Take a look around and it’s not hard to see that yoga is everywhere. There are new yoga studios on every corner, most gyms offer yoga classes for group fitness, and your university may even offer yoga as a course or a recreational activity! Practicing yoga can have benefits on all aspects of your life, including stress. Yoga is a physical, emotional, and spiritual exercise that allows you to move your body, practice mindfulness, and connect with your divine all at the same time-- making it an effective tool for stress management.
What is yoga? Although yoga is relatively new to the United States, it is actually an ancient Hindu system of techniques and practices for living a well-rounded and fulfilling life. When most people think of yoga, however, they think of the practice that is most popular, hatha yoga, which includes the poses, breath work, and meditation. Hatha yoga is one aspect of all the overall system of yoga, and that is what I will be focusing on for this blog. As I mentioned in the beginning, yoga is more than just a physical practice. It is a “mind-body practice that combines physical poses, controlled breathing, and meditation or relaxation” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018). It helps us develop awareness of our bodies, minds, and breath, bringing us a great sense of peace and relief in our lives. Benefits of yoga for stress Being that is exercise and mindfulness wrapped into one, it is no surprise that yoga can have so many benefits for our health and stress! Many different studies have shown that practicing yoga can reduce stress and many of the major stress symptoms we experience. This is because yoga boosts our parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming our bodies down after a stress response . Over time, practicing yoga can lower the amount of stress hormones in our bodies (Wei, 2018), relieving many of the typical stress symptoms such as:
Aside from these, yoga also promotes a sense of relaxation in our lives, giving us time away from our stressors to focus on our own health and well-being. The self-care aspect of yoga alone provides much needed relief from stress.Plus, if you practice yoga in a group setting, you also receive all the stress benefits that social support has to offer! I went in depth on the stress benefits of social support on my last blog post, so please check that out for more information. Try it! As you can see, yoga can benefit virtually every aspect of our lives, including our stress management. The best part about it-- all you really need is some active wear and your body! While there are some expensive yoga studios and classes, there are just as many affordable or free ways to practice yoga. Check in with your city’s community center or university to see about community yoga classes on near you. Also, many yoga studios offer a student discount if you have your school ID, so don’t be afraid to ask your local yoga studio if this applies for them! If you don’t feel like going out, that’s okay, too. You can practice yoga with just a little floor space in the comfort of your own home! If you are just looking to try out a few different yoga poses, head to https://chopra.com/articles/8-yoga-poses-to-help-you-manage-stress for a list of the top 8 stress reducing yoga poses and instructions on how to do them. If you have a little more time on your hands and are looking to do a full sequence, try following along with this video https://yogawithadriene.com/yoga-for-stress-management/, where you’ll be lead through a 30 minute yoga practice designed for stress relief. However you decide to implement yoga into your stress management routine, you will surely be feeling all the relief and benefits that it has to offer. So go put on your stretchiest pants, grab a friend, and lay down your yoga mats-- your body, mind, and stress will be forever grateful. References Brady, A. (n.d.). 8 Yoga Poses to Help You Manage Stress. Retrieved from: https://chopra.com/articles/8-yoga-poses-to-help-you-manage-stress. Harvard Health Publishing. (2018, May 9). Yoga for anxiety and depression. Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/yoga-for-anxiety-and-depression Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018, October 4). Yoga: Fight stress and find serenity. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733 Wei, M. (2015, December 8). Yoga for Stress Relief. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/urban-survival/201512/yoga-stress-relief Yoga with Adriene. (2018, July 1). Yoga For Stress Management. Retrieved from: https://yogawithadriene.com/yoga-for-stress-management/.
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Do you have a bestfriend or group of friends that you hang out with? What about a trusted coworker or a classmate that you can talk about different things with? If you said yes, congratulations! You are one step closer to reducing your stress levels in life. Social support is incredibly important for our mental and physical health, and having good social support systems in place can be very helpful for our stress management. Being in college or a young working professional is the perfect time to meet new friends or make new connections that can benefit your life and help you deal with your stress. You don’t have to have many close friends to reap these benefits, as long as you have quality connections with the supports you do have.
What is social support? Social support is the group of people we have around us that we get support from. It includes the friends we have to confide in, the family we have to love us, or anyone who makes your life a little easier. There are 5 main kinds of support that we can receive: emotional support, esteem support, information support, tangible support, and companionship support (Khan Academy, 2014). Some people in our lives will support us in all of these ways, and some will only support us in one of those ways. Social support is a strong determinant of health and well-being later in life, so maintaining good relationships now is essential for stronger health in the future. What are the effects of poor social support? Unfortunately, not every person has a strong social support system they can rely on. In fact, loneliness is becoming more and more prevalent in the lives of American people everyday. One study found that while the mean number of close others that people feel they have in their lives is 2 people, the number most often answered is 0 (Seppala, 2014). This means that right now, most people in the United States feel that they have 0 people close enough to them to share their problems with. As if that wasn’t bad already, those feelings of loneliness actually have some bad health consequences as well. Believe it or not, low social support has been found to be just as bad for our health than smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure (Seppala, 2014). One study even found that the negative effects of loneliness on our health is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes per day (Bonior, 2017). The American Psychological Association also found that stress levels of those without support was higher than those who have strong support systems. Given that when “people are stressed, they become more withdrawn and distracted” (Gordon, 2015), this makes them less likely to reach out and build those strong connections and perpetuates the cycle of loneliness in our lives. Feeling alone is something that many of us experience from time to time, but on a regular basis, these feelings can clearly take a toll on our health. How can strong social support benefit me? While there are many ways poor social connection can harm you, there are even more ways that good social support can help you! Being well supported in life helps us in so many different aspects of our lives. When we are surrounded by a strong social support system, it can:
