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“The Nurse Practitioner Answers Your FAQ’s” How Does College Stress Make Me Sick? There are numerous factors unique to the college student’s lifestyle that set the stage for getting sick. Pressures and deadlines for school assignments, balancing the demands of work with the demands of school, financial worries, relationship and/or room-mate issues and expectations from parents, to name a few. Sleep is often compromised, especially at the end of the semester. Studies show that stress and poor sleep habits can lower the functioning of our immune system so that germs and viruses can invade our bodies’ defenses and contribute to illness. In fact, up to 90% of all medical visits in the US are due to stress-related illnesses, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical manifestations of too much negative stress can manifest as muscle tension, headaches or backaches, stomach pains, chest pains, diarrhea, menstrual irregularities and other body symptoms. Emotional manifestations may include generalized irritability, anger, obsession about school work so that sleep is disrupted, difficulty concentrating all the way to anxiety or panic attacks. We see the effects of stress in our college health clinic every day. Sometimes students choose coping skills that may not serve them well such as drinking alcohol, taking drugs, smoking, overeating or having unprotected intercourse. It is helpful to think about college as a time to learn a course of study while at the same time to acquire other skills such as time-management skills, organizational skills, health maintenance skills, life balance and healthy coping skills. As you learn about your own physical and emotional stress responses, you are the best person to choose and practice stress-reduction techniques that will not only help you weather the college challenges now, but skills you will use for the future as well. Many of our students have found some of the following practices helpful for reducing and managing their stress: regular exercise, healthy (non-toxic) friendships, eating regular balanced meals, getting enough sleep, keeping in touch with family and making time for fun! The end of the semester is particularly stressful, when students stay up late to study and complete assignments. Most students are unable to stay home to care for their colds and illness, so germs are everywhere! There are a few basic hygiene practices that can help you avoid the germs-of-finals: Get enough sleep, wash hands often (or keep hand-towel wipes In your backpack as the door handles are laden with germs!) and remind your fellow students to cover their coughs and sneezes! Just those 3 simple practices can significantly reduce your chances of catching someone’s cold or flu. Keep in mind that many people avoid the flu by getting their annual flu vaccine. We have immunization clinics available to provide you with the flu vaccine. Our goals at the Student Health and Counseling Service are to help you maintain good physical and mental health practices so you can be successful in college. Please make an appointment to talk with us about your health concerns. We look forward to helping you stay healthy! Kathleen Blattner, FNP
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THE NURSE PRACTITIONER ANSWERS YOUR FAQs
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