Combating stress: An open book

Help! Midterms and finals are almost upon us. Just in time, Amelia Naidoo and Rania Moussly speak to students about how they cope with exam stress. They also quiz experts on ways to reduce it.

We have all been there at one point in time: Itchy eyes, unable to sleep because there is still so much left to revise; or a pounding headache in the frontal lobe of the brain because 'I just can't think anymore'! Or tense shoulders screaming for a massage. Yes, if you can relate, you have experienced pressure of some form. In other words you are or have been stressed.

According to a health report by a UK newspaper last week, leisure reading is the best way to reduce stress. As little as six minutes can be enough to lower stress levels by more than two-thirds, according to new research.

Put simply, stress is caused by physical or mental pressure. In this day and age most of us endure the mental kind due to work, study, financial or personal pressures. This in fact is worse than the physical kind because mental stress stimulates aching body parts.

Some of us listen to music, play video games, take up sport, sleep, eat, dance, sing, scream and shout to relieve stress. Who knew it would be reading between the lines!

Some of you are either starting, in the middle of, or have just finished your mid-term or final exams and are feeling rather stressed up to the eyeballs.

For this reason Notes decided to address this issue, bringing you accounts most can relate to, along with some health and psychological tips to calm those oh so delicate frazzled nerves of yours.

Claire Sa'ad, 19, a first year human resources student at the University of Wollongong Dubai (UOWD), finished her mid-term exams just over three weeks ago. "It was one month of hell!" she said.

Claire began studying for her exams a mere two weeks before sitting for them. "I was not able to manage my time, it's my first time in Dubai, I was overwhelmed with it and got distracted."

And boy did she pay for it!

"I had headaches all the time from staying up late and drinking so much coffee or Red Bull& I was eating junk and gained so much weight," she said.

The few hours of sleep she did manage to steal were no mercy. "Even when I went to bed I wasn't able to sleep. I was worried about forgetting the information, so I'd revise it in my head."

Claire stressed until she received her grades. "I was surprised, I did really well... although I have learned I should start studying from now because I have finals in a month."

For American University of Sharjah (AUS) students mid-terms are a breeze. The finals are a different story.

Mohammad Murtada, 19, finds that if he gives himself 10 days to prepare for his finals, where "I go into my room, close the door and stay in there and study," the pressure does not pile up.

The second year computer science student finds studying in the library or in the company of his peers stressful. "You'll find one day before the exam someone will come with new notes or new information you didn't have." The result - a panic attack.

Murtada is particular about eating and sleeping well during exams and he does not listen to what others say or do. "I try to avoid junk food, Red Bull, coffee& they're unhealthy and don't actually help with concentration."

Easygoing by nature, Murtada plays football, watches films and spends time with friends during exams. However, when under pressure, speaking to his family in Sudan keeps him calm.

"My mother advises me not to stress. She says if you study you will pass, if you don't you will fail."

It is a simple as that.

Aseem Sood, 18, a first year accounting and finance student at Middlesex University Dubai, feels no stress during exam time. "I don't find them so stressful& maybe only finance because we don't have mock exams for that subject," he said.

Sood gives himself plenty of time to prepare, eats home-cooked food and goes to the gym.

"Students who take their studies lightly always end up consulting the brighter students during exam time& I help them when I can," Sood said.

It is only until you are badly burnt that you will stop playing with fire. This was the case for Sahar Abdul Aziz, 19. The second year accounting and finance student at AUS would previously leave her revision for the last minute. That was until she failed an exam.

"It was the worst exam I ever did& I didn't sleep well the night before and lost my concentration," she said.

Sahar now reviews her lessons after class.

"If I don't sleep and eat well, I find I'm not effective in the exam," she said. "I now like to finish studying ahead of time so the night before I get time for myself," she said.

Ask the expert

All students suffer from some sort of stress during their time in university but it's how they deal with it that makes all the difference.

To help you avoid extreme cases of depression, anxiety attacks, ulcers and weight loss or gain, Notes spoke to experts and student counsellors about ways to manage stress, writes Amelia Naidoo "Yes it is," says Professor Amitabh Upadhya, head of academics at Skyline University College, Sharjah.

"The kind of cut-throat competition that students face nowadays leads to increased stress levels. But at the same time the right kind of guidance certainly helps them to manage themselves in a much better way," he adds. Talien Huisman, a student counsellor at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), also feels stress levels are on the rise.