In general, good friends and people surrounding us can help us live happier, healthier lives. Having people to rely on helps us to work through our problems and enjoy life more, which can greatly reduce the stress we feel and the symptoms we experience because of it. Even if you don’t have many friends, it is actually your perspective on the quality and satisfaction of your relationships that really makes the difference in your health! As you can see, having good connections in life is essential for optimal health and well-being, so it is important to remember to take the time to build these relationships. Ways to boost social support! While some people may say that they just prefer to be alone, it is actually in our instincts to be compassionate and help others (Seppala, 2014). We usually ignore it or talk ourselves out of it when that instinct arises, but it is one of the most important aspects of humanity that has helped us survive this entire time. Boosting social support doesn’t have to be hard. Reach out to a classmate, make dinner plans with a friend, or just talk to someone next time you are going through a stressful situation. Be sure to also focus on being a strong social support for people in your life, as it research suggests that “providing social support to friends and family may be even more important than receiving it” (American Psychological Association). With one in almost every two people living with a chronic disease in the US right now, it makes you wonder just how many of those people would be much healthier with a few more friends (Story, 2015). Compassion can spread from person to person, so even your small actions of support to one person could ripple into a wave of relief for hundreds of people! So be a friend, reach out, and help others-- for their benefit and your own. References American Psychological Association (n.d.). Manage stress: Strengthen your support network. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/emotional-support.aspx (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Bonior, A. (2017, March 8). 11 Surprising Things Good Friendships Do for You. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201703/11-surprising-things-good-friendships-do-you (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Gordon, A. (2017, September 29). Is Stress Killing Your Relationship? Why You’re Not Alone. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/between-you-and-me/201709/is-stress-killing-your-relationship-why-youre-not-alone (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Khan Academy. (2014, September 19). Social Support | Individuals and Society. Retrieved from:Social support | Individuals and Society | MCAT | Khan Academy (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Seppala, E. (2014, April 1). The Power and Science of Social Connection TEDTalk. Retrieved from:The Power & Science of Social Connection: Emma Seppälä TEDx (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Story, C. (2015, April 30). Social Support and Wellness TEDTalk. Retrieved from:Social Support & Wellness | Chandra Story | TEDxOStateU (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Have you ever heard of essential oils? You probably have, and you may even have some of your own favorite oils at home to use on a regular basis. Many people and businesses are beginning to take a strong interest in the use of essential oils and aromatherapy in their lives and products, and it’s not surprising why. When used topically or through inhalation, different essential oils can have some pretty awesome effects on our health and in our lives. Some of the best oils to use are actually pretty inexpensive, and most of them are sold in bottles or rollers that are easily portable! One area of our life aromatherapy can be a huge help for is our stress.
What is aromatherapy? Aromatherapy, as defined by the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, is "the therapeutic application or the medicinal use of aromatic substances (essential oils) for holistic healing" (Nordqvist, 2017). When inhaled, the molecules of the essential oil go through the body and stimulate our limbic system, which is linked to stress, and all the things it affects, like heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, emotions, and hormone balancing. It is thought that when we breathe these molecules in, it can counteract our stress response by turning on the parasympathetic nervous system, which relaxes our bodies and helps to turn down our stress response (Wei), 2016. Benefits of aromatherapy Aromatherapy and the many different essential oils used in it have been shown to positively influence our health in an all natural way. In general, aromatherapy has been shown to reduce symptoms like aches, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and headaches, all of which are major stress symptoms that we struggle with when we are under chronic stress (Nordqvist, 2017). Every essential oil has its own unique properties and healing effects due to the different plants they come from, so these benefits are just a generalization of what some of the most known and studied essential have been shown to do for our health. When we reduce our stress symptoms, our bodies take this as a cue to slow down the stress response, and we begin to see a lot of our pains and worries fade away. Plus, since they are so portable and easy to use, we can take them with us to class, work, or even out with friends to utilize their benefits whenever we need. Best essential oils for stress Luckily, some of the best essential oils for reducing stress are some of the most widely available and inexpensive ones. Lavender essential oil is often considered the best essential oil for stress due to its strong relaxation properties and its ability to relieve headaches, migraines, and insomnia (Nordqvist, 2017). One study also found that lavender oil can help to “improve the quality of life for people with dementia” (Bauer, 2017), which is very important for stress management since chronic stress can have a negative impact on our memory and mental health. Another popular essential oil for stress management is lemon! With it’s bright citrus smell, it has been shown to improve mood and “help relieve the symptoms of stress and depression” (Nordqvist, 2017). Essential oils can be inhaled or applied topically to the skin when diluted with a carrier oil or water. They should be used with caution! Some people may be allergic to different oils, so it is important to always test the oils on a small patch of skin before using on a regular basis. The oils can be found at any health foods store, and even stores like Walmart or Target have a few different types of oil available to choose from! Adding essential oils to your existing stress management routine can be a great way to receive a few more benefits in an cheap and convenient way. All you have to do it stop and smell the oils. :) References Bauer, B. (2017, May 24). What are the benefits of aromatherapy? Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/aromatherapy/faq-20058566. Nordqvist, C. (2017, March 20). Aromatherapy: What you need to know. Retrieved from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10884.php. Wei, M. (2016, April 28). Six Aromatherapy Essential Oils for Stress Relief and Sleep. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/urban-survival/201604/six-aromatherapy-essential-oils-stress-relief-and-sleep When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was color. I used to take coloring books and crayons with me everywhere and I would use them every time I got the chance. So many people think of coloring as a kid’s activity, but there are actually many amazing coloring books for adults that you can buy and use as a tool for stress management. They’re usually pretty cheap, and there’s no pressure to be an artist since the lines are already drawn for you! The act of coloring is relaxing, and because of it, we often feel much less stressed after we have spent some time with our crayons.
