Stress can be tough on your bod—headaches, bein’ totally moody and it can even ruin your flat abs by releasing cortisol (aka the stuff that may make fat stay on your tummy). And what’s more stressful than the make it or break it feeling of finals? Not this year. We’ve got 5 simple stress-busters that’ll leave ya calm and cool. Bring on the A’s!
1) Get it together. Feel like you’re drowning under a pile of papers? Can’t find a pencil? It’s time to bust out the Post Its, and rearrange your workspace. Once everything’s in its proper place, you'll be able to tackle the pile. With all that icky clutter gone, it won’t look like as intimidating. Make a to do list and get to it!
2) Go, girl! Banish study woes by hitting the pavement. Go for a jog, play some pick-up b-ball or do some Pilates moves. Ya may feel like you don’t have time to work out, but movin’ for a few minutes will help you clear your mind. In a few minutes, you'll be ready to hit the books again.
3) Inhale and exhale. Being stressed takes a toll on your breathing, too. Your inhale ‘n’ exhale routine becomes shallow, aka way less helpful. When you’re feeling like ya wanna toss your Chem book out the window, take a deep breath and exhale all the negative vibes. Repeat! Beltin’ out your fave jams can help ya breathe deeper.
4) Break it up. If you’ve been making flashcards for hours and have reviewed your notes for the 100th time, it’s time to walk away. Set mini goals for yourself, like “I will review Chapters 6-8 of French until 8:30.” Once you’ve done that, take 20 minutes off to just chill. You deserve a bit of a break, but make sure your studying doesn’t turn into a major slack sesh.
5) Sniff it out. Bubble baths, scented aromatherapy candles and relaxing music can all help calm you down after a serious study session. Hint: lavender is proven to relax you. Need to get pumped up for studying? Try using a peppermint or citrus scent to get you goin’.
-Aubrey Tippett
Blog It Out... What’s your best-bet way to de-stress while you are studying?
BY JIAE K. ON 5/16/2008 6:27:00 AM 53 COMMENTS