Two papers, a midterm and a group project all due this week—this could be what your school life looks like this time of the semester. Taking on heavy loads of schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and working (if you have a job) can be very difficult and very stressful. There are a number of ways that college students choose to unwind; there are some healthy ways and a few unhealthy ways. The best way that I’ve found to deal with stress and anxiety is through meditation which can have a variety of positive effects on the mind and body.
The first positive effect is that meditation reduces stress (obviously!). It plays an important part in increasing mental health by possibly increasing brain activity in your frontal lobe which is the part of the brain that tends to be more active in optimistic people.
The second important thing is that meditation requires you to slow down and just sit and breathe. This is something that many college students and busy people have trouble doing because they are always running around and their brains are always kicked into hyper drive. When you take a minute to stop and contemplate, it is a lot easier to operate from day to day, and it becomes easier to organize your thoughts and tasks.
Meditation is also good for lowering your blood pressure. High blood pressure can often be attributed to stress and anxiety. People who meditate are often still and moving towards a place of complete calm. When you are calm and meditating, your blood pressure could lower if you are stressed and help you maintain a healthy heart along with a sound mind.
Besides, high blood pressure, stress has been related to a number of illnesses, either causing or contributing to them. There have been studies that linked meditation to an improvement of health in patients with illnesses such as Fibromyalgia and even Psoriasis.
If stress and anxiety have become too much to bear, it might be time to talk to someone or visit your school’s counseling center or doctor. It’s important to remember that meditation only aids in stress and anxiety relief. Diet and exercise are also an excellent way to maintain a healthy body, mind, and spirit. The next time you find your head spinning from a busy day, take a few minutes to meditate in a quiet place. Five minutes of meditation can have a huge impact on your mood and overall health.