Stress. Whether it is caused by high school, college, work, or just life in general, most people deal with it. Deadlines, homework, work, life, etc, they can all cause high levels of stress and it can be really hard to deal with. In college there are so many things that can trigger stress, and what's worse about it is that being stressed only causes you more problems because the more stressed you are the more stressed you can actually become. One sign of high stress levels is being unable to sleep. Well, if you are stressed, lack of sleep will only make it worse and can cause more problems.
Other examples of excessive stress are:
- Less energy
- Insomnia
- Lowered immune system
- Stomach problems
- Headaches
- Higher than normal heart rate
- Tense muscles, aches, and pains
- Loss of appetite
And that isn't all. Those are just a few of the physical symptoms of stress. There are also mental symptoms including:
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Feeling of isolation and/or loneliness
- Feels overwhelmed
Many people have experienced these symptoms. Some people experience the physical aspects, while others experience the mental aspects. There are also people who, unfortunately, experience both of these symptoms.
As a college student in their Junior year, I am very busy with classes, work, internship searches, and family stuff. All of that adds up and can make life extremely stressful. I have never been one to handle stress well, and I've talked to a lot of my friends, and a lot of them have admitted they don't know how to handle it either. As previously mentioned, not handling it and just letting it build up is only going to make things worse. So here are some things that you can do to reduce, and help you better handle stress.
Get organized, prioritize and don’t procrastinate
If you're stressed because of college or work related problems, then this is one great thing you can do for yourself. If you spend a little bit of time getting everything organizing and setting times to do certain things, whether it is for homework or work tasks, it can help you to lay things out. Also, when you are organizing and planning things out, try not to leave things to the last minute. Try to figure out what is the highest priority and make sure those things are done first and earlier on.
And do not forget to schedule some time for yourself. Yes, you have things that need to be taken care of, but don’t forget your one of those things. You need to make sure you're taking time here and there for a break.
Get more sleep
One of the most problematic physical symptoms of stress, in my opinion, is the insomnia. If you aren't sleeping its going to cause you to be even more stressed because the longer you go without sleep the worse you start to function. It is only going to make things a lot worse. So before the stress starts to take over and cause that insomnia, make sure that you are getting enough sleep. It will help you relax and wind down from a one day. It also give you time to just breathe and set something aside. Do your best to not sacrifice your sleep and health to a busy schedule.
Take a break and take care of yourself
I mentioned this earlier when I said to make sure that you schedule yourself some free time and prioritize yourself. Your mental health is really important during all of this. If you don't take time to yourself, by taking a break, relaxing, and sleeping it is going to make things so much harder to deal with. I know one problem that I found is common with the people I asked is their appetite. A lot of them said that they lose their appetite and don't eat very much. That's not good for you. It's just going to assist your stress in lowering your immune system. So when you get a chance, before you let your stress pull you under, pull up a seat, sit in it and take a break. Maybe this a good time to start getting organized and prioritizing. If that's what works for you, then do it. Do whatever relaxes you before it becomes too much.
Ask for help
Asking for help is another really great thing you can do.Your support system is there for you and they want to be able to help you. You do not have to deal with all of your stress alone. Your friends and family are there for you and they do not want to see you in a bad place. Friends and family are important. Personally, I do not know what I would do if I didn't have my close friends and family. They are always there if I need them. So when things start to get overwhelming, and the stress starts to build up, think of the people who you know you can go to. Call them up. Whether you just need someone to talk or someone to just sit with and hang out, or genuinely need to ask for help, they are going to be there for you.
