Just breathe. No really take a big, deep breathe.
We often forget, though so simple, that breathing is a necessity in resetting out minds. While air is vital for survival, it also has many health benefits for the mind. On days that may seem impossible to make it through, slow down and take deep breaths.
In a society that is constantly on the go, it is important to take moments to slow down, and reset the mind. According to the article, The Health Benefits of Deep Breathing it states many health benefits to taking a deep breath. For example, the article states that breathing calms the nervous system allowing the body to be in a relaxed state.
On days where you feel like you have never-ending school work or obligations, it is important to take a deep breath. While, college can be very stressful both physically and mentally, breathing allows us to relieve some stress, anxiety, and even depression. Taking deep breaths relaxes the mind and helps us to increase our attention and memory, ultimately making you time in the classroom more valuable.
Being a student athlete, I have found deep breathing to be vital to my sanity. On some days, I feel like screaming because I am so overwhelmed. As the to-do list starts building in my mind, I start to feel more and more anxious. However, being a senior I have learned different methods such as, deep breathing and meditation to help relax my mind. With one deep breathe I can start to focus on each task separately instead of looking at the big picture. On some days, our mind is our worst enemy.
We stress about the little things, making us feel very overwhelmed, this is all the joy of growing up. However, it is how we learn how to deal with some emotions that can either define us or make us stronger and more prepared for the real world.
Deep breathing and mediation is becoming more common in our society as a way to deal with stress. At Monmouth University, many professors are including mediation and deep breathing into their classroom routine.
This allows the students to reset themselves and have a very productive classroom setting. School is one of the main reasons students are stressed so, by incorporating breathing into the classroom relieves some of the tension that may be going on with the students.
You are not alone in any feelings you may be having. If you are stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, whatever it may be your fellow peers are having very similar feelings.
However, there are methods and techniques to help relieve some of the mental stress. College can be hard and exhausting but if we can all remember to take time to reset our minds, it will help us in the end.
The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, stop, take a moment, and take a deep breathe. Be good to your body and mind because it’s the only one you’ll get.
