First Psychology blog

Exams can come with a lot of pressure which can make us feel extremely stressed. Stress is your body’s natural response to pressure and can help you focus and feel motivated to get things done but it can also feel hard to manage at times. Remember to look after your health and wellbeing during exam time and don’t forget that you're not alone. Everything you’re feeling is completely normal and plenty of others are going through the exact same thing.  Various studies of exam stress have shown that exam periods and exam situations are stressful for students. The results from the Natwest Student Living Index 2019 stated that 45% of students admitted they are feeling stressed by their course. Another poll from the same year that included 37,500 students at 140 universities across England, Wales, and Scotland suggests that rates of psychological distress and illness are on the rise in universities, with “alarmingly high” levels of anxiety, loneliness, substance misuse and thoughts of sel...

It can be very stressful for students moving abroad for university as for many it means leaving their family and friends behind and being confronted with a largely new and unknown setting.  Adjusting to the new environment and potential cultural differences can make it difficult for students to build social networks and, as a result, many international students may experience periods of loneliness during their time overseas. With everything so new, foreign, and sometimes scary, making friends and settling in abroad can be challenging. "International students have several risk factors for loneliness, including being away from loved ones, novelty (finding yourself in a new situation), not having a network in the new place yet, and feeling different (not fitting in) because of not understanding social codes and norms." Luzia Heu, Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, who conducts research on loneliness across different cultures.  Ways to combat loneliness Joi...

Anxiety can have you feeling as if the world is crumbling at your feet, but remembering that it's a completely natural response and emotion may help you when you are experiencing these feelings. Firstly, learning about anxiety can help you to manage or even overcome it. Coming to terms with the fact that anxiety affects everyone differently can be the first step of managing it. In 2019, 301 million people were affected by an anxiety disorder and almost one- third of 16–24 year-olds in the UK (31%) reported some evidence of depression or anxiety in 2017-2018. This had increased by 26% from the previous year. It is important to remember that we all have different personal situations and life experiences, therefore, how anxiety affects us can vary significantly. Common causes of anxiety in young adults The root of anxiety isn’t always psychological, it can be unique to you and your circumstances. Habits can spark or provoke anxiety, for example, not sleeping enough or too much alcohol...

The timing, duration and quality of the sleep we get are critical to the health of our body and mind. The recommended sleep duration for older adults (aged 46 – 60) is seven hours minimum; however, for younger adults (between 18-45 years old) nine hours is considered appropriate and most beneficial. This is because younger adults are experiencing very fast physical, intellectual, and emotional growth. Sleep problems are common in university students as they often stay up late completing assignments. In addition, this period of their lives can be stressful and stress can influence the amount of sleep a student gets. This is because high levels of stress can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Not having enough sleep on a regular basis triggers the body’s stress response system leading to an elevation in cortisol, which further disrupts sleep. Additionally, student life can involve lots of social events from making new friends, joining societies, attending parties and drinking...