Coloring as a stress management tool When I sit down to color, I sometimes find myself getting lost in the fun of it and spending hours on a picture. I am able to focus all my attention on the act and forget about all the things that were occupying my mind, which is actually one of the biggest reasons that coloring is such an effective stress management tool! Coloring can help lower stress levels because when we are focusing on the art, we are not thinking about all the worries we may have (Brooks, 2017). Taking mental space away from our stressors gives us time to breath without all that weight, which helps to quiet our stress response and all the negative symptoms that can come with it. We are practicing the art of mindfulness and living in the present as well when we color, since we are so absorbed in the colors we will pick and the lines we will use (UC Davis Health, 2016). Since mindfulness practice has been proven to eliminate a wide variety of stress symptoms in our bodies, this is a really fun way to receive those benefits while at the same time working out our creative muscles. Also, when we relax to color, our brains “lower activity in the amygdala,” which is the area of the brain that is responsible for our fight-or-flight stress (Piedmont Health). Coloring has been shown to reduce levels of anxiety and depression in college students specifically, so this is definitely something to give a shot when you are feeling overwhelmed with the responsibilities that being a student can bring (UC Davis Health, 2016). Try it! It is very easy to practice coloring as a stress management technique. The first step is, of course, to get a coloring book or some coloring pages, and something to color with! I personally like to color with markers because I love the bright, bold appearance they leave, but you can color with whatever you desire. The next step is then to open your book and color, remembering to be mindful while doing so for the added benefits that it can have on our stress levels. You could also try leaving your phone in another room since it is not required for the activity (Piedmont Health). The blue screen lights and the stimulation that technology brings can actually negatively influence our stress, so this could be another way to reap even more benefits from this simple activity. As you can see, coloring is a cheap and effective tool we can utilize to help us relax and lower our levels of stress and its effects on our bodies. Head over to your local Target, Walmart, or craft store to find everything you will to create beautiful art and live a more peaceful life. References Bea, S. (2015, November 13). 3 Reasons Adult Coloring Can Actually Relax Your Brain. Retrieved from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-adult-coloring-can-actually-relax-brain/. Brooks, K. (2017, December 6). Coloring Isn’t Just For Kids. It Can Actually Help Adults Combat Stress. Retrieved from: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/coloring-for-stress_n_5975832.html Piedmont Healthcare. (n.d.). Do coloring books for adults decrease stress? Retrieved from: https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/do-coloring-books-for-adults-decrease-stress UC Davis Health. (2016, February 23). Coloring therapy helps ease patients’ stress. Retrieved from: https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/welcome/features/2015-2016/02/20160223_cancer-coloring-therapy.html. Every single person thinks and feels, but not every person thinks and feels the same way. Older adults are not going to have the same thoughts as us college students, and we are not going to have the same thoughts as elementary schoolers. We are all going to be feeling different things based on these emotions, which is going to impact our lives in different ways. Unfortunately, many people of all ages struggle to fully feel, understand, process, and regulate their emotions, which can have many negative effects to our stress levels and on our physical and mental well-being (The School of Life, 2017).
What are thoughts and emotions? Thoughts and emotions go hand in hand, and we usually don’t experience one without the other. Thoughts are our ideas, opinions, and perspectives about the world (Lawson, n.d.). They can trigger different emotions in us, which can make us experience different feelings. It is important to remember that every emotion is healthy, even the sad or angry ones, as it means we are capable of feeling. However, healthy emotions can become unhealthy if they last longer than they need to, or begin to control your life and actions. To be emotionally well and experience emotions in a healthy way, you must be able to “feel and express the entire range of emotions, and to control them, not be controlled by them” (Seaward, 2006). If we are not emotionally well, we may have a hard time understanding our emotions or reacting to them in healthy ways. This can cause them to manifest inside our brains and bodies, leading to some unfortunate health effects (The School of Life, 2017). What happens when we are not emotionally well? When we are not emotionally well, our health can suffer. When we are overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions, In general, any negative emotions that have been repressed can be a source of chronic stress in our lives. Chronic stress can severely disrupt the body, damage the immune system, and even deplete our brain of the chemicals it needs to be happy (Lawson, n.d.). This is even scarier, since people with higher exposure to stress over their lifetimes tend to have worse mental and physical health (Sifferlin, n.d.). This, as well as a reduced ability to control and respond to negative emotions, can lead to conditions such as depression, anxiety, Alzheimers, or even schizophrenia later in life. Anger is one emotion that many people have a hard time understanding and processing, so there are many different coping mechanisms that people struggling with anger may use. For example, someone who suppresses their anger is may experience physical symptoms, such as migraines, ulcers, liver problems, or high blood pressure (Seaward, 2006). However, repressed anger can lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, digestive issues, and higher risks of infection in anyone regardless of their coping mechanism, so it is important that these negative emotions are dealt with (Seaward, 2006). Benefits of practicing good emotional habits In spite of all the bad that can come from negative emotions, learning how to manage and control emotions, as well as an increased focus on feeling the positive emotions, can actually reverse all of the damage done. While genetics can make someone more predisposed to depression or negative emotions, we are just as capable of cultivating positive ones. Positive emotions can help us recover faster from and be more resilient to stress, get better sleep, boost our immune system, and provide an overall sense of happiness and wellbeing in our lives (Lawson, n.d.). Positive emotions such as forgiveness and gratitude can be attained with practice, and can help us feel physically and mentally better. In fact, one study found that if people who experienced a lot of stress were highly forgiving of themselves and others, “that characteristic alone virtually eliminated the connection between stress and mental illness” (Sifferlin, n.d.). As college students who are always dealing with one stressor after another, forgiveness is crucial for our self-care and the wellbeing of our minds. There is always going to be bad around us, but there is just as much good in the world to counteract it. If we can change our perspective and try to see the positives more than the negatives, our minds and bodies will be much healthier because of it. Help for developing emotional awareness The first step to developing emotional awareness is being able to identify and express what are you feeling. If you do not take the time to understand and know yourself and your emotions when they arise, it will be very hard to learn how to change or control them. By changing an external situation, switching our attention to positivity, or re-evaluating the negative emotions we feel, we can begin to change the unhealthy emotions to healthy ones (Lawson, n.d.). Practicing mindfulness or positive thinking can be two very useful tools in helping us accept our negative emotions and cultivate the happiness to replace them. Sometimes, this emotional work requires additional support, especially if you are struggling with a mental illness. My university has a Counseling and Psychological Support center with therapists and counselors who are trained to help students battling negative emotions find happiness and positivity in their lives. This may be something that your university offers as well, so take the time to look into it. Lastly, emotions are contagious, so if you are feeling good, be sure to spread the positivity around (Lawson, n.d.). You never know who around you may need it! References Lawson, K. (n.d.). What Are Thoughts and Emotions? Retrieved from:https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-are-thoughts-emotions. Lawson, K. (n.d.). How Do Thoughts and Emotions Affect Health? Retrieved from: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-do-thoughts-and-emotions-affect-health. Seaward, B. (2006). The Emotions: From a Motivation of Fear to a Motivation of Love. In Essentials of Managing Stress (Chapter 3). Retrieved from: https://books.google.com/books?id=pVMcqXUEotIC&pg=PA43&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false. Sifferlin, A. (n.d.). Forgiving Other People Is Good for Your Health. Retrieved from: http://time.com/collection/guide-to-happiness/4370463/forgiveness-stress-health/ The School of Life. (2017, September 7). How to Process Your Emotions. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b197XOd9S7U Being a college student in today’s society is not easy. There is so much work and so much pressure thrown on us almost every second. A lot of college students even have to work full-time alongside their full-time education program just to pay rent and be able to eat. It’s no surprise that college students are under greater levels of stress and at greater risk for mental disorders than any time in US history (Henriques, 2014). In fact, studies suggest that between 25-33% of college students “meet criteria for an anxiety of depressive illness during their college experience” (Henriques, 2014). These numbers are scary at first glance, but it does makes sense given the amount of stress and anxiety that college students face as they leave their homes and take on the challenge of higher education. Stress can have extremely harmful effects on our minds and mental health, making things like school and socializing even harder. Thankfully, the damage can be reversed with a little patience and a lot of mindfulness.
