According to kidshealth.org, the stress response (also known as the “flight or fight” response) is the body’s natural reaction that enables us to rise to a challenge and prepare to meet difficult and dangerous situations with focus, strength, stamina, and alertness.
“The human body responds to stressors [events that provoke stress] by activating the nervous system and specific hormones. The hypothalamus signals the adrenal glands to produce more of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol and release them into the bloodstream. These hormones speed up heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and metabolism. Blood vessels open wider to let more blood flow to large muscle groups, putting our muscles on alert. Pupils dilate to improve vision. The liver releases some of its stored glucose to increase the body’s energy. And sweat is produced to cool the body.” It’s these physical changes that prepare a person to quickly react and perform under the pressure of the moment.
The stress response is positive when it enhances our ability to perform well under pressure, especially in critical or emergency situations, such as when you are in danger of getting in a car accident. It can also help when there is no physical danger, such as when you are about to start an exam. Typically the nervous situation will return to its normal state when the situation is over.
While a little stress has positive benefits, too much stress can cause conflicts in your life. Kidshealth.org also states that, “Although just enough stress can be a good thing, stress overload is a different story - too much stress isn’t good for anyone. For example, feeling a little stress about a test that’s coming up can motivate you to study hard. But stressing out too much over the test can make it hard to concentrate on the material you need to learn.” This may be where many students run into trouble. While the causes of stress vary from person to person, the demands of final exams, essays, and projects can easily spin into a situation of stress overload for any student.
The body will often produce physical or emotional responses to stress overload. While everyone experiences these symptoms differently, common responses may include anxiety, back pain, constipation, depression, headaches, insomnia, overeating, drug use, and weight gain or loss. Added to an already situation, these responses do more harm than good. However, there are things that can be done to ease your stress overload. One of the easiest things that can be done during stress is to remove the situation from your life; however, during finals you may not be able to eliminate that Organic Chemistry exam (at least if you want a decent grade). The good news is that there are other stress relief methods that can be taken.
1. Avoid over scheduling. While you cannot choose when to take your final, you can eliminate other areas that eat up your time. If you are involved in multiple organizations that are each holding an end-of-the-year party the week before finals, you may want to consider withholding your RSVP. Use this extra time to focus on what’s important to you (i.e. grades).
2. Get a good night’s rest. Your mom probably told you this one, but it is true! Proper sleep can prepare your body and mind for the upcoming stressors of the day. In addition, sleep allows your mind to review the material you studied before you went to bed. When you wake up, you may find that you understand the problem that made no sense before you went to bed.
3. Relax. According to kidshealth.org, the opposite of the stress response is the relaxation response. It’s the body’s natural antidote to stress and causes us to feel calm. And all you have to do is relax, or doing something that triggers relaxation. It may be difficult to stop studying when you are so worried about failure, but 10 – 15 minutes for yourself can help trigger the relaxation response. In a tense situation try a slow breathing exercise. When studying or working on a project, schedule time for activities that are relaxing for you. These may include soaking in a warm bath, reading a book, or spending time with a pet. (Just remember to go back to studying; otherwise, you may end up in an even more stressful situation.)
4. Exercise and eat well. Regular exercise can help you manage stress. Eating well will provide your body with the nutrients needed to function effectively. Although it can be tempting to grab a quick snack or fast food diet when you are busy, remember that stressful situations are when your body needs proper nutrients the most.
5. Avoid alcohol, drugs, caffeine, and sugar. While alcohol and drugs may seem to temporarily relieve stress, these substances actually damage the body’s ability to recover from stressful situations. Also avoid caffeine and sugar. According to the TWU Counseling Center Web site, “Caffeine is a stimulant. One of the reasons you probably drink it is to raise your level of arousal (i.e. stress). If you are drinking many cups of coffee a day, then you may find that you can reduce a lot of stress by switching to good decaffeinated coffee for a portion of your daily intake.” The Web site also states that, “Sugar-rich foods can raise energy in the short term. The problem with this is that your body copes with high levels of sugar by secreting insulin, which reduces the amount of sugar in your blood stream. Insulin can persist and continue acting after it has normalized levels of blood sugar. This can cause an energy dip.”
6. Think positive. Having a positive outlook will help relieve stress overload. Try not to think of taking a test as the end of your academic career. Instead, consider it an opportunity to increase your grade point average for that class.
7. Solve your problems. Leaving problems that affect you can make them snowball into larger problems. If a problem already seems too big to handle, then tackle the smaller portions within it. For example, if you are writing a paper and do not know where to get started, then write an outline or start brainstorming. If you are stuck with writer’s block for that opening statement, then leave it for last. You may find that simply getting started will cause ideas to flow your way.
8. Wake up 15 minutes earlier. Before an exam, waking up a few minutes earlier than normal will help you avoid the morning rush. In addition, you will have additional time to get to class, focus your mind, or get in a quick review of your notes.
9. Get some sun. According to the TWU Counseling Center Web site, “Bad lighting can cause eye strain and increase fatigue. Fluorescent lighting can also be tiring. What you may not appreciate is that the quality of light may also be important. Most people are happiest in bright sunshine - this may cause release of chemicals in the body that bring a feeling of emotional well-being. Artificial light, which typically comprises only a few wavelengths of light, does not seem to have the same effect on mood that sunlight has.” You may find that studying near a window or outside will enable to feel better while working.
For more great tips and ideas to de-stress your life, visit the Counseling Center Web site at http://www.twu.edu/o-sl/counseling/.