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103.7 Healthy Living II: Physical Activity, Sleep and Stress
Moving more, resting well and coping together across the lifespan
Your materials
Slides (PowerPoint) Handout (Word)
For instructors
Facilitator guide Printable pre and post tests Quiz (LMS import)
What you will learn
- State the national physical activity guidelines for adults and youth
- Use the talk test and FITT to explain activity in plain words
- Describe healthy sleep habits and common signs of sleep apnea
- Help a client build a SMART goal using community assets
Start here
When was the last time you moved your body and felt better after? What helped you do it?
Lesson
How much movement do we need
- 150 min Moderate activity each week for adults, at least
- 2 days Muscle-strengthening activity each week for adults
- 60 min Activity every day for youth ages 6 to 17
Source: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd ed.
The talk test
No watch or app needed. Just try to talk.
- Moderate: You can talk, but you cannot sing. Brisk walking, line dancing and yard work count.
- Vigorous: You can only say a few words before you need to stop for a breath.
- Any amount counts: Ten minutes after lunch, a walk to the bus, or dancing in the kitchen all add up.
FITT: building a plan that fits
| Letter | Means | Example for Ms. Rivera |
|---|---|---|
| F | Frequency: how often | 5 days a week |
| I | Intensity: how hard | Moderate; she can talk, not sing |
| T | Time: how long | 30 minutes, or three 10 minute walks |
| T | Type: what activity | Walking the track at her rec center |
Setting a SMART goal together
Goals work best when the client writes them in their own words.
- Specific: What exactly will you do? Walk with my sister after dinner.
- Measurable: How will you count it? Twenty minutes, marked on my calendar.
- Achievable: Is it a stretch but doable? Start with three days, not seven.
- Relevant: Why does it matter to you? I want to keep up with my grandkids.
- Timely: By when? For the next four weeks, then we check in.
Why it is hard to move more
- What we see: Mr. Hayes in Glenville knows walking would help his blood pressure, but he rarely leaves the house after dark.
- Why it happens (upstream): Broken streetlights, worry about violence, cold winters, no sidewalk snow removal, long work hours and the cost of a gym.
- What we can build on (assets): A free city rec center with a walking track, a church walking group, block club walks, and a neighbor who walks every morning.
Sleep: what helps and what to report
Healthy sleep habits
- Same bedtime and wake time every day
- Quiet, dark, cool bedroom
- Quiet hour before bed, no bright screens
- No caffeine or nicotine late in the day
- Time outside and activity during the day
Possible sleep apnea signs
- Loud, frequent snoring
- Pauses in breathing during sleep
- Choking or gasping awake for air
- Very sleepy or tired during the day
- Morning headaches or dry mouth
Coping with stress, together
Chronic stress can raise the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
- Breathe: Taking slow, deep breaths can help lower your stress level in the moment.
- Move and rest: Physical activity and enough sleep help the body handle stress.
- Connect: Friends and neighbors may share the same worries. Talking helps us feel less alone.
- Faith and support: A faith leader, counselor or doctor can help when stress feels like too much.
Situation: too tired to start
Situation: Ms. Tanisha Brooks in Slavic Village works nights at a warehouse. She tells you she sleeps four hours, snores so loudly her kids complain, and is too tired to walk. She wants to feel better.
What do you say and do?
- Listen and thank her for sharing; ask what feeling better means to her
- Share that loud snoring and daytime tiredness are worth telling her provider
- Help her schedule a visit and write down her symptoms to bring
- Build one small goal together, such as a short walk before her shift
Talk it over
- What place in your neighborhood feels safe and welcoming for being active?
- What keeps people in your community from getting enough sleep?
- How does your community, faith or family help you cope with stress?
Video
Fitness: Moving More (Healthwise (Michigan Medicine Health Library), 2:42 minutes)
Watch for:
- Name two easy ways to add more walking to a normal day.
- How does the video tie a short exercise to a habit you already have?
- The video starts with 30 minutes a week. How much more would you need to reach 150 minutes?
Sleep Problems: Make a Plan to Power Down (Healthwise (Michigan Medicine Health Library), 2:34 minutes)
Watch for:
- Why can screens near bedtime make it harder to fall asleep?
- Name two steps from the video that help you power down at night.
- How could tracking your sleep help a client stick with a new habit?
Study sheet
The big idea: Movement, sleep and coping with stress protect health, and our communities hold many assets that make them possible.
Key points
- Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle strengthening on 2 days.
