What is the Science Behind Stress?

Stress is our bodies response to external pressures (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d). The thing causing the response is called a stressor and it can be a one-time occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly overtime (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d). We are familiar with the bad stress in our life called distress, but it is important to remember that there is a good type of stress called eustress that helps motivate you, focuses your energy, and enhances performance in daily activities (Russell and Lightman., 2019). Being able to distinguish between the good stress and the bad stress is crucial in creating a healthy stress balance in life!

What are University or College Student’s Most Stressed About?

Some top stressors for post-secondary students are (University of St. Andrews, 2006):

• Studying and exams
• Deadlines
• Financial situations and part time/full time jobs
• Organization and time management
• Procrastinating schoolwork and assignments
• Poor housing and overcrowding
• Getting used to a new environment or new country (for international students)
• Personal relationships

What Can Student’s Do to Reduce Their Stress Levels?

There are many ways you can reduce or manage stress in your everyday life. Getting enough sleep will help reduce stress and manage your mood (Broderick, 2021). Health eating and exercise have also proven to be great ways to help manage distress and an exercise routine also helps with having better sleep, which in turn also helps with reducing stress (Broderick, 2021). Setting realistic goals for yourself is really important as well, you do not want to overwork yourself and set standards that you are not able to meet (Broderick, 2021). Lastly, find something you love to do as a stress outlet when the time comes where you just need to take a break (Broderick, 2021). This can include reading, going on a walk, hanging out with friends, or even just surfing the internet. Make sure you give your mind and body the breaks that it needs!

References

Broderick, T. (2021, October 22). The student’s guide to managing stress in college. Best Colleges. https://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/balancing-stress/

Is it stress or anxiety? (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet

Managing stress. (2006). University of St. Andrews. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/students/advice/leaflets/stress/

Russell, G., & Lightman, S. (2019). The human stress response. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 15(9), 525-534. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-019-0228-0