Stress is your body or mind’s reaction to a physical or emotionally tense situation. School stress is very common for students due to various factors such as too much homework, exam pressure, no time to relax, etc. Like a lot of other things in life, stress can be of two types- good and bad. Stress is often looked down upon as a bad thing, but stress can also be good. Good stress lasts for a short period of time and it often motivates a person to improve and push their limits. Good stress can be exciting for some people and improve their work. For students, good stress can be something like stress during exams, for meeting a deadline, etc. this stress helps them learn from their past mistakes and improves their performance.
Research shows that academic stress leads to a decrease in well-being and an increased likelihood of developing anxiety or depression in a person. Students also get stressed from having little or no time for themselves, irregular sleep patterns, too much workload for a long time. Bad stress reduces students' work rate, reduces the ability to learn in class, and causes a lack of concentration in class. This leads to poor quality work and reduces the academic performance of a student.
5 ways to reduce stress can be:
1. Fixing sleep pattern
Students these days have a very erratic sleep schedule. They binge watch TV shows or sleep in the day causing them to not get any sleep at night. Not getting enough sleep results in students being tired all the time. They cannot focus properly on their studies as the brain is not well-rested. This causes stress. They should have a fixed bedtime and a regular sleep pattern for them to feel more relaxed and stress-free.
2. Exercising regularly
To relax, students should exercise. They should do yoga or other activities to calm their minds. Yoga helps reduce the stress and burden on the mind and body. Exercising with their friends will help them catch up with their friends and also distract themselves from the stress of things. This should be done regularly even if it is done for a short period of time.
3. Breathing exercises
When students overburden themselves, they can get panic or anxiety attacks. To help with this, they should take deep breaths to calm themselves down. Deep Breathing calms your body and mind down, clears your thoughts, and reduces stress.
4. A healthy diet
When we’re working, we tend to forget about food. This deprives the body of the nutrition it needs to keep a person healthy. This leads to increased stress levels. To help with this, students should eat at regular intervals. Junk food does not help your body and mind. Eat healthy food and reduce the quantity of greasy and junk food.
5. Take breaks and make time for yourself
Studying for long hours without taking breaks can take a serious toll on the mental and physical health of a person. Students should take small breaks at regular intervals. Being cooped up at home does not help with stress. Students should go for walks for fresh air during breaks. Students should make time for themselves and do an activity that they like (watching TV, playing video games, etc).
These steps help regulate the stress levels of students and help them improve their performance and daily lives.