How does stress impact the mind? Believe it or not, stress can actually reshape and restructure your brain in ways that inhibit your performance. Cortisol is a hormone released during a stress response. When we are in constant states of stress, our bodies end up with too much cortisol, which can literally change the brain. Cortisol contributes to the deterioration and shrinking of the hippocampus and other parts of the brain associated with learning, memories, and stress control (Murgia, 2015). Stress also impairs the ability of the hippocampus to produce new brain cells, so the ones being lost are not being replaced at the same rate. This greatly impairs memory retrieval and our ability to retain new information, which could put us at risk for underachievement on exams and assignments (Vogel & Schwabe, 2016). And, when the part of our brain that is responsible for our stress control deteriorates, our ability to control and manage our stress is weakened as well. All of these changes in our brain can not only make it harder to succeed in school, but it can also make us more susceptible to a host of mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and even alzheimer's (Murgia, 2015). Aside from the distinct changes to the brain, cortisol can also cloud our thoughts and make it hard for us to think clearly or rationally, or remember even the simplest things, like where we put our keys (Levitan, 2015). As you can see, being under constant stress is not good for our mental health. It can cause us to underperform in all areas of life, and it prevents us from becoming the best versions of ourselves that we could be. There’s no need to worry, though, since most of the damage done can be reversed. Tips and tricks for a healthier mind When are brains are not healthy, we are not healthy. Being under chronic stress is one of the worst things we can do for our mental health, so it is extremely important that we begin to do what we can to reverse the damage stress has already made. Two of the best things we can do for our brains are meditation and regular exercise, as they both involve being aware of our surroundings and our breath. These activities have been scientifically found to reduce stress and to increase the size of the hippocampus (Murgia, 2015), which are important for stress management and for reversing of the damage I mentioned earlier. We can also set ourselves up for success by planning ahead for when we know we will be under great stress and not performing at our best to prevent any further stressors or damage. There’s a practice called pre-mortem, which involves looking ahead and seeing all that could go wrong, and trying to figure out what you can do to prevent those things from happening (Levitan, 2015). You could set a designated spot for keys, take pictures of important documents, or pack your bag ahead of time so you don’t have to stress later about forgetting something important. This is something that I do all the time, and it really does help to keep the seemingly small but extremely harmful daily stressors at bay. Regardless of what techniques you try, it is important that you have a stress management plan to help keep your stress levels low so you can avoid some of the harmful effects that stress can have on your mental health. Whatever you do, just try to “get in control of stress before it controls you” (Murgia, 2015). References Henriques, G. (2014, February 15). The College Student Mental Health Crisis. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201402/the-college-student-mental-health-crisis. Levitin, D. (2015, September). How to stay calm when you know you’ll be stressed. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_levitin_how_to_stay_calm_when_you_know_you_ll_be_stressed?referrer=playlist-talks_to_help_you_manage_stres. Murgia, M. (2015, November 9). How stress affects your brain. Retrieved from: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-stress-affects-your-brain-madhumita-murgia#watch. Vogel, S. and Schwabe, L. (2016, June 29). Learning and memory under stress: implications for the classroom. Retrieved from: https://www.nature.com/articles/npjscilearn201611 How often do you get outside? Not just when you’re walking to your classes, your car, or around the university, but how often do you go outside with your only goal being to spend time outside? For most of college students, the answer is not often. A recent study conducted by the EPA found that the average American spends “93% of his or her time indoors” (Li, 2018). Doing the math shows that this equates to about 23.52 hours inside, or only 28.8 minutes outside, every day. For me, being stuffed up at my house or in class makes me feel anxious and stressed. After a while, I start to feel trapped by the walls, the stuffy air, and the artificial light. However, once I get outside, I feel all those negative emotions leave my body with every breath of fresh air I take. And it’s not just me being a nature enthusiast. Being outdoors is shown to have amazing benefits for our health and well-being. Originally from Japan, a technique called shinrin-yoku, better known as forest bathing, is one way to be outside that has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, boost our immune systems, make us happier, and much more.
