Nursing school is stressful. Two to four years of your life is put on hold. A student’s day-to-day completely changes, the student nurse needs to remember self-care. The high stress and anxiety will pay dividends on your physical and mental health, which will decrease your grades in the long term and cause depression, sickness, and overall unsatisfaction.
#1 Sleep
As important as studying is to the student, a sleep-deprived brain will not be as bright, alert, or convert new information into long term knowledge. Try to have a bedtime or an end to the day when the notes and textbooks are put away. If you are anxious and stress at night implement a few rules, have a designated bedtime, and an end to studying, no screens an hour before bed, and try to have a bedtime routine to help relax your brain and get ready for sleep.
#2 Healthy Snacks
You’ve been reading for hours, your stomach is aching. What do you grab for a snack? Chips, cookies, a hard boil egg or banana. I know that anything with chocolate usually won me over. The high sugary, oily snacks will give you mind-fog and a sugar crash with a heavy feeling. You want to try to grab for the fruit or a protein snacks. Include making healthy snacks in advance to have available. At the school, in the cafeteria try to curve the cravings for french fries, cookies, and chips, by making the decision for yogurt, hummus, and fruit. Over time eating the unhealthy snack, you’ll notice an unhealthy weight gain as well.
#3 Exercise / Take Breaks
Movement is great for the body, movement increases circulation, burns calories, and a great way to release endorphins and gives your brain a break. Schedule daily or weekly sessions at a gym and make it your routine to take a walk in the morning or evening. If you’re stuck or reach a wall in reading or studying, take a break and go for a walk. When you return to the book, you will be surprised at how clear everything is and how much more sense everything makes.
#4 Vent
It is going to seem that the only people who are going to understand you are other classmates. I know that no one else understood the pressure of lecture, lab, and clinical. Find a group, classmate you sit with during class, for me it was the first clinical group I had my first semester. Make connections among these people, and find a safe space to vent. An unfair test question, a horrible assignment, or a boring class being able to talk about the crazy stuff in a safe, and trusting environment will significantly allow you to feel understood and not alone. Mental health is essential.
Are there any other ways you perform self-care as a student?