By: Miguel Sanchez
College midterms, finals, research papers,can be stressful
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The looming long hours of studying and lengthy research papers are enough to drive any college student over the edge in their academic career. This is what a student may call stress.
Stress is the body’s reaction to any outside anomaly. Once the person undergoes stress, the brain sends a wave of signals throughout the body to trigger a response.
A stressor is any physical, psychological, or social force that puts real or perceived demands on the body, emotions, mind, or spirit of an individual. When the body senses a stressor, it immediately goes to a fight-or-flight mode and some of the side effects include profuse sweating, lack of attention, lack of sleep, and even weight-gain, to name a few.
When approached with this kind of stressor, it is always important that a person responds immediately to treat that kind of stress. If not, it can lead to health risks, such as strokes and heart attacks.
Common ways to combat stress
Many people become victims of stress because they have a strong urgency to meet certain deadlines, whether it is a paper for school, or getting to a meeting on time. One way to fix this is to manage your time accordingly.
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Don’t drink alcohol! Although it is often called liquid courage, it is actually unhealthy and can cause long term health risks like addiction and liver problems. Also cut caffeine from your diet. Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, soda, and energy drinks. High levels of caffeine can cause an abnormal rise in blood pressure.
An alternative is to drink club soda or green tea (that’s been lightly sweetened), this has a dual function. Now you can sip and remove those negative toxins from your body. For a source of energy, you can also go the organic route. Drink organic orange juice and take b vitamins supplements (known for its supply in energy.)
Smoking your stress away is the wrong way of handling stress. Courtesy: Whatcomhorizon.com
Quit smoking. There are number of health risks that come with smoking, the body becomes more prone to these risks once it is under pressure.
Staying in shape is the best method to fighting stress.
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And lastly, one of the greatest ways to combat stress is to stay away from greasy foods and overeating. Although a healthy diet can lead to a better synergy, overeating can cause bloating and fatigue. This writer knows only too well. If anything have a balance diet and workout. Working out and having a daily exercise regimen is proven the best and most effective way to solve any stressor related issues.
(Consult with your primary health physician before actually committing to these changes mentioned above.)
