Beat End-of-Semester Anxiety With These Tips

By Kylie (Xiping) Qiu, M.S., PLMHP

Our mind is like a wave. We can’t control the wave, but we can always learn how to surf.

No matter how busy we are, we all brush our teeth on average six minutes a day. We never question this routine, and yet when it comes to maintaining our mental health, many of us don’t do this until we are forced to because of a common reason — “I don’t have time.”

But if we’re honest, this isn’t exactly true because we don’t skip brushing our teeth when we are busy. It all comes down to priorities.

We have to recognize that preventive care is just as important for our mental health as it is our physical health. Don’t wait until you have a mental break down to learn stress management!

How stress affects the body

Stress is our body’s response to a life-threatening situation, like suddenly stumbling across a venomous snack on a hike. On an abstract level, exams are the “life-threatening danger” for students.

No one can avoid stress, but we can avoid anxiety. Our mind is like a wave. We can’t control the wave, but we can always learn how to surf.

To reduce our anxiety level while experiencing stress, we have to calm down first.

Be a bridge builder

When “fighting” with finals, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is aroused by stress, anger or fear, which accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure — the physical feelings of anxiousness. When the sympathetic nervous system is working, our parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is on leave. PSNS slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and glandular activity and relaxes the muscles.

SNS and PSNS are like two workers with their own shifts on duty. When one is always in charge and prohibits the other to work, it breaks the system’s balance. To make matters trickier, these two workers don’t talk to each other.

Don’t lose hope! The secret is that we were all born with the ability to manage and build bridges between those two workers. We do this by controlling our breathing and managing our judgmental thoughts.

Breathe to achieve mindfulness

Consider your natural breathing. Is it fast or slow? Deep or shallow? Stable or unstable? Breathing deeply and slowly can activate our PSNS. Intentionally do this whenever you can.

Manage your judgmental thoughts

Thoughts like “I need to skip this chapter because I don’t have time” or “I just couldn’t focus” help you make a decision, which is the type of thoughts we need. Judgmental thoughts like “I am stupid” or “it’s my fault that I didn’t study well enough throughout the semester, and see this is the consequence…” won’t help you manage stress because they hurt your self-esteem and confidence.

The three steps to thought management are:

1. Recognize judgmental thoughts
2. Observe your thoughts like a third party instead of reacting in your typical ways
3. Let the thoughts go without reaction

You might say, “I couldn’t let it go.” That’s OK because you tried. You will build more skill and tolerance if you try it repeatedly.

What else can I do?

1. Educate yourself on stress management and take time to balance SNS and PSNS
2. Evaluate yourself by scoring your anxiety or fear on a scale of one to 10 (10 being the most overwhelming) at least once a day
3. Practice breathing skills instead of watching your cell phone during your study breaks. Intentionally slow down your breathing and make it as deep as you can, but don’t hold your breath. Follow these instructions:
   1. Sit comfortably. Devote 100 percent of your attention on your breathing. Breathe in all the air until your lungs are filled and then breathe out slowly until there is no air left. Repeat this five, 10 or 20 times.
4. Repeat breathing skills until you feel much calmer or less stressed
5. Manage your judgmental thoughts
6. Plan six minutes in your daily schedule to focus on your mental health, just like brushing teeth
7. Learn more stress management tips when you complete your final because you deserve to feel less stressed during your next finals preparation

If you need help managing your stress, talk with us. We can help. Make an appointment with Counseling and Psychological Services by calling 402.472.7450.

Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week 2017

By Alexandra Dahl, health promotions analyst at the University Health Center

Nearly everyone likes to receive gifts, right? It makes us feel good and is proof that we are cared for, loved and appreciated. But as nice as it is to receive, giving to others can have a positive impact on your life, too.

We’ve all heard the saying “it is better to give than to receive,” but is there actual research to back this claim? Turns out, there is—lots of it.

Research on “Acts of Kindness” (doing something thoughtful for someone else—random or not) denotes that giving may actually provide more benefits for the giver than the receiver. The studies show that performing acts of kindness increases a person’s positivity, morality and overall satisfaction with life over time and decreases stress, negative emotions, anxiety and depression (Pressman, Kraft & Cross, 2015; Buchanan & Bardi, 2010; Kravovsky, 2007).

It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week! Celebrate with the University Health Center by showing kindness to others at least once every day this week. Share your kindness moments with us on Twitter by tagging us (@UNLHealthCenter) and using the hashtag #UNLRAKweek.

Not sure how to get started? Here are a few ideas of ways you can show kindness to others this week:

1. Give a sincere compliment.
2. Hold the door for someone else.
3. Help someone carry groceries.
4. Write an encouraging note to a friend.
5. Treat a friend to dinner.
6. Volunteer for a cause important to you.
7. Send someone you love a card.
8. Brush the snow/ice off someone else’s car.
9. Bring a treat to your friend/partner/roommate/class.
10. Cook a meal for someone else.
11. Leave a server a generous tip.
12. Ask someone if they need help.
13. Donate gently used belongings.
14. Make eye contact and smile at a stranger.
15. Leave flowers for someone to find.
16. Text someone wishing them a good day.
17. Pay for coffee for the person behind you in line.
18. Frame a picture of you and someone you care about and give it to them.
19. If a friend has a difficult exam coming up, ask them how you can help.
20. Ask the cashier/receptionist/person helping you how their day is going.

