Student life can be hectic trying to balance all your educational responsibilities and ensure you meet your target grades, hand in your assessments on time, and pass your exams. Yet, many students get so weighed down with these responsibilities that they forget to take time out for themselves.
With the added stress of the pandemic having altered study life, it’s more important than ever to look after yourself and regularly check your mental health. There are many ways to do this, both at home or virtually.
Sleep
The most profound reason that students suffer from anxiety or stress is through lack of sleep. Ensure that you are getting enough sleep and not spending too many late nights at the screen. Not getting enough sleep can affect our academic performance and result in being less productive and not getting work completed in time, which ultimately becomes a vicious cycle of staying up late and stressing to meet our deadlines.
Diet
Another important thing to do is make sure you sustain a well-balanced and healthy diet. Take regular breaks from study to eat well, have snacks, and keep hydrated. The food we eat heavily affects our productivity and can reduce our stress. It’s important to note that you should avoid caffeine and alcohol if you suffer from stress or anxiety, as these don’t help with your symptoms.
Coping Mechanisms
If you are constantly worrying and fretting about everything you have to do, meditation and breathing exercises could be helpful coping mechanisms to reduce those burdening thoughts. A simple method to relieve stress is through slow and deep breathing. You can find meditation practices online via YouTube.
Reach out
Talking and confiding in someone about our problems is a good thing. Rather than keeping all your problems to yourself, voicing them to others, whether it be a friend, family member, or a professional, can take a huge weight off your shoulders and instantly feel better.
There are lots of resources and services online for anyone struggling with their mental health. Please find my top 5 recommended links below:
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
https://www.smilingmind.com.au/
At Ozford, your welfare is our priority. We aim to create a safe and caring environment for all our students while providing opportunities for you to enjoy your study life. Please look after yourselves and speak to someone if you are struggling.