THE ADVISOR
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DESTROY COMPLICATED WORRIES AID YOUR SLEEP PATTERN PERFECT HANGOVER CURE RELAX WITH A CUP OF TEA DON’T LET YOUR BRAIN EXPLODE CHOOSE LIFE DO WHAT YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE IS IT REALLY? HOW TO COPE WE DON’T TELL, WE ADVISE
YOUR STUDENT SUPPORT MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2012
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THE ADVISOR
Issue 01 | September 2012
Aim to help independant and creative students for any issues or support they may need throughout their time at university. For those who have shy or outgoing personalities, productive or ridiculously lazy, sensible or silly, we all have a blue dot to stamp.
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elcome to The Advisor, a new, stylish ‘ultra-cool’ yet informative magazine targeting students at university. This magazine was designed and produced to encourage students to seek out help and advice when needed most, during their university years. First of all, many of us don’t actually admit that we need the help to get us by. Helping through the difficulties we may face at this stage of our lifetime. Many students hide behind the shadows in dark corners (no, not doing what you think) ignoring the fact that they may need a little kick up the bum to do some work and not avoid the situation you need to solve quick and pain free. Projects, coursework, essays, revision, exams and the dreaded ‘D” word that all students seem to live and breathe on, thinking that the end of the world is near (no I’m not going to say the exact word as Facebook says it enough). We all hate it. But we have to remember the reasons why we actually wanted to go to university in the first place. Why we came and what we wanted to achieve at the end of it all. A degree.
As time goes on and deadlines draw nearer, our problems broaden and instead of hiding away keeping them contained in our minds, it is important to talk about the issues that effect and bother you, even if you can’t identify them yourselves. This is what we’re here for. A piece of design that we can all relate to and enjoy reading whilst educating ourselves to get by our study years.
When we ask other people we know that have been previous student in the past and went to university, most reply with cliche answers describing that “they were the best years of my life” and “I met my best friends at uni”. Yes, these can be true to some people. Hell yeah they should be! But we have to admit, not all people agree and not all 100% of students enjoy every single day of their studies. Times are hard and not every student can pull through every project with flying colours. It’s a big step to take compared to educational routes you took previously (i.e. school, college). Things become more serious and the real world becomes more...well...realistic. The prospects of being an employee, having a good, decent job for many years and maybe, even down the line, having your own house, car and family to take care of...PHEW! Sounds scary doesn’t it? This magazine was designed for a real purpose. To advise and guide students to talk about problems and situations they may have during their time at university. It is important for students to enjoy themselves at uni. Afterall, at the start of it all, your decisions to go and the course you selected to attend obviously attracted you somehow. You probably thought “yeah, I’ll enjoy that”. But perhaps as time goes on, things become more difficult. Things happen. That’s life I’m afraid! Not everything runs smoothly sometimes. The issue might be embarassing? Or you may not have someone to completely trust and talk too? You may just be shy? Whatever the situation, this magazine is here to help. Covering different issues that students may face, this will be to show awareness of possibilities you may have and where you can seek advice from and possibly help yourselves.
Reputations of students can be underestimated. People can describe students at uni wasting money on drink, food and more drink. Partying almost every night in the SU or local pubs. Ending up hungover the next day, ordering Dominos and missing tutorials. OOPS! Ok, so yes SOME students do do this. Admit it guys (especially those young ‘fresh meat’ freshers). However, some students do work really REALLY hard. And there are others who do a bit of both! Getting the balance right is important. Help might be needed with this aswel. We might not like to let our friends down due to work deadlines and may hide from the fact and lie. But students will understand. That’s what is special about students. Everyones different but at the end of the day, we all understand each other, one way or another. You’re not alone. It’s not like we’re studying in between the odd night out, going to lectures in the mornings and seminars in the day. We do work, afterall that’s what we’re here for! So, in a light hearted tone, this is still a fun, appropriate magazine for students. But a different way to solve problems we may not address in front of our friends, flatmates or coursemates. So sit back, make a cup of tea and grab a custard cream (or two). This will be a good, useful read for you. And remember, you will pull through and everything happens for a reason.
