In a couple weeks, yet another semester will have gone — and finals will leave many students tense and anxiously checking D2L for grade postings every ten minutes. Instead of starting out your summer with a tight chest and knots in your back, check out these great stress relief tactics.
1) Drink tea.
One study in London took 75 young men, broke them into groups and had them drink an assigned tea for six weeks. Group one had actual black tea, while group two had a placebo. The men were then exposed to stressful everyday situations, which were followed by an examination of blood pressure, heart rate, etc. Group one was able to de-stress much faster than group two.
2) Eat a sweet treat.
No, it’s not too good to be true. Research coming out of the University of Cincinnati shows that eating something sweet while stressed out actually decreases the body’s production of glucocorticoid, which is the hormone released when stress occurs. You’re welcome.
3) Take a walk- especially if it’s sunny.
It’s not a secret that exercise is a good way to de-stress. A peaceful walk, while soaking up some vitamin D, may be all that’s needed to get you feeling 100% in no time.
Fish is packed with omega-3 fatty acids which work wonders by cutting down another stress hormone called cortisol and increasing the production of DHEA, which fights against stress.
5) Play a video game.
Researchers at East Carolina University have found that playing a videogame is a great way to relieve stress. Carmen Russoniello, a professor at the university, stated, “Getting absorbed in games provides a distraction and relaxes the nervous system.” However, Russoniello warns that non-violent games work better than violent games, since violence actually increases stress levels.
There’s only a few months of summer before fall semester, so don’t waste a second of it stressing about grades.
