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Ha Ha Ha your way to healthy!

Laughter, in this particular study, was found to improve the heart health of patients with blood vessel dilation by about 50%. The researches conjecture that health is positively affected by laughter. Current research, cited in this article, provides information that depression and negative moods are more likely to have an adverse effect on health, as well. It would make sense from that conjecture alone that, then, positive self-thoughts and laughter would be beneficial to medical recovery. Laughter triggers the release of happy chemicals in the body that are ready to go to work for your body, so be sure to chuckle as often as possible, so those chemicals can do wonderful things for your health!

Positive Emotions and Heart Health. (2006). Nurse Practitioner, 31(4), 59.

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Remember that everyone is trying their best! 

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Try having a greater appreciation for the smaller things in life - like nature - instead of trying to control every detail.

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How do other college students manage their stress?

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Majoring in Stress- YAY!

Ross, Niebling, and Heckert’s 1999 research involved 100 undergraduate college students at an unnamed mid-size, midwestern university, all of which were members of a nationwide co-ed service fraternity. The results of this particular study showed that the top stressors of college students were the changes in sleeping habits, vacations/breaks, changes in eating habits, new responsibilities, increased coursework, financial responsibilities, change in social environment, and computer problems (Ross, Niebling, & Heckerts, 1999). A portion of the conclusion offered by Ross, Niebling, and Heckert’s 1999 publication is that universities consider adding a stress management program to their orientation activities offered to their new students.

In reflection, I can relate to a lot of the stressors that were among the most common in this particular study, and some more than others, as students surely experience different levels of stress in reaction to similar stimuli (Ross, Niebling, & Heckerts, 1999). In response to the researchers’ suggestion to universities stress management curriculum, the course, Stress Management courses may be a good option for these classes (Ross, Niebling, & Heckerts, 1999). Ironic, however, that in response to stress that is caused by academic pressures, that students be encouraged to take another academic course.

 Ross, S. E., Niebling, B. C., & Heckert, T. M. (1999). Sources of stress among college students. College Student Journal, 33(2), 312.

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Stress Hinders Quality of Sleep!

In Rebecca Astill, Dorit Verhoeven, Romy Vijzelaar, and Eus Someren’s 2013 study, “Chronic stress undermines the compensatory sleep efficiency increase in response to sleep restriction in adolescents”, researchers investigated the correlation between the stress of high school seniors in Netherlands and their sleep efficiency during examinations, during typical academic weeks, and during academic vacations. To complete the study, the eighty participants wrote stress journals ( including other information, too) and wore actigraphs (mechanisms that record sleep and sleep efficiency). From the actigraphs, researchers figured how compensatory sleep was versus the duration of the sleep cycles.

The findings of the study was that total sleep time decreased from 7 ½ hours (vacations) to 6 ⅔ hours (regular school week). The 13% decrease elicits partial compensation, as indicated by an increase in the efficiency of sleep and a decrease in the duration of nighttime awakenings. During the exam weeks adolescents’ total sleep time decreased to 6 ½  hours however there was also a decrease in sleep efficiency, an increase in the duration of nocturnal activity and participants rated their sleep to be of lower quality. The average school week was determined to be more stressful than during vacation, but less stressful than a week of exams. The conclusion was that some increase in stress can induce more efficient sleep, however, even more stress disallows adolescents to achieve efficient sleep.

To reflect, it is logical that sleep is more effective on a night that someone considers to be average, and less effective on a night someone stressed. Adolescents do not worry about stress or the limitations of their sleep during vacations and I conclude that adolescents, then, do not care about their vacation sleep cycles as much, leading to their increased frequency of nocturnal activity.

Astill, R. G., Verhoeven, D., Vijzelaar, R. L., & Someren, E. W. (2013). Chronic stress undermines the compensatory sleep efficiency increase in response to sleep restriction in adolescents. Journal Of Sleep Research, 22(4), 373-379. 

