Stress in students has become a major concern among teachers and parents nowadays. The stress (usually caused by academic pressures) usually affects their performance at school which, in turn, results in anxiety, unhappiness and school refusal.

In a competitive educational system where the market rate skyrockets, students nowadays have to go through a great deal of stress physically and psychologically.

10 Effective Techniques to Manage Stress

1. Get sufficient sleep

Getting sufficient sleep is a simple technique that helps students avoid stress. It's a well-known fact that poor sleep leads to poor academic performance. When we don't get enough sleep, our day-to-day productivity suffers. Sleep deprivation is linked with moodiness and decreased concentration and focus which can cause stress that results in poor sleep habits. Poor sleep may be a factor in higher stress levels. Students with high levels of stress may have trouble getting restful, proper and sustainable sleep. Prolonged sleep deprivation causes many students to develop stress, which in turn can also affect their ability to study effectively.

2. Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises for stress may counteract or prevent anxiety and improve one’s ability to keep up in class. Stress is a common problem in students and it can have a negative effect on their health. While it may seem a little silly, there are basic breathing exercises that can help keep your stress levels under control. Breathing exercises are fun and can help students throughout the day. It can feel weird to be doing them when working on assignments, projects or studying, but it's very important to lower stress and calm the body down. This will help students focus more on your work, whilst relieving stress.

3. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise helps the body and mind to cope better with stressful situations. Exercise helps increase the levels of endorphins - chemicals in the brain which make you feel good. It also increases blood circulation, providing more oxygen and nutrients to cells throughout the body, increasing both mental and physical functions.

4. Keep the study area organised

Keeping the study area organised is sometimes stressful, but we should not underestimate the effect it has on the brain. An organised desk or workspace ensures productivity and efficiency. Students should ensure their desks are always neat and tidy. A messy desk might leave one feeling overwhelmed or add to the distraction when it comes time to focus.

5. Think positively

Even when you follow these steps, it is inevitable that stress will start building up and begin to weigh on you. One way to deal with this is to cultivate a positive mindset. This includes learning to think positively, staying focused, taking things one step at a time, having a clear plan for any contingencies and not letting other factors affect distract you from your progress

6. Eat a healthy diet

A healthy, well-balanced diet is key to maintaining a healthy body. Our diet is one of the easiest things to neglect and lose control of in times of stress. The role of a healthy diet in sustaining an individual's peak mental and physical condition cannot be underestimated. It is often a crucial aspect of the development of young bodies and minds.

7. Take regular breaks

A surprising number of students have actually felt overwhelmed and stressed at the beginning of the semester. It is important to take a physical or mental break from all the pressure that's coming at you. A good break has the ability to enable you to return to your studies feeling refreshed, with more energy, and ready for further challenges. A break between assignments or tests is always good and could help you get through a tough period.

8. Visualise the different scenarios of success

A good way to counter stress is to develop the ability or skill to visualise success. Whether it's your entrepreneurial journey or another endeavour that you are pushing through, visualising success is an effective method of keeping yourself on track and fighting off bad influences. Ideas of success and how to achieve it are some of the most common topics written about and talked about in our society. We can conceptualise all we want but there is only one reality — a person's perception. Having a clear picture of what success looks like can help reduce stress and anxiety, but also enhance performance. It's in our nature to envision the future and consider what's coming next, but we don't always see these expectations in the best possible light. As a result, we end up anxious and tense.

9. Talk to someone

As busy as we are, it's easy to get caught up in our day. Having a conversation with someone might be one of the best ways to help relieve stress. Articulating a problem to someone can help us organise our thoughts and come up with possible solutions. The ability to communicate is an underrated skill in this day and age. Be it in a formal setting or a more casual one, developing the ability to speak frankly and persuasively is important for students to be successful. There exist numerous resources and literature detailing how communication skills in school can help students achieve success and reach their full potential.

10. Time Management

One of the most important ways to improve productivity, and subsequently reduce stress, is the implementation of basic time management techniques. Time management is one of the most important habits and an invaluable skill to develop at any age. Students are often strapped for time. Their schedule is jam-packed, with classes, papers to write and exams to study for. Between studying for tests, writing papers and answering emails from professors, it's easy to see why staying organised is one of the hardest parts of being a college student.