1, DEFINE STRESS:

 Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or
thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.  But when stress lasts for a long
time, it may harm your health. Stress is your body's reaction to a challenge or demand.
Also, stress is your body’s response to anything that requires attention to action.  It is
often triggered when we experience something new, unexpected that threatens our sense
of self, or when we feel we have little control over a situation. An example of stress is
discomfort and pain in your arms from carrying too heavy of an item. Sometimes. This
stress response cab be useful, it can help us push through fear pain so we can run a
marathon or deliver a speech.

2, 5 Triggers of stress students might be experiencing in school

1. Upcoming Tests

Many students worry about getting a good grade or simply making time to study if there is
more than one upcoming test. This causes you to worry more, experience anxiety and
depression, lose sleep, become forgetful, irritable, overwhelmed, exhausted and feel out of
control. This can really impact on your ability to prepare for your assignments and exams,
as well as negatively affect your levels of performance and sense of well-being.

2. Too Much Homework

When your child is overwhelmed or frustrated by homework, it makes it harder for him or her
to complete assignments. This can cause a stressful cycle where homework piles up and your
child doesn’t have the time or energy to complete it all

3. Too Little “Down Time”

Students with busy schedules can quickly become overwhelmed because they are left with no
free time to relax. As your child progresses from elementary school to high school, the amount
and difficulty level of schoolwork increases—and students without good time management
skills can experience even more stress.

4. Poor Sleep Schedule

Not getting enough sleep makes it difficult for students to concentrate and learn effectively.
This can lead to feelings of stress for your child when he or she isn’t able to perform well in
class or on assignments. In fact, studies have shown that students who don’t get the required 8-
10 hours of sleep each night are more likely to feel stressed than students who do.

5. Overscheduling

Extra-curricular activities help students build confidence, explore hobbies, and develop values
such as teamwork and responsibility. Yet an increasing number of students are reporting
overscheduling as a cause of their stress.

But why do students sign up for more than they can handle?

Places for top universities are becoming more competitive. There is a greater emphasis on being
a well-rounded student rather than just academically talented. As a result, students feel that they
must participate in a wide range of activities. Some research shows that being overscheduled can
lead to numerous stress-related symptoms. These not only include headaches, exhaustion and
sleep deprivation but have been linked to several health issues.

3. 5 Physical Effects of Stress on the Body

 High blood pressure - During the stress response, your heart rate increases, breathing
quickens, muscles tighten, and blood pressure rises.

 Exhaustion – Prolonged stress can cause chronic tiredness and disruptions in sleep,
which may result in decreased energy levels causing exhaustion.

 Heart Disease - The consistent and ongoing increase in heart rate, and the elevated levels
of stress hormones and of blood pressure, can take a toll on the body. This long-term
ongoing stress can increase the risk for hypertension, heart attack, or stroke.

 Aches and Pains - Your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury when you're
stressed. They tend to release again once you relax, but if you're constantly under stress,
your muscles may not get the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause headaches, back and
shoulder pain, and body aches.
 Obesity - Chronic stress can lead to “comfort eating,” which often involves the
overeating of foods that are high in fat, sugar, and calories, which, in turn, can lead to
weight gain.

4. Programs my group implemented to treat a stressed student in school:

 Meditation- Mediation is a quiet transformation, promoting deep relaxation and a sense

of well-being and allows students to clear their minds. It has both emotional and physical
benefits such as gaining a new perspective on stressful situations which will help students
overcome difficulties when dealing with assignments, revising and homework.
Meditating helps to reduce stress so at the end of the day students can just take half an
hour or less and meditate.

 Yoga-Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better. Students can do some yoga stretches
before going to bed to get better sleep at night so they would have more energy to do
work. Yoga encourages mental and physical relaxation, which helps reduce stress and
anxiety. The physical postures promote flexibility, relieve tension, and alleviate pain.
Yoga poses may help you release physical and emotional tension to the body.

 Engage in physical activities - Higher physical activity and physical fitness levels are
associated with improved mental performance (e.g., concentration, memory) among
students. Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and
cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are
the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators. Exercise can also improve your sleep,
which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety