The stress of college life is part of the experience. Generally, it's part of being human to experience stress from time to time. Sometimes, it motivates us to work harder, but it can also be annoying. Being a college student, grades can be affected by high stress, but there are ways to perform well.
There are many things you can do to help manage stress better and making some lifestyle changes could be useful.
First, physical exercises can help improve your sleep. Better sleep means better stress management. Doctors don’t know exactly why, but people who exercise more tend to get better deep “slow wave” sleep that helps renew the mind and body. Exercise also seems to help the mood. Part of the reason may be that it stimulates your body to release several hormones like endorphins and endocannabinoids that help block stress, improve sleep and sedate you.
Another way to reduce stress is by following a diet. The benefits of eating healthy foods extend beyond your waistline to your mental health. A healthy diet can lessen the effects of stress, build up your mood and lower your blood pressure. Lots of added sugars and artificial flavors can have the opposite effect. Also, junk food can seem even more appealing when you’re under a lot of stress, but it is not the right choice all the time.
Finally, having a good mindset is helpful when it comes to stressful times. The best mindset to adopt is the growth mindset. In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Those people understand that stress is crucial to success, and they know that maybe trying a different strategy can work. So, don't give up and try again no matter how hard it felt. At some point, you will do it.
The key to doing your best under stress is understanding that it's normal and learning how to reduce the feeling in a manageable way.
