9 WAYS TO BEAT STRESS

20 Oct 2017

  1. A varied and healthy diet

Eating fresh ingredients and lots of fruit is really important. Juices filled with vitamin Care said to be good for your immune system so can help with stress. When you’re busy and tired it can be tempting just to grab another pizza or ready meal, but cooking from scratch can be therapeutic as well as being healthier.

  1. Exercise

Doing sport at least once a week is the best way to reduce stress. It helps your body produce endorphins, which make you feel good. Even daily walks of 30 minutes can help reduce stress levels but it’s even better to work out intensively. Joining a sports club could also help with stress as the regular contact with other people should help improve your mood.

  1. Meditation

It might sound simple, but sitting quietly for 10 minutes a day can really help with stress levels. If you’ve never tried meditation before, it’s worth a go. Good breathing techniques can put you in a more relaxed state as they send oxygen surging through your bloodstream, helping to calm you down and beat the stress.

  1. Take breaks regularly

Short breaks between studying can help you switch off. But longer breaks are important too. How about taking the weekend off to relax? Make time for fun and for yourself even if this means that you have to schedule time away from your work. You’ll hopefully come back to your university life feeling fresh.

  1. Sleep (and sign off Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Path)

Sleep is always the best medicine and some people find that small 20-minute naps can help increase productivity. As students we tend to spend too much time on social media sites and answering emails, texts and phone calls. Sociability is fun – but too much of it, and too much computer time, can lead to more stress.

  1. Quit smoking

Some people say they smoke to relax, but researchers on the European Board for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco suggest that nicotine suppresses the hormone serotonin, which fights stress. Another good reason to quit, right?

  1. Try to see the positive side

If you missed a deadline, try to appreciate what you learned from this mistake: now you know how to plan ahead. Things might seem bad, but if you try, there is usually something positive to be learned.

  1. Listen to music

Listening to music can help calm you down and put you in a better frame of mind. If you’re feeling stressed, putting on some calming music while you work could really help.

  1. Laugh

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and it’s really true. Laughing out loud increases oxygen and blood flow which automatically reduces stress. Not taking life too seriously can help everyone live a better and easier life. Make time for yourself. It’s about time that we students accept that we can achieve just as much in life without all the stress.