Relieving Stress
Anxiety, loneliness, stress, and isolation are normal to experience in college and in life. If you’re feeling any (or all) of these, you’re not alone!
However, even those these feelings are completely normal, they can negatively impact your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health over time. Stress and anxiety in particular can be damaging to your health.
If you’re feeling stressed or anxious, it’s important to know how to cope with those feelings in healthy ways and to know where you can get support. You can find guidance on relieving your stress in the tips and resources below.
What You Can Do
- Recognize your stress
- It’s important to recognize when you’re feeling stressed so you can make time to relax.
- Relax in ways that work best for you:
- Take deep breaths
- Go on a walk
- Stretch
- Meditate
- Enjoy fun hobbies
- Read a good book
- Listen to music
- Spend time with friends
- Keep yourself healthy
- Eat, drink water, and sleep regularly
- Engage in movement that feels good to you, whether that’s a strenuous workout or a gentle yoga session
- Reduce caffeine and alcohol
- Create structure for your day
- Keep a calendar
- Set up a routine for your day
- Schedule in time for breaks and self-care
- Be mindful of others you live with, whether family or roommates
- Plan out big projects
- Create a schedule for big projects to ensure you give yourself enough time to complete them
- Create intermediate goals/milestones and reward yourself for meeting them
- Make sure your schedule considers your other projects and responsibilities
Resources to Try
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- Welltrack HelpNow: 24/7 support for each WSU campus
- WellTrack Boost: An app with self-guided therapy and resources
- Peer-to-Peer Support with togetherall: Anonymous and safe space to chat with others about mental health/illness
- Welltrack Connect (The Shrink Space): Find a mental health professional in your community
- Welltrack HelpNow: 24/7 support for each WSU campus