In association with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau Designed by Annick Ellis-Smith Published in Plymouth, Devon 2012 with special thanks to CornwallCare on support for mental health and Plymouth University’s student counselling facilities.
“I CAN
FIGHTING SLEEP
Usually, we can fall back to our normal sleeping pattern without too much trouble.
Sometime in our lives, we all have had a sleepless night or two for one reason or another. It happens, fair and square.
BUT WHY?
Lying in bed worrying about not sleeping
HOWEVER When a sleepless night occurs for 2,3,4,5,8,10... nights in a run, we start to feel grumpy, miserable and a tad irritable. Taking a little anger out onto the smallest, simpliest things that wouldn’t usually make you feel annoyed. Like men say the cliche example “she’s on her period”. Or the girls assuming the boys are down in the dumps about the latest football score on Match of the Day. That may not be the case for some people. Tossing and turning all night long under your duvet, squinting your eyes shut and saying over and over again in your head “SLEEEEEEEEP!” ...but still...nothing. It’s no excuse if you were out on the piss the night before though ok, don’t even try that one as sleepless nights due to the amount of alcohol you’ve consumed does not help a great deal. The solution to that is to simply drink less. So, what’s the problem? Well, effectively, a problem can start if we become worried about not sleeping itself. Know that sounds odd but simply most of the cases of insomnia lead on to this solution, you worry about not sleeping. Therefore, a vicious cycle of worry, sleep, worry, sleep etc. starts with no way out.
Go to bed in the early hours of the morning
Trying to force sleep e.g. staring at the clock
Stay up late, Worrying about going to bed incase sleep doesn’t come. Have a bottle of wine or some beers with friends...
Tired, Lie in, Miss lecture, Feel bad, Anxious and Fed up!
Tired, Take a nap, Worrying about not sleeping and worrying about how it’s effecting you
NEVER SLEEP!” Does this sound familiar to you? Well guess what...we have the answers to your problem. Hallelujah! This article will provide you with help and guidance and tell you how to (hopefully) get back to sleeping well again. Or atleast try too. Miracles can’t happen but helpful tips will be useful. Firstly, you need too identify what the problems are and challenge your misunderstandings of the subject matter. Change any bad habits you have established and overcome. It may take a long time to overcome though so do not expect any quick, magical cures to bring you a peaceful nights sleep again. This is to advise and help with YOUR problems and bring to you YOUR solutions. It’s about YOU. We estimate that it takes several weeks to change bad habits into better ones so please bare that in mind.
FACTS
SO to begin the aid process, we need to establish what sleep actually is by it’s known description.
SLEEP - A condition of body and mind such as that which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended. - A natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended. - A natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli. During sleep the brain in humans and other mammals undergoes a characteristic cycle of brain-wave activity that includes intervals of dreaming. - A period of this form of rest. - A state of inactivity resembling or suggesting sleep; unconsciousness, dormancy, hibernation, or death.
- The folding together of leaflets or petals at night or in the absence of light. (WTF?!?!?)
- A crust of dried tears or mucus normally forming around the inner rim of the eye during sleep (otherwise known as the gooey stuff in your eye when you wake up). Alternate name - eye pooh.
There are 4 stages of non-REM sleep. These are... 1. Pre-sleep - where the body temperature falls, heart beat decreases and the muscles relax. 2. Light sleep - we can be woken easily and are not confused on waking.
- To be sexually active with more than one partner (i.e. when you “sleep” with someone and have sex).
3. Slow-wave sleep - when the blood pressure falls. During this, people may talk or even sleep walk during their sleep.
You get the idea.
4. Deep slow-wave sleep - when it is hard to wake someone up and if they do, they will be very confused.
There are 2 main types of sleep. These are... 1. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep One fifth of our sleep during the night is made up of this type of sleep. This phase occurs off and on throughout the night. During REM sleep, our brain is very active and we dream. However our muscles are still relaxed. 2. Non-REM sleep During this type of sleep, the body releases hormones into the blood stream and replenishes itself after the toil of the day. During this phase in sleep the body may be a bit more restless, moving about, but the brain is still.
