Recognizing your body’s                    Stress Management:
      danger signals of stress:                  Here are 4 ways to manage stress:
      • How do you know you’re                   1. Define the problem you are
         anxious?                                   facing. Break it into pieces and
      • Are you tense?                              set small goals to overcome the
      • Does your head or your                      problem step-by-step.                                Anxiety and 
         stomach flutter?                        2. Check your thinking!                                    Relaxation
      • Do you breathe too quickly?                 Your stress response gets
                                                    activated when you think                       For older adults and 
      Think about your body’s                       you may not be able to handle
      signals of anxiety or frustration.            a situation.                                            their families
      Write them down.                           3. Ask for help! Reach out
                                                    to family and friends for
      1.__________________________                  practical assistance and
                                                    emotional support.
      2.__________________________               4. It is impossible to feel stressed
      3.__________________________                  when your body is relaxed.
                                                    Learn to melt away the stress
      4.__________________________                  response with:
                                                    • Deep Breathing
                Practice noticing                   • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
                when these stress                   • Guided Imagery
                signals start. Try deep             Practice these techniques when 
                breathing as soon as                you are not stressed so that 
                you notice stress.                  you are prepared to use them 
                                                    when you need them!
                                                 For more copies, go online at http://vch.eduhealth.ca or 
                                                email phem@vch.ca and quote Catalogue No. CB.500.An95  
                                                      © Vancouver Coastal Health, February 2017 
                                                 The information in this document is intended solely for the 
                                                  person to whom it was given by the health care team.
                                                               www.vch.ca
      Deep Breathing Techniques:             Progressive Muscle                     Guided Imagery 
      Practice deep breathing if you         Relaxation Exercises:                  Relaxation:
      are stressed.                          Posture: Sit in a comfortable          Think of a place where you feel 
      Practice at any time to learn          chair with your feet flat on           peaceful and relaxed, such as 
      how to do it well.                     the floor.                             a warm beach or quiet lake in 
      Place: Find a quiet,                   Attitude: Maintain a relaxed,          the mountains. This can be an 
      comfortable place.                     slow, deep-breathing pattern.          imagined place or place that 
                                             Tighten each muscle group in           you have visited. 
      Posture: Sit in a comfortable          the body one at a time.                Close your eyes and focus on 
      chair with your feet flat on                                                  this place. Try to remember or 
      the floor.                             Hold for 5–7 seconds, then             imagine how it affected your 
      Attitude: Maintain a relaxed,          release.                               senses: sight, smell, touch, 
      almost passive attitude.               Go through the ten muscle              sound and taste. This helps 
                                             groups at least twice:                 make the experience more real. 
      Breath: Slowly take a deep               • Forehead                           If you find yourself returning 
      breathe through your nose.               •  Eyes, cheeks, nose                to worrisome thoughts, gently 
      Be aware of your belly and               •  Jaws, lips, tongue                push the thoughts away and 
      chest rising as you breathe in           • Neck                               return the image. 
      this fresh air.                          •  Chest, back, shoulders            Try to maintain this focus for 
      Gently exhale out through your           •  Right arm                         at least five minutes. 
      mouth.                                   •  Left arm
      Repeat this breathing pattern            •  Abdomen, buttocks
      for 3–5 minutes.                         •  Right leg
                                               •  Left leg
                                             When you are finished, 
                                             maintain a few moments of 
                                             silence with your eyes closed. 
                                             Focus on your breathing.