 Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When
you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused.
But if you plan and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the
amount of stress you’re under.

Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations
and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

 Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive

perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity
to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone
time.
 Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself
how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it
really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy
elsewhere.
 Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop
setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards
for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with ―good enough.‖
 Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect
on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities
and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

Adjusting Your Attitude

How you think can have a profound effect on your emotional and physical well-being.
Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it were in
the throes of a tension-filled situation. If you see good things about yourself, you are
more likely to feel good; the reverse is also true. Eliminate words such as "always,"
"never," "should," and "must." These are telltale marks of self-defeating thoughts.

Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as
the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best
way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in
the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

 Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our
control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over
them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to
problems.
 Look for the upside. As the saying goes, ―What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.‖
When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal
growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on
them, and learn from your mistakes.
 Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a
therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if
there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
 Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that
people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentment. Free yourself from negative
energy by forgiving and moving on.

Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation

Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life
by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a
better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come.

Healthy ways to relax and recharge

 Go for a walk.
 Spend time in nature.
 Call a good friend.
 Sweat out tension with a good workout.
 Write in your journal.
 Take a long bath.
 Light scented candles
 Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.
 Play with a pet.
 Work in your garden.
 Get a massage.
  Curl up with a good book.
 Listen to music.
 Watch a comedy

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your
own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

 Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule.
Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from
all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.
 Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A
strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
 Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you
joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.
 Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act
of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Learn the relaxation response

You can control your stress levels with relaxation techniques that evoke the body’s
relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response.
Regularly practicing these techniques will build your physical and emotional resilience,
heal your body, and boost your overall feelings of joy and equanimity.

Stress management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle

You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

 Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing
the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per
week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
 Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress,
so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your
energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the
day.
 Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary "highs" caffeine and sugar provide
often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee,
soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and
you’ll sleep better.
 Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may
provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid
or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head-on and with a clear mind.
 Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling
tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally