UPDATED 9:31 A.M. 2/25/2014: A previous version of this story incorrectly attributed information to Kathy Saichuk with the Student Health Center instead of associate director Julie Hupperich. 
By this point in the semester, most students have taken their first test and as midterms approach the stress only increases. Students who have higher stress levels are more likely to have frequent headaches, according to a study released Feb. 19 by the American Academy of Neurology.
Julie Hupperich, associate director of the Student Health Center, said according to a 2013 survey of University students, 6.6 percent reported having migraines in a 12-month period while 31.1 percent said that stress was an academic impediment.
Thomas Lorando, psychology senior, said it’s easy to get overwhelmed in college.
“I get stressed easily when I have a lot of exams coming up,” Lorando said.
Along with headaches, stress can cause muscle aches, depending on if a person caries stress in places like the back and neck. Stress can also cause intestinal issues, anxiety and depression if it is severe enough, Hupperich said.
Hupperich suggested students de-stress by practicing deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and taking classes in assertive training to learn how to refuse to accept things that will add stress to their lives. She also suggested visualization, where one pictures a relaxing scene like a mountain or beach.
The American Academy of Neurology will present its study at the 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia from April 26 to May 3.