LETTERS: These days, more and more students are facing stress.
The Malaysian Health and Morbidity Survey (2017) reported that one in five teenagers in Malaysia is depressed, two in five suffer from anxiety and one in 10 is stressed.
The situation has worsened with the pandemic and students have been under a lot of pressure.
In a local public university early this year, it was reported that a master's student was found dead at his hostel and the cause of death is unknown.
A year before, two deaths of university students due to extreme stress shocked the nation.
So, how can students cope with stress? In a study by a group of students at UiTM Rembau recently, it was found that music could be an effective way to help students release stress and be positively motivated.
Usually, loud music can have the opposite effect as it can be distracting.
However, the study showed that 51.1 per cent of students agreed that music helped them to have positive vibes, 80 per cent believed that it helped them improve their mood and 44.4 per cent said it helped them boost alertness and concentration.
Interestingly, I searched YouTube for relaxing music and found that there is a variety of music to help one destress for various reasons such as music for study, office jazz, calm music for sleep, music for motivation, business music and so forth.
Does the music work? I tried it at work while marking exam papers. I felt that the music was rejuvenating and relaxing. I felt less stressed, less sleepy and more alert.
Perhaps this is one way worth trying for students to release stress while studying. Even at work, it can lighten the day with the sound of jazz, birds chirping and sea waves splashing.
So, anyone for some music to relax and de-stress?
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DR SOO KUM YOKE
UiTM, Negri Sembilan branch, Rembau campus
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
