As finals approach, more students are showing symptoms of stress — from feeling overly fatigued to suffering more illnesses to a decrease in productivity and poor concentration.

Stress often occurs when students feel pressured or overwhelmed.

“Everyone is affected, and each has their own way of expressing, noticing and coping with different stress levels,” said Erin Pederson, graduate assistant at the Student Counseling Center. She said stress has a lot to do with changes.

Some stress is normal, though it is important to learn to control stress and keep it at healthy levels.

Pederson said stress is acceptable, so long as the person experiencing it is functioning well. She said trouble sleeping, changes in appetite, developing risky behaviors and pushing friends away are all signs that a person is experiencing too much stress.

Robin Zakalik, a stress management counselor for the ISU Wellness Center, said stress affects students physically, emotionally and mentally. She said students who don’t want to get up in the morning are probably affected by negative stress.

“A lack of enjoyment in life is a sign of excessive stress,” Zakalik said.

There are ways for students to deal with stress, however.

“Most people don’t do enough things for themselves,” Pederson said. “Be kind to yourself and take care of yourself.”

She said it is important to make sleep a priority.

“Try and think it is not the end of the world,” said Anna Rudroff, a graduate assistant at Iowa State’s Academic Success Center.

Better time management, prioritizing and also taking time out for yourself helps reduce stress.

Not all stress is unhealthy. Low levels of stress can actually help motivate students. It triggers the fight-or-flight response that provides strength and energy. Stress increases heart rate, mental alertness and blood flow to the brain, heart and muscles.

Everyone is different, and the amount of stress an individual can handle varies.

It is important to be able to realize when you are stressed.

“With fixing anything, it takes practice,” said Pederson.” It takes effort, practice and time to make change. It won’t happen overnight, and a week of time management isn’t good enough.”