Educational pursuits can provide a solid foundation for students to prosper in future professional careers. However, during academic preparation, students are faced with a variety of daily tasks and challenges that can be difficult to deal with. One of the problems that can occur from the constant grind of academia is fatigue. Research has identified several specific causes of fatigue in students.
Stress Coping Strategies
The particular stress coping strategies that students use to handle the demands of academic studies are a big cause of student fatigue. In the fall 2000 issue of "Behavioral Medicine," researchers investigated the association between medical students' stress coping strategies and onset of severe fatigue. Results of the study indicated that severe fatigue in medical students was linked to the use of an avoidance based stress coping strategy. Students who used an avoidance based stress coping strategy did not acknowledge and effectively deal with the pressures of daily academic challenges.
Negative Perfectionism
Negative perfectionism is a belief that if a person does not achieve perfection in a task that other people will not have a positive perception of them. In the February 2010 issue of "Psychology and Health," researchers investigated negative perfectionism and student fatigue. Results of the study indicated that negative perfectionism led to both physical and mental fatigue in students. Additionally, negative perfectionism was highly correlated with bouts of depression in students.
Negative Lifestyle Behaviors
A collection different lifestyle behavior can also be attributed to fatigue in students. In the September 2007 "Journal of the Formosan Medical Association," researchers examined the prevalence fatigue in relation to negative lifestyle behaviors of graduate students. Results of the study indicated two important points. One, lack of sleep, chronic disease and lack of physical activity correlated with high levels of fatigue in graduate students who participated in the study. Additionally, researchers explained that regular exercise participation can act as a buffer against fatigue for students. However, the intensity of exercise participation determines its overall effectiveness in combating the onset of fatigue in students.
References
- Behavioral Medicine: "Stress and Coping Styles are Associated with Severe Fatigue in Medical Students"; M. Tanaka, et. al. Fall 2009.
- Psychology and Health: "Negative Perfectionism Increases the Risk of Fatigue Following a Period of Stress"; A. Dittner, et. al. February 2010.
- Journal of the Formosan Medical Association: "Lifestyle Risk Factors Associated with Fatigue in Graduate Students"; Y. Lee, et. al. September 2007.
