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Five Steps in A College Student’s Guide
to Mental Health
As a College Student, responsibilities and duties
can add up fast! With rapid deadlines and intense workloads, it is easy to lose track of your
mental wellbeing. Here are some quick tips to help you stay on track! 1. Exercise & Physical
Activity Exercise promotes release of endorphins, providing both short term and long-term benefits for wellbeing. Many studies show a strong correlation between physical activity and mental health benefits, such as reduced anxiety and/ or depression symptoms in terms of instant relief as well as long term stability.
2. Proper Sleep & Sleep
Hygiene Sleep can have significant effects on mental wellbeing. While sleep already plays a crucial role in one’s ability to maintain focus and consolidate memory, the benefits also include reduced anxiety. Since increased anxiety can lead into lack of proper sleep, it is crucial to maintain proper amounts of rest such as to avoid falling into a negative cycle of poor rest.
3. Therapy and Professional Help Although the thought of seeing a psychiatrist, counselor, or therapist can be daunting, there are multiple benefits for being able to do so. Counselors are readily available for free sessions at many university campuses and can provide easier access to mental health resources. It is completely normal and okay to seek these services for non-emergency purposes,
and many benefits may arise from doing so. Even when one’s mental wellbeing
is at an okay state, consider taking the time to utilize mental health
services for One phone number to keep in mind is 988,
which connects directly to the Suicide and Crisis hotline within the USA.
For emergencies, be sure to call 911 emergency services. 4. Caution with Substance Use Throughout your time at university, you
may encounter various drugs and substances that you may want to remain
cautious of when using. Even for common substances such as the caffeine in the energy drink you
finish the night before your midterm exam, repercussions may follow shortly.
Caffeine can inhibit your ability to readily fall asleep and even lead to poorer quality of rest.
Alcohol and nicotine both introduce feelings of relaxation in term of
immediate results but are heavily linked to heightened
5. Finding Time for Yourself Although it may be challenging to find time for one’s own self, it is just as important as any other task to ensure you find time for your own self. Use this time to reflect, indulge in hobbies that contribute to a positive state of wellbeing, relax, and spend time with loved ones. Doing so allows you to destress and be ready to face whatever challenges your academic career may throw at you. Summary Now that you have gathered a few tips on
how to improve your mental wellbeing, feel free to implement them and see
what changes may come about! Utilizing one or more of these
principles may help drastically in your academic career as well as boost
your own sense of health and wellbeing. Although |
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Nadiv Khondker takes full
responsibility for the information posted. The information on this page
represents that of Nadiv Khondker and not that of California State
University, Sacramento.