Regulating Stress

    Stress is something that we all experience, some more than others. College can be an especially stressful environment, and the American Institute of Stress states that "Eight in 10 college students experience frequent bouts of stress." Though it is difficult to deal with, there are various things you can do to manage and decrease your stress, and in this blog I am going to share some with you. 

Muscle relaxation and exercise are two very good techniques in decreasing stress. Something as simple as stretching or yoga is a great way to quickly relieve stress and take tension out of your muscles. You can also do a more intense form of exercise like cardio such as running, biking, or lifting weights. I find that exercising outdoors helps me relieve stress because I enjoy being in the fresh air. Exercise is known to improve mood and increase endorphins.

Journaling is another great way to take some things off your mind and relieve stressful thoughts. You can journal about anything, whether it's a list of things you're grateful for or a log of what you did that day. Journaling allows you to get your thoughts out on paper and release negativity. If there is something bothering you, journaling also may help you find a better coping method or solution to the problem at hand. 


Finally, it is always important that we reserve some time for ourselves to wind down. Find something that you enjoy doing that will allow you to relax. It can be anything from painting, to walking to taking a bath. A lot of people find art related hobbies to be therapuetic, so if you are interested in art I would definitely recommend something like that. Overall, these are some good options to relieving stress that can help you feel better, both physically and mentally. 



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