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Negative Self-Esteem and Academics: Reason to Work on Self-Esteem

Negative self-esteem has been linked to poor academic performance (and high self-esteem with strong academics), as students who feel poorly about themselves do not feel comfortable approaching demands and instead use avoidance or neglect as a coping method (Eisenbarth, 2012). Conversely, “students with high self-esteem are more likely to feel capable of handling stressful events and feel less threatened by them and utilize adaptive coping strategies (Dolbier, Jaggers, & Steinhard, 2010),” (Eisenbarth, 2012).

For students who feel poorly about themselves, asking for assistance or acknowledging a desire for help is much more stressful than it is for students who have positive self-thoughts (Eisenbarth, 2012). This is an extension of the concept that students who have high self-esteem are capable of going to greater lengths to accomplish academic tasks.

Eisenberth (2012) took his research further by investigating the relationship between academic expectations of the individual, as influenced via the parent-adolescent relationship. The summation of the research was that students place more stress on themselves if they expect better grades, which is understandable given that more effort is required to excel in a course than there is in simply doing subpar (Eisenberth, 2012). Parents in the Western world that have a strong connections with their adolescent students put less pressure (and resultantly, less stress) on academic success, which does not necessarily impact the academic success of the student, but instead the level of stress imposed on the student via the parent-adolescent relationship (Eisenberth, 2012).

To improve academic success, one might consider improving their self-esteem, if they find that they are struggling to seek out the help that they need to truly excel in their studies. To improve self-esteem, consider reading the previous post about reframing self-thinking, as it has been something worth trying out in my own day to day life.

  EISENBARTH, C. (2012). DOES SELF-ESTEEM MODERATE THE RELATIONS AMONG PERCEIVED STRESS, COPING, AND DEPRESSION?. College Student Journal, 46(1), 149-157.)

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Spend some time with a furry friend to relax.

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"Reframe" Negative Self-Talk

Hughes, Gourley, Madson, and Blanc’s 2011 study concluded that an effective way to manage stress is to reframe stressful situations. For example, a stressful social situation common among college students might be similar to this:

You have just had a very emotional fight with a very close, personal friend. It ended very badly and there is no way for you to communicate until tomorrow.

Instead of focusing on those thoughts, or even the content of the argument, it is suggested you might thing “I cannot read their mind, so it would not be fair to draw conclusions right now about what they are thinking; maybe some time to cool down will be beneficial for both of us anyway,” (Hughes, Gourley, Madson, and Blanch, 2011).

Exercises, namely this reframing technique, showed to be “conductive to lively discussions regarding self-awareness, pessimism, cognitive restructuring techniques, and other forms of active coping, such as problem solving and time management,” (Mughes, Gourley, Madson, and Blanch, 2011).

In this particular study, the evidence supports the belief that reframing negative self-talk to focus on the positive aspects of otherwise stressful situation, specifically via education supporting the ability to control their own stress, stressors, and negative self-talk (Mughes, Gourley, Madson, and Blanch, 2011)..

The research also provides support to the concept that this particular reframing technique be taught in classrooms (though one may go as far as to suggest the teachings fall to the responsibilities of the parents), as the effectiveness of the lesson aides students in dealing with academic and social stressors (Mughes, Gourley, Madson, and Blanch, 2011). Teaching students to challenge negative self-talk, and even rebut negative ideas with positive reflections allows students to think critically, practice morals and rationale, and apply control over stress. This technique was also something that spread on the playground, with children taught to challenge negative thinking encouraged their peers (who had not been taught the same lessons) to challenge their own deleterious thoughts and feelings, effectively sharing the useful stress management technique with friends who needed help (Mughes, Gourley, Madson, and Blanch, 2011).

Hughes, J. S., Gourley, M. K., Madson, L., & Blanc, K. (2011). Stress and Coping Activity: Reframing Negative Thoughts. Teaching Of Psychology, 38(1), 36-39. doi:10.1177/0098628310390852

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Why is negative thinking so common in our society, and how can individuals stop the processes of negative thinking for themselves?

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Make gingerbread men and houses with friends or family to relax during the holidays!

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Useful guide for dealing with emotions properly and responsibly. 

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Bundle up and take a walk through the woods, it's a good way to relax and get some exercise in at the same time!

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Get through finals and enjoy time with family. 

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Try Yoga