What is forest bathing? The phrase forest bathing comes from the Japanese word shinrin-yoku, which means “taking in the forest atmosphere” (Fraga, 2017). While people have been walking in forests for centuries, this practice began in 1982 when it was promoted “as a form of eco-therapy” (Fraga, 2017) by the agriculture ministry of Japan. Since then, it has made its way to the United States as more and more people have been intrigued by it’s benefits and put this practice to the test. Forest bathing is nothing more than just being in nature and connecting with it “through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch” (Li, 2018). It is simply going outside with your only goal being to slow down and take in all that nature has to offer. You can practice forest bathing anywhere that there are trees or plants surrounding you. Think of it as “a cross between a hike and a meditation class” (Aubrey, 2017). You are going amongst the trees just to be with the trees. How can this help me manage my stress? Forest bathing can be a very effective stress management tool. This is due to the higher amounts of fresh oxygen in a forest compared to a city, as well as chemicals called phytoncides that are present in concentrated areas of trees and plants. Phytoncides are “natural oils that are part of a plant’s defense system against bacteria, insects, and fungi” (Aubrey, 2017). They are released by trees, mostly by evergreens, and can be breathed in when we spend time in nature. The phytoncides can boost our immune system, lower our blood pressure, and calm our heart rate (Evans, 2018). Aside from the benefits of the phytoncides, just being in a forest or surrounded by trees has also been linked to various health benefits. Forest bathing can help lower cortisol levels, reduce anger and anxiety, and improve metabolic and cardiovascular health (Fraga, 2017 and Evans, 2018). Lowering cortisol levels is very important for effective stress management. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can cause a lot of the negative side effects of stress, like weight gain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. Lowering this can do nothing but good things for our stress and our health! Just being out in nature and away from your stessors for a while can do a lot for your stress management and happiness as well. It’s not hard to get into this technique and start to see these benefits. All you really need are some feet and some trees. How to forest bathe The first step to forest bathing is finding somewhere to forest bathe. While this is traditionally and most effectively done in a forest, anywhere you can get outside with some trees and some peace will suffice. Find a spot that you enjoy and begin to walk slowly. Try not to have a destination in mind-- just walk. Focus your attention outwards, and “let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet” (Li, 2018). Take deep breaths and just explore all the beautiful sights and smells. You could do yoga, eat a snack, meditate, write, draw, or simply just walk (Li, 2018). That’s really all there is to it. When you’re done, try to reflect on your experiences and how you and your stress feel afterwards. If it works as well for you as it did for me, you’ll truly feel amazing. References Aubrey, A. (2017, July 17). Forest Bathing: A Retreat To Nature Can Boost Immunity And Mood. Podcast retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=536676954 Evans, K. (2018, August 20). Why Forest Bathing Is Good For Your Health. Retrieved from: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_forest_bathing_is_good_for_your_health?utm_medium=email&utm_source=other&utm_campaign=opencourse.es3OSXqhEea1Vw7ENWFEPw.announcements~opencourse.es3OSXqhEea1Vw7ENWFEPw.NyzGa6cwEeiD2QqOJunOiA Fraga, J. (2017, June 5). According to Science, 'Forest Bathing' Has Proven Health Benefits. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/forest-bathing-shinrin-yoku#2 Li, Q. (2018, May 1). ‘Forest Bathing’ Is Great for Your Health. Here’s How to Do It. Retrieved from: http://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/ Whether it be caused by life changing events, unpredictable situations, or just daily hassles, all of us experience stress on a regular basis. Too much regular stress can lead to some very harmful symptoms for our health, so it is extremely important we have effective stress management techniques. There are many things we can do to reduce our stress on a daily basis, but some of the practices we could try may be too time consuming or unaffordable. And if you’re a college student like me, you probably don’t have much time or money to spend on anything other than necessities. While it is fair to say that stress management is a necessity, it is not one that most of us budget our time or money for. The good news is, you don’t have to! Here is a list of 5 free and easy stress management techniques that you can start today to be healthier tomorrow.
1. Progressive Muscle Relaxation In this relaxation technique, you lie down and focus on slowly tensing, and then relaxing each muscle group. This not only helps you relieve tension you have stored up in your body due to stress, but it also helps you focus on the difference between tension and relaxation (Mayo Clinic). Becoming more aware of your how your body feels in different states can help you recognize your body’s subtle reactions to stress, since tension is a very common stress symptom. Over time, you will become more aware of when and how stress is arising in you, making it easier to manage and calm the stress reaction. Try beginning at your head and tensing your forehead for a couple of seconds, then continue to tense and relax every body part until you’ve made it down to your feet. 2. Deep Breathing Deep breathing is one of the easiest techniques to try since you already have everything you need to get started- a mouth and some lungs! Deep breathing can either be practiced with a specific technique, like a 4 count breath, or by just simply breathing in fully and exhaling slowly for a few minutes. Deep, focused breathing allows us to bring awareness to ourselves and one of the most important functions of our existence. This technique also reduces the levels of stress hormones in our body, so it actually lessens the intensity of any stress symptoms caused by these hormones, like a rapid heartbeat or anxiety (Seppälä). Deep breathing also helps us become more aware of our breath and it how changes in different situations. For example, we breathe faster during stress and slower when we’re calm. If we breathe deeply when we are stressed, we are sending a message to our bodies that we are calm (whether we really are or not), and that slows down our stress response and lessens our stress symptoms (Harvard Health). If you feel like you need a specific deep breathing technique to follow, try breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and holding again for 4 seconds. If 4 seconds is too long, try 3. If 4 seconds is not enough, try 5. There is no right or wrong way, so experiment until you find something that works for you. All that matters is that you are breathing in and out fully and doing your best to be aware of your breathing. 3. Physical Activity Physical activity, like deep breathing, helps to reduce the amount of stress hormones in our bodies. Physical activity also help our bodies produce endorphins, which are chemicals boost our mood and ease our pain (Harvard Health). Using regular exercise as a stress management technique is very efficient, as we reduce our stress hormones, which can cause nasty health effects, and replace them with endorphins, which make us feel happier and more at ease. Just taking the time for yourself to get away from your daily stressors and get moving can make us feel much less stressed as well. You don’t need a gym membership or any fancy equipment to reap the benefits that physical activity has to offer. You can do a quick 30 minute body-weight workout at home, go for a run, take your dog on a walk, or even just speed walk or jog around your neighborhood. There are many YouTube videos that will lead you through at home workouts if you are just getting started with a fitness regime and don’t know what moves to do. Harvard Health suggests that you should aim for 30-40 minutes of moderate exercise a day, which is not much longer than a typical TV show. And, if you don’t have a full 40 minutes every day to dedicate to exercising, you could separate it out into three or four 10-15 minute work out sessions. 