REMEMBER TO EXERCISE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Finals Week can be a highly stressful time period, which can be very unpleasant.

Stress is a chemical process in the body that occurs due to factors called stressors. When presented with an uncomfortable situation (such as finals) the body releases adrenaline and cortisol, which cause physical responses. And stress can be used positively or negatively.

For example, stress is a motivator. It inspires us to maintain grades and work performance, as well as create solutions to challenging situations.

Sadly, the negative effects are highly detrimental. Stress can lead to poor sleep or poor sleep quality. If you remember my column on sleep, I stated that lack of proper sleep can lead to a slew of health issues such as poor hunger and weight management, and increased chances of heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.

Chronic stress contributes to many of the same detrimental health impacts of poor sleep habits – namely, cardiovascular disease due to the physical impacts of elevated stress levels on the heart.

Luckily, finals don’t last forever, and stress is manageable.

In fact, when you exercise your body releases the same hormones as triggered by stressors. Adrenaline and cortisol raise the blood pressure and energy levels – good for exercise, but bad on a constant basis. The difference between exercise-induced stress and life-related stress is that when you finish exercising, adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, and remain lowered for the rest of the day.

Exercise also has a positive relationship with self-esteem. You may have guessed it already, but self-esteem has a positive impact on academic performance.

More so, exercise – more than 30 minutes of cardio work – primes the brain for learning and retention. Studies have even shown correlation between overall fitness levels and test scores.

For individuals with chronic stress, exercise is actually a recommended stress management tool.

Exercise during finals is a highly useful tool. Not only does it help preserve health and well-being, it can even promote enhanced academics when incorporated properly into a study routine.

Sleep well, study hard, and if it gets to be too much, remember to go for a brisk walk or jog.

Good luck to everyone on their finals!