"However I think this is universal for their generation in today's society, which places significant pressure on individuals to succeed. It is often quite stress-inducing to live up to this expectation while attempting to balance family, social and academic lives," she says.

According to Dr Annie Crookes, senior lecturer in psychology and campus coordinator of Middlesex University Dubai, global financial and political issues affect the modern student much more than they did for previous generations.

Universities should acknowledge these pressures and ensure there are adequate support systems in place, she says. Bushra Finaish, assistant dean of student services and student support manager, and Nadine Maalouf, counsellor, American University in Dubai, believe stress levels vary with some students being able to handle it better.

However, says Crookes, nowadays there are more resources, such as books and workshops, on how to manage your time. "Students who are proactive and keen to manage their time better have the opportunity to do so." Crookes believes universities must ensure that students are aware of the support systems open to them.

"Counselling is not like going to a psychiatrist or being diagnosed with something; it is simply a place to discuss your problems and find ways that will work for the individual to combat these problems." Crookes says today's students not only face university pressures but they juggle family and work pressures too.

They could be supporting themselves, or others, and financial worries can plague them. Students also have to be more career-focused right from the start, which means there is added pressure on them to perform well in their studies and to have a clear idea of their career path, says Crookes.

Upadhya highlighted problems experienced by expatriate students - peer pressure, job stability, visa and financial problems - that are stressful. On the other hand, Emirati students generally face time management issues related to balancing study with work and family responsibilities. All the experts Notes spoke to emphasised that managing time is key to reducing stress.

"The single most important defence against exam anxiety is to be prepared, and to have spent the semester, rather than the final week, preparing," says Crookes.

She says if students feel they have worked hard throughout the semester and done a little bit each week they will be far more confident and therefore less anxious than those who haven't prepared and are now dealing with the added guilt of this knowledge.

Many students do not know how to manage their time, say Finaish and Maalouf. "We often tell them that they need to plan their week by writing down the important things to do during the week and categorise them from the most urgent one to the least important and make their schedule accordingly."

Upadhya offers some sage advice. "You are unique in your own way so don't compare yourself with others, and do your best to bring out the best in you."

"It is a well-known fact that stress has health implications," says Crookes. The most obvious effect is a flare-up of minor illnesses. According to Crookes, in the longer term stress will turn into a personality trait and will characterise all aspects of a student's future life.

"This makes them less effective at work and in making life decisions," says Crookes. "Everyone experiences stress differently. Some people manifest stress in a purely physical sense, while others experience emotional or cognitive difficulties," says Huisman.

Effects of stress include insomnia, back/neck/shoulder pain, headaches, inability to concentrate, excessive worrying, memory lapses, anxiety and irritability.

Healthy body = Healthy mind

Notes chats with Dubai nutritionist Belinda Rennie about how students can change their diet to ease stress.

Do you think many young people suffer from stress and can diet help them alleviate it?
There are many more pressures on students to perform with the current economic environment, parental pressure and the day-to-day stress of living in the UAE. Diet is one of the "wonder tools" that students can use to keep their concentration high and sleep well as well as maintain their weight with clear skin.

What are the reasons for student stress?
Coursework is more demanding and students face lots of stressors from excess electromagnetic radiation from the overuse of computers, mobile phones and television. Food supply is not what it used to be, full of nasty chemicals and fast food is for many the quick fix.

What should they be eating to manage stress in their lives?
Check out the food courts at any of the campuses and they are full of toxic fast food and vending machines selling junk. There should be better regulations when it comes to what balance of food outlets is available so at least there are healthier options on campus. Students are forced then to eat healthier options like hummus and salad, lentil soup, fish and rice and vegetables, falafel sandwiches, Chinese style stir fry vegetables with chicken and noodles or sushi instead of pizza, hamburgers and fries. Drinking coffee and Coke is an unhealthy way to keep focused, especially at night& drink green tea and mint or fresh pressed juices like pomegranate and snack on raw nuts and seeds or soups at night. Water is brain juice you need 1.5 to 2 litres per day.

What about sleep and exercise?
Exercise is the best stress-breaker as it changes all your hormones, boosting the feel-good ones and removing the stress hormones. It helps sleep better. Getting sleep from 11pm is the best time to help your body's detox systems; so go to bed then and get up earlier to study.