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Students Relax, De-Stress After Midterm Week

Midterms can have a harmful effect on the body, both mentally and physically.

It is important to take time out of a day to de-stress and relax.

"Common techniques we might specifically recommend for managing stress or anxiety include breathing, relaxation, imagery and mindfulness techniques," said Ann Marie DelSignore, senior staff clinician for Auburn University Student Counseling Services.

She said it is important to use these techniques in a more proactive than reactive manner to encourage students to prevent stress.

It is vital to manage things before they become stressful, rather than relying solely on response to stress.

"There is quite a bit of variation in techniques and activities that people find helpful for managing stress," DelSignore said. "It is recommended that people utilize multiple methods for managing stress."

She said this is important because if a person primarily relies on exercise to manage stress and suffers an injury, that person may be at risk for coping with his or her stress.

"I like to reward myself after exams with peanut butter M&Ms," said Kaitlyn Gar, a freshman in prepharmacy.

Everyone has his or her own techniques for recovering from exams.

Lindsey Stephens, a freshman in political science, said she prefers to take long naps after her exams to recuperate.

Stress can also have an effect on one's diet and lead to poor nutrition.

"If you are stressed going through exams, that compromises or dampens your immune system and it will not work as well," said Robert Keith, a nutrition professor. "There are a lot of studies showing eating healthy will improve your immune system, so you are less likely to get sick."

When someone is stressed, they often turn to alcohol to help them sleep at night, with which Keith does not agree.

"If you're trying to fall asleep at night, do not use alcohol," Keith said. "It disturbs normal sleep, if you drink alcohol to go to sleep, you might be groggy or sedated. It does not allow you to get a good normal night of sleep."

He said he suggests students to relax according to their own lifestyle.

Go outside for a walk, get some place that is peaceful, watch a movie on TV or read a book, whatever is most relaxing.

Being sleep deprived can increase one's stress level. Making sure to get enough sleep during exams can help prevent stress.

"Sleep is essential for maintaining good brain functioning, which is of course essential for processing, retaining and recalling information," DelSignore said. "Therefore, getting adequate sleep prior to an exam is vital for supporting optimal functioning."

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She said the most common amount of sleep suggested for college students is seven to eight hours nightly.

"The key factor here is to maintain a regular sleep schedule and stick to that prior to exams," DelSignore said. "Changing your sleep schedule prior to an exam is not particularly recommended."

Stress can affect the body, resulting in lack of nutrition and sleep.


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