Unconventional Stress Reduction

Final exams are upon us again here at RWU Law.  It is the culmination of a semester’s work for students, with the support and guidance of faculty and staff, taking what they learned and applying it to final papers, exams, etc. Unfortunately, it also brings out a lot of stress and anxiety in many of us but thankfully, there are many ways to lower our stress and anxiety levels.  Here in the library we have put together a mindfulness guide to help you.

In this blog post, we want to look at some scientifically researched ways that you might not be aware of to lower stress. 

Bubble gum – almost all of us have chewed it, accidentally swallowed it, and some of us probably stuck it under our chair when we were young.  However, according to some scientific studies, chewing gum has been shown to decrease stress levels. In fact, one study exhorts the benefits of chewing gum before taking an exam.

Inflate a balloon – You have probably heard about the benefits of deep breathing and laughter in decreasing stress, well, now we can combine the two by inflating a balloon. Blowing up a balloon forces you to breathe deeply and slowly, reduces your heart rate, and relaxes your muscles. As a bonus, it might elicit some laughter from your study partners.

Wash the Dishes – Maybe it is time to take a break from the dishwasher and hand wash your dishes? Researchers recently found that mindfully washing dishes upped levels of inspiration and lowered nervousness levels. The key, however, was to do it mindfully, smelling the soap and feeling the water temperature.

Whether you reach for a stick of gum, a package of balloons, or thoughtfully approach a household chore, remember that it is okay to do things during finals that benefit you and your well-being!