This is to all those who are preparing for the competitive exams — are you having a hard time focusing on your study? Do you open your books & read but couldn’t maintain your focus?

Preparation for competitive exams demands studying in marathons and that too on a daily basis. 

This builds up a lot of stress on your mind. Sooner or later this stress starts taking a toll on your mind & body, and you have a feeling of burnout.

In this article by Sacred Gurukul — Best JPSC & BPSC coaching institute in Patna, Bihar — we’ll talk about the importance of Relaxation and how it significantly contributes to your studies or life.

But before we get into this, we first must understand the Stress.

Understanding Stress

Stress is considered something that has a very negative impact on your physical & psychological health, that people should avoid at all cost, that is a hindrance to your success and whatnot.

But the question is — is stress really this bad for you?

To find the answer to this question, we did some research and what we discovered was rather shocking.

We found that there are a lot of misconceptions that surround stress and because of that our society has developed a very bad understanding of stress.

So let’s clear the air around it and give you a very clear picture of what exactly stress is.

Stress — as defined by psychological experts — is our innate psychological and physiological reaction to a situation that is a threat or challenge to us.

The response is more of a feeling of emotional or physical tension to any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.

Stress triggers the fight-or-flight response in our body that helps us to escape a dangerous situation or perform in challenging situations.

For example, when you press your car brakes suddenly is because of this fight-or-flight response that keeps you out of danger.

In the same way, when your boss gives you a deadline, this fight-or-flight response helps you to meet that.

Also, it has been proven that stress in short bursts is a good thing for us as it can help us perform better.

However, when stress lasts for a long time it may lead to long-term health problems and exacerbate existing conditions.

Types of Stress

Majorly, stress is classified into 2 types:

• Acute stress
• Chronic stress

Acute Stress

This type of stress is the body's reaction to a new or challenging situation.

It’s a feeling you get when you narrowly avoid being hit by a car, or from an approaching deadline.

But it can also come from something that you enjoy. Like an exhilarating ride on a roller coaster or an outstanding personal achievement.

It’s basically short-term stress, and usually, your emotions & body return to their normal state relatively soon.

This type of stress:

• Is a motivator,
• improves work efficiency,
• breeds success, and
• is healthy.

So if you have this stress that makes you more focused and motivated, it’s a good thing to have.

Chronic Stress

This type of research is the accumulation of stressors over a long period. Like if you are bullied at school or constantly fighting with your life partner.

The common symptoms of chronic stress are:

• You’re under a constant feeling of pressure or overwhelm for a long time.
•  Aches and pains, insomnia or weakness, less socialization, unfocused thinking.

Psychological effects of Chronic stress on students

The psychological effects of chronic stress include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Problems with cognitive functioning (being unable to concentrate or learn as well as you normally would)
• Changes in behaviour, such as being irritable, angry, hostile, frustrated, or withdrawn

If you’re a student preparing for competitive exams, then you may come across this stress. However, there are certain proven methods that you can use to prevent it to get the better of you.

now you have a proper understanding of stress and its positive and negative effect on your mind & body.

So, see you next time with another topic to discuss. Till then stay tuned to our blogs and let us know in the comments which topic you want us to cover next.