As a student,  it’s likely that you deal with some level of stress and anxiety from being in school, balancing responsibilities, and life in general. You probably aren’t always able to find time throughout the day to stop everything and take a breath. However, there is a convenient and easy way to deal with some of these issues and it’s probably in your hand right now.

You already use your smartphone to listen to music, download and use apps, and communicate with people, but what if all those things could help you release your stress and anxiety? There are several different ways you can do this, but we’ll start with three:

Natural Sounds and Meditation Music

Music is a common way for people to relieve stress and most people never go anywhere without their headphones. You probably already know that listening to your favorite song can help you calm down but your favorite music platform probably has at least some albums on there that aren’t your typical songs. Many platforms host albums of natural sounds, like waves crashing and animals in the rain forest, that are soothing to listen or even fall asleep to. There are also hundreds of different meditation albums, which feature instrumental songs used to promote relaxation and mindfulness. These albums can be especially helpful for students who live in a busy city, where the sounds of sirens and horns beeping is it’s own never-ending backround track. Here are some of my own personal favorites:

Soothing Rain Sounds

Available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and other websites and streaming platforms.

210 Nature Sounds – 20 Hours of Relaxing Natural Ambiences for Meditation and Sleep

Available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and other websites and streaming platforms.

 

50 Best Meditation Songs Collection

Available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and other websites and streaming platforms.

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Meditation Apps

Even if you’ve never tried meditating before, this is still a valid option for you. There are several apps that will talk you through meditating and deep breathing exercises, so if you’re a beginner don’t worry!

Headspace is a meditation app that talks you through the meditation process. It comes with three free “basic packs” which include 10 sessions each. Each session aims to train your mind for a “happier, healthier life by learning the fundamentals of meditation and mindfulness”.

Available on the App Store and Google Play.

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Online and Phone Services

The best way to solve your problems is to talk about them. Being a student, you may not have the time or resources to have regularly scheduled visits with a therapist. That doesn’t mean that there is no one you can talk to, however! There are several services that allow you to talk to trained volunteers or other people dealing with similar issues, all from your phone.

NYC Well is a free service offered by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. It allows you to speak with a trained counselor about problems you are going through. You have the option of talking on the phone by calling 1-888-NYC-WELL, texting with someone by texting “WELL” to 65173, or chatting online by going to the NYC Well website.

7 Cups of Tea is an online therapy service which allows you to live chat individually with trained listener or in a group with other people facing similar issues.

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