Five stress busters

Feeling frazzled? Whether it’s mounting homework, exams or peer pressure, just getting through the school day is enough to serve up some serious stress, but it’s nothing to freak out about.

If you take away one thing this Stress Awareness Month, it should be that everyone has these moments – what matters is how you deal with them. Try one of these simple, yet effective, ways to find calm next time you feel the fog descend.

Be in nature

Don’t underestimate the power of a little fresh air. Connecting with nature not only benefits your physical health, but it also generates positive emotions, including calmness, joy, and creativity. Therefore, wellness experts recommend watching wildlife or sitting by a natural body of water for at least two hours a week. Out you go!

Quiet the noise

From Smiling Mind’s hub of meditation exercises to the science-based game, Happify, there are tons of free apps out there that can help you oust negative thoughts. Better yet, you’ll have a legitimate reason for being on your phone…

Use your hands

If getting into a cross-legged pose and chanting ‘ommmm’ isn’t your bag, try another form of mindfulness, like painting, knitting or colouring in. The brilliant thing about these activities is that they force you to focus on what’s right in front of you, and in turn, quietening all the noise.

Sweat it out

Trainers on? Exercise has been proven to reduce the levels of stress hormones in your body, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as a natural painkiller and mood elevator. Top tip: if you do something you enjoy, you’re far more likely to stick with it. 

Make a plan

Making a list of things to do can be really soothing. Yet planning does more than give us something to look forward to, it also reduces anxiety by dealing with cognitive clutter (you know, the millions of thoughts flying round your head). That’s where we come in. Bucks Skills Hub is jam-packed with opportunities and resources aimed at getting you where you want to be.