Sweating out the stress

Brian Lenz wipes the sweat off his face as he finishes his two-to three hour workout, by doing a "cool down run" to help him think about the things that have occurred in his life that day.

Now in his third year at A&T, Lenz believes that being a full time student, working part time and having a social life is stressful.

"I try to put my priorities first and put the partying and hanging out second. Being at the gym for a couple of hours helps me clear my mind from everything and be able to think straight about my life."

Lenz is among the many students at A & T who works out daily to avoid the stress that college students may feel. According to The New York Times, 80 percent of college campuses in the United States have noted significant increases in serious psychological problems, including severe stress, depression anxiety and panic attacks related to stress.

Lenz's workout partner Nick Baylis, a senior, said that he believes professors should be a little easier on students. Lenz disagreed with his friend and said that hard work makes a stronger and better person.

Hard work does make a better person, but if the stress is not reduced, that individual can suffer from high blood pressure, obesity, low resistance and inflammatory illnesses, says health experts.

"Exercising weekly can help relieve stress," said Dr. Chris Aiken, a University of Virginia and Yale Medical School graduate and now a psychiatrist at A & T. He agreed with Lenz by saying that exercising is a way to relieve stress. But that is just one way.

Other ways are eating properly and also getting at least six to eight hours of sleep daily. Aiken believes that college years are very stressful.

He said that finding a mate, having real friendships, learning to be independent and having a successful job can put too much pressure on your brain. "That is too much gear shifting for the brain to do all at once," said Aiken.

He also pointed out that thinking of more than one thing at once is not what makes you stressed.

Being stressed is caused by the hormones in your body that are released and constantly going up and down and putting too much pressure on your brain.

According to Aiken, 30 percent of people will develop a mental illness because of stress, such as bipolar disease, depression and even a panic attack. He suggests exercising to students because it can reduce the chances for them or anyone to experience any of the side effects.