Ways to stress management among students

 

What is stress?

Stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone. In fact, the human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. When you experience changes or challenges (stressors), your body produces physical and mental responses. That’s stress.

Stress responses help your body adjust to new situations. Stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated and ready to avoid danger. For example, if you have an important test coming up, a stress response might help your body work harder and stay awake longer. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation.

Student stress can be caused by a number of factors, including:

• struggling with your mental health
• loneliness, homesickness or relationship difficulties
• finding it hard to save money or deal with debt
• not knowing how to balance work and study
• worrying about revising for exams
• struggling with writing essays or dissertations
• feeling unsure about what to do after graduation
• harmful use of, or withdrawal from, alcohol or drugs.

Here are some ways to deal with the stress:-

Exercise

This doesn't have to be a gruelling gym session - you simply need to get your heart racing, for example by going for a brisk walk or a bike ride.

'Exercise releases endorphins, it makes us feel good,' says Kate. 'We feel a great sense of accomplishment from exercise and it also often goes hand in hand with other positive steps towards good mental health, such as spending time with other people or time outdoors.'

Time management

People often get stressed when they feel that they're running out of time to complete a task - this could be study or work related or even stem from feeling overwhelmed with social activities. However, simple time management techniques can help you to feel more relaxed and focused.

A relaxation technique originating in Buddhism, mindfulness is a popular coping mechanism for those tackling stress or anxiety. Used by clinicians to improve patients' physical and mental health, it can significantly lower stress levels. It is most often practised through deep breathing or guided meditation.

Talking to someone

Isolation can have an extremely negative impact on your happiness. Accepting that you need help and talking to someone is often the first step to feeling better.

Speak to your friends and family - they know you best and care about you the most. What's more, studies suggest that socialising with a friend just once a week can reduce your stress levels and improve your mood as much as therapy or counselling.

Getting enough sleep

'Maintaining a sleep routine is of paramount importance to mental health and managing stress,' says Charlotte. 'Taking time to relax before you go to sleep can help the quality of your sleep. Try to go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time each day. Seven to eight hours is recommended.'