Student stress saviours ~ 10 easy (and cheap!) things you can do to de-stress

As it's international #stressawarenessweek and, for many students, the week before our first big deadlines of the year, I thought it very appropriate to come up with a list of tried-and-tested things to do to help yourself feel a bit more on top of everything.

Student mental health can be such an overlooked branch within university life - as a student, we're seen to be having the 'best years of our life', constantly going out, sleeping in and occasionally turning up to lectures but the reality for most of us is far from. Adding in extracurricular activities, aiming for a 2:1, a constant state of post graduate fear and actually trying to wash, feed yourself and have a social life on a tight budget...we essentially become the (extremely broke) living version of this tweet:

[photo credit to @marianna_hewitt on Twitter]

So, here's a couple tips from me to you and I will endeavour to actually take my own advice for once!

1. Rant it out

Not to suggest that you suddenly take it out on your poor housemate that happens to be in the kitchen whilst you make your 10th cup of coffee...but chances are you're both as stressed as each other so why not grab a drink, sit down and talk through why you feel so stressed. Make sure you listen to them too; it's a nice reminder that you're not the only one feeling the pressure.

2. Write it down

Keeping a journal might seem like a very 'blogger' thing to do but having some sort of calendar either written down or on your phone will make your life so much easier. Mainly because you don't need to remember everything you're doing!

3. Prioritise!

Chances are, you can't control everything you're worrying about and if you can't do anything about it then there's not point allowing it to stress you out. Try writing a list of everything you're worried about rather than a list of things to do because that can be a bit overwhelming. Then, divide it into things you can and con't control - suddenly the amount of things you need to worry about will be a whole lot smaller!

4. Have a long hot shower

Or a bath if you fancy it. When we're stressed it can be difficult to make time for the seemingly less important things like self care but they are SO IMPORTANT. I'm not just talking about actually washing (but please make sure you do...for the sake of everyone else trapped in that overcrowded lecture theatre), I'm talking about taking time to create a relaxing routine and making yourself feel pretty, or just human, again *including you boys*. Whether that's using a bath bomb, moisturising, tanning. shaving, or using a new shower gel that isn't also shampoo AND conditioner *again, talking to you boys*.

5. Turn some tunes on

I have over a dozen different playlists depending on what I'm doing and what mood I'm in. Throwing on your fave playlist while you're in the shower or ploughing through your work can make such a difference to your mood. If you don't have one already, create a 'Chill' playlist and make some time for it whenever you're feeling super stressed. Just stopping for half an hour though and actually LISTENING to music will help calm you down.

6. "Alexa...put Friends on, again."

There's no shame in taking some time to watch your favourite show or film and just allowing your brain to shut off for a while. It can take your mind off everything else so you can actually relax...just try not to fall into the sinkhole of "just another episode" or it'll be 4am before you know it...

7. Stretch it out

Exercise is great for reducing stress, but even if you're managing to fit it in *well done you* your brain is probably still absolutely wired before you go to bed. Try doing some stretches before bed can really help you to wind down so that you can actually get a decent night's sleep. I'm not expecting the splits or any complicated yoga, but even just relaxing your shoulders or cracking your neck after a long day can help...

8. "What's that thing called fresh air?"

Surprisingly enough, there is a whole world outside your bedroom. Taking some time out to get outside and go for a walk can be really beneficial and is also a great study break. Throw a giant coat on *plus seven layers if you're currently in Cardiff* grab your headphones and find a bit of green space.

9. Make space for yourself

If your student house is not the one or you're missing the comforts of home then this could be causing extra stress you didn't even realise. You have got a room that's entirely your own though so make the most of that! Create a space that you can retreat to every time you feel overwhelmed by everything and make it comfy! Lots of blankets, cosy lighting, cushions, pillows, candles, whatever you find relaxing.

10. Take time out

Put your phone on do not disturb for an hour and just take sometime to yourself. I always find myself spending the most time on social media when I have the most amount of things to do, so making sure you switch off from time to time can make all the difference.

Why is managing stress so important?

We all know stress can have a major impact on your mental health and keeping it under control can help you check in and look after your mental health as well. Things like self care and self prioritising are key to this. What I've realised people are not so aware of however, is the effects stress can have on your physical health!

Terrifyingly enough, almost every part of your body can be impacted due to stress but the main issue you can encounter is a weakened immune system. Put simply, you're more prone to getting run down and picking up viruses, which can lead to even more fatigue and a lack of concentration: it's a vicious circle. What I didn't realise is how badly stress can effect your digestive system as well - my Crohn's was diagnosed due to a prolonged level of stress, acting as a trigger in my condition, but although IBD (irritable bowel disease) is somewhat reliant on genetics, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) numbers are growing almost entirely due to extreme stress. Thanks to @thegutstuff (a super helpful page I recently found on Instagram) we can see very clearly how this all works...

[photo credit to @thegutstuff on Instagram]

It's honestly crazy to think that stress can have that much of an effect on your body! But it's thanks to movements and events such as #stressawarenessweek that are helping to share the effects and how you can you help yourself. This is something that I'm very passionate about and can tell you from a first hand account that it's just not worth it! My doctors told me that had I not put myself under such stress my condition may not have ever reached the severity of Crohn's Disease. It's something I now am able to live with, happily, but I would not wish it on anyone else so keep that stress in check and look out for all the other students out there.

Thank you so much for sticking with me if you've made it this far! Go make yourself a cuppa and take some time out for yourself this Sunday.

Thanks for reading!

Imogen