4. Journaling I know that when I experience a particularly frustrating or stressful event, I just want to talk and vent about it. Talking about my stressors helps me to work through and better understand how to manage them. However, I don’t always have someone around that I can confide in about my experiences. This is where self-reflective journaling can come into play. With self-reflective journaling, we can use our words to dig deeper into our thoughts and feelings so that, through the process, we can learn more about our stress triggers and how we usually manage them when they arise. Once we have our thoughts on paper, we can review what we’ve written and see if we can come up new ways to overcome the struggles and stressors we are facing (Tams). For me, the best part about journaling is that I get the stressful thoughts out of my head and onto paper. When I have the negative emotions and worries swirling around in my head, it often causes me a lot of stress and self-doubt. Writing them down helps me to remove them from my mind and work through them so that I can learn from experiences instead of being bogged down by them. It can be hard at first to sit down and reflect about our experiences on our own, but even just a few minutes a day of self-reflective journaling can greatly help us reduce our stress. 5. Practice positive thinking I’m sure most of us have been in a situation where you’ve been feeling down or stressed, and someone’s advice to you was to “just be happy” or “just think more positively.” As frustrating as that can be to hear when you’re in a stressful situation, the advice is truly valid. Fostering a more positive and growth-oriented mindset has actually been proven to make us more effective and relieve our stress. It’s a trick that your mind can play on your body. When you begin to feel stressed, your body reacts in different ways-- your heart rate and breathing increase, you may get shaky, have an upset stomach, or you start to sweat. Understandably so, most of us view these symptoms as obstacles. However, if we can tell ourselves that these symptoms are actually beneficial to our performance, they will be. A study conducted by the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Rochester found that when teenagers were went through a 30 minute growth mindset seminar, they performed better in stressful situations, and their levels of stress hormones were significantly lower than the teenagers who didn’t (Wheeler). This means that just by changing how we view our stress, that stress can actually help us. This is a technique that definitely takes consistent practice to fully reap the benefits of, but it is extremely effective at reducing stress and it’s symptoms. As you can see, it doesn’t take much more than your own body and mind to effectively reduce stress. While these are not the only free ways to reduce stress, I have found these 5 to be the most effective in my life. Some of them may work for you and others may not, but it is worth trying if it means you can ease your stress and relax. If you have any free and easy ways to reduce stress that work for you that I didn’t list, please leave them in the comments below! :) References Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017, April 19). Relaxation techniques: Try these steps to reduce stress. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/relaxation-technique/art-20045368. Harvard Health. (2018, July 13). Exercising to relax. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax. Wheeler, S. (2016, August 23). Can a Change in Mindset Help Teens De-stress? Article retrieved from: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_a_change_in_mindset_help_teens_destress Tams, L. (2013, May 1). Journaling to reduce stress. Retrieved from http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/journaling_to_reduce_stress. Seppälä, E. (2014, February 7). Benefits of Breathing: The Scientific Benefits of Breathing Infographic. Retrieved from: https://emmaseppala.com/tag/breathing-exercises/ Do you ever feel like you always have tension in your body, or maybe that you’re always sick? Maybe you just have no energy and are always tired. My first 2 years of college, that’s exactly how I felt. My neck, shoulders, and back were always tight and I always had a mild cold and stuffy nose that I could never seem to get rid of. I tried to take medications to ease my symptoms, but it never made things go away. It wasn’t until I started tuning in more to my body and digging deeper into the causes of my pain that I realized what the major contributor to all my symptoms had been-- stress. Moving out of my hometown and starting a new part of my life was stressful enough, but with all the school work and extracurricular activities piled on top, I was under more constant stress than I ever had been. After so long, the daily stress of college life began to impact my body in ways I never would’ve thought possible. Consistent stress can negatively impact the body that might surprise you. Fortunately, there are many things we can do combat the harmful symptoms and live in harmony with our stress.
What happens in our body during stress? Stress can manifest in our bodies in many different ways. It is first important to know a little bit about what biologically happens inside our bodies during stress. Most of the stress symptoms we feel arise due to the hormones released during our stress response- two of which are cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are released to stimulate and prepare our bodies for a stressful situation. They cause the increased the heart rate, faster breathing, and sweaty palms that we’re all familiar with, as well as many other more specific symptoms that I will get into later in the post. Our bodies are designed to undergo stress for a certain period of time, and then return to homeostasis. However, with the increasing pressures and stressors of daily, modern life, most of our bodies are not returning to homeostasis, and our stress response is activated almost 24/7. This means that our bodies are constantly impacted by stress, and we never really get a chance to recover. How does stress impact the body? Constant stress can wreak havoc on our health and well-being. It affects all areas of our body, including our cardiovascular, digestive, and immune system, as well as our mental health. I’ll go into each system a little more in depth so you can get a full picture of how stress influences the body. Effects of Stress on the Cardiovascular System We know already that adrenaline and cortisol are stress hormones that are released during a stress response. Adrenaline causes our heart to beat faster and stimulates the production of blood cells, which raises blood pressure (Hanafi, 2015). While this can be helpful in the short term stress response, over time, it actually causes chronic hypertension. Cortisol can cause the inner lining of the blood vessels to not function properly, which has been seen as early step in cholesterol build up in the arteries (Bergquist, 2015). Since our bodies are almost always in a stress response, this means that we are releasing more stress hormones than we need to be. Both of these hormones do have important functions in our bodies, but too much of a good thing is always a bad thing. Chronic stress can lead to consistently high blood pressure and plaque filled arteries, which together, greatly