Health & Wellness Tips for Students
In-between between classes, exams and an active social life; many university students feel that they can’t find the time to keep up a balanced diet and fit exercise into their busy schedules to offset stress and to maintain both healthy body and mind.
Here are a few ideas to help students make the healthy life choices.
Diet
Follow these simple tips to help keep your diet nourishing and balanced.
Vary your meals. Eating a wide range of different foods gives you a wider range of vitamins and minerals which essential for good nutrition.
Eat breakfast. Studies show that skipping breakfast affects your ability to concentrate. If you are pressed for time, fruit is an easy breakfast and you can eat it on the way.
Healthy snacks. If you keep healthy snacks around, you will be less likely to eat unhealthy ones. Raw veggies, nuts, popcorn without butter and rice cakes are a few options.
Drink moderately. Students are known for their partying. Drink moderately and you can still have a good time… Not to mention how productive you will be without a hangover.
Eating when stressed. Eating won’t help your stress go away, so avoid chewing when worrying about tomorrows exam. Take a walk instead.
Drink more water. Drinking water can help boost your concentration as well as keep you from overeating. Keep a filled water bottle with you at all times instead of having soft drinks and sugary coffee or tea to keep hydrated.
Limit junk food. If you need to get a takeaway, get the green salad instead of the fries. Also choose a sugar-free coldrink but indulging yourself every now and then is good for your soul.
Take vitamins. Multi-vitamins are a good way to stay healthy and to supplement your diet especially when you need to remain healthy for your studies.
Exercise
Doing exercise when having a busy lifestyle isn’t always easy but can do wonders for both your body and mind.
Play a sport. Join a sports team. One way to get motivated is to see others being active and it will be a fun way to burn off calories and stress. Also a great way to make new friends.
Go to gym. If possible, join a gym. The facilities there will offer you the opportunity to tone-up with different stretching, cardio and strengthening exercises.
Bring a friend. You will be a lot more motivated and more likely to keep up an exercise routine if you do it with a friend. Plus, working out with a friend is more fun!
Take advantage of public parks. Take advantage of open spaces to play soccer, frisbee, cricket or just walk around with friends.
Stress
Students can get run down with so much going on. These pointers can help you beat the stress.
Get into a routine. If you get yourself in the routine of studying, exercising and sleeping it will be a lot easier to get everything done without getting 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.
Be realistic. There’s just no way that you are going to get done everything done which you would like to do in one day. Be realistic about your goals and aspirations. Understand that you can only do so much in a certain timeframe.
Get help. If you’re feeling stressed, reach out and ask for help from friends and lecturers. They may be able to give you advice or more time or help you to deal with student life.
Do a hobby. Whether you like to play video games or do art, making time for the things you enjoy is an important part of keeping yourself from getting too stressed out.
Spend time with friends. There are few things that can make you happy you up like being around the people you like most. Eat supper with them, watch a movie of just hang-out.
Don’t get run down. With so much happening, it’s easy to get run down. If you feel yourself getting a bit overwhelmed, take a step back and figure out what’s really important.
Learn time management skills. Good time management will make everything from getting assignments done to managing work a lot easier. It will also assist you with everything in life after university.
Mental Health
University students need to remain mentally healthy and happy to achieve their goals.
Ask for help. Don’t feel embarrassed to ask for help. Tell a friend how you’re feeling or read self-help books to deal with any issues you may have.
Communicate with family and friends. Beat homesickness or loneliness by keeping in touch with family members and old school friends.
Build friendships. A big part of the university experience is meeting new people and forming new friendships so get out there and meet new people!
Everything takes time. Most people don’t make best friends in one day. It takes time to build friendships, so don’t get stressed if you don’t fit in right away.
Don’t let stress get the best of you. Stress can cause student depression. If you’re feeling stressed out, make time to regain your focus
You don’t have to please everyone. You can’t make everyone happy all the time. You are your priority so keep yourself happy.
Build your confidence. Concentrate on what you are good at and don’t dwell on your faults.
Set goals. You’ll be more motivated and positive if you give yourself goals to work towards throughout the academic year.
Sleep
Students are not exactly known for going to bed early but getting enough sleep is a very important part of being healthy and fit.
Take a nap. If you have the time during the day, take a short nap. It can work wonders on your energy levels.
Don’t work in bed. Keep your work space separate from your sleeping space. They are two very different living areas.
Get a full night’s rest whenever possible. Most people need 7-9 hours per night to feel fully rejuvenated. While this isn’t possible every night, try to sleep a full night whenever you are able to.
Lack of sleep is unhealthy. Lack of sleep doesn’t just make you tired, it can also reduce your ability to concentrate, so get as much sleep as you need to function properly.
Sharing a room. When sharing a room with someone it can be hard to go to bed when you need to and not get woken up when you don’t want to. Try to work with your roommates to make sure you each get the sleep you need.
Avoid all-nighters. You might feel as though you need to study all night to do well in your exam but it might be the other way around. Make sure that you get a good night’s rest before exams.
Bright Ideas
Here are some extra tips to keep you a healthy, alive and safe.
Quit smoking. It’s proven that smoking is harmful to your health. Quitting smoking as soon as possible is an idea which will be a good idea for the rest of your life.
Drive sober. If you drink, make sure that you don’t drive and it’s a criminal offence. Rather get a taxi. Also when planning a night out getting there and back safely should be at the top of the list.
Crime. Always be aware of your environment and surroundings. Especially when walking alone at night and keeping you and your valuables safe in general.
Don’t let anyone make health and wellness decisions for you that you feel uncomfortable with. If you don’t want to eat that a pie or have a beer, then don’t. Ultimately, it’s up to you to keep your diet balanced, your body fit, deal with your stress and to maintain a healthy relationship with you and your mind.
These guidelines are just guidelines to point you in the right direction and to give some food for thought!