– Last summer I felt it very much. I almost broke towards the end, because then it was a lot of work, says Amanda Toften (17). She has just finished her second year at upper secondary school and is well underway with this year’s summer job at Huset Kaffebar in Leknes in Lofoten. Behind the counter, she is joined by her friend Mathea Grav. They have had a few days off, but there will be a lot of work this summer. – Towards the end of the summer holidays, I work every day. With one day off in two weeks, says Toften. This is how it is for many young people. Figures from Statistics Norway showed that 7 out of 10 between the ages of 15 and 24 would work in the summer months in 2022. Amanda Toften (17) sometimes feels that it can be difficult to combine school, work, training and free time. Photo: ODA VIKEN / news SSB will not present figures for 2023 or forecasts for 2024, but everything indicates that the summer job market looks similar this year as well. Medical student Markus Numann is concerned that young people do not take enough breaks, for example after a demanding academic year with both work and studies. – Young people should become better at listening to their bodies and take breaks this summer, he believes. – Tired, weak and tired Numann is one of several medical students who are behind a separate medical service for students in Bodø. Through the internship, Numann has met many students who have been exhausted. Especially in the spring, in connection with exams. – The students often came to class thinking they had long-term viral infections. Some also struggled a lot with sleep. It was often the case that they wanted a diagnosis. When the doctor sat down and had a proper chat with the students, they also realized that the symptoms could be due to stress and pressure, he says. Some of them also had an aha experience. – Everyday stress and high workload can result in physical symptoms, according to the student doctor. – I myself chose to take a break even after studying now, and not go straight to the rotation life. Take a breather and find out what a holiday is for, says student doctor Markus Numann. Photo: ODA VIKEN / news Numann says he fully understands that young people need to work a little extra when they first have the opportunity to do so. – Things have become expensive and you need money to survive in everyday life. At the same time, he recommends thinking about how to set up the race, so that you don’t have to start a new academic year with a flat battery. – Feel free to take two or three weeks before or after the study period to land a little. It’s probably not the days that make you get better advice. Maybe you earn more by learning how to manage stress and rest. The student doctor is supported by GP Linda Tørrissen Hennø at the Alstad medical office in Bodø. – Listen to your body’s signals Photo: Linda Torrissen Hennø – If you are mentally strong and ignore your body’s signals that you need rest over time, your body tends to shout louder and louder. Then you can end up with symptoms such as headaches, muscle pain and sleep difficulties. They say GP Linda Tørrissen Hennø at Alstad medical office in Bodø. Hennø says that she usually talks to her patients about “shopping on credit”. – If you exceed your own tolerance window over a long period of time and work against your body’s signals and capacity, you risk burning out, says Hennø. If you first end up there, it often takes a long time to rebuild. And the tolerance for stress tends to remain reduced to a certain extent, if you have first been properly burnt out, according to the doctor. – Learning to listen inward and stop this process in time makes sense, Hennø continues. She emphasizes that the tolerance window and basic values vary from person to person, so that it is no use comparing yourself to others. Linda Tørrissen Hennø also believes that many struggle to know their own limits. Which leads to the will often exceeding one’s own capacity. She puts part of the reason for this on social media. – Social media creates unrealistic expectations of what is “good enough”. It makes sense to live in line with your own values rather than the worldview created by the media and the environment. – Take a year off Someone who has followed the advice of the doctors is Line-Sofie Westgaard (20). When she finished high school, she took a gap year, which now turns into two. – I felt that it was enough after the exam period at upper secondary school. So, among other things, I traveled to the Alps to ski. I’m aiming to do that this year too, she says. For Amanda Taftern and Mathea Grav in Leknes, a lot of work and school have come before other things. Line-Sofie Westgaard feels pressure from her surroundings to start studying. Photo: ODA VIKEN / news Skipper training – It can be a lot, especially when it’s school, with homework tests, submissions and work after school. In addition to trying to have free time and find time to go to training and do what you like, says Amanda Toften. – Then it often happens that I end up not going to training because I might be tired. It’s pretty cool. When the summer is over, the final year of high school awaits. – It’s a bit scary. I might have to try to prioritize school a bit more. It is a bit difficult to find time for both work and school. You have to try to find a balance, says Toften. Mathea Grav has also got a job in a kindergarten this summer. She is still not worried that she will start the next school year with a flat battery. – I have a holiday right before school. So then I should probably be able to get my energy up. Good tips for students/young people: Our body is made up of different levels. Think about the absolute basics: sleep well, sleep enough, if you need more of it, you have to ask the question if you are tired and need more rest. Eat well, drink enough fluids and stay physically active. It’s about how you look at how you handle the situation. What do you feel and how do you react to headaches, itching etc. Ask yourself the reason or explanation for what you feel. Stress management. Can affect a great deal of the body – have good techniques for dealing with stress. You will experience it in all phases of life, so you must have good techniques to handle it in the best possible way. Published 25.06.2024, at 11.55
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Doctors believe young people should take breaks this summer. – news Nordland
