By the Health Center staff
As the end of the school year comes upon us, we tend to push ourselves to the edge when the pressure is really on. As a result of “burning the candle at both ends,” we frequently get sick, feel anxious, can’t sleep, get irritable and so on. Here are some tips to bring you back in “balance.” Believe me, you can be more in control and minimize symptoms and maximize effectiveness by paying attention to this.
• No.1 thing to do: Eat three adequate and nutritious meals a day. Pay attention to getting in those fruits and vegetables. Don’t eat junk food –– it’s like putting bad gas into your car which equals that “pinging sound.”
• Drink water.
• Get enough sleep and try not to pull those all-nighters. Remember, the sleep you miss cannot be made up later. Get some exercise which is a great destressor.
• Get organized and set priorities. No one can do everything at once and you’ll just get overwhelmed. Protect yourself from overload. Structure your time and plan your day so that you use your time and energy efficiently. • Remember to do things with your friends even if it’s something simple and not time-consuming.
• Avoid making too many changes during a stressful time.
• Consider creating a “stability zone” where there is someone or something that you can fall back on. If there is a stressor, remove yourself if you can.
• Be sure to examine your expectations or thoughts about your ability to cope with whatever situation you are in. Are your thoughts reasonable, realistic and accurate? Try not to fixate on being “perfect” or to have some other superhuman quality.
• Ask yourself this: What is another way of looking at this situation? Here’s another good question: When I put this situation in perspective of my whole day or my whole life, is my trouble worth it? Remember, this situation reflects only one small aspect of our entire life.
• Give yourself some positive, accurate statements; get your thoughts to work for you and not against you. Say “goodbye” to a thought, feeling or behavior when it’s appropriate to do so.
• Balance your life: Unwind (relaxation, meditate, walk, stretch, take a deep breath).
• Work off Stress: exercise, get involved in another activity
• Drain off the stress by using heat and/or massage. Take a hot bath.
· Take time Out: Take a break or do something else for a short period of time.
· Talk out the stress with another person.
—Need additional help? Call the Student Counseling Center at ext. 4210 or the Student Health Center at ext. 4317 ext. 4.
March 27, 2003
