P.

E AND HEALTH 2
2ND SEMESTER // 3RD QUARTER // PRELIMS REVIEWER
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MANAGING ONE’S STRESS THROUGH INDIVIDUAL, DUAL, AND TEAM SPORTS

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one through over another.”

STRESS

Stress is a feeling of being under abnormal pressure.

❖ This pressure can come from various aspects of daily life:

- Increased workload

- Transitional periods

- Arguments with family

- Financial worries

❖ Stress often has a cumulative effect, where each stressor builds on the others.

During stressful situations, you may:

- Feel threatened or upset.

- Experience your body’s stress response, which can:

- Cause physical symptoms.

- Change your behavior.

- Lead to intense emotions.

❖ Stress affects individuals physically, emotionally, and at varying intensities.

❖ Research highlights the positive side of stress:

➢ It can make you more alert and help you perform better in specific situations.

➢ However, stress is only beneficial when short-lived.

❖ Stress affects the brain and body connection:

➢ When stress impacts the brain, the rest of the body feels it too.

➢ Maintaining physical well-being can improve your mental state.

OTHER STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING STRESS

❖ The benefits of physical activities like engaging in individual, dual, or team sports and

exercise in improving physical condition and fighting diseases have long been
 established, and physicians have always encouraged people to stay physically

active.

❖ Participating in physical activities, such as individual, dual, or team sports, is also

considered vital for maintaining mental fitness and can reduce stress.

THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN MANAGING ONE’S STRESS

Physical Activity (PA) is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles

that requires energy expenditure. There are two components to physical activity that need to

be considered.

AEROBIC FITNESS

➢ this usually includes moderate to vigorous activity that makes you feel a bit warm,

and causes your breathing to increase and your heart rate.

STRENGTH AND BALANCE

➢ this is often the forgotten component of physical activity, but it is an essential part that

has many benefits.

Physical activity may include:

- Active recreation

- Sports participation

- Cycling Walking

❖ It is even more important for all people to be physically active.

❖ Even if it is only a short break from sitting at your desk and doing some walking or

stretching.

Doing something as simple as this will:

- Ease muscle strain

- Relief of mental tension

- Improve blood circulation

- Improve muscle activity

- Helps to give some routine to a day in these unprecedented times.

There are certain sports, such as golf, bowling, and tennis that, for the most part, are

considered individual sports, which are sports played alone without teammates.

A sample of the thousands of individual sports includes:

- Badminton

- Bowling

- Boxing

- Cycling

- Figure skating

- Golf

- Skiing

- Snowboarding

- Surfing

- Swimming

TIPS TO MANAGE STRESS

EXERCISE

➢ Working out regularly is one of the best ways to relax your body and mind. Exercise

can also improve one's mood.

- Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate exercise (e.g., brisk walking) or

75 minutes of vigorous exercise (e.g., swimming laps, jogging).

RELAX YOUR MUSCLE

➢ Stress causes muscle tension. Loosen them by:

- Stretching

- Enjoying a massage

- Taking a hot bath or shower

DEEP BREATHING

➢ Stopping and taking a few deep breaths can take the pressure off you right away.

You'll be surprised at how much better you feel once you get good at it.
 Just follow these 5 steps:

1. Sit in a comfortable position with your hands in your lap and your feet on the

floor. You may also lie down.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Imagine yourself in a relaxing place.

4. Slowly take deep breaths in and out.

5. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.

EAT WELL

➢ A well-balanced diet helps improve your mood and manage stress.

- Include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins.

- Avoid skipping meals—it can worsen your mood and increase stress.

SLOW DOWN

➢ Life can be hectic; find ways to chill out:

- Set your watch ahead to arrive early.

- Use safer routes when driving, like the bicycle lane.

- Break tasks into smaller parts (e.g., sort schoolwork from easiest to hardest).

TAKE A BREAK

➢ You need to plan on some real downtime to give your mind time off from stress. If

you're a person who likes to set goals, this may be hard for you at first. But stick with

it, and look forward to these moments.

Restful things you can do include:

- Meditation

- Yoga

- Tai chi

- Prayer

- Listening to your favorite music

- Spending time in nature

➢ Do activities you enjoy to relieve stress. Even 15–20 minutes daily can help.

Relaxing hobbies include:

- Reading

- Knitting

- Doing an art project

- Playing golf

- Watching a movie

- Doing puzzles

- Playing cards and board games

TALK ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS

➢ If things are bothering you, talking about them can help lower your stress. You can

talk to family members and friends, and you can also talk to yourself. It's called

self-talk and we all do it.

GO EASY ON YOURSELF

➢ Accept that you can't do things perfectly, no matter how hard you try. You also can't

control everything in your life. So do yourself a favor and stop thinking so much. And

don't forget to keep up your sense of humor.

ELIMINATE YOUR TRIGGERS

➢ Identify your stressors, such as work, commute, or schoolwork.

- Try to eliminate or reduce them.

- Keep a stress journal to track triggers.

SKILL

❖ Individual sports require specific skills. These include cardiovascular fitness,

muscle tone, and flexibility for long hours of practice and play.
 ❖ A key advantage of individual sports is that athletes can progress at their own

pace to improve their skills.

❖ Mental skills are crucial. Athletes need autonomy, self-discipline, focused thinking,

and passion.

❖ Skill mastery requires repetition. Athletes must work on a skill over and over until it

is mastered.

❖ Flexibility in practice schedules is another benefit. Athletes can practice as early

or late as they want.

❖ Winning comes with full credit. However, athletes must take full responsibility for

poor performances as well.

CRITICAL ELEMENTS

❖ Individual sports focus on personal goals. Athletes can aim for personal bests

(PBs) without worrying about impacting a team.

❖ Athletes often compete against themselves. They strive to beat their previous

performances while also competing with others.

Motivation in individual sports comes in two forms:

➢ External motivation comes from others or rewards, like a coach pushing you,

winning a medal, or meeting a parent's expectations.

➢ Intrinsic motivation comes from within and is common among individual athletes. It

includes goals like achieving a personal best or qualifying for a tournament.

❖ Pressure in individual sports is self-driven. There are no teammates to please or

peer pressure to handle—the athlete relies on their own determination.

TYPES OF SPORTS

➢ Sports involve physical actions and skills, where individuals or teams compete under

a set of rules. These are classified into individual, dual, or team sports.
➢ Dual sports are played by two people competing against each other. These sports

develop teamwork and coordination since both are essential to win.

➢ Like individual sports, dual sports also promote muscular strength and tactical

strategy. Examples include badminton, tennis, pickleball, golf, archery, dance,

cross-country skiing, and table tennis.

➢ Team sports involve individuals organized into opposing teams working toward a

shared objective, such as outscoring the opponent.

➢ Some sports can be played as individual, dual, or team games, offering flexibility in

how they are enjoyed.

➢ Engaging in sports—whether individual, dual, or team—is beneficial for physical and

mental health. Participating in these activities reduces stress and promotes mental

fitness.

➢ Studies show sports help in reducing fatigue, improving alertness, enhancing

concentration, and boosting cognitive function, especially when stress affects energy

or focus.