MANAGING STRESS FOR SENIORS

School Counseling Department

SPEAKING OF STRESS…oSchool and life are packed with potential stressors — everything from penning research papers to giving presentations to taking final exams. Plus, if you’re applying to college or trying to figure out your plan, you have the added stress of being on your own and navigating a slew of unfamiliar places and situations.

oWhile stress is inevitable for students, it doesn’t have to bulldoze your life or affect your academic performance.

5TIPS TO COPE WITH STRESS… Kathryn Tristan, a research scientist on the faculty of the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, shares five tips for helping students like you to have a lower-stress semester.

1. Think positive possibilities, not catastrophes

2. Focus on study strategies that work

3. Get moving

4. Nourish your brain and body

5. Tune into the present

1. THINK POSITIVE POSSIBILITIES, NOT CATASTROPHES

“The least helpful way we worry and stress out is by imagining the worst possible disaster might happen”

oTerribilizing-One negative thought leads to another, and before you know it, you’re visualizing all the ways you’re going to fail the exam and fail at life. It might start with this kind of thought: o“I have to ace this test or it will be awful.” Then “your mind responds to this perceived threat and constructs many dire outcomes such as …

oif you don’t get an ‘A,’ you’ll never get into grad school and then you’ll have only jobs that pay minimum wage, and then you’ll never be able to pay back your student debt [and so on].”

oPossibilize- Let your mind feast on positive outcomeso“This is only one test, and all I can do is prepare and do my best. Perhaps I need more help or tutoring. It’s OK to feel anxious. I’ll just study more. Some stress is good because it will motivate me to try harder. I always do the best I can.”

oSimply saying to yourself and your thoughts: “Stop.”

oIt takes effort to recognize when your

thoughts have swerved off the rails, turning

into one big negative loop. But with practice,

you’ll be able to catch yourself and focus on

being productive instead of paralyzed by

catastrophic thoughts.

Because here’s the reality:

Most of our worries never even happen.

And, when bad things do occur, most people

say “they handled it better than they thought

they would.”

2. FOCUS ON STUDY STRATEGIES THAT WORK

oThere’s nothing more stressful than cramming the night before a final exam. It’s overwhelming and virtually impossible to absorb all the information. Plus, you rarely sleep enough, sabotaging your ability to concentrate and think clearly the next day.

oBreak down large projects into several smaller tasks

oKeep a planner

oSet deadlines for each task

oStudy Smart- some research has found that common study habits such as rereading and highlighting actually aren’t that effective. But taking practice tests and studying over time is effective.

3. GET MOVING…

“Moving is a natural way to clear blocked, stressed out energy”

oIt boosts your mood

oReduces anxiety

oHelps you think more clearly

Pick activities that you genuinely enjoy, such as walking, running,

dancing or taking group classes at the gym

4. NOURISH YOUR BRAIN AND BODY

We often forget the power of nutrient-rich foods, especially when we’re overwhelmed and pressed for time. Food has a great effect on our mood, energy level, and ability to concentrate.

oAdequate sleep is crucial to proper brain function – no less

so than air, water, and food oAny amount of sleep deprivation will diminish mental performance, cautions Mark Mahowald, a professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

"One complete night of sleep deprivation is as impairing in

simulated driving tests as a legally intoxicating blood-alcohol

level."

5. TUNE IN TO THE PRESENT

oInstead of rehashing the past or forecasting an awful future, focus on the present moment. Tristan suggested asking yourself these key questions several times a day.

1. “What do I see?” This helps you get grounded and interrupts stressful thoughts.

2. “What do I hear?” This helps you “focus on other things in your life.”

3. “Am I feeling stressed?” Learning to recognize when you’re stressed or anxious is the first step in doing something (healthy) about it.

4. “How can I change that?” Pick a healthy way to manage your stress

oIt’s recommended to take four deep breaths. “Stressed out, shallow breathing is

automatic, and you can take charge and do diaphragmatic or

belly breathing to restore a sense of calm.”

oStress can sabotage your studying efforts and affect other areas of your

life. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to. By learning healthy coping strategies,

you can traverse stressful situations without wrecking your well-being.