Tips for Reliving Anxiety and Fighting the Sunday Scaries

As spring semester is now in full swing, you might find yourself panicked about an upcoming assignment or feeling the social anxiety of having a fully in-person course load- maybe for the first time in nearly 2 years. Whatever the case may be, I have some tips that might help relieve some of those symptoms of stress and help you relax and find some peace. 

1. Try journaling about whatever it is that’s stressing you out. For me, seeing everything typed out on a word doc or written down on a sheet of paper can really help me visualize what it is exactly that I am stressed about. Once I complete this task, the things I was stressed about almost always seem smaller than they were in my head. It helps clear my mind and allows me to better figure out what’s the best solution for whatever it is that’s causing my anxiety. 

2.  “Icing your vagus nerve” has recently become a popular trend on TikTok and, shockingly enough, this is a trend fully backed by science. According to an article by Psychology Today, the vagus nerve is a long cranial nerve that runs from the base of the brain to organs in your abdomen. This nerve is crucial in controlling the parasympathetic nervous system which is what helps calm you down after your sympathetic nervous system is activated into fight or flight mode. The idea here is that placing an ice pack on your chest will help stimulate a quicker response from your parasympathetic nervous system and will allow you to calm down quicker.

3. Taking a nap when you are feeling particularly overwhelmed can definitely help your mind slow down. It can also help you process whatever situation you are going through or emotion you are feeling. I know it is a tough ask, especially with working a job and having a full class schedule, but even finding just 15-20 minutes in your day to do a guided nap meditation on YouTube can really help. Your mind and body function at their best when well rested, so make sure you are making time for that. Especially if you notice feelings of stress and anxiety starting to creep up on you. 

While I know these tips might not be able to fix all of your problems, hopefully they will put you in a position where you are able to start chipping away at them. If you are experiencing some hard times right now I hope these tips will help and I am sending peace and happiness your way.