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Study stress 

Are you just in a busy period or are you losing your footing? 

Have you had periods where student life, assignments and deadlines have been overwhelming? The 2021 study environment survey at Aarhus University shows that 19% of students experience stress. Many students are familiar with stress and it’s a common part of student life. Just don't let it go on too long! 

   

Understand study stress: Stress is the body’s alarm system 

You're not the only one who feels under pressure and stressed from time to time. Stress is a physical and psychological reaction that occurs when there’s an imbalance between the demands placed on you and your resources - and it is very likely that there’ll be periods of stress during your studies.    

Two types of stress

It's important to distinguish between two types of stress: short-term stress and long-term stress.  

  • Short-term stress is completely normal and often occurs before a big exam or an important presentation. It's the kind of stress that can give you an extra push to perform at your best, and then it disappears.   
  • Prolonged stress is a state of tension and discomfort that can persist and eventually lead to serious health problems.   

    

What is stress and why do we get it?  

Listen to Associate Professor Karen Johanne Pallesen from the Department of Clinical Medicine talk about stress and why we get it.  

    

Stress zones 

By understanding study stress, how it affects you as a student and how to manage it, you can learn how to tackle short-term stress and prevent it from developing into something more serious. Stress is not always unhealthy. It’s helpful to think about stress in terms of three zones: the healthy stress zone, the risk zone and the danger zone.  

Signs of stress

It's important to act on your stress symptoms before they affect your ability to study and cope. The first step is to recognise your stress symptoms, take them seriously and respond to them when they crop up. 

   

Stress symptoms 

Listen to Associate Professor Karen Johanne Pallesen from the Department of Clinical Medicine talk about signs of stress. 

   

Do you know your stress symptoms? 

Stress can manifest itself in physical, psychological and behavioural symptoms. 

The type, number and intensity of symptoms vary from person to person.  

Symptom chart - Typical signs of stress 

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Physical symptoms 

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Psychological symptoms

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Behavioural symptoms

  • Headache   
  • Rapid heartbeat   
  • Shaky hands   
  • Dizziness   
  • Chest pain   
  • Stomach pain   
  • Frequent urination   
  • Dry mouth   
  • Diarrhoea   
  • Aches and pains   
  • Reduced sex drive   
  • Frequent infections 
  • Worsening of chronic illness   
  • Sensitivity to sound  
  • Demotivation   
  • Fatigue   
  • Agitation   
  • Difficulty remembering   
  • Difficulty concentrating   
  • Restlessness   
  • Irritability   
  • Anxiety   
  • Humourlessness   
  • Exhaustion   
  • Depression   
  • Low self-esteem   
  • Prone to crying  
  • Insomnia   
  • Hyperventilation   
  • Overwhelmed   
  • Introversion   
  • Anger   
  • Aggression   
  • Poor productivity   
  • Easily distracted   
  • Inefficiency   
  • Indecisiveness   
  • Absence due to illness   
  • Increased consumption of stimulants   
  • Changes in diet 

   

Respond to your symptoms 

If you're experiencing symptoms of stress, it may be a sign that you need to make a change. If you’re in a negative stress spiral and you feel exhausted and burnt out, don't be afraid to seek help and support as it can be difficult to get out of the spiral yourself.     

Note that the symptoms listed above don’t necessarily have to indicate stress, they may indicate some other condition. If you're not sure, consult your doctor!   

Causes of stress

There can be many causes of study stress, as illustrated in the stress model below. The stress model shows that there’s an interplay between student life, private life and individual factors that contribute to whether you thrive in your study life or suffer from stress.   

What stresses you out? 

It’s always good to ask yourself the following questions if you want to find a way to reduce stress.  

  • What stresses you most?  

  • Which of your study habits have a negative impact on your study life? 

  • What have you done in the past? What has helped you the most and why?  

   

Prevent and manage study stress 

You can do a lot to prevent study-related stress - and the following suggestions can often also help you manage stress you already have. These suggestions are not a substitute for professional help, and remember that you can always seek help and support if you are caught in a negative spiral and need someone to talk to. 

Take brain-friendly breaks

You and your brain aren't built to sit and concentrate for hours on end. As a result, many students find that much of the time they dedicate to their coursework is used inefficiently. Your brain needs breaks and works best if you give it a short break about once an hour. Creating brain-friendly breaks increases your efficiency and reduces your stress. However, what works for one person is not necessarily the solution for another, so experiment and find out what works for you. 

