With midterms and assignments piling up on you and trying to balance your social life, it can get pretty stressful. Below, we have compiled a list of tips to keep you stress free during this time.
Avoid or try reducing any consumption of nicotine and drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol. Caffeine and nicotine are stimulants that will increase your stress level rather than reduce it. Alcohol, when taken in large quantities, is a depressant. In smaller quantities it acts as a stimulant, therefore using alcohol as a way to alleviate stress is not helpful.
Tip: Swap caffeinated and alcoholic beverages for water, herbal teas, or natural fruit juices and aim to keep your body hydrated! Additionally, avoid or reduce your intake of refined sugars (contained in many manufactured foods). Try eating a more healthy, well-balanced diet!
Get physical! Stress can increase your level of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol in your body. These are your ‘fight or flight’ hormones that are designed to protect us from immediate harm when we are under threat. Physical exercise can be used as a surrogate to metabolize the excessive stress hormones and restore your mind to a more relaxed, calm state.
Tip: Incorporate some physical activity into your daily routine. Regular physical activity will improve the quality of your sleep.
Get some sleep…. Lack of sleep can be such a huge cause of stress. Unfortunately, stress can also prevent us from sleeping soundly as thoughts, deadlines, fears continue to whirl through our minds. Instead of relying on medication, you should maximize your relaxation before going to sleep. Keep your room a tranquil oasis with no reminders of anything that will cause you stress.
Tip: Try taking a warm bath or reading a calm book for a few minutes to relax your body, tire your eyes, and help forget about the things that are stressing you out.
Talk it Out. Talking to someone about how you are feeling can be helpful. Talking can either distract you from all your stressful thoughts or releasing some of the built-up tension by discussing it.
Tip: Stress can cloud your judgement so talking to a friend, colleague, or even a professional, can help you find solutions to your stress and put your problems into different perspective.