Wellness Program

Stress

Stress and performance have a love-hate relationship. Research indicates that there is a certain amount of stress that aids performance by increasing motivation, drive, and energy. However, once you cross over a certain point on the curve (i.e. the stress becomes too much), stress begins to have a negative impact on concentration, motivation, and other cognitive abilities. This is otherwise known as the Yerkes-Dodson Law.

The optimal amount of stress to increase performance is often determined by the task at hand, your ability to cope, and the resources you have available to you. While some stress encourages us to focus on a specific task, the negative side effects of stress can be far-ranging.

According to the Mayo Clinic (2017), negative amounts of stress can result in:

✓ Headaches
✓ Muscle tension/pain
✓ Chest pain
✓ Fatigue
✓ Anxiety
✓ Restlessness
✓ Lack of motivation or focus
✓ Irritability or anger
✓ Sadness or depression
✓ Social withdrawal
✓ High blood pressure
✓ Weakened immune system

Learning to control stress can reduce the physiological and psychological affect it has on your ability to perform.

Tips for Stress Management

There are many resources available on stress management; however, some of the more effective strategies include:

✓ Working out
✓ Meditation
✓ Massage
✓ Socializing
✓ Hobbies
✓ Reading
✓ Take a break
✓ Laughing
✓ Active breathing techniques

Stress and the Board Exams

Stress and stress response is individualized. No two students handle the Board Exams the same way: what works for one does not necessarily work for another. In addition to encouraging you to find healthy ways to manage your stress, Divine Herbalism wants you to understand the things that specifically trigger your stress during the test taking process. Part of our goal at Divine Herbalism is to help you learn to deal with this stress and to design mechanisms to help you overcome situations that otherwise may prevent you from completing any board examination including NPLEX Parts 1 and 2.

What Dr. Arshadi’s students say about his Transformation Program