Mastering Stress for Optimum Performance essays

Mastering Stress for Optimum Performance essays Mastering Stress for Optimum Performance Stress has been around from the beginning of time and it will be here till the end. Stress and challenges have brought about greats like Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X. Eustress is needed in our lives to make this world exciting and fulfilling. On the other hand, distress can be unhealthy and sometimes lethal. The American Association statistics show that 50% of all diseases are preventable, if people could learn to handle the emotional and physical stress in their lives. A century ago, infectious diseases claimed the lives of thousands around the world and this was mainly caused by poor environmental conditions. Today, the leading cause of death in America is chronic diseases and this is primarily based on a persons lifestyle. In this paper I will briefly discuss the history of stress and the different causes of stress. I will also mention several stress management techniques. According to the Websters dictionary, stress is a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stress is the tension our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment. The stress that I am referring to is negative stress and it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression. There is also a positive stress and this type of stress induces us to action and it results in a new awareness or a new perspective. Stress comes in all shapes and sizes. There is the stress of divorce, bereavement, poverty, social isolation, child rearing and a few others. In order to live happy and healthy lives we must all learn to manage our level of stimulation so that our stress stays at an optimum level. (American Institute, 1994) In the 1930s, a biologist named Hans Selye was the first scientist to conduct a complete study of stress and its relationship to diseases. Selyes General Adaptation Syndrome had three sim...