- Youth ages 6 to 17 need 60 minutes of activity every day; any amount of activity helps.
- The talk test: moderate means you can talk but not sing.
- FITT and SMART goals help clients build plans in their own words, starting small.
- Teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep and most adults need 7 to 8 hours.
- Loud snoring, breathing pauses and daytime sleepiness are signs to share with a provider.
- Stress has upstream causes; breathing, movement, connection and faith help us cope.
Remember
- Adults: 150 to 300 minutes moderate activity a week, plus 2 days of muscle strengthening
- Youth 6 to 17: 60 minutes a day; children 3 to 5: active throughout the day
- Sleep: teens 8 to 10 hours, most adults 7 to 8 hours
- Cleveland recreation centers are free to join
- Crisis: call or text 988; emergency: call 911
Ask yourself
- Which barrier to activity do I see most in my own neighborhood?
- How do I take care of my own sleep and stress so I can serve others?
Vocabulary
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Physical activity | Any movement of the body that uses energy, such as walking, dancing, gardening or climbing stairs. |
| Moderate intensity | Activity that makes you breathe harder; you can talk but you cannot sing. |
| Vigorous intensity | Hard activity; you can say only a few words before pausing for breath. |
| Muscle-strengthening activity | Activity that works muscles against weight or resistance, like push-ups, lifting, or heavy gardening. |
| Talk test | A simple way to judge how hard you are working by trying to talk or sing. |
| FITT | Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type: four parts of an activity plan. |
| SMART goal | A goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. |
| Progression | Slowly increasing how often, how hard, or how long you are active. |
| Sleep apnea | A condition where breathing stops and starts during sleep; a provider diagnoses it. |
| Chronic stress | Stress that goes on for a long time and can harm the body, including the heart. |
Real-life situations
The walker who stopped walking
Mr. Leonard Hayes, 62, lives in Glenville. He used to walk every evening, but the streetlights on his block went out and he no longer feels safe. His blood pressure has gone up.
What to do
- Listen to his safety concerns without brushing them off
- Share free indoor options, such as the walking track at a city rec center
- Ask if a neighbor, church member or block club could walk with him in daylight
- Offer to help him report the broken streetlights to the city
- Set one SMART goal together and plan a check-in call
Why: Activity barriers are often upstream. CHWs help with both the person's plan and the neighborhood problem.
The tired teen
At an HPAC event in East Cleveland, Jaylen, 16, says he stays on his phone until 2 a.m. and falls asleep in first period. His mom asks you what to do.
What to do
- Share that teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep
- Talk through a few habits: same bedtime, phone out of the bedroom, a quiet hour before bed
- Let Jaylen choose one change he is willing to try
- If he snores loudly or seems very sleepy even with more sleep, suggest he see his doctor
Why: Sleep education is within CHW scope, and change sticks better when the teen chooses it.
Stress at the kitchen table
During a home visit in Clark-Fulton, Ms. Maria Rivera says money worries keep her up at night. She feels tense all day and has started having a drink to calm down.
What to do
- Thank her for being honest and listen without judgment
- Help with the upstream cause: connect her to benefits or United Way 211
- Share coping ideas she can try, such as slow breathing, a walk, or her church group
- Let her know a doctor or counselor can help, and offer a referral
- If she talks about harming herself, connect her to 988 right away and tell your supervisor
Why: Using more alcohol to cope is a sign of stress. CHWs address the cause, share coping tools and refer when needed.
Activity: My SMART move: a FITT plan
About 25 minutes.
- Pick one activity you enjoy or want to try, such as walking, dancing, gardening or a class at a rec center.
- Fill in FITT for it: how often, how hard (use the talk test), how long, and what type.
- Turn it into one SMART goal written in your own words.
- List one barrier you might face and one community asset that could help.
- Share your plan with a partner or post it in the course discussion, then track it for one week.
Post-test
Ten questions. You need 75% to pass, with one retake. Your result is saved in this browser.
Sources
- Top 10 Things to Know About the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (ODPHP)
- CDC, How to Measure Physical Activity Intensity
- NIH MedlinePlus Magazine, How much sleep do you need
- NHLBI, Healthy Sleep Habits
- NHLBI, Sleep Apnea Symptoms
- CDC, Managing Mental Health (deep breaths, enjoyable activities)
- CDC ATSDR Community Stress Resource Center, Stress fact sheet
- CDC ATSDR, Tip Sheet for Community-Based Organizations: Community Stress
- Signal Cleveland, A guide to Cleveland's public spaces (April 2026)