Therefore, we alternately and approximately 5 times a night go between REM and non-REM sleep. We tend to dream towards morning. During the night we will normally wake for about 1 to 2 minutes every couple of hours but we don’t usually remember those brief ‘wakings’ except if we are particularly anxious or we are disturbed by noise (e.g. the person next to you snoring VERY LOUD! annoying or what).
DREAMS Dreams happen to us, rather than being a product of conscious control, as fantasies are. When dreaming, we are the spectators of an unfolding drama, and only rarely does one have the impression of being in control. ‘Lucid’ dreaming, when the dreamer ‘knows’ that he or she is dreaming, and makes decisions about how the dream plot should develop, is unusual. More typically, things happen and we observe. While there may be a coherent plot, events do not unfold in any steady progression - rather, there are sudden changes in scenario, or scene shifts, which are sometimes baffling. Ordinary logic is suspended. One can fly. People can turn into animals. We encounter people who have been dead for years, or we improbably have conversations with film stars and royalty.
Anyone suffering from periods of ‘not sleeping’ can get very preoccupied by this question and start ruminating about not getting the amount of sleep they think they must have. There are no set rules about how many hours of sleep we must have. Although most adults will be asleep for between seven to eight hours a night, what each of us needs varies from person to person. Age is also a factor in the amount of sleep we need: babies need about 17 hours a day; older children need about nine to ten hours; older adults need less sleep, and may have just one period of deep sleep during the night, after which they may wake easily. But we are all different, so there will be variations of the amount of sleep people can get by on in all age groups. The occasional loss of a night’s sleep wont hurt. For example, the night before an exam, people can manage on as little as 2 to 3 hours sleep for a couple of nights before reverting to their normal sleeping pattern.
Emily Ferguson Psychology student at Plymouth University
“Everything that I have been doing during the day, things I have to do tomorrow... all just go around in my head and then eventually I drift off.”
DISTURBED SLEEP Sleep can be disturbed by a number of problems. Below are some examples;
- Arthritus or other physical painful conditions - An under-active thyroid; ME - Side effects of some sort of medication - Stress - Anxiety - Depression - Street drugs - Alcohol - Nicotine/Cigarettes - Needing the toilet all night - Napping during the day - Environmental surroundings (basically NOISE from in and out of your bedroom and feeling too hot or cold during the night). - Eating too late in the evening - Going to bed hungry - High intake of caffeine (more than 5 cups of coffee/tea per day). - Sleeping in an unfamiliar environment (cough, someone else’s bed, cough). - Worry - Rumination - Jet lag - Shift work - A traumatic experience
Disturbed sleeping can be described as one or all of the following:
1. Difficulty getting off to sleep. 2. Difficulty staying asleep e.g. waking several times in the night around 2 am or 3 am. 3. Waking early. 4. Managing to sleep but waking up not feeling refreshed. For a person to be described as an ‘insomniac’, their sleep difficulty has had to have occured on 3 or more nights per week.
HOW MUCH SLEEP DO W REALL NEED?
SOLVING THE PROBLEM Keep a sleep diary so that you can gather some baseline details about your sleep pattern. A sleep diary will allow you to record the quantity and quality of your sleep. It will help you to see what you’re doing that is hindering your sleep, pointing out to you what you need to change. Sometimes people find, after keeping a sleep diary, that their sleep is not as bad as they thought; they had overestimated the scale of the problem. If you suffer with pain because of medical problems, make an appointment with your GP. Your GP may not have been aware of your sleep problem and will be able to help. If you’re woken by the need to pee during the night and you end up constantly running backwards and forwards to the bathroom - it can be a common problem for those who are pregnant or older. Make changes in your drinking patterns by spreading your fluid intake evenly throughout the day and limiting the amount you take in early evening. DO NOT drink anything for two hours before going to bed, especially alcohol or coffee. Try and lay off the booze if you want a decent nights sleep for once! Alcohol or caffeine are advised to be consumed no less than 3 hours before bed, as these will make you pee more due to diurectic qualities - just don’t! Not only is alcohol a diuretic but it contains sedative properties which send you off to sleep at first but as it wears off you will wake up early and feel worse. Adding that to a hangover aswel! Caffeine is also a stimulant - not something you want when you are trying to sleep.
