Managing Stress Levels

For many college students, and even adults, the end of the semester and into the holiday season can be a very stressful time. 3 weeks are normally packed with 10 page papers, tests, quizzes, study guides, and final exams. For those out of school, the end of the year is full of end of year reports, reviews and trying to close the books for 2016. Stress may feel like its starting to consume you, but you can control it. Lots of time stress can cause people to eat more unintentionally, get less sleep, and cause loss of focus. But there are simple ways to combat your stress and keep you on a smooth path to reaching your goals. Here are a few simple idea that can help you manage your stress levels-

1. Meditate/Self-Reflection- When feeling overwhelemed and don't know what to do next, take a step back and have a few quiet minutes to yourself. Turn on some soft music, turn the lights down, and breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Allow yourself to drift from your current state to one that is quiet and peaceful. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth makes you breath slower and helps to lower heart rate. Once you feel yourself getting calmer and relaxed, continue on with your work or studying with fresh eyes.

2. Get Some Fresh Air- When feeling stress or overwhelmed, taking a break and go outside. Going on a walk or just sitting outside in sun reading a book can help you refresh your mind and help you push through the workload. Soaking up some warmth and Vitamin D from the sun can help revitalize your brain.

3. Eating a Wholesome Meal or Snack- When you start to get hungry, reach from nutrient dense foods that will help you feel full and satisfied. Try grabbing some almonds, or carrots with hummus to fill you up with healthy fats, protein and vitamins.

4. Take a Quick Nap- Sleep will help your brain reset and be revitalize to help you power through. Being tired can distract you from being the most productive you can be. Short 20 minute cat naps can provide you with enough rest time to get your through the day.

5. Exercise- Elle Woods from Legally Blonde was right when she said "Exercises releases endorphins and endorphins make you happy!" Exercise can be an escape from all your work and help you clear your mind for a fresh start after. Exercise is also a proven stress reliever!

Remember, all this work and busyness is only temporary!