Being a student can be incredibly rewarding, but it definitely comes with a set of challenges. From academic deadlines to handling student accommodation in UK, there is a constant juggling between the responsibilities. Amidst all the hassle, it is easy to overlook mental health. Those days are long gone when student mental health was not a priority. Nowadays, whether it is your university or job, every space is taking mental health seriously.

Today, 1 in 4 people suffer from mental health problems in UK. Speaking of stats, this results in making 10 million out of a 40 million population, approximately, suffering from issues. While many adults don’t consider the mental health of students a serious issue, it is growing by the day. And when you don’t take care of mental health well, it often leads to more suffering for students in the long run. Students are always under pressure because of assignments, exams, student accommodation, and taking care of themselves.  

For a student, their struggle starts from student accommodation only, first finding a suitable student housing, then managing that student accommodation. This is when Uninist comes into play, we are here to guide you on every aspect of your student life, from finding suitable and affordable student housing to how to survive college, we’ve got it all covered. Let’s get into it!

What is Mental Health?

Our first question is to understand what mental health is. Many people misunderstood what mental health actually is. To be precise, let’s discuss what is student mental health. Many students suffer from mental health issues in UK. It is because of constant assignment submission, exam stress, and taking care of themself. 

Doing everything on your own can be lonely sometimes. Simply put, mental health refers to your emotional, social, and psychological well-being. When in stress, how you react, feel, think,  and act is affected. For students, good mental health is essential to achieve academic success, maintain relationships, and overall well-being. 

How to Deal with Mental Health Issues as a Student?

Dealing with mental health issues can look like a big task. However, when done right, it can be the simplest things. We have penned down some simple and important ways by which you can deal with mental health issues as a student studying in UK. Here are some tips to deal with mental health issues:

•  Prioritize sleep.
•  Stay physically active.
•  Talk about it.
•  Take breaks from studying.
•  Limit social media use.
•  Maintain a balanced diet.
•  Practice meditation.

Let’s discuss these methods one by one so you can get to the depth of these methods. 

Prioritize Sleep

Figuring out everything on your own requires energy. And, to get that energy, sleep is essential. As a student, to reduce stress and anxiety, you should aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep. So that your brain can rest and escape from the overthinking or stressful thoughts if you are having any. 

Stay Physically Active

The studies have shown that the best way to handle mental health issues as a student is to be physically active. When you start doing physical activities, it comes with numerous benefits. Besides mental health, here are some of the reasons to stay physically active: 

•  It can divert your brain
• It will help you build a good habit, and
•  Also, makes you physically fit.

You can do any form of physical activity as you like. Whether you like going to the gym, yoga, or just a walk, simple things can do more than you can think of. In short, physical activity boosts mood and reduces depression symptoms. 

Talk about it

There has been a saying, “communication is the key”. Similarly, when it comes to student mental health issues, communication can be effective. There are many students who go through a lot but keep it to themselves. And, this leads to constant stress and overthinking. It happens when you are tense about something and can’t really express yourself or talk about it.

The best way to release this stress is to talk about what is bugging you to someone, it can be your family member, your friend, or a therapist. Therapists can offer professional help to you if you need it. You can also contact mental health helpline numbers available in UK, one for example is 0300-123-3393. Not only professional help, even many UK universities also have a dedicated department handling student well-being. 

Take Breaks from Study

Burnout among students is quite obvious due to academic pressure, tight deadlines, and more. To avoid such burnout, it is important to take short breaks while studying. These small breaks allow students to relax, stretch, or do something they enjoy. Student mental health is ruined by constant studies or by writing assignments all the time. So, this way you can enjoy a break and not feel overwhelmed by your studies.

Limit Social Media Use

Social media is a place where good things take place, but there is a dark side as well. In recent years, student mental health issues have spiked just because to social media. Constant comparison and seeing unrealistic standards on social media have caused more stress than needed. So, limit your social media usage, quite doom-scrolling, and avoid constant comparison with people you see online. 

Maintain a Balanced Diet

Figuring out a new life in UK with respect to student housing, studies, friends, etc, food becomes less priority. And, your diet plays a crucial role in mental health more than you can expect. Maintaining a good and balanced healthy diet is important so that your brain can function well. Moreover, diet helps you to keep your emotional health in check as well.

Practice meditation

Lastly, one of the best ways to bring peace and keep students’ mental health good is to practice meditation. Some of the best ways to practice meditation include: 

•  Breathing exercises
•  Mindfulness Meditation
•  Focused meditation
•  Movement meditation
•  Mantra meditation, and 
•  Guided meditation

These exercises often help you keep focus and reduce anxiety. 

How to Deal With Exam Stress?

Is student mental health being ruined because of exam stress? The question is asked frequently when it comes to student mental health. Here are some tips to deal with exam stress:

•  Create a study schedule.
•  Take regular ways.
•  Practice papers.
•  Get enough sleep.
•  Eat brain-boosting foods.

Create a study schedule

A plan is what you need to deal with exam stress. Instead of mindlessly studying whatever you want, make a detailed plan. You should create a study schedule in advance to avoid last-minute cramming and reduce anxiety. Start with topics that are important, or carry more marks, or you can also start with small topics first, so you can get them done with easy things first, which will also boost your confidence. 

Take regular ways

Study in short sessions so you don’t feel overwhelmed with studies. Also, if you are someone who can’t concentrate for a long time, you can follow 25 minutes of studying and then 5 minutes of break, and repeat it again and again; this way, you can build focus.

Practice papers

Your exam stress reduces when you have confidence in what you studied. Try practicing past papers or attempting mock tests related to your subject. This way you can build confidence, also it helps to understand paper patterns. This way, your mental health will not deteriorate.  

Get enough sleep

To enhance student mental health, you need adequate sleep. Sleep is very important as it improves your concentration, memory, and overall performance in exams.

Eat brain-boosting foods

Food can be a mental booster during exam time. Include fruits, nuts, and whole grain foods in your diet to stay energised and alert.

Conclusion 

If you are a student in UK, it is important to take care of your mental health. Student mental health is now taken seriously by people. There are many self-help groups for students, therapist availability, and mental health helpline numbers as well. So, if you ever feel down, you can always reach out to people for help. It is very, very important to take care of your mental health, and it should not be ignored. Take appropriate help if you ever need it!

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