Spring Break
Overcoming stress of finals is a real test
Rachel Lambert
Issue date: 1/4/05 Section: News
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felt the nervous tension of
finals week.
Classes at the College stopped on the 14th but the work didn't. The following week of finals is filled with last minute paper revisions and cramming
concepts from the beginning of the year.
Stress in the work place, at home and in schools is on the rise. Even more studies are explaining that stress is a serious problem that can cause your immune system to break down and cause you to be more
susceptible to colds, influenza and pneumonia.
What is stress? "How one's body reacts to change can be called stress," says the Holistic Stress Control Institute. "These changes can come from feelings, situations and people."
The problem is many people do not even realize how bad their stressors are. People either do not pay attention to their stress or simply think that it is a part of life, but it doesn't have to be.
In response to stress, a part of the brain called the hypothalamic-
pituitary-adrenal system is
activated and releases steroid hormones. The lungs take in more oxygen and your heartbeat and blood flow increase.
The body does this because it has the same
reaction when you are about to be attacked by a bear as you feel when you have to study too many subjects in two days.
When there is stress, your body senses danger and reacts. Constant stress like this keeps your body in an unhealthy state of readiness.
When you become uptight and stressed, there are repercussions.
For instance, too much stress can create diabetes. Stress
creates an insulin-resistance, where the body cannot use its insulin properly to regulate blood sugar.
Another side effect of stress is weight gain. People get cravings for salty, sugary and fatty foods, and eat to relieve stress.
One of the biggest dangers of stress is weakening the the body's immunity to diseases.
While the body is stressed, it turns its attention to other things and leads to an increase in colds.