Finals week is one of the most stressful weeks for students in their fall semester. As this time is approaching, it is common for students to have massive amounts of stress. Even though it is important to study hard and make sure you do your best on your final, it is also important to take care of yourself.

It is most common to see students overwork themselves to the point where they are burnt out, so here are some tips on how to handle and reduce stress with finals coming up.

Taking time to practice breathing techniques in between classes and study sessions is a great way to calm down your mind. Deep breathing is one of the most commonly used techniques to calm down stress because it sends messages to your brain to calm down and understand that you are relaxing.

Getting enough sleep is also extremely important. Students will give up sleep for a few extra hours of studying which is a great example of what NOT to do. The CDC says that students from the ages of 13-18 should get 8-10 hours of sleep. Even though sleep is easy to give up, it is not as beneficial as it seems in the long run. So, next time, prepare organized amounts of studying time so you can get the proper amount of sleep to keep you powered up.

The simplest way to help ease the stress during finals is by listening to music. As you are studying or walking from one class to another, put some music on. Not only does it reduce stress, it also helps students focus more on their work in front of them.

Finally, having a healthy diet can help a lot. Getting the correct nourishment helps boost your brain power. When under stress, students do not have good appetites which can slow them down and make them feel not as great. Drinking lots of water, eating regularly, and being healthy can really make a difference in one’s work habits.

With finals being in just a few weeks, do not hesitate to use these simple and doable tasks to help you feel better while preparing and taking your finals. Good luck Cowboys on your fall semester final exams!