Students, whether they are in the top medical and health sciences course in Malaysia or in any foreign country, experience stress. Stress is not a stranger to students. There are many causes to stress as well such as struggling to handle mental health, homesickness, relationship difficulties, financial issues, studies, exams, assignments, and the struggle to balance work and studies. Stress can be overwhelming and when it is not handled, then students might experience burnout and depression. Hence, these are a few ways we can help students out there to manage their triggers effectively.
Exercise
Some students find it hard to move from their bed, but once they get moving and excrete the sweat out, they’ll feel much better. It doesn’t have to be a gruesome regimen of going to the gym or a 10KM run. They simply need to get their heart racing like going for a walk, or a bike ride. In various ways, exercise can help us manage our stress effectively. Even aerobics, yoga, and pilates can be helpful because the activities release stress from our bodies and focus more on calm breathing. If you’re struggling with where to start, ask a helpful friend for the company or join a club or society in your school to encourage you to get moving.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a coping mechanism that helps manage stress or anxiety. Such as breathing, meditating, and more. It is mostly used by clinicians to improve the physical and mental health of their patients. If you are not sure where to start, then you can follow a guided meditation on Youtube or a phone application. With regular practice, you can tackle and manage stress effectively.
Open up to someone
Talking and venting all the stress out to someone like a friend or a professional helps a lot. Tackling the problem alone can eat our minds up and we’re left with nothing but negative thoughts. Accepting that you need help and opening up about your problems is the first step to getting help. The people who know you best will totally help you provide the solution you need to your problems. Meeting a professional could also be helpful and open our minds to new perspectives and creative solutions.
Get enough sleep
This might be an obvious solution but it’s often not acknowledged. The body needs enough sleep to tackle stress. No one functions at 100% every day, everyone needs their rest. It’s recommended that students sleep for about 7 – 8 hours per day. It might not be realistic but it helps to keep it on a regular basis to try to get enough sleep. To help you sleep, try reading, watching videos, listening to a podcast or just sitting on your bed. Also, avoid screen time as it can distract our mind from sleeping so switch off your devices.