increase your risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Effects of Stress on the Digestive System Our guts have natural rhythmic movements to help push food along and stimulate digestion. A healthy gut is also full of healthy bacteria that helps us break down and digest our food to get all the nutrients we need from it. However, both of these are compromised with an overproduction of stress hormones, as they can disturb the natural movements in our gut and actually change the composition and function of our gut bacteria (Bergquist, 2015). Not only that, but cortisol increases our appetite for calorie loaded foods, like carbohydrates. I know that when I am stressed, all I want is pizza or pasta or something that will comfort me. However, this can make us overeat, and cortisol increases how much visceral fat our bodies stores. Visceral fat is hard to get rid of because it is stored deep within our abdominal tissue. Visceral fat also releases more hormones (which you hopefully know by now is the opposite of what we want) and it increases your risk for chronic diseases (Bergquist, 2015). All of this combined leaves us with an underperforming gut and a growing belly, just because we are too stressed out on a daily basis. Effects of Stress on the Immune System Our immune system keeps us healthy and heals us when we are not. We have many different immune cells that talk to and work with each other to help us fight off pathogens and viruses. However, cortisol inhibits immune cell signaling, which is the process by which the immune cells communicate (Hanafi, 2015). If the cells can’t talk to each other, they can’t properly fight off invaders or heal wounds. The humoral response of our immune system is responsible for the production and execution of antibodies, which are blood proteins that stick to foreign cells to remove them from the body. However, the humoral response is severely impacted by stress and stress hormones (Hanafi, 2015). When we are under chronic stress, our humoral response is constantly being limited. We aren’t properly fighting off illness or healing our ailments, and this is keeping us from ever truly healing. We are more susceptible to illness and we take longer to recover from that illness, keeping us feeling unhealthy on a regular basis. Effects of Stress on our Mental Health When we are stressed out, we’re often spread thin trying to get everything accomplished in a short period of time. If this only happens every once in a while, it is probably nothing to worry about. However, if this is happening on a daily basis, it’s only a matter of time before our minds get tired of so much stress and worrying and it leads us to something more serious. We may feel worry, irritability, restlessness, anger or hostility. We might have a hard time concentrating since we have so much else on our mind, or we may even begin to feel anxiety and panic at the prospect of overcoming everything on our to-do list. We start to feel stress and all the negative emotions that come with it more than we feel relaxed and happy, and this may make us worry even more! Sometimes, the negative emotions can manifest themselves as physical symptoms in our body. For example, when I feel anxious, I tense my neck and shoulders, which leads to knots in my upper body. Then, I get worried about the tension in my neck, which causes me additional mental stress. With an overactive stress response, the “mind and body can amplify each other's distress signals, creating a vicious cycle of tension and anxiety” (Harvard Health, 2018). Keeping our bodies in a constant state of stress is fuel for this cycle, causing us more mental and physical pain than needed. Things we can do reverse this impact As you can see, the impact that stress has on the body can be extremely harmful to all aspects of our health. Our bodies and minds suffer greatly when we live under constant stress and pressure. We will never be able to completely remove all of our stressors, but we can learn to manage our stress so that its impact on our bodies is beneficial. It is possible to live and grow through your stress, it just may take some practice. One of the biggest things we can do is implement behavioral and mindfulness training into our daily lives. This type of practice can ease the mental effects we feel from stress, as we take time away from our stressors. to calm our minds, breathe, and relax. These practices can also help ease some of our physical symptoms as well. Like I mentioned earlier, my stress causes me a lot of neck and shoulder pain, because I tense my shoulders very tight when I am stress. Similarly, many people experience tension in their upper body and back due to stress. A study conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute and the University of Washington in Seattle found that “both mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy proved more effective than “usual care” in relieving chronic low back pain and improving patients’ function” (Brody, 2017). These practices teach people to rethink their views on their problems and get more in tune with their bodies, minds, and lives. Meditation is one mindfulness technique that they used for their patients to help them slow down and reduce stress. It must work, since meditation has actually been proven to “lower the heart rate, lower the blood pressure, reduce the breathing rate, diminish the body's oxygen consumption, reduce blood adrenaline levels, and change skin temperature” (Harvard Health, 2018). Most of us have high levels of adrenaline and high blood pressure due to our chronic stress, so lowering both of those is extremely beneficial for reducing our stress response symptoms. Exercising is another way that we can reduce our stress and counteract the symptoms that we feel. Exercise is often used to help treat anxiety and depression due to its amazing biological effects in our bodies. Physical activity can reduce the levels of the stress hormones, and replaces them with endorphins, our body’s “natural pain killers and mood elevators… responsible for the ‘runner's high’ and for the feelings of relaxation and optimism that accompany many hard workouts” (Harvard Health, 2018). Given that we have an overproduction of stress hormones in our bodies, reducing them will greatly improve our health. Exercise also just helps you look and feel healthier, which increases our physical and mental strength! It also gives you time to do something good for yourself and take time away from your stressors, allowing you to relax your mind and get your body moving. While stress may be the root of a lot of our health issues, it is not something we have to live with forever. By taking a little time everyday to practice being with and managing our stress, we can learn to live in harmony with it. Our bodies, minds, guts, hearts, and immune systems will all be very thankful if we do. Reference List Bergquist, S. (2015, October 22). How stress affects your body TED Ed. Video retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-t1Z5-oPtU. Brody, E. (2017, September 11). Alternative to Drugs for Treating Pain. Retrieved from:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/11/well/alternatives-to-drugs-for-treating-pain.html Hanafi, Z. (2015, March 23). PSA: Stress and The Immune System. Video retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrihWOruRgQ Harvard Health. (2018, July 13). Exercising to relax. Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax. As a college student, I am always facing some kind of stress. Whether it be social, relationship, academic, health concerned, job related-- there are always stressors in my environment. It’s hard not to get overwhelmed with all the deadlines and commitments we face on a daily basis. I used to think that stress was bad for me and my health, and that I should do anything to avoid it. However, recent science has shown that stress can actually be beneficial to us-- if we know how to use it in the right way.
