Students are more prone to experience stress than others. According to some surveys, 80% college students say that they often feel stressed, while 20% are stressed most of the time. Studies show that nearly 10% of young people studying at the university had suicidal thoughts and 13% of them have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression disorder.
Stress is the reaction of our body to occurring challenges. It can be both bad and good in some respects. For instance, stress can increase heart rate, tunnel vision, accelerate breathing, slow digestion down. At the same time, positive forms of stress can sharpen the mind and help us perform better. In general, it can motivate people toward growth and achievement.
Students experience psychological tension because they are constantly facing novel situations with uncertain outcomes. There are a lot of reasons why stress occurs in students. One of them is living away from home and being far from family in a very unfamiliar environment. Another reason may be financial difficulties as young people have more money responsibilities. They need to pay for everything from rent to entertainment by themselves.
Moreover, academic demands may also cause stress. This is typically the most common reason for stress among students. Numerous academic tasks and a lot of work leave no time for relaxation. Education is a very demanding process that requires much practice and complete devotion. Personally, I couldn’t deal with all the homework given by professors, so I sought help at a professional writing service. I asked to do my college assignment for me at a top-rated website, so I had more time to restore myself both mentally and emotionally. This contributed to my psychological well-being as I felt less stressed out than my peers. What’s more, I had extra time for physical activity and workouts that kept my psychological state well-balanced.
Also, to avoid stress, students should get enough sleep and watch their diet. This makes one more clear-headed and less anxious. Managing distressing feelings also gets possible if a person exercises on a regular basis. It can significantly release tension and reduce anxiety. The best way to get rid of stress is the combination of physical activity and relaxation techniques. And this can be done through yoga practice. Let’s consider some of the most effective tips for a yoga retreat that can boost its effectiveness.
Yoga is not only about physical exercise, but also right breathing. To calm the body and mind, one should breathe slowly and deeply as there is a link between breathing patterns and the state of mind. When we breathe rapidly, it can actually cause stress in itself. So the way we breathe can be both a reason and a result of stress.
When individuals use special breathing techniques called pranayama, their stress levels decrease and the immune system gets stronger. This way, yoga practice promotes relaxation. So you should include controlled breathing in your yoga retreat.
Pratyahara literally means ‘withdrawal of the senses’. This is an important tool for stress reduction that helps to reach a state of relaxation by controlling one’s senses.
Most students add to their sensory overload by listening to music in headphones while learning, having the radio on while eating, or doing some other things. The noise around you can activate the sympathetic nervous system that makes you feel stressed out.
Therefore, a yoga retreat for students should ban using all technology and screens. Digital detox is a key element of yoga retreats that helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and relax.
It’s a proven fact that daily exercise reduces stress by pumping up endorphins. This leads to relaxation, a feeling of euphoria, and overall mood improvement. Studies show that individuals who exercise every day have reduced risk of anxiety and stress by more than 40%.
Exercise allows us to forget about any worries and irritations that have happened throughout the day as one concentrates on the activity at hand. Any form of daily physical activity, like a mindful walk or a bike ride, can help students reduce stress.
All in all, yoga retreats boost feel-good chemical levels in the brain, which are serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. They are responsible for feelings of relaxation and contentment that students typically lack while studying at college.
According to the study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, gamma-aminobutyric (GABA), which is a brain neurotransmitter with calming and anti-anxiety effect, increased by 27% on average in people partaking in a yoga session for an hour. As you see, yoga retreats are highly beneficial for all the students experiencing distressing feelings in their everyday lives.