Below are suggestions on how you can improve your study breaks: 

Improve your study breaks

Take regular short breaks  Grafik 4

Taking regular breaks allows you to step back, reflect and recharge to tackle study challenges and study productivity:   

  • You’ll be able to make better decisions about your work   
  • You’ll have a better overview and more energy to ask others (fellow students) for help   
  • You’ll be able to complete your tasks more easily and be satisfied with the result   
  • You'll find it easier to find inspiration and see new solutions   
  • You’ll improve the quality of your work  
Incorporate long breaks   Grafik 5

Prioritise long breaks to give you time to get back on top. Plan breaks strategically in your working day so you take a break before you run out of energy.   

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Don't take breaks with new activities Grafik 7 One important rule is that, during your break, don't start new activities that require brain activity. So avoid checking social media, for example, even though it can be a nice change of pace.    
Get help with taking breaks  Grafik 8

Good tools for brain-friendly breaks:  

Charge your mental battery

Your mental battery is different from others. Knowing yourself and what drains and recharges your battery will help avoid going flat too often. 

Recharge your battery

What gives you energy? 

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It can help to know your energy curve. 

For example, consider the following:  

  • What time of day do you study best?  
  • What takes a lot of energy?    
  • What takes only a little energy?   
  • What is neutral and neither takes nor gives you energy?    
  • What gives you energy?  

Try scheduling your week based on activities you have to do and then consider how you can fit in other activities, keeping in mind what you like best. You may want to start by tracking your productivity

Meditation, mindfulness and relaxation 

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Meditation, mindfulness and relaxation are methods to reduce stress. Common to all the methods is that they calm the mind, relieve tension and generally improve your mental state. You can explore free options and apps and find out what works for you. 

Try:  

Use the nature  

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20 minutes in green surroundings is enough to lower our levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

So go for a walk or get out into the countryside every day to and clear your head.  

Listen to your body

A balanced diet and regular exercise can have a significant impact on your ability to manage stress. 

Both can help reduce stress levels and improve your overall wellbeing.  

Listen to your body

Healthy nutrition and diet   Grafik 12 Healthy nutrition and diet provide your body with the necessary nutrients to maintain a healthy balance. If your blood-sugar levels are stable, your body and brain will function better and for longer - making it easier to get through long hours of study. Low blood-sugar means low motivation and productivity.   

Physical activity 

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Exercise and physical activity release endorphins that can improve your mood and reduce stress. Studies show that just 10 minutes of walking has a positive effect on your energy and memory. Actively using your body breaks down stress hormones and the physical fatigue naturally makes it easier to relax. However, be careful not to do strenuous exercise right before bedtime, as the body's transition from activity to rest takes time.  

The body's signals

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Your body is constantly trying to send you signals about how it feels. That's why it's important to recognise what it is looking for. Maybe you need to exercise, eat something, make a cup of tea, change your sitting position or go outside for five minutes.  

Sleep 8-9 hours 

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Sleep is essential for wellbeing. Both mental and physical rest and recovery are essential to overcome and recover from challenges and stress. As a rule, students should get 8-9 hours of sleep per night. Too little sleep affects your memory, stress tolerance, communication skills, digestion, mood and motivation.  

Make realistic study strategies

Have you developed a study strategy for this semester? A study strategy is your plan to achieve your goals. This plan can be crucial for establishing the healthy study habits that prevent and reduce stress while studying. 

Here are suggestions on how to start your plan: 

Start your study strategy

Draw up an overview of your semester/projects

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Gaining greater clarity and overview in your study situation is crucial. For example, make a semester or project outline with appropriate detail to create an overview of your schedule and divide the period into realistic milestones. Be sure to include a buffer period so you have extra time available if something takes longer than expected.   

Set milestones 

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Focus on milestones rather than end goals when making your plan. Your resources and ambitions must go hand in hand. Adjust your level of ambition along the way, recognising that your circumstances may change and expectations of what you can achieve may need to be adjusted. Make it a goal in itself to focus on learning rather than grades.  

Rethink your expectations of yourself

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Do you know what you expect of yourself on your programme? Consider whether you have too high ambitions for yourself or suffer from perfectionism and should you perhaps reconsider your high expectations.