It is important to prioritize decompressing. Especially while being a college student at the end of the semester. The holidays are approaching meaning the workload is becoming more intense. The anticipation of final assignments and wanting to do well can be exhausting.
This can affect your overall mental health and leave you feeling burnt out. To prevent this, multiple activities can be utilized to manage stress. Activities like Meditation, journaling, exercising, and maintaining a balanced sleep schedule can help with the feelings of overwhelming stress.Â
Journaling is one of my favorite destressing activities. Expressing your emotions through writing can be very therapeutic. Journaling can seem like a chore to some people, but there are benefits to this practice. An article from the University of Rochester Medical Center states, “Track any symptoms day-to-day so that they can recognize triggers and learn ways to control them.”
This is a very beneficial way to minimize my stress. This can help you recognize any patterns causing heavy amounts of stress. It is important we set boundaries with ourselves and know our limits. Documenting your emotions can be a great tool when dealing with this.
Mediation is a popular practice that helps relax the mind and body. According to Mayoclinic.org, they define mediation as, “A type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation can help you relax deeply and calm your mind.” During meditation, you are supposed to focus on your breathing and peaceful thoughts. However, meditation takes time to get used to as your mind is constantly getting distracted.
It is important to be patient with yourself especially if this is something new. It can be uncomfortable but there are many benefits to meditation. Some of the benefits are reduced anxiety, improved focus, better sleep, and better overall mood. Being able to calm your mind when dealing with stress is an important tool when trying to maintain a mental balance.
Exercising is one of the healthiest stress-relieving activities. Aside from its health benefits, exercise can help relieve physical tension that stems from stress. Exercising increases the endorphins in the brain, which release “Feel-good” hormones. The act of exercising mimics fight-or-flight responses.
Overall, exercise can allow you to feel more relaxed. It is important to be able to physically decompress stress, as it can affect your health. Exercising is an important practice that can be done at home. Having a gym membership is not required to have a balanced workout routine.Â