PCSD Student Support Services
A weekly dose of encouragement for students and families
Week of May 11th, 2020
- Elementary Virtual School Assembly on 5/15 with Jared Campbell!
- How to Use Music for Stress Relief
- Community Resources
- Basic Needs First
- Managing Corona Virus Anxiety
Music can affect the body in many health-promoting ways, which is the basis for a growing field known as music therapy. However, you can use music in your daily life and achieve many stress relief benefits on your own. Music provides a wonderful backdrop for your life and you can find increased enjoyment from what you’re doing while reducing stress from your day.
Put together a custom playlist for each of these activities and you may soon notice a significant decrease in stress.
When Getting Ready in the Morning
You can wake yourself up with music and start your day feeling great. By selecting the right music, you can set the tone for a lower-stress day.
Classical or instrumental music can help you wake up while keeping you calm and focused. If you have a big, busy day ahead that requires extra energy, try something that's upbeat and makes you want to dance and smile.
During a Commute
Put an end to road rage by playing your favorite music in the car.
- It can relieve some of the tension you feel from the commute itself and the day so far.
- It can help you feel less like you’re wasting time in traffic and more like you’re having some nice time to yourself.
- It can take your mind off of all that you need to get done once you reach your destination. You will arrive less stressed and more prepared to take on what awaits you.
Try switching to a classical station when you are really stressed out. The soothing rhythms and sounds can calm you down and make your commute smoother.
Cooking
Good nutrition is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and it can actually keep your stress level down. Eating at home is a great way to ensure healthy meals and less expensive, but many people find themselves too tired to cook once they get home.
If you put on some smooth jazz or a similar genre of music that you enjoy, cooking becomes a fun activity rather than a chore. You will likely find yourself relaxed and in a better frame of mind once dinner starts, which can enable you to savor your dinner and your company as you eat.
While Eating
Music can also be a helper as you’re eating your meal. Soothing music can trigger the relaxation response, which can lower cortisol levels, making it easier to digest food.
Studies have shown that classical music, in particular, can help you eat less, digest better and enjoy your food more.
Cleaning
Keeping a simple, organized home can really help to cut down on your stress level, but cleaning itself is a chore that many busy people don’t have the energy to face after a long day. However, if you throw on some energetic music (hip-hop or pop, for example) you can raise your energy level and have fun as you clean.
If you tell yourself that you only need to clean for a certain amount of songs and then you can be done, you may work more efficiently. Who knows, you may even come to look forward to doing the job.
When Paying Bills
We all need to pay bills, but the job doesn’t always take a high degree of concentration. Playing music while you write your checks can help take your mind off of financial stress you may be feeling and make the task more enjoyable.
Before Bed
Getting enough sleep is important for proper functioning, and getting enough sleep can help you handle stress better. Unfortunately, stress can also interfere with sleep in several ways.
Playing music as you drift off is one way to counteract the effects of stress by taking your mind off what’s stressing you. Music can help slow down your breathing and soothing your mind.
Community Resources
In the link below, you can find contacts available in our county to help with the following needs:
- Food and Basic Needs
- Family Needs
- Mental Health
- Public Health
- Pharmacy Delivery Services
The crisis hotline can be accessed 24/7 by calling 1.866.5PREVENT (1.866.577.3836).
STAY F.R.E.S.H.
Use this acronym to ask questions about your most basic needs (the fist level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs):
F - Food. Are you eating regularly or skipping meals?
R - Recreation (Rec Time). What's your outlet for recharging?
E - Exercise. Do you have a routine for daily activity?
S - Sleep. Do you practice regular, consistent sleep habits?
H - Hydration. Are you drinking enough water each day?
Though these things are not cure-alls for stress, anxiety, depression, and other challenges, they can absolutely keep us from working towards overcoming them. If you are lacking in any of these areas, reach out to a counselor to learn strategies and best practices for making yourself, and your health, a priority.
Reach Out Anytime!
Alan Feazelle - afeazelle@plattscsd.org
Amy Tisdale - atisdale@plattscsd.org
Rory LaPage - rlapage@plattscsd.org
Sunshine Quinn - squinn@plattscsd.org
James DeBella - jdebella@plattscsd.org
SMS:
Christina Santella - csantella@plattscsd.org
Grace Prue - gprue@plattscsd.org
Janet Hankins - jhankins@plattscsd.org
Kelly Bilow - kbilow@plattscsd.org
Momot:
Kelly Cooper - kcooper@plattscsd.org
Mindy Fay - mfay@plattscsd.org
Savannah Therrien - sdouglas@plattscsd.org
Tracie McCarthy - tmccarthy@plattscsd.org
Oak:
Garret McLean - gmclean@plattscsd.org
Kristy Clark - kclark@plattscsd.org
Bailey:
Tracey Giroux - tgiroux@plattscsd.org
Sheldon Cullen - scullen@plattscsd.org