Planning a regular routine before bed can help you and your body prepare for a restful nights sleep and the more you do the routine, the more it’ll help your body clock. Here are some suggested guidelines to help: 1. Decide a time you want to be in bed by.
If you are taking diurectics, commonly known as ‘water tablets’, do not take them in the evening. Check with your GP what time of day is best to take them. ALWAYS GO FOR A PEE BEFORE BED...LIKE YOU WOULD FOR A LONG JOURNEY! Know this sounds silly but honestly - check your mattress. Is it saggy? lumpy? If so and it bothers you, change it. This might add to difficulty if you are away from home in rented accomodation but do try and speak to your landlord/letting agency about the mattress if it’s a problem (afterall, you are paying them shit loads of money). MOST good landlords will want to help aswel (after some little student ‘puppy dog eyes’ persuasion). If all else fails, try and invest in a new one, you’ll feel the difference. Plus it’ll be worth the results and some good nights sleep!
2. Sticking to a set time for going to bed and getting up (even at weekends) to reset your body clock. Any variation in timing will make it harder to get back to a good sleep pattern. This may be a challenge for some students who want to have very different weekend sleeping routines (e.g. go out partying). You need need to be patient and persistent to break disturbed sleep. Don’t expect immediate results. It may take several weeks.
Check the environment in which you are sleeping. Is the temperature of the room too hot or too cold for you? Make any necessary changes. Leave a window open for fresh air. But what if the room’s too noisy? Is their traffic outside and annoying neighbours or flatmates keeping you up? Maybe purchase some ear plugs to cut down the noise level. Or be straight to your neighbours or flatmates and ask to keep the noise down...perhaps at an agreed time to suit all. You need to be assertive about this if you are wanting a decent nights kip.
3. DO NOT TAKE NAPS DURING THE DAY!
For those who do not like any light in the room when trying to sleep - is the room dark enough? Do you need blackout curtains or blinds?
5. Not succumbing to the temptation to stay in bed and sleep late as you will only prolong the problem. Later when you have cracked the problem, you will be able to vary your sleeping time.
If you have a girlfriend or boyfriend sharing your bed with you and they keep you up with snoring, talking or moving around too much, talk to them about it. If it’s a major problem, perhaps speak to a GP for advice.
4. Getting up when your alarm goes off at the same time every morning. Yes, even if you feel tired, hungover, exhausted and drained...GET UP! You’ll feel better about it later.
6. Not eating a heavy meal late in the evening but also not going to bed hungry. A warm, milky drink and biscuit can have soporific qualities. 7. Dealing with urgent matters and anything that needs organising for the following day early in the evening, not just before bed. Basically...don’t leave your deadline til the early hours of the morning. We’ve all done it! 8. Not using the computer or working up to your bedtime as you need to train your mind to turn off and start to wind down before bed. 9. Organising a relaxing bedtime routine about 1 and a half hours before you go to bed e.g. hot milky drink, bath, reading a book etc. If this includes taking a bath, make sure the water is not too hot as it will be too stimulating. Read a magazine or listen to relaxing music if this helps.
It is important to get to know what is important to you.
