Last week at Rose Cafe, Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis and Andrea Gerding of Gannet Health Services came to talk about how we can reduce stress and promote a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Rubenstein-Gillis began by defining the experience of being stressed. For me, I immediately think about its mental effects and drain. However, they reminded me that prolonged stress can affect you both mentally and physically. Physical indicators include discomfort, shallow breaths, and loss/gain of appetite. With prelims currently ongoing and finals looming in the near future, this discussion could not have come at a better time. My goto in dealing with stress is to find a distraction/do something fun for a bit. To better cope with stress, Gerding suggests chunking your work, this way, you have a clear idea of your progress and tackle a manageable amount at a time. Keeping a planner/organizer is essential to staying organized and feeling connected with yourself and your goals for the day. Since I started keeping a calendar when I first began college, I definitely agree with this. It may feel like a short term nuisance, but it carries long-term benefits in organization and sense of well-being.

One of the most important things you can do for your health is to get enough sleep every night. I would say I get a good amount of sleep at night, probably around 7-8 hours consistently. I was mildly surprised when the research said that the optimal amount of sleep for college-aged students was over 9 hours. I have many friends who go by on as little as 4-5 hours at night, and I think sleep is the biggest factor people can improve here on campus. The body and brain renews and repairs itself at night. Rubenstein-Gillis also led us through a meditation session. Meditation has always been something I’ve been interested in trying. After just a 5-minute meditation session, I believe that I felt calmer and more connected with myself. I am interested in learning more about the benefits of meditation/checking out the resources on campus.