10 Ways To Relax In Between Studies
With finals coming up, you’ll need some well-deserved breaks in between studies. Just take a breather and relax your brain. Without further ado, here are ten ways to help relax in between studies.
ASMR
ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response. It is a complicated acronym to describe a very simple sensation. ASMR was coined by a lay person to describe a tingly sensation triggered by certain sounds. ASMR can be triggered by tapping, crinkling, eating, and especially whispering. Theories for the feeling range from an empathy response to a reward for grooming. While I’m not going to begin to pontificate what ASMR is, I do know that it’s an immensely pleasurable sensation.
Meditation
Meditation can help focus your monkey mind and mitigate test anxiety. Personally, all the deep breathing gives me anxiety. Whenever I’m conscious of my breath, I struggle to breath naturally. So don’t feel that you have to strictly adhere to any technique. Buddhists meditate to let go of the ego and realize the truth of impermanence. Conversely, in the US, Western, secular culture has subsumed meditation. That is, it isn’t attached to any religion. So don’t worry that meditation is equivalent to conversion. Meditation can just be an everyday practice to help alleviate your mind in between studies. In sum, there isn’t any one way to meditate.
Create Notes
This can mean underlining and highlighting, writing in the margins, or creating bullet points. Notes facilitate retention. Without much mental labor, you’ll be able to readily recall information. Moreover, rather than simply memorizing the text, you’ll be able to analyze it as well. For a creative work, you can decipher overall themes and motifs. For a textbook, you can organize the information into one cohesive whole. Notes can also be beneficial before reading a text. Skim through the text and highlight important information to expedite retention. By creating notes, you’ll be able to recharge and relax in between studies while staying productive.
A Warm Bath
Ah, nothing like a warm bath to relax the muscles. Don’t worry. You won’t be any less of a red blooded American male if you dip your toes in a warm bath. Get some soap bombs and watch as they slowly expand. Surround yourself with bubbles and scented candles. This is your time. You deserve this in between your studies. Your roommates will have to wait. This may be a long one.
Hypnosis
The notion that hypnosis is used to brainwash your mind is fallacious. Your mind is always in control under hypnosis. Your body will never do anything without your discretion. Yes, hypnosis does illustrate the power of the mind, but it doesn’t do so to an intense degree. In fact, not only will you be in control, you’ll feel in control the entire time. Hypnosis can reduce bad habits and anxiety. During times of emotional trauma, hypnosis has been shown to ameliorate stress. It won’t completely vanquish negative thoughts, but it is one of various tools you can use. Much like meditation, it can also help to focus your unfettered monkey mind.
Yoga
Many fervent proponents of yoga, claim that it can cure depression. While that has never been proven, it has been shown to reduce anxiety and lead to a sense of well-being. Frequent yoga classes at the gym or in front of the tv at home are extremely beneficial. Not only will your flexibility improve, you’ll feel ready to tackle your studies.
Take A Nap
Relax and catch up on some sleep. Just make sure you set your alarm. An hour long nap can actually render you more tired, so make sure the nap is half an hour or less. The worst thing you could do is waste too much time napping. Afterwards, you will have magnified your exhaustion and accomplished nothing in the process. That being said, napping intermittently throughout the day is the best and perhaps the only way to eliminate sleep deprivation. I would advise getting enough sleep during the night. But we’ve all been there before. Personally, I don’t like taking naps during the day, since I take awhile to fall asleep. But if you’re quick to dose off, take some naps in between studies. You’ll feel relaxed and recharged by the afternoon.
Eat
Scarfing down a meal isn’t exactly thought of as relaxing, but it can mitigate the jitters and irritability caused by malnutrition. For me, a healthy meal is the best way to alleviate my irritability and home in on my studies. When you’re blood sugar levels are low, your focus and cognitive performance are inhibited. That’s why nutrition is essential to acing your exams. Don’t postpone another meal to study. Academic success is contingent on your overall health.
Hangout With Friends
In between study sessions, talk to your friends. Get something to eat. You need a brief moment of escape in between studies, and laughing and joking with your friends is just the way to render that. You don’t need to spend an inordinate amount of time. Just let them know that you have some studying to do and that you can only hang for a bit. You’ll need enough self-discipline to end the conversation if they’re not, so make sure you’ll be willing to promptly return back to your studies. If not, just eat a meal by yourself. I’m an extreme introvert, so I don’t need social interaction in between studies. But, for some extroverts, conversation in between studies is a great way to recharge the batteries.
Muse
Let your thoughts run wild. In such a fast-paced world, rumination isn’t always valued. Don’t worry that you’re wasting your time. A thoughtful person is a rare gem. Simply taking the time to muse about your studies or your life will prove to be invaluable in the future. Setting aside time to think will provide a sense of fulfillment equal to relaxation.
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What do you do to relax in between studies? Are the relaxation techniques I’ve mentioned effective for you? As always, comment down below.