REMEMBER Bed is for sleep and sex. Nothing more, nothing less. Try not to read, watch tv, play around on your laptop or speak on the phone whilst lying down in bed. This may be hard to do for some of you lazy students but common habits like this can lead to having sleeping problems. Carry out these activities in another room, otherwise bed becomes associated with anxiety and arousal. This isn’t what you need if you have problems drifting off. Maybe ask friends and family not to call you after a certain time in the evening. Another impossible task to suggest to you would be to try and atleast keep your room tidy and free from study/work books so your room becomes your place of relaxation. If all your sheets are left layed out all over your desk, you’re going to think about it and look over now and again. Try not to make your room look chaotic and uninviting. Put the books neatly out of your line sight when you’re in bed. This is the only time you can peacefully avoid work (yay!). Exercise really helps you physically and mentally. No, we’re not saying join a sport club or gym straight away if it’s not your thing. Even if it is just a 30 minute walk during the day is all that’s needed. Avoid exercise late in the evening because even if it tires you out physically, it will stimulate you mentally. Don’t, for goodness sake, lie in bed worrying or trying to force yourself to go to sleep. This will only increase your frustration and make you more anxious. If after 15 minutes or so of being in bed and you are STILL awake, get up and go into another room. Write down any negative thoughts or worries you may have. These may be what are going through your mind preventing you on falling asleep. Make a note and think to yourself ‘do these seem valid?’. When you write them down, think to yourself that you will read it over and deal with them tomorrow, not now. As you are up writing these down or doing something else to take your mind off things (e.g. light reading, puzzle game on your phone etc.) you may start to begin to feel tired. Do not put the light on or turn on the television or laptop and the light sources from these are very bright and wont help your eyes settle. Also the brightness will resemble to what the light is like during the day so your brain will think it is! When you start to feel tired, go straight back to bed. You must repeat this exercise during the night if need be and if sleeplessness still occurs. You must, however, still get up in the morning at the time you have set yourself. This will help your body clock. You may still feel tired but it is important you still get up and get on with your day. It will take some time to train your brain into falling asleep when you go to bed, so expect to repeat the above exercise for some while, maybe for a week or so. The worse you will feel is tired for a while, which is not the end of the world!
DO PILLS HELP? Sleeping tablets may help in the short term but they can make you feel very drowsy and tired the following day. They can, also, only be used for brief periods as they are addictive. Your GP will be able to discuss medication with you in greater detail. Over-thecounter medication often contains an anti-histamine that can make you sleepy well into the following day. Also, if you are really struggling, therapy can be a helpful and prolonging approach rather than sleeping tablets which are short term.
SO
there’s some helpful tips to aid your sleeping routine. If you have any other queries and need to ask an embarassing question, contact us or make an appointment with your GP. Good luck and sleep well!
For other information please visit: www.citizensadvice.org.uk www.mind.org.uk www.livinglifetothefull.com www.repsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthproblems/ sleepproblems
WORRY Do you find yourself saying this a lot to yourself with that little voice in your head... “What if this happens? Then what if that happens?” and so on until you are caught up in a chain of worries and ‘what if’s’. If you do, then you may be an excessive worrier. Many of us will worry and feel anxious at one time or another about something during our lives. Typical worries a typical student has: - Will I graduate? - Will I get a job? - Do I have enough money? - When do I pay rent/bills? - Will I make the deadline? and sooooooooo onnnnnnnnn! Worry can lead on to medical symptoms if it becomes too excessive, such as nausea, stomach aches and muscle tension
(especially around the neck and shoulders). Sleep is often affected as the mind appears to race into action as soon as the head hits the pillow. During the day, worriers feel that their mind is in overdrive, so it is difficult for them to concentrate. Worries come in ‘chains of worries’ that begin with those ‘what ifs’, until the chain of worry ends up in an imagined catastrophising event. It is understandable that worry can cause anxiety and low mood. In some cases worry percedes depression which then contributes to a lack of confidence and low motivation. Excessive and enduring worry can have a detrimental effect on the quality of a person’s life. Wow... doesn’t that sound down in the dumps. You’re a student AND you have a life remember! Yes, we can all worry at times and in a way, it’s a good thing. But too much worry can ruin your whole university experience and effect yourself majorly.
The Check List
Disadvantages to Worrying
Go through these statements and write down your own responses to help you clarify your level of worry.
