Coping With the Stresses of Being a Student

There’s no doubt that pursuing higher education is a costly pastime in the UK, with approximately £20 billion loaned out to around 1.5 million students in England every single year. 

The total value of outstanding loans at the end of March 2021 peaked at £141 billion, with this just one of the many stresses faces students as they build towards a prosperous future.

But what are the signs of stress, and how can you help to cope with these? We’ll explore these issues in the article below:

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Stress?

Each of our bodies react differently to stress, with this capable of manifesting itself in a number of different ways.

The most obvious symptoms are mental, including increased worrying and sudden or uncontrollable mood swings. You may also feel overwhelmed at times and increased levels of anxiety, as you continue to feel as though you’re struggling to cope.

You may also find it hard to sleep over time, further exacerbating your symptoms and making it even harder to concentrate on your studies.

However, stress can also cause a number of physical symptoms. The most common of these is stomach pain, increased acid levels and ulcers, while you may also experience chest pains, muscle aches and difficulty breathing as anxiety takes hold.

How to Cope with the Stress of Being a Student

Ultimately, it’s imperative that you’re proactive and look to tackle the underlying issues causing stress, using any unavailable help and guidance along the way.

The first step is to understand precisely what’s triggering your stress, as this will help you determine a viable way forward. For example, if you’re experiencing financial issues while studying, you may want to consider seeking out instant loans for students as a way of accessing quickfire financial relief.

In other cases, you may be struggling with the pressure of studying and finding it increasingly hard to cope adequately with your growing workload (especially when you progress through the final year of your studies).

In this instance, it’s crucial that you create a viable working schedule that enables you to work smarter, creating enough time to concentrate on your studies and allow for recreational activities

As a general rule, we’d recommend making time for regular daily exercise such as jogging or circuit training, while also investing in genuine ‘downtime’ where both your mind and body are afforded a suitable period of rest.

You should definitely strive to get at least eight hours of sleep every day as part of your routine, as this is known to deliver a number of physical and mental health benefits.

On a final note, it’s also important to talk to trusted friend and family members. This can help you to talk through your issues and receive some much-needed advice, potentially providing practical solutions that can help you to make the most of your higher education studies!

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