For more information, visit https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/. Remember to share your RAK moments with us on Twitter!

Sources:

Buchanan, K. E., & Bardi, A. (2010). Acts of kindness and acts of novelty affect life satisfaction. The Journal of social psychology, 150(3), 235-237.

Krakovsky, M. (2007). The science of lasting happiness. Scientific American, 296(4), 36-38.

Pressman, S. D., Kraft, T. L., & Cross, M. P. (2015). It’s good to do good and receive good: The impact of a ‘pay it forward’style kindness intervention on giver and receiver well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(4), 293-302.

Stay Well This Winter

Last week, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, indicating six more weeks of winter. Although Groundhog Day is just folklore and weather predictions call for warmer temperatures over the next few days, this is Nebraska, where the weather could suddenly change at the drop of a hat.

Here are a few steps you can take to set yourself up for a healthy, successful last few weeks of winter:

Dress smart

It’s no secret that wearing layers will keep you warm. When choosing what to wear on bitterly cold days, be sure each layer you add is larger than the one underneath, which will help keep you from overheating. Ensure your coat is warm and comfortable. If you don’t have one, check Goodwill, Nebraska Crossing Outlets, Amazon, etc. Don’t forget your scarf, hat and gloves!

Protect your eyes and skin

Wear sunglasses even in winter months to protect you eyes from sun glare. Cold temperatures and a blustering wind can also dry out your skin, so use lotion to moisturize your face and hands and apply lip balm as needed.

Fight germs

Washing your hands with warm soapy water for 30 seconds is the best way to prevent germs from spreading, but it doesn’t hurt to have a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you on the go. No one likes getting sick, so save yourself the hassle by getting a flu shot (available to UNL students for free at the University Health Center). It’s also a good idea to have disinfecting wipes in your dorm room to wipe your commonly used items such as desks, backpacks, phones, light switches, door knobs and microwave buttons.

Be prepared for inclement weather

If you’re traveling anywhere, even within city limits, keep an emergency kit in your car in case of an accident or sudden bad weather. Your kit should include items such as:

• A shovel
• Windshield scarper and small broom
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Warm blanket(s) and extra clothes
• Salt or cat litter for traction
• Booster cables
• Nonperishable food and bottled water
• First aid kit

Treat your body kindly

Support your immune system by eating a well-balanced diet. Try to eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, dark leafy greens, bell peppers, broccoli and peas.

Exercise regularly during the winter months to lower the risk of getting sick. Pick an activity you enjoy and schedule it into your day. Not sure where to start? Check out the Campus Rec Center!

Fight the winter blues

If you’re feeling irritable, are oversleeping or have a lack of energy, you might be struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Read our SAD blog post to learn more about how you can cope. Our Counseling and Psychological Services team can help. Call 402-472-7450 to make an appointment.

For more health and well-being tips, subscribe to our blog!

Tips for Overcoming the Common Cold

There’s never an opportune time to come down with the common cold. When you have a busy schedule packed full of classes, homework, extra-curricular activities and more, your primary concern most likely is to get better as quickly as possible.

Because a cold is a virus, it can’t be cured with antibiotics. So how do you bounce back quickly? Here are ways you can support your body’s efforts to heal itself:

Remember the basics

Regardless of your symptoms, the best place to start is to drink plenty of water and clear fluids, stop drinking alcohol and smoking, and get plenty of rest.

Treat your nose kindly

Constantly wiping or blowing your nose with a tissue can lead to inflamed nostrils, making it difficult to breathe. Open blocked nasal passages by breathing steam or heated humidified air. You can use a vaporizer, a hot shower or even a pot of boiling water to do the trick, but be careful not to get burned by the steam. You may also want to consider saline nasal sprays and decongestant tablets for a stuffy nose.

Soothe a sore throat and cough

Every two hours, combine a ½ cup of warm water and ¼ teaspoon of salt and gargle. Moisten your throat with throat lozenges and cough drops. Cough medicines are available, but there is no clear evidence proving how well they work. Instead, try acetaminophen, ibuprofen or a similar over-the-counter medication. Remember, the University Health Center Pharmacy offers free 24-hour doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen for UNL students during normal health center hours.

Manage a fever

Take your temperature multiple times during the day. If you have a fever, the best game plan is to relax, lie down, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and take acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent such as ibuprofen.

Grab a Cold Care Kit from UHC

These free kits are equipped with a few essentials that can help ease your cold symptoms: A pack of Kleenex, an herbal tea bag, cough drops, hand sanitizer, lip balm, a packet of instant soup and helpful cold care tips cards. Stop by UHC to grab yours today!

Monitor your symptoms

Call a health care provider if you have any of the following symptoms or if you aren’t feeling better after seven days:

• Fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours or a fever that doesn’t go down with medicine
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Severe or continued vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Signs of dehydration (e.g.: extreme thirst, dark urine, infrequent urination)
• Spotted, red or very sore throat
• Shortness of breath

Be proactive

It’s not easy to prevent a cold, but you can prevent the flu with an annual flu shot. The University Health Center provides free flu shots to UNL students. Our walk-in flu shot clinic is open Monday thru Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. You can also schedule an appointment with the Medical Clinic to receive your flu vaccine.

Remember, if your symptoms worsen, give us a call at 402-472-5000.