College is a juggling act of academics, social life, and career goals, which can lead to stress build-up and cause students’ mental health to take a backseat. To help students reduce their stress levels, the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-Being held a Husky Talk on Thursday, Jan. 23 about caring for your nervous system.
During this event, students learned how taking deep breaths and focusing on the exhale can help their bodies relax. Presenter Amanda Schwass stated, “the longer you engage the out-breath, the more you are communicating with your brain that you are safe.”
Additionally, the importance of supportive touch was taught to students. It was found that touch deprivation can lead to anxiety, depression, and immune system disorders. When people receive supportive touch, which can be done with something as simple as a self-hug, it helps calm their nervous system and lower their blood pressure and stress.
Self-compassion was also discussed during this event, broken down into three parts: mindfulness, common humanity, and self-care with kindness. Students were told that being mindful of what they are feeling is the first step to understanding how to reduce their stress and that relating their experiences to others and the common human experience can help students feel connected in their struggles. Lastly, self-care with kindness focuses on what the student can do right now to feel better. Schwass also introduced a way for students to figure out what they need by asking themselves “what would I say to a friend who’s feeling this way?”
Breathing, supportive touch, and self-compassion are all good ways for students to give themselves the space they need to excel in their day-to-day lives. While these tactics may not work for everyone, the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-Being also handed out information about guided meditations, written exercises, and other methods for students to reduce their stress here at MTU. For more information about any of these methods or to learn more about how you can reduce your stress, visit the Center for Student Mental Health and Well-Being website.
