If your body is talking, are you willing to listen?
Is it just me or does it seem as if regularly scheduled mental breakdowns should be added to the syllabi? I mean, at least that way we’ll know when they are going to happen, right? Stress has become the norm for many of us. It’s easy to get stressed between the never-ending deadlines, nonstop invitations from friends and family, and to top it all off, you have to work close to 25 hours per week to pay for all of this! Today, school-related stress can take a huge toll on our physical and emotional health. Luckily, our body has ways of warning us when we are approaching our limit. If you are currently experiencing any of these five symptoms, it’s safe to say that it’s time to take a break from everything, even if it is for a minute.
1. Muscle Tension and Headaches
It may be easy to make fun of all those women posing in such strange positions at your local yoga studio, but, have you stopped to think why so many women love yoga? Enduring stress on a daily basis can lead to muscle fatigue and headaches. It may be time to make a pit stop at your local department store and pick up one of those fancy yoga mats!
2. Indigestion and Stomach Aches
If you want to settle an upset stomach that seems to be caused by nerves, it’s crucial to make sure you keep your stress under control. Nausea, acid reflux, stomach aches, frequent urination, constipation, diarrhea, and other digestive problems may be present during times of high stress.
3. Infrequent or Absent Menstruation
No, you’re not pregnant!!! Stress overload can have your hormonal balance all over the place, forcing your body to experience a period dry spell for up to months on end. This condition, known as secondary amenorrhea, can lead to other detectable symptoms such as acne, excessive facial hair, hair loss, or vision changes.
4. Higher Heart and Breathing Rates
When your body is under stress, your heart will feel like you just ran up an entire flight of stairs! When stressed, your body believes it’s in an emergency. As a result, your blood pressure may rises. Next time you feel your heart racing before a tough deadline, take a few moments and practice some breathing exercises.
5. Weight Gain
It’s 2 in the morning, and you’re cramming for the exam you’ve been stressing over for days. All of a sudden, you instinctively find yourself reaching for that pint of ice cream you can’t seem to stop craving. We’ve all been there, myself included. It may come as no surprise that high stress has been linked to weight gain. When your body is enduring high levels of stress, there is an increase in appetite and cravings, which results in belly fat accumulation. When feeling hungry, make sure to seek healthy alternatives such as, grapes, strawberries, or carrots, just to name a few.
At the end of the day, we need to cut ourselves some slack, it isn’t easy being a student. We are trying our best to prepare for the future and sometimes that can be stressful, but, no midterm should put your health in jeopardy! Whenever your body is trying to talk to you via the various symptoms listed above, you need to stop what you are doing and listen. Make sure to consume a balanced diet and partake in some sort of daily physical activity for at least 30 minutes. Stress management may not be of importance to you in comparison to the millions of other daunting tasks at hand. But trust me, in the long run, your body will be thankful that you listened. Next time you’re feeling defeated by school or grades, keep in mind that college is all about balance. There is nothing wrong with taking it easy and listening to what your body is trying to tell you.