On the other hand, more worriers do admit the disadvantages. Some of these mention...
- Are your worries the normal result of changes in your life? - Do your worries strike you as excessive and longstanding? - If things are going well in your life, are you still worried about what may be around the corner? - If someone else was in your shoes, would they be worrying as much as you do? - Do you think that you are a good problem solver, or do you put things off and worry about them instead? - Do you think you have lost control of the worry?
- High levels of anxiety which cause changes in physical sensations in the body.
The Facts Worry is a thought process that is concerned about future events where there is uncertainty about the outcome, the future being thought about is a negative one, and thus accompanied by feelings of anxiety.
Advantages to Worrying Some people believe that there are advantages to worrying. HOW can there be advantages you might think?! well here are some suggestions: - It means I am prepared for all eventualities. - It shows that I am a caring and responsible person. - If I didn’t worry I would not get anything done. - If I think of everything that might go wrong there will be no surprises and I will be able to cope and be prepared for the worst if it should happen. - If the worst does not happen it is because I have worried about it. - I would worry if I was not worrying. - Worrying helps me to problem solve. - Worrying stops bad things happening.
- Exhaustion - Low mood/Self-esteem - Insomnia/Lack of sleep - Depression - Reduced effectiveness at work/ studying. - Procrastination and avoidance. Worriers often find it difficult to deal with emotions such as being unhappy or uncomfortable, and use worry as a way of avoiding emotions by trying to think their way out of sadness or discomfort. - ‘Over-thinking’ - Worriers have a low tolerance for accepting uncertainty. They try and worry in order to make the uncertain certain. - An inibility to relax. - Waste of time as often the worst doesn’t happen. - Worry about worrying and if you’re going MAD?!? Sounds silly but worriers find it hard to switch off from worrying. Sound familiar? Does some of this relate to you? Or others you may know? All is not lost. Help is all around to cope with worry.
Relax Stress When previous students look back at their university days and talk to others about their time at university, they do typically say that they were ‘the best days of their life’. All the experiences of living away from your parents at home, your own ground rules, way of living and sense of freedom to do whatever the f***! HOWEVER Student life can be very stressful and can be pressuring to some students. Whatever your personal
circumstances and chosen coursework, along with the excitement and opportunities offered by student life, you also face many demanding and challenging situations, new responsibilities and a great deal of change. Change - an important yet scary word. Change can be good or bad to some people. Bad in a way that can look quite daunting when you think about the outcome of the years spent at uni. Whether it was all worth it. The money, paperwork, time, effort etc. all the things we dread and put off so stress doesn’t occur. As a student, you will probably be trying to balance your time wisely (or at least try and be organised for once!) between studies and social activities and maybe even the demands of child care and family life too. There may be difficulties with accommodation, with the practicalities of looking after yourself and, almost certainly, there are going to be financial worries, work
deadlines and exams to cope with as well. It is not surprising therefore that so many people end up feeling tired, anxious and stressed. Yes, that dreadful word...STRESS Whilst a certain amount of stress and tension is a useful motivator in the short term, chronic stress can creep up almost unnoticed as we become more and more accustomed to being tired all the time, irritable and less able to cope with the everyday demands of a busy life. Identify the Problem Is this you? - persistent tiredness; exhaustion - deliberate avoidance of things that need doing - bodily tension, leading to headaches, migraines, upset stomach - sleep problems; either can’t sleep or sleeping too much - loss of appetite or increased eating of ‘comfort foods’ - too much to do; no motivation to get started - mind in a whirl; can’t think straight, concentrate or work effectively
TAKE A BREAK
- feeling under pressure; no time; often in a panic It is important to know that sometimes these symptoms can indicate a medical problem so it is worth checking this out with your GP. They can identify if their is a problem and give help and guidance.
