With the semester in full swing, anxiety and stress can easily bring you down. It's important to keep calm not only for your mental health but for your physical health too. Here are a few things that I've learned over the years about dealing with the stress and anxiety of college life.
Schedule yourself some "me time." While everyone is busy with class, homework, actual work, internships or volunteering; it is still important to take some time to yourself and unwind. When I am having a stressful week I like to set aside short periods of time every day where I do something that I want to do whether it's watching an episode of my favorite show, painting my nails or even reading a book. Doing this can help take your mind off of whatever is causing you stress or anxiety.
Go to the gym. Getting in some exercise or breaking a sweat is another great coping mechanism for stress and anxiety. Exercising can help get rid of stress hormones and release mood-enhancing chemicals like positive neurotransmitters according to the Stress Management Society. Exercise will also help to relax whatever muscles are tense in your body. I also find that it takes my mind off of whatever I am stressing about.
Try something new like yoga. If getting to the gym for a longer cardio session is a problem, try doing some quick yoga poses right in your room. Any form of activity to get the blood flowing will help reduce the stressors in your body. According to the American Yoga Association, yoga helps to regulate breathing in the body which is something that we take for granted. Yoga poses will help to reduce tension in certain areas as well. Try taking a yoga class at your recreation center or if you're pressed for time YouTube it! There is a wonderful YouTube channel called Yoga with Adriene and there are all different types of yoga to try out!
Try meditation. I know it sounds cliche to say this but meditation really does help with stress. When I used to get stressed out and I would try to meditate, all I would think about while I was doing it was what was stressing me out in the first place. But if you are a beginner, like me, you need to train your brain to not think of those things. A friend recommended a great App called Stop, Breath & Think. It's free in the App store and comes with a list of guided meditations.
These guided meditations come with a soothing voice explaining to you what to be thinking and when and how to regulate your breathing. The list is incredibly long and you can pick whatever meditation suits you for that particular day. You can even tell the App how you are feeling that day and they will provide you with a list of recommended meditations. The meditations vary in length and don't all need to be done in the stationary position. Sometimes I listen to them on my way to class or walking into an exam.
Try talking to someone. This could mean a professional or just a close friend or family member. Confide in them what is stressing you or causing your anxiety, if you feel comfortable and they might surprise you with great advice. They could even give you some other tips and tricks that have worked for them in the past. I found that these tips helped me a lot, and I even do them when I'm not feeling stressed too. It's important to remember that you are not alone. We all battle stress and anxiety from time to time. Sometimes it is worse than others and sometimes we feel like it won't ever end. Hang in there, it will end. Everything happens for a reason. Namaste.
