10 Way to De-Stress During Finals

1. Have a cup of tea before sleep

Drinking a cup of herbal tea before bed every night has a lot of proven benefits. Not only does the tradition prepare you for sleep, calm your mind and make you tired, but also tea has many benefits when it comes to hydration, keeping your skin clear and digestion. One tea in particular is Passion Flower Tea. This tea will help calm your mind by lowering brain activity, helping you have a more restful sleep. This tea has also been proven to lower feelings of anxiety.

2. Have a Spa Day!

The best way to unwind and relax is to treat your body to some much needed restoration! Pop a bath bomb into a warm bathtub and smear on a soothing face mask for some much needed peace and relaxation!

3. Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell

A great way to relax before bed is to do a little bit of reading before you fall asleep. You should choose a book that is not related in any way to school work. This way, you have something to do before sleep that separates your mind from schoolwork, helping you achieve a better and more restful sleep. I recommend Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell. This is a book of poetry divided into 10 sections that you can read whenever you need them most. This book is perfect to read before you sleep as it is a very easy read that will distract you from the stress of finals.

4. Take a Yoga Break!

Yoga is known for helping de-stress the mind and body! This great exercise helps stretch out your tense muscles while giving your mind something positive to focus on! Try out some simple stretches at home or head to a nearby studio!

5. Journals!

Journaling is another great way to rest your mind before sleep. By aspiring to write just one page a day, you will see results like less anxiety, more positive thinking and more drive to get through you assignments almost immediately. Finding a cute journal, like the ones above from Urban Outfitters, is a great way to have a peaceful item in your room that calms you as soon as you look at it.

6. Color your thoughts!

Coloring is not just a thing of the past; it is now proven to help clear your mind and refocus your emotional attention! You get to make a pretty picture while also receiving art therapy which can clear your mind of inner emotional conflicts!

7. Sephora Face Masks

Sephora face masks are a great way to do quick and easy self care between rounds of studying during finals seasons. You can buy them individually at Sephora and all it takes is to put them on for 15 minutes while going over study guides. Afterwards you feel instantly refreshed!

8. Hit the Gym!

Now we all know that the exercising helps manage stress through the endorphins you release, yet I still don’t follow this advice perfectly! Though it is sometimes a struggle getting to the gym, I do feel more clear headed, energized, and happy, even it’s just doing simple exercises at home!

9. Meditate!

Meditation is key! Training your mind to reach a level of consciousness is beneficial for your mind, body and spirit! Take time to explore your mind and inner thoughts!

10. Explore!

Although it may seem that you don’t have time to complete everything, let alone take a break, stepping away from the books for a little bit can actually improve your productivity and help you retain the information longer. When you take a break you can go on a walk around campus, go to a coffee shop and just reading a magazine, or go work out for 20 minutes at the gym. When you come back to studying you will feel refreshed and ready to get some work done.