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Got Wellness?
Midterm Stress Busters
March 2, 2007
Did somebody just say ‘midterms?’ Please say no. I’m still readjusting to
the concept of homework after winter break . . . is it really the middle of the
semester already? This blow-to-the-gut of a realization spells disaster. It
means I actually have to start chipping away at that ever-growing mountain of
reading lurking in my room. And that feeling good because “at least I went to
the library” (even if I didn’t spend any time doing actual “schoolwork,” per
se) won’t cut it anymore. Oh sh*%. I can feel tension
knotting in my back and stress pressurizing in my mind at this very moment.
That’s right folks, time to face the fact midterms (in the form tests,
papers, or projects) are breathing down our necks. For many of us, this
frazzled time of the semester ushers in many Red Bull-fueled all-nighters along
with that wretched feeling that time is ticking by at increasing and astronomical
speeds.
Questions of regret and befuddlement zoom through our minds. Why didn’t I
just stay on top of everything from the beginning of the semester? Why didn’t I
start writing my 12-pager earlier than 11 a.m. on the day it’s due? Why did I
spend all of Saturday assembling my totally tubular costume for Smiley 80’s
(even though it was really rad)? Because
we’re in college—that’s what we do. Ok, not everyone has a
self-destructive mechanism. I know a whopping two people who are always
completely ahead on homework, never procrastinate, and for whom midterms are a
microscopic speed bump, not the colossal chasm in the road they are for the
rest of us. To those two people from the rest of us: we hate you.
So how do you minimize being stressed during this time of academic demand?
The obvious answer is to get sufficient amounts of sleep, go to bed and get up
at the same times every day, meditate or do yoga daily, eat healthfully, enjoy
the outdoors, avoid sugar and excess caffeine and alcohol, hang out with good
friends, exercise regularly, do something enjoyable everyday that makes you
smile and laugh, and think positively about yourself. But for obvious reasons,
actually doing all of these is not that easy—even under non-stressful
circumstances.
To help you get through midterms successfully, here’s a crash-course in
quick and easy ideas for relaxing, relieving stress, and being mentally alert.
So take a few deep, calming breaths, try these suggestions, and remind yourself
you’ll be savoring spring break before you know it.
Strike a pose
Dating back to at least the 20th century B.C.E., and derived from the
Sanskrit word for “yoke,” Yoga is a great way to calm your body and mind—a
perfect stress buster during midterms! A new study conducted by Yoga Journal
magazine reveals that over 16.5 million Americans currently practice yoga.
Perhaps this has something to do with Yoga’s revitalizing benefits that can
help you study and think more effectively, test better, and be more rooted in
the present moment. To experience Yoga’s rejuvenating abilities, try these
poses:
• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend): Stand
upright, exhale and bend forward from the hip joints, not the waist. Lengthen
your torso each time you breathe in, and release a little more into the forward
bend. If you can, place your hands on the floor, or wrap them behind your
ankles, but if not, cross your arms and let them hang. Be very careful to not
overstretch! Hold this pose for 30 or more seconds. To come up, place your
hands on your hips and lift up with a straight back (don’t roll your back on
the way up).
• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose):
Lie facedown on the floor with tops of your feet down, your hands under your
shoulders and your elbows close against your ribs. Press the tops of your feet
and your thighs firmly into the floor. While inhaling, press up to a
comfortable level by straightening your arms, making sure to keep you thighs
pressing down on the floor. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Savasana (Corpse Pose):
Lie face up on the floor with your eyes closed. Relax every part of your
body . . . toes, legs, stomach, lungs, jaw, eyes, tongue. Clear your mind of
thoughts by focusing on your breath. Notice how it moves into your body as you
inhale, how it feels as you release. This pose is about releasing all tension
and reaching total relaxation while being mentally alert—which is a very
difficult thing to do. Do not fall asleep! Stay in this pose for five to ten
minutes, or longer if you like. Trying corpse pose before you study can be very
effective, as it helps you get rid of the clutter in
your mind and enables you to focus very well.
Eat some peppermint
There have been many claims that sniffing peppermint (be in from chewing
gum, candy, or essential oil) can make you more mentally alert. Dr. Alan Hedge
of