Essential tips and tricks to destress

If you're a stressed-out student this is the article for you...

This period of time is usually a busy one with you finishing up assignments, end-of-year performances, exams and all the Christmas craziness as well! It can be overwhelming for students, so here's our little list of super simple stress busters to help you!

1. Seek out nature!

One of the easiest ways to relieve that stress is to simply go outside... Escaping the over-stimulating urban environment and getting back to nature is an easy and effective way of taking a 'mental breather'. Take a walk through the park, have a picnic amongst the greenery, or even have a drink with friends at the local beer garden! All these things can help to distract yourself from negative, stressful thinking.

If you find yourself unable to find a nice green place to relax, bring the outdoors in. Studies show plants such as Spider Plants, Peace Lilies and Aloe Vera greatly improve indoor air quality and can reduce stress levels, and increase feelings of positivity. So what are you waiting for, seek out some nature!

2. Listen to some music...

Music can be a great way to unwind and chill out, but it's important to make sure you're listening to the right stuff... The best music for relaxing is proven to be slow, quiet classical music, whilst loud, fast-paced music that you can sing along to is best for releasing tension. We know classical music might not be to everyone's taste, so why not try a more modern trend of lo-fi hip hop, specifically the extremely popular 24/7 streaming playlists on the YouTube channel, Lofi Girl.

3. Meet with friends!!!

With the recent easing of some lockdown restrictions, it is now possible to meet with a group of six friends outdoors. Make the most of this but make sure to keep yourself and others safe by following precautions such as wearing your mask where necessary, and maintaining social distancing rules. So where can you go? The new rules mean you can meet in private gardens, as well as public areas such as parks, botanical gardens, heritage sites, forests, beaches and of course outdoor hospitality venues. So leave the stress behind and get outdoors with your friends!

4. Get binge-watching

Uni assignments can be a large cause of stress, so don't forget to take time out to do the things you enjoy. For many of us, that's something simple like watching a few episodes of our favourite show or getting around to starting that new Netflix series that everyone's talking about. TV can be a real source of escapism, it lifts us out of the day to day life and immerses us in exciting, encapsulating scenarios, where we can truly forget the stresses of life.

5. Exercise

Our fifth and final stress buster is to simply exercise. Exercising to reduce stress is great, but it's important to choose something you enjoy, the aim here is not to force yourself to complete that dreaded spin class - it's to do something you LIKE to do. So maybe that's just a 5-minute walk with friends, a relaxing yoga session or even a bike ride. All these methods cause your body to release those precious endorphins, without feeling like too much of a chore.

So remember, when the stress begins to build, take some time out for yourself and try one of these simple stress busters!