We lost another classmate to stress, and as a graduate student ( and mom) in health promotions, I think it is so important that we talk about the health and wellness of college students. Those years are SO vulnerable, and it is so sad to me that we are either 1) not recognizing mental health issues or 2) medicating kids at young ages into pharmaceutical zombies. At any rate, I wanted to list a few things that have helped me become a happier grad student , a happier parent of a college student ( Yes, I’m older and went back to school) and a healthier one!
Following a low-sugar/high protein diet. ( The yo-yoing made me uneasy and only increased my stress. Making a list of healthy food options near your university can be really beneficial... High Carbs made me fat. The High protein diet kept my blood sugar stable and I was able to function better.)
Gym membership and attending lots of yoga classes ( It's not fairy dust!! Yoga really does work for stress reduction and arm toning, ab toning--- more college campuses should create yoga classes!!! )
Finding a study group-- dissipates the stress of studying alone. Plus, you know you are on track when you are aware of what everyone else is doing.
SLEEPING better! I can't stress this enough! My friend who took her own life did not sleep well and then they medicated her, so all she did was sleep-- unnatural sleep. I have struggled with sleep issues forever.
Weekly checkins with friends and family ( Mostly family members. )
Vitamin D and Bright Light during the long, cold winter. ( Vitamin D supplements really helped me not lose it during the long winter.... definitely something to look into....)
Ditching terrible romantic relationships--- Not easy, but a broken heart or dating a jerk can seriously crush your soul and your GPA!
Minimizing Facebook. ( We get too caught up in comparing ourselves to others. Much better to take a digital vacation and focus on the real world and reading from real books.)
Just thoughts I have… If you have any, post below!
I have a friend that lost his Freshman son to suicide Sunday. So @barbsmeteor, thank you for the wise words. This needs to be helped; its just such a difficult problem to deal with.
Wow, I am so sorry to hear that, Wayne. I don’t know if there are schools with higher suicide rates. I DO know that this age group ( college) is highly vulnerable…and if we can get them over the hump, they can maintain healthy lives.
I think lack of sleep has a lot to do with mental problems. It’s like a chicken/egg question…, but I Think this age group doesn’t sleep enough and that allows for the mental demons to come out and play.
College is a vulnerable time in part because students may not have long-term, ongoing interactions with adults whom they see on a daily basis. So changes in their behavior may not be noticed.
If a high school student starts to struggle with a problem, parents and teachers are likely to notice a change in their behavior (or their grades, which are an indicator of behavior in some respects). If a working adult starts to struggle, their employer and colleagues are likely to notice a change. But college students can fall between the cracks.
Very true… and also, as we get older and feel that any sort of problem might make us look “troubled or weak” or even affect our employment or educational status, we tend to hold it in more and not talk about it. IT seems “Okay” to still have problems/ troubles in High School, but then we really start to hide our stress, sleep, depression issues…
@marian - yes, that’s my thought too, this is such a vulnerable time. These very young adults don’t have the life experience to know their issues won’t seem so significant in the not so distant future. My limited understanding as well is that there are not always signs either, which is why the conversations need to be consistent.
Suicide is scary, and that’s usually the end result to someone trying to get back on track, on an upward trend- contrary to popular belief because the person is starting to feel in control.
Anyway, as a college student I agree with everything you said and would add to find a few key foods that you like- high protein is not that easy to maintain when your school cooks fresh and you’re running late to class .
For me, my school has a salad bar usually with grilled chicken and I’ll take it from there and have the grill guys heat it up.
Also salads can have a lot of variety I’ve recently found that celery and apples in one salad are very good.
Another tip, don’t be afraid to seek help, I’ve recently as in within the last 2 months, have been dealing with moderate anxiety attacks lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour- knowing that my mom suffers from both anxiety and depression I sought out help and am now attending weekly counseling sessions to help with stress managemen .
That’s awesome, Jazzil-- totally agree with what you say.
I also suffered from test-taking anxiety-- I just didn’t want to take meds, which is why I started listening to the ZenTones… those are the only things that helped me. ( Shared link above). My doctor sent them to me. ( My doctor is into natural health)
I tried a lot of supplements as well, but nothing really worked. Maybe Vitamin D, a little.
Food is mood-- and I agree with you: Maintaining quality high protein is tough to do. I think Sleep, Food and Mental Health issues are all chicken/egg issues…
I know the suicide rates are higher for this cohort. Unfortunately I know of one school that had three suicides before Thanksgiving last autumn and that seems shocking. I have no idea if this is typical.
Excellent tips IMO. I would add: getting off campus and mentally separating yourself from school on a regular basis.
When I was in college I made it a habit to do some mountain biking/hiking/etc. on some nearby trails. Not only did this help keep me in shape, but it also gave my brain a rest from thinking about homework/school all the time (I was an engineering major). I found when I returned to campus I was always in a better mood and felt much more relaxed which made it easier to stay focused on homework.
You don’t need to be an outdoorsy person either. Just getting away from school and exploring what’s around you is all that’s needed. Check out some shops, visit a museum, go to the movies with friends, take small road trips if you can afford it, etc. You’ll learn more about your local area, the people, and getting away from school helps to put life into perspective (i.e. we’re not on earth to just do school work and prepare for a career!)
At many elite schools, students wear their tight schedules (number and difficulty of classes, EC participation) and lack of sleep as badges of honor. And, it always seems as if there is someone else who is doing much, much more, on less sleep.There can be lots of peer pressure to work hard/play hard, and many do not realize what is happening as they chase impossible schedules and find themselves falling into a hole, and even more find themselves fearful of falling into a hole with one small misstep.
It is always easier to step in proactively than to dig out, and set up realistic expectations from the get-go.I would also like to see less blanket shaming of parents as “helicopter parents” no matter the circumstances.
That’s really interesting— the peer pressure to NOT sleep…
Emerald- I meant stress. Stress is a normal part of life, but CHRONIC stress is not. It depletes our adrenal gland and puts us in a perpetual state of fight/flight. That sort of stress is linked to 80% of illnesses. In fact, they have discovered higher levels of cortisol in depressed patients, and the root of depression is actually far from known. The serotonin hypothesis is pretty much going out the door, there…
Don’t be afraid to get help when things start to go south. Meaning, don’t wait until you have no will to get up in the AM or to go out with friends to decide you need help. Every dark mood doesn’t need to send you to the counseling center, but if you’ve been under a cloud for a couple of weeks or having panic attacks, go on and do something. Sooner is better than later; everything is easier to deal with if you catch it sooner.
I understand the function of the adrenal glands, but perhaps if people were not so depressed as to be unable to provide positive supports for themselves, they would not allow themselves to become overwhelmed with stressors.
Saying you are a fan of " natural" health is all well and good, but many medications/ treatments are necessary for better health, even if only for a short while.