BUT If you are looking for ways to manage your stress levels, it is worth considering some of the things you can do to help relax and calm these levels down. It is unfortunately true that when we are at our most stressed, it is also difficult to imagine finding the time and energy to do something about it. Nevertheless, every little bit of effort counts. Even if it is just a few hours of the day to have ‘me’ time. It really is worth the relatively small amount of effort it takes to learn some relaxation techniques. Relaxation is a ‘transferable skill’ which will not only serve you well in exams, presentations or interviews but also at the dentist or in any other stressful setting, or as a way of helping you to get to sleep.
Quick / On-The-Spot 1. Sit up and back in your chair so that you feel firmly rooted, legs slightly apart, feet flat on the floor. 2. Drop your shoulders while you take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Close your eyes if it helps. Keep focused on your breathing and breathe in slowly to the count of four - hold to the count of four - breathe out to the count of four - pause to the count of four. Repeat in an even, comfortable rhythm. It can help to imagine yourself relaxing more each time you breathe in and the tensions flowing away with every out breath. 3. Now slowly tense, hold and release the main muscle groups, working up through your body. Start with toes and feet; tense as much as possible, hold and release. Move on to calf muscles, thighs, bottom, stomach and upper body in the same way, paying particular attention to the upper back and shoulders, where we hold a lot of tension. Then work on your arms and hands. Finally, if you can (some places are just too public), screw up the muscles of your face and neck and release.
Recommended Relaxation Exercises The exercises themselves are deceptively simple but they do work. As you begin to achieve a relaxed physical and mental state, your heart rate will slow and the amount of adrenalin released into the bloodstream will decrease. There are many approaches to stress reduction through relaxation and no one method is right for everyone or in every setting. Everyone is different. You may prefer to relax through activities such as swimming, running or yoga. Or just decide to have a nice, hot bath (aaaah!). Here are just a few suggestions of some physical relaxation techniques. Some of which you can do in a public place without anyone guessing!
WRITE DOWN THOUGHTS
4. After this, gently massage your neck and upper spine, then return to focusing on slow breathing and check back through your body for any remaining tension. 5. Finally, check your seating position, drop your shoulders again and place your hands comfortably on your upper legs and concentrate on the sensation of warmth as it flows out through your hands. Learning to relax in this way can be invaluable if you get anxious in public places and need to sit somewhere to compose yourself - or for exam panic when it is well worth the 5 minutes to put your pen down and completely clear the scrambled thoughts from your brain! Lying Down This is a slower version of the previous relaxation technique to do at home at the end of a stressful day. You might like to play some relaxing, calming music to help clear the mind and take your mind off worries. Lie somewhere comfortable with a small pillow under your head and another under your knees. Focus on your breathing as before and slowly and deliberately repeat the sequence of tensing, holding and relaxing the muscle groups starting with the feet and working up through the body. You can now concerntrate more fully on the tension in your neck and head. Lift your head up a little and stretch the neck muscles, holding them in tension before letting
your head slowly back onto the pillow. Massage your face gently with fingertips, smoothing out the tension from the small muscles around the eyes and forehead. When you have completed this routine your whole body should feel heavy and relaxed. You may feel drowsy, allow yourself to rest quietly for a while. Relaxing the Mind Are you still disturbed by worries and intrusive thoughts? If so you may like to find a way to also relax your mind. There are several techniques for clearing the mind and, again, no one method will suit all people. Some people benefit from developing an image of a familiar place which is associated with safety or tranquillity which they can call to mind when unwanted thoughts intrude. Another technique known to be useful is to allow any troublesome thoughts to be present in your mind without fighting them. Be aware of their presence, then deliberately switch your attention back to awareness of your relaxed physical state; check for any tension which has re-occured. Now return to thinking about
the things that are worrying you and visualise them as a picture on a page, then gradually fade or reduce that image in your mind to a small dot. You may need to repeat the process several times; you are aiming to learn to remain relaxed even though there are also stressful factors in your life. Doing relaxation exercises once won’t make you ‘fit’: learning to relax takes time and practice regularly. For additional support... - Browse the book shelves in your local bookshop or library. There are many excellent and inexpensive publications on this subject. - Practice with one of the many commercial relaxation tapes available. - Speak to a university nurse.