Overwhelmed?

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It's another semester and another school year.  Welcome back!

For me, we're now in week 3 of the semester, and I am still behind.  I am desperately looking forward to finally settling into the pattern of life for the term.  That usually happens around this week, so fingers crossed! 

Sometimes change can be overwhelming.  In fact major changes in schedules, sleeping habits, and eating patterns are all major stressors according to the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory.  If this is your first year at college and/or you moved into the dorms in the last few weeks, then you're scoring even more points on the scale.  The more points you have on the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, the more prone you are to issues with your physical health as well as your mental health.  And, it makes you "primed" to be overly reactive to other everyday stressors.

So, if that's the case, here are a few tips to get you settled back in:

    • Take a few deep breaths.  Try breathing in to a count of 4 and out to a count of 6.  When you lengthen your exhales, you're actually engaging the parasympathetic nervous system which is geared towards "rest and digest".  It can help you calm down and lower your blood pressure.
    • Take some time to go outside.  With this week's low humidity, the weather should be gorgeous.  Spend time enjoying it!  Even 20 minutes in nature can improve your mood.  So, go sit outside, put your feet in the grass, walk the campus nature trail, or enjoy lunch at an outdoor table.
    • Take time to notice the little things.  Have gratitude for someone holding a door open for you.  Share a smile with someone walking by.  Look at how the leaves and flowers are slowly starting to change.  Simply - get out of your head for a minute and be in the here and now. #mindfulness

If you're interested in more information on the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, check out this link: https://www.simplypsychology.org/srrs.html.  And, you can take the assessment directly at: https://www.stress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Holmes-Rahe-Stress-inventory.pdf


Good luck this week!

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