Methods for Managing Stress

For most, college is a fresh start. Students are able to live in a new setting and experience things on their own, possibly for the first time in their lives. It can be a very exciting experience for some. However, adjusting to college life may not be as easy as it seems. Starting at a new school, in a new city, surrounded by all new people can be really scary. With all of these changes and the pressure of doing well in school, college students are experiencing an all-time high in stress.

Facts from The American Institute of Stress:

45% of college students in the United States report having "more than average stress."
40% of college students in the United States do not feel adequately rested most days.
25% of students believe that their lack of sleep negatively affects their academic performance
Six or less hours a night can have a negative effect on students' GPAs in comparison to getting eight or more hours of sleep
Only a minimal 9% of college students report having either "no stress" or "less than average stress"

These facts are the sad reality for nearly half of the college students in the United States. And no, this stress is not coming solely from school. College is a fresh start for most students in which they are moving away from home, starting harder course work, meeting new people, trying to find a new job, and so many other stress inducing things come with being a college student. So, what can students do in order to manage and/or relieve stress?

Methods of Stress Management

There are a many different ways that college students can go about managing their stress. Some of them are as simple as doing a few breathing exercises and others involve taking part in physical activity. All 6 of the methods mentioned below have been backed up by research and are proven to be beneficial for relieving and managing stress.

1. Relaxation
There are many different stress relieving activities that fall under that category of relaxation. Four of the main methods of relaxation include meditation, breathing exercises, sleep, and muscle relaxation exercises.

- Meditation

Meditation can look different for everybody. Some may meditate in a way that looks more traditional, such as sitting down, playing soft music, closing one's eyes, and taking long, deep breaths. Another type of meditation that people may find helpful is putting on a motivational speech or uplifting audio and listening to it before falling asleep. However, meditation can be done in whatever way a person sees fit for their needs, as there are hundreds of different kinds of meditation.

- Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises are a very simple, yet helpful stress management technique. One specific method is called Diaphragmatic Breathing. This type of breathing involves taking deep breathes while expanding the abdomen rather than the chest. This method can decrease heart rate and blood pressure. It is recommended that this method is done several times throughout the day in order to achieve best results, which are decreased fatigue, reduce anxiety symptom, and better management of acute stressful tasks.

- Sleep

Sleep is a very important part of stress management. Without good sleep, it is unlikely that a majority of other stress management techniques could work. It has been stated by the American Psychological Association (APA) that those who get at least 8 hours of sleep a night have significantly lower levels of increased stress in the past year. The graph provided below contains data from the APA that not only includes information about sleep and stress, but it also shows correlations between sleep and other aspects of people's lives. It can be seen that sleep can make a huge difference in many aspects of life.

- Muscle relaxation exercises

Muscle relaxation is again, another great, easy way to manage stress. One method is called the Jacobson technique of progressive muscle relaxation. The picture demonstrates exactly how to carry out this technique. Doing so can result in reduced anxiety, decreased blood pressure, and decreased heart rate.

2. Physical Exercise

Physical exercise is not only good for physical health, but it is also great for reducing stress and improving mental health. In a study published in 2022 to the Psychiatria Danubina by Shu Qiao and Gaosong Huang, it was proven that physical exercise has a positive effect on stress relief in college students who exercise daily for anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes. However, this exercise does not have to be extraneous cardio every single day. Instead, some days can be harder than others and some exercises can even be walking for 30 minutes or doing yoga with a friend. As long as its physical activity, it can bring students one step closer to managing their stress.

3. Participating in Hobbies

Participating in hobbies is a great way to manage/relieve stress. Hobbies are not only interchangeable, but there are tons of different things that can be considered hobbies. Whatever someone finds interesting can be their hobby. Even picking up a new hobby that one hasn't considered before, like drawing or cooking can be very helpful for stress levels. It can not only improve one's mood, but participating in hobbies can also work as a distraction and actually reduce stress hormones. Out of all stress management methods, this one seems to be the most appealing, as it promotes doing something that is enjoyable, while also combating stress.

4. Distancing from the Problem

Sometimes, it is more helpful to just step away from a stressor for a little bit instead of constantly thinking about it. Although this is easier said than done, sometimes problems are more easily resolved when people walk away. When distancing from a problem, some of the previously mentioned methods can be used. For example, if there is a specific thing, such as a project, that is causing a lot of stress in one's life, they can try to go for a run or participate in their favorite hobby to take their mind off of things temporarily. This can be very helpful to a certain extent. It is important to not ignore stressors completely and escape from the feelings they are causing, as that can be just as harmful as it consuming every thought. It is important to find a balance between constantly thinking about a stressor and pushing it to the back of the shelf for later.

5. Solving the problem

Solving the problem of whatever may be causing someone stress is obviously much easier said than done. However, "solving the problem" can mean many different things. Something that may fall under this category would be avoiding procrastination. Procrastination may seem like a good way to relieve stress and free up more time in the moment, but once the day comes that something has to be done, and it can't be put off any farther is when stress can reach an all-time high. Trying to set up a schedule that allows one to get their work done in a timely matter can be incredibly beneficial for stress, and it may even reflect in a students' grades. Overall, trying to find a solution to problems will almost always be a better idea than letting issues sit and brew over time which can result in much bigger consequences than if they would have been dealt with originally.

6. Reaching out for support

Although reaching out for support may seem scary, it is almost always beneficial. Simply being able to talk to someone about what may be causing one troubles can actually help relieve some of that stress. In fact, it can actually be dangerous for mental and physical health to keep stress bottled up inside without letting any of it out. It is always better to ask for support than to regret not doing so sooner. Examples of people to reach out to can be friends, family, academic counselors, therapists, doctors, or anyone else that is a trusted, helpful person that is believed to have one's best interest in mind.

Although nearly half of all college students in America report feeling more than an average amount of stress, these methods have been proven to help students lift some weight off of their shoulders. By practicing these management techniques, college students have the opportunity to relieve some of that stress and begin managing it in a healthy way.

Citations

Article Citations:

The American Institute of Stress - Stress in College Students

Stress management techniques for students - Kassymova K. Gulzhaina, Kosherbayeva N. Aigerim, Sangilbayev S. Ospan, Schachl J. Hans, & Nigel B. C. Cox R.

Analysis on the Stress Relief of College Students by Physical Exercise - Shu Qiao & Gaosong Huang

American Psychological Association - Stress and Sleep

Stress Management Techniques - Patrycja Miedziun & Jan Czeslaw Czabala