Beating Brandeis blues
How to alleviate the stress of mid-semester
by Liat Zabludovsky
Features | 3/2/10
Posted online at 1:22 AM EST on 3/2/10
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NUTRITION
O'Gara can't stress enough that from a nutritional perspective, staying sane during a time of pressure is simple in theory: As stress increases, so should the nutritional value of our food choices. She encourages students to develop a routine of eating well so that they will be ready emotionally and physically to fight the pressures of anxiety. Still, she understands that it's hard to make the healthiest decisions on a campus full of unhealthy snacks. However, she emphasized that it is important for students to boost the nutritive value of their diet during times of increased stress. If students are having trouble establishing a healthy balanced diet, they can try these tricks to fight off anxiety when the deadline for that 10-page paper is looming close.
CARBOHYDRATES: FRIEND OR FOE?
A balanced diet starts with carbohydrates, something that O'Gara has found Brandeis students tend to fear. With stigma from fad diets and a common belief that carbohydrates are equitable to weight gain, they are certainly not given the credit they deserve as a healthy option. "A lot of students on campus feel that carbs are just bad...Our brains really run on carbs," says O'Gara.
She says that a bowl of pasta is a great choice but mentions that students should be careful not to overdo it. Carbohydrates can have sedative effects when consumed in concentrated, uninterrupted quantities. O'Gara suggests balancing out a meal with a protein such as nuts, chicken or salmon.
Elizabeth Drikman '13 has come up with a perfect option. When she's stressed, she goes right to Usdan's Tortilla Fresca station for a burrito, which can include rice, chicken, tortilla, beans and vegetables.
FATTY ACIDS: THE GOOD FATS
Drikman also likes Usdan's Balance station for their healthfully prepared salmon. Salmon, aside from being a protein source, has the added benefit of another important stress-buster: omega-3 fatty acids. This superfat helps keep stress in check and prevent stress surges. Eating it a few times a week can make all the difference in a student's diet, and luckily it's also found in walnuts and the canola oil used everywhere on campus, says O'Gara.
DAYTIME SNACKING
Though it is most helpful to maintain a healthy diet all the time, fighting stress with nutrition does not have to be a full-time commitment. It can be as small as choosing the right kind of snack while studying. O'Gara suggests eating something crunchy like raw vegetables or corn chips from the Provisions on Demand Market, which can help fight stress and get through a night of endless note-taking.
NIGHTTIME SNACKING
Eating carbohydrates right before bed promotes a relaxing sleep, speeding the release of serotonin. A carbohydrate-based bedtime snack such as crackers or toast with jam can be the perfect way to end a night and enjoy some relaxing sleep. Another option is warm milk, which soothes and gives a big calcium boost. The calcium in milk eases muscle spasms and muscle contractions, providing a more restful and calm sleep, O'Gara says.
MENTAL HEALTH
A study from by San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge found an increase in the number of college students who report experiencing anxiety, depression and other mental disorders from 1983 to 1987. In addition to what students eat, the way they deal with stress psychologically can have a huge impact on how they feel under pressure. Still, Patrick contends that when students are starting to feel overwhelmed by various commitments, there is a lot that can be done to soothe this stress away.
PREPARATION
Mediating the anxiety, Patrick says, begins with anticipation.
"If you know things will be stressful, plan ahead of time to have your laundry done," says Patrick. Anticipating stress can really ease the blow of anxiety and help keep us calm. Having a routine and keeping outside responsibilities minimal during the period of strain can also be very helpful.
MAKE TIME FOR FUN
Patrick does not advise, however, forgoing hobbies or other activities that students find enjoyable. Many students, such as Alexandra Daly '11, choose to skip leisurely activities and study instead.
"When I have midterms," says Daly, "I don't really go to campus events. I get too stressed to do anything else but study."
Patrick suggests trying to avoid this sort of behavior, explaining that studying uses the "academic brain," and it is important to take a break from that kind of mental labor. Dancing, listening to music and especially projects such as artwork that allow students to use their hands are great stress-fighters.
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
If stress begins to get overwhelming, there are a number of ways to ease anxiety. What we tell ourselves dictates how stressed we are, so it's important to keep a positive attitude. Patrick urges that students give themselves credit for what they finished and only think about what they have control over.
"Worrying is a terrible thing to do-you don't get anywhere but more stressed," says Patrick. Positive self-talk and reassuring thoughts can make a huge difference in how you're feeling. Activities such as yoga and deep-breathing exercises can have extremely calming effects as well. If you're a spiritual person, stay with this routine during a stressful time and use it more when you're feeling anxious. Also, treating stress-relief as another assignment can make the difference between fighting stress and becoming a victim of it. Make a point to go to Gosman for a workout, take a hot shower or spend some time with friends. Patrick emphasizes that the time spent away from studying and other responsibilities is just as important as the responsibilities themselves.
HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON
Prof. Michael Coiner (ECON) says that students should choose to sleep instead of cramming the night before a class and make sure to eat breakfast. "I can think of at least three instances where students who had little sleep and nothing to eat fainted during an exam and of many other instances where someone with little or no sleep wrote nonsense answers that they themselves would have recognized as such if they had had enough rest," says Coiner.
STRESS IS NOT ALL BAD
There are many things students can do to fight the effects of "bad" stress. It is important, though, to realize that "stress is not all bad," O'Gara says. We need stress to motivate us and to provide incentive. The best thing we can do, according to O'Gara, is to make an effort to become stress-resilient by bolstering our mental and physical bodies, which means practicing stress techniques and making them a routine part of life. Sleeping, eating well, exercising and taking breaks to do fun things are all part of leading a happy, healthy life.
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