Stress is not just for adults! It can hit even children, as evidenced by their tantrums as an example. Simple stress, mental fatigue, and mild anxiety are all part of life. Every psychologist says there should be appropriate treatment as early as a simple burnout happens.
“There are so many ways stress creeps into our lives, yet if we take control of our time and make proactive and healthy decisions, we can stop these negative cycles and truly take care of our mental health.” Sonja Seglin, LCPC said. Understanding why one is stressed or anxious may help. Tracing the root cause is the ultimate cure, but this is not always the go-to remedy. Stress cannot be eliminated but can be managed in the right ways. It should be the case, especially for young adult students who are also undergoing puberty, a transition to adulthood, and school peer pressure.
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Here are some of the effective stress busters that psychologists always advise their student clients:
Eat Healthily
Eating healthily is still the first step toward stress relief. The physical self should be healthy because mental health also depends heavily on it. If you are feeling hungry, keep in mind to always eat healthily. Research and science say that a green and leafy plate carries with it nutrients that are good for the mental aspect. “A balanced diet that includes lots of fiber helps keep your gut system running efficiently by helping to support a more diverse gut microbiome.” John M. Grohol, Psy.D. said.
You can have cheat days but keep it in moderation. After all, physical appearance significantly affects confidence. Watch your salt and sugar intake every day. Do not make your physical health suffer in long-term fatigue and disease and then realize it at a very late stage.
Exercise And Move
“For starters, exercise releases endorphins, the body’s “feel-good hormones,” that can calm the mind and relax the body.” Clinical psychologist Jenny C. Yip, PsyD, said. Most students will hate this tip or will not even think about it. When psychologists ask you to exercise, they mean to move, move, and move around and not do a full-blown workout session every day.
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You can opt for yoga or simply walking and running exercises at home. There are instructional videos online which you can do in less than 15 minutes every day or whenever you have free time. Exercises, no matter how simple or short, is responsible for releasing happy hormones called the ‘serotonin.’ This body chemical will make you feel ‘happy’ and better right after.
Read Inspirational Quotes
This is a good kick starter of your day! You can read a couple of quotes or short stories of motivation every morning to wake that spirit in you. This way, you will start the day smiling and not in a sluggish way. Remember that a passive or weary attitude in the morning invites stress throughout the day.
Smile And Laugh
Research shows that smiling makes a person cope with stress more easily than those who hold neutral expressions. In a recent study, those who participated and were told to smile had lower heart rates than those who were told not to.
As they say, laughter is the best medicine. Science shows that laughing reduces stress hormones and boosts the immune system. Moreover, it can be contagious. Share a good laugh with people and see how many friendships you can form.
Keep A Journal
Sometimes, writing it down relieves all the stress and fatigue inside of us. Keeping a record of what happened generally eases the feeling, and it can help you trace any problem.
A journal can be therapeutic. You can design it and express yourself in it. You can put your achievements and happy memories in it so that you can go back and relive the pleasant feeling again and again. It will calm you and defeat all the thoughts of stress at the end of the day.
Have Fun With Friends
Do this always with your parents’ consent and permission. You can invite your classmates and friends for a sleepover, do some movie marathons, and binge eat. Go out with them for food trips, small travels, or beach trips. Take your mind off schoolwork for a while.
Get Enough Sleep
College students take sleep for granted most of the time. They would always sacrifice sleep to balance their social life and studies. It is the biggest mistake they are doing. Without proper rest, physical and mental health aspects suffer. Stress will stay until they get a night of complete sleep.
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Try napping even for 15 minutes to an hour if stress is completely consuming you. Do not think about the deadlines for a while. If you want to speed up your thinking ability to meet that deadline, nap for a while. See how it will clear up your mind to work more efficiently in the next hour.
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Summary
Having a positive mind and better physical health are the best stress busters. These two general points are broken down into manageable steps above so it would be easier for students to follow. Keep in mind that understanding and managing stress at a younger age will make your adult and working life better in the future.