College can be very stressful — especially now during a pandemic. A trip to the store might be stressful to some due to the large crowds and necessary mask-wearing.
According to The American Institute of Stress, about 33 percent of people report feeling extreme stress, and 77 percent of people experience stress that affects their physical health.
Many college students turn to drugs, alcohol, tobacco and food to deal with stress, but overuse in these areas can lead to addiction — which causes more stress.
Here are some stress management tips for a college student:
Exercise
According to WebMD, activities like running, swimming, dancing, cycling and aerobics can help reduce stress. Physical activity can improve your sleep-aiding in stress management.
Exercising can help your mood because it stimulates your body to release hormones such as endorphins and endocannabinoids that help block pain, improve sleep, and sedate you.
Physical fitness can help people be less anxious and feel more positive about themselves. When you make your body feel good, your mind usually feels good as well.
Aromatherapy
Essential oils are commonly used by moms for taking care of their children more naturally over medication. Aromatherapy is something that anyone can benefit from.
Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic essential oils to improve one’s physical and emotional well-being. There are many oils that can be used to help college students with stress management.
Lavender, lemon, jasmine, bergamot and ylang-ylang are a few oils known to lower stress and anxiety.
Oils can be expensive but here are a few affordable places to purchase from for the college budget. Plant Therapy on Amazon is a lower-budget place and it offers a variety of oils as well as application methods. If you are looking to invest more the essential oils brands like Doterra and Young Living would be on the pricier side.In addition, many people find essential oils at places such as Target, TJMaxx, Ross and similar stores.
Outlets
One of the easiest ways to reduce stress would be having an outlet for your stress. Having an outlet can be anything from playing sports, painting, drawing and gardening. An outlet is essentially having a hobby that also provides relief from the tension in your everyday life or even just a stressful situation.
Painting can be an affordable hobby because the brushes are reusable and paint can be bought in bulk. You can even buy canvases in bulk or for just one dollar from a Dollar Tree.
Playing a sport can be dually beneficial because it can act as exercise creating the endorphins previously mentioned.
Take time to reflect on how stress can be managed in your day to day life.