Are you still forcing yourself to study, finish a project, or address other responsibilities but your brain just doesn’t want to work anymore? Try scheduling brain breaks to give your mind a chance to rest.
Several reports (including those from Gallup and the American Psychological Association) show that many college students are stressed. In fact, 51% of Gallup’s respondents reported feeling worried most of the day.
If you find yourself feeling stressed for a chunk of your college experience so far, keep reading. We’ll talk to you about what brain breaks are, why they’re good for you, and how you can implement them in your life.
- What Are Brain Breaks?
- Benefits of Brain Breaks for College Students
- Long-Term Impacts of Brain Breaks
- How to Implement Effective Brain Breaks in College
- Common Challenges in Implementing Brain Breaks
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
What Are Brain Breaks?
Brain breaks are activities that help you reset and refocus. They’re short, intentional periods of rest from focused mental activity. Research shows that your brain isn’t idle even if you’re resting. In fact, it’s still working to process and make sense of experiences, memories, emotions, and information. Then once the brain has sifted through the information you’ve given it, it’s ready to receive more things to process again. This helps you understand and remember them better.
Brain breaks are important for college students since they can experience many stressors, such as:
- Academic pressure. College-level academics demand critical thinking, analysis, and a high level of commitment. The constant cycle of exams, papers, and projects can also create significant anxiety.
- Social pressures. Navigating new social environments and forming meaningful connections might be challenging.
- Financial stress. The high cost of education can create significant financial burdens, especially if you aren’t able to secure scholarships like the National Merit Scholarship Program.
- Transitioning to independence. You have to juggle academic work, social activities, part-time jobs, and personal responsibilities. For many students, college is their first time living away from home, which can also lead to feelings of homesickness and isolation.
If you don’t manage the demands of college life, they may get overwhelming, which will negatively affect your mental and physical well-being. Taking brain breaks is one healthy coping mechanism that can help you manage those demands.
Examples of brain breaks
Some examples of effective brain breaks include:
- Physical activity (walking, stretching, yoga)
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Creative activities (drawing, listening to music, playing an instrument)
- Social interaction (talking to friends, calling family)
- Simply stepping away from academic work and looking out a window
- Power naps
Basically, brain breaks are designed to give your brain and body a chance to recharge, which can help prevent cognitive fatigue and enhance overall well-being. The activities you do should be something that is enjoyable and relaxing to you.
Benefits of Brain Breaks for College Students
Brain breaks offer many benefits for your mental (and even physical!) health. We’ll discuss some of the benefits below.
1. Stress reduction
Do you have three major exams in one week? The pressure to perform well might have led to constant worry, sleepless nights, and difficulty concentrating during study sessions. If you don’t effectively reduce your stress, it might lead to poor exam performance, further increasing your stress levels.
Prolonged focus and academic stress trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, which releases the stress hormone cortisol. Brain breaks interrupt this cycle, allowing your nervous system to calm down. Activities like deep breathing, meditation, or even a short walk can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of your body that relaxes you.
So, if you schedule brain breaks into your study routine, you give yourself time to calm down. Go for a walk, have a snack, or watch cute cat videos to relax before facing your lessons again.
2. Improved focus and concentration
Have you been studying for your biology exam non-stop for two hours and realized you’ve been reading the same three paragraphs over and over since your mind keeps drifting off? Prolonged sustained attention leads to cognitive fatigue, making it hard to concentrate the longer you do your task.
Brain breaks let your brain rest and recharge, improving attention span and productivity. Do a quick stretching routine or listen to your favorite song. This brief change of activity refreshes your mind so it can absorb the information you’re trying to feed it.
3. Enhanced emotional regulation
If you have a demanding course load this semester and constantly feel like anything could set you off, schedule brain breaks so you have time to do activities you like, such as doodling or spending some time in nature. You’ll find that these can help you maintain a sense of balance and prevent emotional exhaustion.
Brain breaks give you time and space for emotional processing and self-regulation. They can help you manage anxiety, frustration, and other negative emotions by providing a moment to step back and reassess. Basically, taking a break allows you to avoid emotional flooding, which also helps prevent breakdowns in the future.
4. Increased creativity and problem-solving
Have you pushed yourself to finish that short story for a creative writing class and been so frustrated that you just stood up and took a break? Maybe you noticed that when you sat back down, you were calmer and could think clearly again.
