HEALTH & WELLNESS TIPS FOR STUDENTS

Between exams, papers, and maintaining an active social life, many students feel they can’t really find the time to keep up on their personal health and wellness until an illness catches hold and stops them in their tracks. With most universities providing health care and endless physical activities for students, staying healthy is about as easy as it will ever get. Here are a few tips to help students make the most of the resources at their fingertips and to ensure they stay healthy and illness-free throughout their education.

Diet

  • Eat healthy and vary your meals. Changing up your diet from day to day is an important part of good nutrition so take advantage of the variety of selections available to you.
  • Eat breakfast. Keep healthy snacks around.
  • Don’t fight stress by eating. Try working out or taking a break instead.
  • Drink water. Make sure to keep hydrated as you go through your day by bringing water with you.

Exercise

  • Fitting exercise into a busy schedule isn’t always the easiest thing.
  • Head to the gym after class or squeeze in a workout in the morning.
  • Walk to class. While taking public transportation might be quicker, walking will give you a chance to stretch your legs, burn some calories, and relax before your next class.

Sleep

  • Take a nap. If you have the time during the day, a short nap can do wonders for your energy levels. Just make sure not to nap too close to bedtime or for too long, and a nap will do your body good.
  • Don’t work in bed. Working in bed can make getting to sleep harder. Keep your work space separate from your sleep space to keep insomnia at bay.
  • Get a full night’s rest whenever possible. While the amount of sleep each person needs varies, most people need 7-9 hours to feel fully rested.
  • Avoid caffeine, eating, and drinking right before bed. All of these activities can throw off your body’s internal clock, so try to limit meals, alcohol, and caffeine consumption to a few hours before bed.

Illness Prevention & Management

  • Wash your hands. Studies have shown that simple hand washing can help prevent a large number of illnesses.
  • If you’re sick, don’t force yourself to go to class. It will only make you feel worse and infect other students. Email your professors that you’re ill and stay home and rest.
  • Drink lots of fluids. Colds and flus can wreak havoc on your body, often depriving it of much-needed fluids. Replenish these by drinking plenty of water or energy drinks when you’re ill.
  • If your friend is sick, try to avoid spending too much time around them.

Stress Management

  • Students can get run down with so much going on. These tips can help you beat the stress.
  • Create a routine. If you get yourself in the habit of studying, working out, and sleeping at certain hours, it will be easier to fit in all the things you need to do in a day without feeling too stressed out.
  • Give yourself a break. If you’ve been working steadily for hours, give your eyes and mind a chance for a rest by taking a break. You can come back feeling more refreshed and ready to go.

Relaxation & Hobbies

  • Relax with hobbies. Whether you like to paint or to destroy aliens with your friends in video games, making time for the things you love is an important part of keeping yourself from getting too stressed out.

Mental Health

  • Students are in a high-risk group for depression. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help with their depression, but this is unnecessary as it’s a common and treatable problem that you don’t have to deal with alone. Tap into campus resources to find help or tell a friend how you’re feeling.
  • Keep in touch with family and friends. You can help beat homesickness and loneliness by keeping in touch with friends and family members.
  • Build new friendships. A big part of the college experience is meeting new people and forming new friendships, so get out there and meet new people whenever possible.
  • Expect things to change. Things will change both at home and in your school life, so expect things to change over time. You will grow and so will the people around you.
  • Don’t let stress get the best of you. Stress can be a major factor in many students’ depression. If you’re feeling stressed out, make sure to take a break and set aside time to relax.
  • Know the signs of depression. It can be hard to differentiate a simple slump from serious depression, so learn the signs of depression not only for your own benefit but for the benefit of your friends as well.
  • Build on your confidence. If you know you’re good at certain things, build on the confidence you take from these activities rather than concentrating on your faults.
  • Set goals. You’ll be more motivated and positive if you give yourself goals to work towards throughout the school year.

Miscellaneous Wellness Tips

  • Quit smoking. No matter how much you may love the sweet thrill of a nicotine rush, the reality is that smoking just isn’t good for you or anyone around you. Quit as soon as you can to save your lungs, heart, teeth, and years of your life.
  • Don’t drink and drive. If you do overindulge in drinking, make sure not to get behind the wheel. Call a cab or get a sober friend to take you home instead.
  • Make sure you have emergency contacts. In case something does happen to you, make sure that the university and those around you know who to contact to get those you care about to you when you need their support.
  • Assert yourself. Don’t let anyone make health or wellness decisions for you that you feel uncomfortable with. If you don’t want to eat that donut or have a drink, then don’t.