Don't Worry Be Happy 

By Bella Graves

The demands of homework, extra curricular activities, and the college application process seems never ending. It is possible that there will never be enough hours in the day to complete the daunting list of tasks. Let’s be honest, we go to Palo Alto High School, one of the most academically and athletically competitive schools in the country. So unless you are Superman, or have invented a vaccine to eliminate the need for sleep, experiencing overwhelming stress is an inevitability.

But you have more control over it then you may think. Realizing that you can control your stress. One of the basic foundations of stress management is keeping your stress in check which is surprisingly much easier then most people think. Simply by eating and drinking right, staying physically active, and getting enough sleep, you will likely find yourself in a happier state of mind, and ultimately more productive in your work. With a few simple tricks and methods you can prevent stress from controlling your life.

Yoga instructor at Yoga Source in downtown Palo Alto and avid practitioner of yoga for over 16 years, Brian Kruzic, makes it his goal in every yoga class to leave his clients feeling refreshed.
“In a way the whole 90 minute class is working towards that final place of complete physical rest and relaxation but also mental clarity, just no thoughts,” Kruzic said. “If you look at history, a lot of brilliant people in life have had some of their best ideas when they weren’t thinking.”

A yoga is one of the few workouts that is designed specifically for stress control and mental relaxation.

“The idea is to let go of those worries and to focus on the practice,” Kruzic said. “And at the same time you’re getting a great workout, your body is getting stronger and when your body feels better often times your mind follows.”

Another way to control your stress levels and to maintain a healthy physical and mental lifestyle, is to keep a balanced diet. Scarfing down a family sized bag of chips, as fabulous as it is at the time, does not provide your body and your mind with the necessary vitamin and nutrients that you need to perform.

Finally, sleep is essential. It seems impossible sometimes to get a reasonable amount of sleep every night; we are no stranger to late night work, or worse, dreaded all-nighters, but if your performance is in any way important to you, go to bed. Try and develop a consistent sleep schedule and do your very best to follow it, even if you have to put your favorite T.V. show off.



Photo by Nikki Freyermuth