When the brain is overworked, it has a harder time coming up with creative solutions. As such, stepping away from a problem allows the brain to make new connections and generate creative solutions. That’s because relaxation can foster divergent thinking, which is important for creative problem-solving.
5. Prevention of burnout
Consistent brain breaks prevent the accumulation of stress that leads to burnout since they help you maintain a healthy work-life balance and prevent feelings of being overwhelmed.
Don’t wait until you’re slogging through your responsibilities to take a break. Schedule those breaks before you’re hit by a mental block. The most important thing here is to create a sustainable schedule. You can adjust that schedule every once in a while to fit your lifestyle.
Long-Term Impacts of Brain Breaks
Prioritizing mental well-being in college through brain breaks isn’t just about surviving your upcoming finals for Abstract Algebra or Shakespeare performance. It’s also about building a foundation for a healthy and fulfilling college life that you truly enjoy.
The habits you develop during your college years can actually have a long-term impact. Here are some examples:
1. Improved academic performance and career success
Students who manage stress effectively and maintain mental clarity are better equipped to learn, retain information, and perform well academically. These skills translate directly into career success since they foster productivity, problem-solving abilities, and resilience in the workplace.
Good mental health can let you overcome challenges, which can lead to greater career advancement. This will also result in better employee satisfaction and performance.
2. Stronger relationships
Have you accidentally lashed out at a friend while you were in the middle of stressing out about organizing your club’s donation drive? Having good mental well-being will allow you to immediately realize what you’ve done and apologize. Alternatively, you might be able to catch yourself in time so you can calm down enough before speaking to your friend and perhaps explain that now isn’t a good time for you since you’re busy.
Mental well-being promotes emotional stability and empathy, which are important for healthy relationships. If you manage your own emotions, you’re better able to communicate effectively, resolve conflicts constructively, and build meaningful connections.
3. Increased resilience
Prioritizing mental well-being builds resilience, which is the ability to bounce back from adversity. Students who develop healthy coping mechanisms are better equipped to handle setbacks, challenges, and unexpected life changes.
Maybe you’ve experienced being so stressed out for midterms week and then suddenly breaking down after seeing that you failed your inorganic chemistry exam. If you take care of your mental health, you might be able to calm down soon enough and assess what went wrong and how you can improve your performance. Resilience is a learned skill, and college is a great place for you to start practicing it.
4. Better overall quality of life
Do you often feel so mentally down in the dumps that you don’t feel like doing anything? Because of that, maybe you’re not meeting with friends, eating well, or doing much at all—which will only make you feel worse. If you can manage your mental health well, you might not have so many down days, which will make you feel better too.
Remember that a healthy mind leads to a healthy body. The state of your mind also affects your well-being and quality of life.
Mental well-being contributes to a sense of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. Those who prioritize their mental health are more likely to experience joy, satisfaction, and overall well-being.
5. Continued healthy habits
There’s actually a science behind forming habits.
Basically, the idea is to mindfully do something consistently until your brain gets rewired. For example, if you’re used to downing a few bottles of Red Bull for an all-nighter, try to start a healthier habit. That can be drinking black tea (which has the most caffeine among other teas) or improving your time management skills so you don’t have to stay up all night in the first place.
The habits that are formed in college are very likely to continue into adulthood. If you learn the importance of brain breaks and other mental health maintenance techniques, you will be more likely to continue to use those techniques throughout your life. These healthy habits create a positive feedback loop that improves your quality of life.
How to Implement Effective Brain Breaks in College
Implementing effective brain breaks in a demanding college environment will require intentionality and planning. But trust us when we say it gets easier the more you get used to it!
1. Schedule breaks into your routine.
Treat brain breaks as non-negotiable appointments in your schedule, just like classes or study sessions. This proactive approach prevents breaks from being overlooked or sacrificed even when time gets tight. However, make sure the schedule is reasonable—you shouldn’t be taking a break every ten minutes or 2 hours.
The Pomodoro technique is one of the most used techniques for scheduling breaks. Here’s how it works:
- Choose a task.
- Set a 25-minute timer to do that task.
- When the timer is up, take a 5-minute break.
- For every four rounds of that, take a longer 15 to 30 minute break.
- Repeat.
