Students urged to take care against exam stress

WITH the Leaving and Junior Certificate exams just weeks away, pharmacists are urging students to guard against common stress-related ailments.

Exam pressure can increase headaches, stomach upsets, diarrhoea or constipation and a flare up of certain conditions such as eczema, asthma and acne, experts warn.

Students spending long hours revising or cramming for their exams can suffer from insomnia as a result of finding it difficult to switch off.

And long periods spent reading or in front of a computer can lead to tired, red eyes while muscular and joint pain can result from hours spent at a desk writing or typing on a computer.

The Irish Pharmaceutical Union has devised a Safe Code for Exam Survival to help students minimise symptoms of common minor stress-related ailments.

The code, which is posted on the union’s website, (www.ipu.ie) includes lots of commonsense advice on keeping well at exam time.

Keith O’Hourihane, of the union, advised students and/or their parents to talk to their local pharmacist if they had any concerns or wanted to take precautions in advance of the exams starting. He said that pharmacists would also be able to assess whether a student needed further medical intervention.

“Coping with the exams is stressful enough without the added pressure of dealing with uncomfortable symptoms that can be distracting and upsetting,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Union of Students in Ireland is urging students to start searching for accommodation in September immediately.

Due to a limited supply of affordable accommodation and massive demand, students who delay their search until late in the summer might regret having left it too late.

Almost 40% of students live in a rented house or flat while attending college; 7% live in college residences, either on or off the campus, while 4% live in lodgings or digs.

Union president, Colm Hamrogue said the task for first-year students is particularly great because they needed to start from scratch.

“Demand for student lettings will peak in August and July,” he said. “Don’t wait. The affordable accommodation may have gone.”

www.usi.ie

www.ipu.ie