May 1990 The News Argus PAGE 11
J^eatures
Don’t Let Final Exams Stress You Out!
ByArnetta Hauser, RN
With only a few weeks
left until the end of the se
mester, stress related health
problems appear to be on the
increase. Preparing those
special projects and term pa
pers, gearing up for senior
recitals, pledging, and seeing
just how much you’ll need to
make on your final exam to
pass the course, are only a
few sources of stress. Do I
even need to mention the fact
that so many of you are hold
ing down full time jobs as
well?
Stress is an automatic
physical reaction to a danger
or demand. The methods
your body uses to deal with
stress may vary from head
ache to stomach pain, from
hyperventilation to asthma
attacks. Stress can lower
your resistance to illnesses:
when you are under stress,
most nutritious eating habits
are abandoned, if you eat at
all. How many times have
you gotten a pack of Nabs
and a soda while trying to
meet a deadline, rather than
fixing food or going to the
dining hall? An improperly
nourished body can’t fight off
the germs and viruses that at
tack it. The “run down” body
also causes the recovery proc
ess to take longer.
Over a long period of
time, a stress-filled life can
lead to high blood pressure,
anxiety attacks and a wide
range of physical disorders.
We’ve discussed many of
the negative aspects of stress,
now let’s talk about some
thing positive . Contrary to
popular belief, stress can be
good for you. Our bodies
react in the same way to
stress, whether that stress is
welcome or unwelcome Our
hearts beat faster, our bodies
produce a natural stimulant
called adrenaline, we breathe
more rapidly, we are more
alert, and we may perspire
more. This is what gets you
“pumped up” before the big
game,and keeps you alert and
concentrated for an exam. All
of these responses can be good
for you when followed by pe
riods of relaxation.
The key to bringing the
stress in your life to a man
ageable level is to try to avoid
or eliminate unnecessary
stressful situations. If you hate
to spend long hours writing a
paper, then work on it well
enough in advance so you can
write at your pace. Don’t over
commit yourself! There are
only twenty-four hours in a
day, don’t ask more of your
self than you can reasonably
do. Take time for your basic
health needs. Adequate sleep
(at least six hours per night)
and proper nutrition are essen
tial in managing stress. Eat at
least one balanced meal per
day. Limit the amount of caf
feine (tea, soda, and coffee)
and alcohol you drink.
You can break the cycle of
continuous stress by planning
time for relaxation: 5 minutes
of stretching, deep breathing,
a warm bath or shower, unin
terrupted silence may be all
you need to break the pattern
of tension and fatigue.
When you set aside some
time to relax, you’ll feel re
freshed, revived and able to
handle the situations and chal
lenges you face at this point
in the semester.
THE GOOD
Ask a friend
Run
Dance
Read A Book
Write A Letter
Go for a walk
Listen to music
Talk to someone
Yell at your pillow
Scream in the shower
THE BAD
Eat something
Have a cigerette
Go to sleep
Watch t.v.
Make an excuse
Withdraw
Pout
Pretend
Hurt someone
THE UGLY
Take a drink
Take a pill
Steal something
Try to kill yourself
Try to kill anything
Lie
Drive too fast
Yell at people you care
about
‘Best of Luc/i^
CCass of 1990
from
^Ihc Company
Jonestozvn
ir- ^