Are you currently enrolled or plan to enroll in college classes? Did you know that “a Pennsylvania State University study once found that anxiety has become the leading mental health issue facing college students”? College students face many stressors that can lead to anxiety or even depression. Additionally, adult college students who may also have other responsibilities such as work and families also face additional stressors making managing college difficult.
There are several things that college students can do in regards to self-care to help their mental health. Things as simple as drinking more water or going on regular walks can be very helpful when it comes to self-care. Other self-care steps include meeting with a therapist to talk about how to manage stress can also be very helpful.
Below are a few self-care tips you can take to help manage your stress:
- Getting enough and better sleep: Getting the right amount of sleep is very important for both physical and mental health. Even if you are tempted to be up late completing homework or other tasks make sure you prioritize time for 8 hours of sleep. Also make sure you are not on tech devices at least 30 minutes prior to your bedtime to ensure better sleep.
- Exercise: Working out on a regular basis is not only great for our physical health but also great for mood because exercise produces mood-stabilizing endorphins. Even going on short daily walks can help your overall mood.
- Eat Healthy: Our food choices can affect how we feel mentally. Taking time to cook healthy meals is a great way to care for your body and it is often cheaper than vending machine snacks or fast food meals.
- Ask for help: Being a college student is not always easy. Your professors and other support personnel are there to help you. If you are struggling in a class don’t it let it get you down; make an appointment to seek help from your professor before it becomes too stressful for you to handle.
- Create a routine/schedule: When we have so much our plate it is easy to get overwhelmed. A great way to care for yourself is to sit down and create a schedule and to make sure you schedule in breaks and personal time to re-charge.
Taking care of our minds is as important as taking care of our bodies. Self-care is especially important for college student because of the numerous stressors associated with college. Make sure you take time to evaluate how you are incorporating self-care into your life.