You may already be in the process of planning beach trips or reunions with old friends for your spring break. It’s important to keep in mind that spring break isn’t just about having fun but also recuperating after a stressful first half of the semester. Here are 5 quick tips on how to ease your brain of accumulated stress from the semester.
Practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness is simply becoming aware of the present and the space you embody. It allows time for you to bring attention to your body, your breathing, and your environment. Set a short time each day to sit down and simply focus your attention on your breathing. Allow your mind to wander without judgement. Feel free to play white noise or rain sounds in the background.
Have some time for music therapy.
You may already listen to music on the daily when walking to classes or when doing homework. Try sitting down and really listen to the lyrics and beats of your favorite songs without distractions like schoolwork. Music therapy has been shown to significantly reduce psychological distress and anxiety [1]
Sleep!
Now that you have some time to yourself, use it to catch up on sleep. Sleep is the time your body recovers from various stressors of the day. Not enough sleep leads to several short-term problems such as lack of attention, mood swings, and memory loss. The long-term problems are more severe such as a much weaker immune system. For the break, allow yourself to sleep when you feel tired rather than stay up.
Stay offline for at least an hour a day.
Surprisingly, online entertainment like social media can cause more stress in young adults than schoolwork. Consider turning all of your devices for an hour a day (perhaps before bed time) to allow yourself to become aware of the “real-world.”
Take a day to be selfish.
Reserve one day to yourself without plans with friends or family. It may seem selfish but having a day to focus on your wants and needs will allow the rest of your break to feel less stressful. You’ll be able to appreciate the needs of your friends and family once you make a day to appreciate your own.