Being a student is not only challenging, it's also stressful. Balancing your classes, projects, tests, extra-curricular activities, and working can feel overwhelming. With all that craziness happening, it becomes difficult to maintain a healthy and stress-free lifestyle. But, while stress is unavoidable, there are ways to manage and relieve it.
Here are eight ways you can reduce the stress in your life:
- Go for a walk- Walking boosts the feel-good endorphins which can reduce stress hormones, improving your mood and clearing your head. Take a short 10 minute walk around campus or down the street and get some fresh air.
- Get enough sleep- Yes I know: as a college student, it's not easy to catch enough ZZZ's when your apartment or dorm is full of partiers. But insufficient sleep can cause stress, as well as health problems such as depression, obesity, and diabetes. Try using earplugs to block out the disruptions. Align your schedule with normal sleeping hours, and avoid staying up until four o'clock in the morning. Messing up your internal clock by not sleeping during the night means falling asleep during the day, and possibly in class. This results in a foggy and hazy brain which causes MORE stress. Avoid staying up late, and sleeping throughout half the day; instead get a full night's rest and hit the bed before midnight.
- Mediate- Give your mind a little break. Mediation is a great way to release all of the negative energy inside, allowing you to relax your mind and body. Find a quiet spot to use regularly; this can be a bit challenging in college when you share a room, but you can find a quiet spot in the library if necessary. You can also invest in (hint, hint...) noise-canceling earmuffs or earplugs to help block out loud or distracting noise (get those ear plugs!)
- Talk to a friend or familymember- Get emotional support. Talking openly to a close friend or family member will minimize your levels of stress tremendously.
- Eat dark chocolate- Eating dark chocolate will not only reduce stress hormones, it also offers health benefits such as improved insulin sensitivity, reduced blood pressure, and an improved mood (what a treat!).
- House plants- Yes, plants. House plants purify the air while helping you calm down. According to research, being around greenery puts your body into a state of meditation, inciting deep relaxation of the body and mind. Go green!
- Take deep breaths-Try deep breathing techniques. Taking in deep breaths helps to reduce tension and stress because of the extra intake of oxygen. Breathing in deeply sends a message to your brain to relax your body, and research shows that it can actually repair some of the damage done by stress. So sit back, relax, close your eyes, and take a deep breath.
- Eat well- Nourish your body from within by eating the right foods. Stay away from items with excessive amounts of sodium or sugar. Now, I'm not asking you to throw away your ramen, but add some healthy, energy boosting foods to help tackle your stress. Snacking on nuts and fruit is a great way to boost your energy and improve your mood.
