Have you ever been so stressed that it’s hard to maintain focus on important goals?

Classes, exams, college admission, and homework, all can cause a lot of stress. While many students are struggling under big expectations of parents and peer pressure, there are some who bottle up their anxiety when it comes to exams. To meet everyone’s demands, students are spending every spare minute worrying too much and chasing after perfect grades. Yet, this constant quest for perfect grades can lead to high stress and mental health problems. According to 2013 survey by the Nightline Association, 65% of students feel stressful. Likewise, a poll conducted by American College Health Association in 2016 reported that 34.4% of college students were stress sufferers which affected their annual academic performance.

However, living a stress-free student life is possible. Scroll down for some useful strategies to beat the stress effectively so you can study better and achieve more.

Healthy diet

Foods like fresh fruits are stress busters. Fresh fruit juices of orange and grapefruit are proven to boost immunity so you can manage to cope with stress. Omega-3 rich foods like salmon also keep the stress hormones at bay. As a student, you are more likely to get tired and exhausted. At this time, you would find junk food like pizza or ready-to-eat meal more tempting. However, consuming food that’s high in sugar or caffeine will only elevate the stress. This is why you should eat variety of healthy nutrients. This will help you stay relaxed as well as increase your brain power. Also, cooking from scratch is more curative and healthier.

Beat social media distractions

Do you keep looking at your phone thousands of times? Well, you need a digital detox. It can be hard to resist the urge of keeping in touch with social networks since technology seems to be part of everyone’s lives these days. However, while studying, it’s a good practice to keep the technology away. If you find switching off your phone a bit hard, delete the apps that are causing the distraction and install a website blocker so there’s no other way to view the sites that disturb you the most. For Mac users, there is a free Self Control app which enables users to block sites for a certain period of time.

Exercise

It doesn’t have to be an exhausting gym session. As a student, a daily brisk walk of 30 minutes or a bike ride is sufficient to improve mental awareness and concentration – these two facets are important to get success while studying.  A regular exercise can be immensely beneficial for both your body and mind.  Whether you practice a cardio workout or going outside for yoga, in every form of exercise, body will produce endorphins (stress-fighting hormone) that will help you reduce anxiety, and allow your mind to focus on positive things.

Try a Weighted blanket

Do you know the calming effects of weighted blankets? Well, they are good for stress-prone students. After whole day of struggle and mental load, you need a deep sleep to perform well and less anxious the next day. Weighted blankets may help you to unplug your thoughts, turnoff your mind completely and experience a more restful sleep.

Designed to be 10% of your body weight, weighted blankets naturally lessens the anxiety and increase relaxation through deep pressure stimulation. This deep pressure touch sensation has many positive effects from lifting the mood, to improving focus.

Fly a Drone

Do you want to switch off and relax? Well, you can take a break from your studies and stress by taking up a fun and relaxing hobby. There is an incredible surge in popularity of drones. From helping you create YouTube videos, to rescuing a missing person, drones are now used in all kinds of ways. Hovering drones is quite an anti-stress hobby. Flying drones can stop you thinking of your stressors, and can lead to a more calmed state. You don’t need a pilot’s license anymore to fly them. Get amused by flying drones indoors, outdoors or in backyards. But, make sure to register the drone legally for noncommercial (hobby) flights. Other than that, avoid flying over restricted areas. Since many drones come with video game controller, you are bound to have a fun experience.

Time Management

Do you want to study more effectively? Often students get stressed when they know they are running out of time to accomplish something. However, life gets easier when you become a pro at time management. It’s a good idea to make checklists, keep a schedule and plan ahead. Prioritize your study schedule into urgent and non-urgent basis. These techniques will help you stay more relaxed and focused.

Get a Pet

There are many social and health benefits of having a dog. Adopt a pet and reduce your anxiety level. Playing with animals can keep you more active and encourage social connection.

Laugh

Laughter is one of the effective stress relievers. A good bout of laughter can keep the muscles in your whole body relaxed for up to 45 minutes.  Laughing out loud also promotes blood flow and oxygen intake which, in turn, reduces the stress level. So, don’t take life too seriously. Have fun, crack few jokes and seek out more opportunities for humor and laughter. It’s always fun to have a good laugh. Besides being stress buster, it’s also a natural pain killer. How great is that?

Talk Out Your Study Stresses

Isolation or loneliness put a negative impact on your body. During exams, you feel more anxious and worried. Since you have so much to learn and study, doing it all alone can turn you into a ball of stress. To realize that you need someone’s help is the first step. Talk to your friends and family as they can understand what you are going through. Tell your concerns to them. Ask their take on it. Sharing issues can help boost your mood.

Conclusion

Are you stressed about grades or about getting admission in college? Should you be? It’s about time to realize that stress can’t help you achieve more. Whatever you focus on, just try to do the best of your ability. Be stress free. Follow above mentioned tips to deal with stress of studying.