Health issues of aspirants of competitive examination and remedies
Aspirants of competitive examination work hard, study for longer period. They may suffer with numerous health problems. Students may also face challenges to their health, both physical and mental, that may have long-term effects.
There are many other adverse health effects due to their hectic schedule.
-Poor Nourishment and Lack of Exercise: Students lack in many nutrients and become pale as they study a lot. It adversely affects their overall health.
-Majority of students, both males and females develop eating disorders during their exam preparation. Eating disorders are extreme behaviours, emotions and attitudes that revolve around food and weight issues. Symptoms of eating disorder include:
- Anorexia nervosa
- Bulimia nervosa
- Binge-eating disorder
These disorders cause serious mental and physical problems that can result in life-threatening issues when left untreated. Many students do not seek treatment for their eating disorder, nor do they believe they have developed a problem. Eating disorders are potentially life intimidating and can contribute to serious health issues if not treated properly, including kidney failure, stunted growth, loss of female menstruation, failure in the reproductive system and heart problems.
Pupils may also suffer from mental problems such as anorexia, and other mental health issues because of a focus on "constant testing". They suffer from acute Stress.
-Students also suffer from gastrointestinal problems while studying for exams. It is shown in studies that study stress can make them worse. Stress is also a common factor in many other gastrointestinal problems conditions, such as
- Chronic heartburn (or gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Indigestion/dyspepsia,
- Bloating
- Constipation.
-Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness among scholars who are preparing for examination. Anxiety disorders occur when anxiety interferes with daily life, halting your ability to function, and causing an immense amount of stress and fearful feelings. Common symptoms for anxiety disorders are
- Feelings of stress and apprehension
- Irritability
- Trouble concentrating
- Fearfulness
- Sweating and dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Irregular heartbeat
- Muscle pain and tension
- Headaches and frequent upset of stomach or diarrhoea
Several research reports revealed that sitting for long period may lead to health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Depression among students of competitive examination is occasionally observed. Sometimes, it could lead to other symptoms or suicide. Depression is a common but serious illness that leaves candidates feeling despondent and helpless, completely detached from the world. Candidates may show symptoms like;
- Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
- Change in appetite or weight
- Slowed thinking or speech
- Loss of interest in activities or social gatherings
- Fatigue, loss in energy
- Sleeplessness
- Feelings of guilt or anger over past failures
- Trouble concentrating
- Indecisiveness
- Anger or frustration for no distinct reason
It interferes with their life, making it difficult to work, study, sleep and eat.
Remedy:
Aspirants may tackle these health issues at their end.
-They can manage time for studies. They must not give long sitting instead take a break after two to three hours of study. This will help to control gastro problems.
-It is always good to eat at short intervals. Students must include vitamins, protein and mineral in their diet. So they may gain strength to study.
-Regular exercise is recommended even if students have tight schedule of study.
- Students suffering from severe eating disorders must seek professional help.
- To resolve mental health issues during exam preparation, best technique is to avail counselling. Many institutes conduct free and confidential in-house counselling service, with professionally qualified counsellors and psychotherapists that candidates can access. While academic advisers may not be trained as professional counsellors, they are ideally positioned to assist students in accessing mental health resources. Advisers may observe behaviours that could indicate underlying mental health issues or students may self-report their own concerns about their behaviour.
To get rid of depression during exam, effective treatments are antidepressants and psychotherapy. Some people find that a combination of antidepressants and psychotherapy works best. It is imperative to get advice from specialist. A doctor or mental health care provider can help to give best treatment. In present scenario in education, candidates whether studying in college or preparing for competitive examination undergo several illness and these problems hugely impact their performance. It is better to know the right way to study, organize themselves to kick out these problems and make bright future.