Is it time for your scheduled break but you’re not done answering your Physics practice tests? Tell yourself to take that break anyway and you might find that you actually needed it.
2. Use timers and apps.
Does it keep slipping your mind to take a break? Use technology to help you maintain consistent break intervals!
Use timers or apps to structure study sessions with built-in breaks. These tools help to automate break reminders, ensuring that you don’t lose track of time or become overly absorbed in your work.
These tools can also help track how long you’re studying and how long you’re taking breaks, helping you adjust your mindset and get used to the amount of work and rest you should be doing.
3. Identify personal preferences.
Experiment with different types of brain breaks to find what works best for you. Consider your individual needs, preferences, and energy levels.
Maybe you’d like a bit of physical activity, like stretching, getting up for a quick walk, or even organizing your space. Or maybe you prefer quiet relaxation, like listening to music, meditating, or having a snack. Brain breaks may also give you some time to do your hobbies, like drawing!
Look for brain break activities that can be completed in short periods, such as 5-15 minutes. This is particularly important for fitting breaks into a busy college schedule. Having a list of short, effective activities ensures that you can take breaks even when time is limited.
However, keep in mind that social media is not considered a purposeful break. You may chat with your friends or call your family, but mindless scrolling isn’t good for your brain.
Tailoring breaks to your personal preferences increases the likelihood of adherence and effectiveness. Make a list of activities that you find relaxing and enjoyable.
4. Create a designated relaxation space.
Make a designated area where you can retreat to for brain breaks. It could be a quiet corner in your room, a comfortable chair, or a peaceful spot in a nearby park. Regardless of what you choose, the space should be conducive to relaxation and free from distractions.
Having a designated space reinforces the importance of self-care and provides a physical cue for relaxation.
5. View breaks as essential.
Shift your mindset from viewing brain breaks as optional indulgences to recognizing them as essential for mental and academic performance. Understand that taking breaks is not a sign of laziness but a proactive strategy for maintaining focus and preventing burnout.
This mental shift will help you prioritize breaks even when you feel pressured to work continuously. Remember that a healthy mind is a productive mind.
Common Challenges in Implementing Brain Breaks
If you want to start your journey to integrating brain breaks into your schedule, here are some challenges you might encounter and some quick fixes for them:
- Overcoming guilt. Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with positive affirmations. Remind yourself that taking breaks is not a waste of time but an investment in your well-being and productivity.
- Finding time. Use short breaks between classes or during transition periods. Break down large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks with scheduled breaks in between.
- Dealing with distractions. Minimize distractions during break times by turning off notifications, putting away electronic devices, or finding a quiet space. Communicate your need for uninterrupted break time to roommates or friends. You’ve all experienced being busy, so we’re sure they’ll understand!
- Finding community. Joining clubs or organizations can be a great way to take a break and socialize—and social interaction can also be a great brain break. Having friends to hold you accountable for taking breaks can be very helpful as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the 5 4 3 2 1 brain break?
The 5 4 3 2 1 brain break is a simple activity where you’ll have to do five different physical activities in descending order. For example, you could do five squats, four jumping jacks, three arm raises, two hops, and one clap.
2. How do I give my brain a break?
Give your brain a break by taking purposeful brain breaks. These can depend on your preference and can range from taking a power nap to going out for a quick walk.
3. Do brain breaks really work?
Yes, brain breaks really work! Some short-term benefits are reducing stress and improving focus. Meanwhile, some long-term benefits are having stronger relationships and a better overall quality of life.
Takeaways
Feel like your brain doesn’t want to think anymore? Take brain breaks!
- Brain breaks are short periods of rest from intense mental activities. They let your mind and body recharge and refresh, so you’re ready for another spurt of thinking.
- Some short-term benefits of brain breaks include stress reduction, improved focus and concentration, enhanced emotional regulation, increased creativity and problem-solving, and prevention of burnout.
- Meanwhile, some long-term benefits are improved academic performance and career success, stronger relationships, increased resilience, better overall quality of life, and continued healthy habits.
- Some tips to help implement effective brain breaks in your college life are to schedule breaks into your routine, use timers and apps, identify personal preferences, create a designated relaxation space, and view breaks as essential.
- Getting ready for college life? A private consultant can give you tips on balancing extracurriculars and academics to help you build a solid college application.
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