Why You Should go out Tonight Instead of Studying

I’m sure that if my title grabbed you and if now you’re reading this blog post, there is a solid chance that you are looking for some type of reassurance that you should go out tonight instead of staying in and starting to study for finals, or write that final paper that has been lingering over your head since the beginning of the semester. By no means am I saying that you should ignore all of your academic obligations just to go have fun with your friends, however, people often forget the importance of reliving stress. When you find that you have had a stressful week, it is important to find time to let yourself relax and relieve the build up tension. Depending on the person, you might choose to do this by curling up in bed with a cup of tea and a good book, by going for a run, or by going out to a party with your friends, really just whatever you enjoy doing.

Screen Shot 2015-11-30 at 3.49.12 PMAs I discussed in my previous blog, “Keep Calm and Don’t Stress,” chronic stress can be harmful to both your mind and your body. Aside from the obvious short term mental effects stress has on you, extreme stress can have long term effects on your health such as a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, joint and back pains, and many others. That is why it is very important to make sure that you don’t let stress take a toll on your body or your mind. As young adults at a university with rigourous and demanding course loads and time consuming extracurriculars, we can not afford to be preforming at any less than 100%.

Nearly everyone experiences stress at some point. It is difficult, however, to say exactly what the best way to relieve built up stress is because everyone handles things in very different ways. According to a poll done by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 14% of people make use of regular exercise to cope with stress, 18% reported talking to friends or family; 17% said sleeping; 14% said watching movies or TV, 14% said eating and 13% said listening to music. Although what you choose to do to help release stress is primarily based on preference, many of these methods are proven to have a positive effect on both your mood and on your body.

Screen Shot 2015-11-30 at 9.44.12 PMOne popular method that many people turn to in order to reduce their stress levels is exercise. Aside from having overall benefits for your health, it also has some results that help melt away your stress. According to an article from the Mayo Clinic, there are a few reasons why exercise relates to decreases in stress levels. One reason is that physical activity makes your brain produce more endorphins, which are the body’s feel-good chemicals. Another reason why exercise is good for someone who has high stress levels is to simply take your mind off what you were stressing about. You may find that a few miles on the treadmill or a fun game of tennis will clear your mind by refocusing on the task at hand. A third reason why exercise has proven to be one of the most effective methods of relieving stress is that it improves your overall mood through encouraging self-confidence, relaxation, and helping you to get a better nights sleep.

Like I said, everyone handles things in different ways. Maybe you aren’t someone who enjoys working out, so back to what I said earlier; maybe you should go out instead of studying! One article that outlines various ways to de-stress says that one way is to make time for fun and relaxation. In order to prevent yourself from a stress overload, it is important to give your mind a break even when you have a lot on your plate. If you never stop worrying about all of the things that you need to get done or all of the responsibilities that you have, you are bound to snap at some point. So, if you go out one night instead of pulling an all-nighter maybe it isn’t the end of the world. You may also choose to curl up on the couch and watch your favorite movie, or to spend time with your friends. What is important is that you make time for yourself to unwind.

 

5 thoughts on “Why You Should go out Tonight Instead of Studying

  1. Holly Rubin

    All this being said the phrase “going out” shouldn’t be taken too lightly. When I think of going out, I think of going to a party with a lot of people around and participating in certain college- like activities. Unfortunately, there is a high risk of drinking in college. Many national studies have been done to show the correlation between college drinking/ partying and a decline in academic performance. Data from several national studies indicate that drinking and academic impairment are associated (http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/niaaacollegematerials/panel01/highrisk_04.aspx). There is an overall high risk with drinking alcohol when comparing it to academic excellence.

  2. Madisen Lee Zaykowski

    I have found that since I have been at college, I am more stressed about managing my time and have to remember that it is important to relax as well. Being in college is drastically different than high school because your schedule changes every day, and class times as opposed to free times are drastically different. routines have to change, and I do always enjoy time when I can relax in bed or go out. I personally believe I fall within the 14% that use exercise as a stress reliever and found a website,Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress, explains why exercise can be a stress reliever!

  3. Alyssa Hope Cooper

    This blog post is very relatable for a lot of college students. Being freshman, we are still trying to figure out the best way to deal with school work, social life, eating, sleeping, and of course stress. Personally, I find the best way to deal with stress is binge watching Netflix. I enjoy this instead of going to the gym because when I am at the gym all I think about is all of the other things i could be doing instead. In this interesting article I found, it talks about how many businesses are now allowing pets in the workplace because he helps the workers relieve stress and ease tension. This is the link to the article.
    http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/pets-in-the-office-are-helping-relieve-workplace-stress-20151125-gl7wyo.html

  4. Mia Rose Del Nunzio

    Your blog post title did catch my eye. There are times when I am so overly stressed out about work that I feel as if nothing will relieve my stress. I have turned to exercising in a lot of these instances. Exercising releases endorphins that calm me down. With this I am reassured that I will get my work done, when school gets tough it is always a good idea to hit the gym and take a load off. Here is a link talking about why exercise may also reduce blood pressure. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045206

  5. Julia Hall

    This blog caught my eye because I feel like since I have started college I have been nothing but stressed. When I was in High School I was extremely active and exercised every day. At college I find that I barley work out even though I have a gym membership. I defiantly agree with what you said about how exercising helps decrease stress. I notice a very big difference besides my stress levels in High School and in College. Granted that college is harder then high school, I still feel like if I exercised at college I would not be as stressed as I am.

Comments are closed.