De-stressing with fitness
For many university students, their stress levels have reached an all-time high.
Instead of getting physical activity to help relieve stress, they are choosing to do nothing about it.
Camilla Kondracka a third-year justice studies student at the University of Guelph-Humber said, “if I’m really down in the dumps, I could want to sit in my room, and just be by myself,” Kondracka said.
Fitness has been proven to help people address ongoing issues with anxiety and stress. However, some students may not want to work out at all.
“You may feel discouraged to do something because of how you are feeling. Psychologically, school places a lot of stress on you, so you don’t really feel like working out. I feel like I have to go out of my way,” said Kondracka.
Personal trainer at the Humber Fitness Centre, Cameron Vanderschaaf, emphasized the importance of students working out.
“When you’re in class all day, you’re in a seated position. Your muscles get tight and it’s a culmination of stress from school. It’s good to break it up and do something for one hour. You get an endorphin rush, you feel good and lots of hormones are being released,” Vanderschaaf said.
Students are advised to do high intensity work outs that will allow them to de-stress.
“For stress I would say cardio. Something that will get you sweating and really push you to get your heart rate up,” Vanderschaaf said.
Lia Domenis, a third-year kinesiology student from Guelph-Humber, is a part of the intramural and extramural volleyball team at Humber College and she uses the sport to cope with stress.
“I go play volleyball on the Humber side to de-stress and take my anger out on the ball,” said Domenis.
Vanderschaaf said students should use Humber’s Fitness Centre because it is free and exercise classes and personal training sessions are affordable.
He also identified yoga as an effective workout for students as it brings clarity to the mind. “Yoga is amazing! Your ability to get into positions, maintain a good structural integrity while breathing in these postures, helps relieve a lot of tension in the surrounding muscles,” said Vanderschaaf.
Dr. Noah Gentner has been a kinesiology professor at the University of Guelph-Humber for the last six years. With a masters and PHD in sports and exercise psychology, Gentner is aware of the impact stress has on students.
“It impacts their relationships, it impacts their overall happiness and their quality of life. I think stress is a pretty big problem for students,” said Gentner.
Gentner said that students should address their issues with stress head on instead of choosing to do nothing.
“Just sitting around, doing nothing, being stressed or just worrying about it does nothing. So you have to take some sort of action. Whether that is exercise or stress management, meditation, relaxation, anything. It’s about identifying something that works for you,” said Gentner.
Gentner said that students could do simple physical activities that will help them relieve stress without it feeling like an inconvenience.
“It doesn’t have to be this big deal, it doesn’t have to be buying a gym membership, or bringing clothes and going to the gym, and having to shower. It could be going for a walk, it could be walking around campus for 20 minutes,” Genter said.
Whenever students are stressed, Gentner said that students should do something they like.
“The most important thing is finding something that you want to do and will keep doing. It’s about finding something that’s going to work for you,” said Gentner.
About the Author
Chelsea Williams is a student journalist who loves everything fashion and entertainment.
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