DRSS Students Open Up: Stress and School

Every student knows that school and stress go hand in hand. Between the multitude of projects, tests and assignments that STEM students face, students can easily feel the effects of stress, as soon as the first quarter. There are two types of stress: positive and negative stress. Positive stress is also known as eustress and helps increase productivity and activity levels. Negative stress, or distress, which leads to high exhaustion levels and low tolerance for trauma. While positive stress is a normal part of life, negative stress can have a widely negative impact on our lives if not managed properly. If stress is not managed properly, students can develop long term health problems including: high blood pressure, ulcers, migraines and short term memory loss. While these consequences may seem scary, there are ways to manage your stress in a beneficial way.

Option 1: Exercise

Any type of exercise, especially cardiovascular exercise, helps manage stress. When you exercise, your body releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps with feelings of happiness and energy. An increase of serotonin in your body causes stress levels to reduce and can improve overall mood and behavior. Exercise can also be fun! Working out with friends can improve overall social health, as well as strengthening mental/emotional and physical health, addressing all sides of the health triangle.

Option 2: Reading

Reading can help with stress level significantly. As opposed to watching TV or spending time on your phone, it gives your eyes a break from the harsh bright screen and your brain a break from the pressures of social media. Not only is reading relaxing, but it can be fun as well! With reading, one has the ability to choose what they are reading and explore different topics, whether fiction or non-fiction.

Option 3: Listening to Music

Listening to music can help relieve stress by combining sounds that are pleasing auditorily to someone and lyrics that may be relatable, and combining them into a single art form that is easily accessible to almost anyone. Listening to music also releases serotonin, helping with mood and energy levels. These factors can help with overall stress levels. Even if your choice of music is a bit more “harsh”, this action can still help reduce stress levels. More commonly recommended music types for relaxation are nature sounds, classical music and acoustic songs.