Hello everyone, hope everyone is adjusting well to this new normal for the semester. Time flies, we are already done the first month, but also at the same time the most stressful times start now. It can become overwhelming very easily. Trust me over four years, I still have not been able to ace getting through midterms smoothly. However, I have learnt some tips and tricks to help reduce anxiety during this time. The following tips have really helped me.
- Sleep is essential. Getting at least 7-9 hours a night. I know it feels impossible given our busy schedules but try. Everyone has their sleep routine, but if falling asleep is difficult you can try putting on some ocean waves or even rain sound on YouTube. The sounds are calming and relax the body.
- Ice and cold water. This is a tip introduced to me by my therapist. Back in first year, while I was having an anxiety attack he brought an ice pack. Told me to keep right under my eyes and on the bridge of my nose. It soothes and clams the muscles and nerves. Other places to put the ice pack is the wrists and back of the neck. Cold showers, I know can be freezing but have the same effect on our body or drinking ice cold water.
- Hot teas. My personal favourite is chamomile. Some other teas which are helpful are lavender, passionflower, green, peppermint and lemon balm.
- Essential Oils. I like to diffuse different essential oils or even roll a bit on my wrists. The smell of the oils uplifts my mood. My go to essential oil is though is lavender.
- Going outside to your favourite nature place. For me, I enjoy being close to water. I go to Breakwater or Willows beach. The sound of waves and the smell of the ocean and whole vibe just eases me. I take my laptop and books and just go and study there at times.
- Taking Breaks. It is important to take breaks between classes, study periods, and actually everything we do. Even if it is a short two minute break where you let yourself rest. During longer breaks you can hit the gym, do yoga, meditate, or anything you prefer to relax your mind.
- Eating. One thing I use to forget to do was to eat. Eating a small snack like a granola bar, handful of nuts or a fruit helps.
Hope these tips come in handy and help you reduce anxiety during these stressful exam periods and the given circumstances of world events.
Have a wonderful month everyone!
Impreet Bhandohal
References:
Healthline Medical Network and Legg, T.J. (2019, March 7). Try this: 25 teas to relieve stress and anxiety. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/tea-for-anxiety
McDermott, A. and Wilson, D.R. (2019, March 7). Try this: 18 essential oils for anxiety. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety/essential-oils-for-anxiety
The views expressed in this blog are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the University of Victoria. I monitor posts and comments to ensure all content complies with the University of Victoria Guidelines on Blogging.