Managing stress and anxiety is a common problem among college students, but improving self-care can help mitigate the negative impacts of these issues.
Lena Newlin, Assistant Director of the Wellness Center, defines self-care as any habit that serves to better the mental and physical self.
“Self-care is about listening to what your body, mind, and soul needs and giving yourself permission to re-set, re-charge, and find balance,” Newlin said. “It is also about being gentle and being patient with yourself.”
According to a study published by the United States National Library of Medicine in 2018, U.S. medical students who engaged in self-care reported less stress and a better quality of life.
In a similar study conducted by the University of Bath in 2021, employees who incorporated self-care practices into their routines performed better at work.
According to these studies, practicing self-care can minimize anxiety and depression, and promote productivity and overall satisfaction.
“One thing that really happens for students, or even counselors in this profession, is burnout. Self-care comes in all shapes and sizes and you have to just figure out what works for you,” Emily Simpson, a Master’s student at the WellSpring Counseling Clinic, said.
Despite its constant glamorization on social media, self-care can be made simple.
“It doesn’t have to be going to the gym, it could be getting out of the house or taking walks.” Dr. Toi Geil, Director of the UCC, said. “You know, it could be doing yoga at home in the living room.”
Self-care also entails listening to your body and addressing your physical needs.
“I also make sure to eat 3 full meals a day and always have snacks with me. I bring snacks to class because I know I won’t be able to retain information while I’m hungry,” Simpson said.
When discussing sleeping issues often experienced by students, Newlin suggests a practice called sleep hygiene, a set of healthy habits proven to help individuals fall and stay asleep.
“Some examples of how to improve your sleep are to avoid caffeine, alcohol, large meals, and rigorous exercise before bedtime,” Newlin said. “Remove electronic devices like laptops, phones, TV from your bedroom.”
As social interaction is also shown to improve mental wellbeing, Geil emphasizes the importance of habitually reaching out to family and friends.
“You should also create a routine for staying in contact with others,” Geil said. “Whether that’s over Zoom or telephone calls, it’s a good way to gain support from others.”
Self-care doesn’t always look like a luxurious bubble bath or a long nap. Breaking bad habits and taking proper care of yourself can be strenuous, but the effort may be worth it in the long run.
“Self-care takes commitment. You know you have to kind of be like, ‘OK, I’m really going to do this.” Simpson said. “It’s intimidating at first, but I think the benefits of it far outweigh anything else.”
