Well, it's that time of the year, friends. Finals week. Every student understands the dread and anxiety that comes along with the end of semester. You may find yourself worrying about studying, your grades, final projects, and whatever obstacle you need to overcome during that week. So, here is a list of simple ways to destress during this stressful week for students.
1. Make sure to eat
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that, “Increasing evidence suggests that the gut and brain are connected and that eating can affect your mood” (5 Strategies to Help You). By keeping yourself fueled with food, you can improve your concentration and lower your anxiety levels.
2. Get enough sleep
You’ve probably seen the Celsius memes, but no, energy drinks don’t count. Receiving enough sleep can significantly improve your finals week experience. The Sleep Foundation wrote, “Sleep also supports numerous other aspects of cognition, including memory, problem-solving, creativity, emotional processing, and judgment” (How Lack of Sleep Impacts Cognitive Performance and Focus). Consider implementing a sleeping routine ahead of time, so that falling asleep/waking up early isn’t as hard when finals week comes around.
3. Find coping mechanisms
This may be an obvious suggestion, but try to find ways to help yourself relax. Create time in your schedule for hobbies. You may feel as though you don’t have time for things that you enjoy during the end of the semester, but sometimes the real problem is struggling with time management. Don’t wait until you’re breaking down to find time for yourself!
4. Utilize mental health services
If you’re struggling, don’t hesitate to ask for help! The services are there for a reason.
At the end of the day, sleeping and eating better aren’t going to fix everything (unfortunately). However, it could improve on some of your struggles. All of these simple things may affect you more than you realize, so don’t lose sight of them! Stay healthy, and good luck with finals!
Works Cited:
“5 Strategies to Help You Manage Finals Week Stress.” 5 Strategies to Help You Manage Finals Week Stress | University Health Center, health.unl.edu/5-strategies-help-you-manage-finals-week-stress. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
“How Lack of Sleep Impacts Cognitive Performance and Focus.” Sleep Foundation, 18 July 2023, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/lack-of-sleep-and-cognitive-impairment#:~:text=Getting%20enough%20hours%20of%20high,%2C%20emotional%20processing%2C%20and%20judgment.
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