What usually happens during stress? When we experience a stressful event, our bodies go into “flight or fight” mode. We pump out hormones like cortisol and oxytocin. Our blood vessels get smaller, our hearts race, we start to sweat, our stomachs churn… we all know the feeling. During stressful situations, our bodies also shut down all nonessential functions, like our immune or digestive systems. Historically, this flight or fight response in early humans would be used for situations like running from predators or finding food, and weren’t experienced on an everyday basis. There was time to let their bodies recover from the symptoms of stress before they experienced again. Unfortunately, most of experience this stress reaction often with everyday hassles (assignment deadlines we may not meet, morning traffic making us late, etc.). We remain stressed out almost all the time, and our body stays in that stress reaction every waking moment. We end up having constricted blood vessels, weakened immune and digestive systems, and mental fatigue at all times. Biologically, you can see that stress can negatively influence our health in many different ways. However, we experience those same symptoms when we are excited or courageous without them negatively influencing our health. So, what’s the difference between the two? It all boils down to perception. Our perception of stress While there are times we may be faced with unexpected stressors, we usually know when we are getting ourselves into a stressful situation. When we’re going into a test, a job interview, a new social setting, we tell ourselves that what we are about to experience is going to be difficult-- and we typically don’t say that with a smile. We automatically associate the churning stomach, the racing heart, and the sweaty palms with negativity and assume they are harmful to us, and our bodies react differently to the experience because of it. The interesting thing though, it’s really our perception that stress is harmful that actually makes stress harmful. Dr. Kelly McGonigal, in her TED Talk titled How to Make Stress Your Friend, talks about a study where participants were asked how much stress they experience and if they believe stress is harmful for their health. The participants were then tracked for 8 years. What they found was that yes, people who experience a lot of stress had a “43 percent increased risk of dying” BUT “that was only true for the people who also believed that stress is harmful for your health” (McGonigal, K). And for those who had a lot of stress but didn’t view it as harmful, they actually “had the lowest risk of dying of anyone in the study, including people who had relatively little stress” (McGonigal, K). Over the course of the study, the researchers found that 182,000 people died prematurely from the belief that stress is harmful. That’s quite a large number of preventable deaths. In fact, with over 20,000 deaths per year, “that would make believing stress is bad for you the 15th largest cause of death in the United States... killing more people than skin cancer, HIV/AIDS and homicide” (McGonigal, K). So clearly, this a health epidemic. The way we think about stress causes our body to have a negative, harmful reaction to stress. However, we can change that. When we change the way our minds think about stress, we can actually change our body’s response to stress and the effects that it has on us. Changing our minds about stress… So, how can we change our minds about stress? It actually is relatively simple. We need to rethink our stress response as helpful. When we feel stress symptoms arise, we can tell ourselves that we are excited for the challenge. When our hearts are beating harder, we’re not nervous, we’re ready for action. When we’re breathing fast, we need to tell ourselves that we’re just getting more oxygen to our brain so we can think faster and smarter. These symptoms of stress can be “used as a sort of performance-enhancing energy rather than as a self-defeating threat” (Robertson, I), allowing us to change our perception of our stress from a negative hindrance to a positive attribute. Dr. Simone Ravicz advises that we see our stressors as a challenge instead of a threat, so that we can allow prostress to arise. We need to try to tell ourselves that we are capable of handling the situation and that we can grow through it. Even if we don’t fully believe it, just telling ourselves that is enough to actually allow for changes in our biological stress response. ...changes the way our bodies respond to stress I briefly mentioned earlier what normally happens in our bodies during stress when it is perceived as negative. While some of those same seemingly harmful symptoms still arise when we change our perception on stress, there are also helpful side effects during our stress response when we view it as positive. For example, the study mentioned by Kelly McGonigal found that “when participants viewed their stress response as helpful, their blood vessels stayed relaxed” (McGonigal). The constricted blood vessels that we usually experience during stress can contribute to hypertension, cardiovascular issues, and even stroke, so this small change in mindset could be the difference between a life threatening heart attack or not. The prostress that I mentioned earlier has some benefits as well. Just by viewing our stress as an overcomeable challenge instead of a detrimental threat, we that prostress help to boost our immune systems, increase our good cholesterol, repair muscle tissue, encourage physical growth, and enhance our brain development (Ravicz, S). One of the hormones that we release in our stress response is oxytocin. This is commonly referred to as the cuddle hormone, because it is the hormone released when we hug someone that makes us feel calm and happy. The effects of this hormone are usually overshadowed by the negative effects of cortisol, however, when we view our stress response as helpful, we allow the effects of oxytocin to shine. It makes us social, more empathetic, helpful, and supportive. It also makes us desire to reach out and ask for help during our stressful experiences so we don’t have to go through it alone. Oxytocin also acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, it helps our blood vessels remained relaxed, and it even repairs stress-induced damage on our heart (McGonigal). When we view our stress as a performance enhancer, we also produce a neurosteroid called DHEA, which helps our brains grow stronger, speeds up wound healing and strengthens the immune system (Lozeron, N). We also will see our norepinephrine (the hormone involved in the flight or fight response) levels balance out and reach their “sweet spot of performance” (Robertson, I). As you can see, there are so many benefits to experiencing stress. The key to unlocking them lies within you and your willingness to adopt a loving and positive mindset toward your stress. Tips for successful stress Attempting to reframe our mind and views toward stress can be hard, so here are a couple tips to help you get started.
Finally, remember that this will take time! You won’t be able to wake up one morning and completely override your brain. Practice these techniques, and eventually, you will get there. Reference List Lozeron, N. (Speaker). (2016, May 3). Stress enhances performance: The Upside of Stress by Kelly McGonigal. Video retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cfIqjWbVAE McGonigal, K. (Speaker). (2013, June). How to make stress your friend friend. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_fri end Ravicz, S. (n.d.). The Secret Upside to Stress. Retrieved from: https://www.happify.com/hd/secret-upside-to-stress/ Robertson, I. (2017, January 3). How Freaking Out Can Help You Succeed, According to Science. Retrieved from: http://time.com/4592069/stress-stronger-science/. |
AuthorHannah Brewington Archives
November 2018
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