Students find it hard to squeeze time out of their packed schedule and commit themselves to regular healthcare routine until they fall ill and a physician asks them to do so. It is good to see many colleges offering basic medical care, yoga and meditation sessions and different sports within college premises. This is a positive step towards instilling awareness in students about the importance of healthcare and making it possible for them to utilize the resources available at their fingertips.
There are a few simple health tips for students to follow so that they can prevent illness and stay healthy. We will discuss these under different categories in our next segment.
Diet
If you don’t follow a diet chart customized to your specific needs, you might end up putting on some significant pounds. Follow the tips, prepare a diet chart and stick to it:
- Learn right portion size
- Keep changing your diet
- Eat breakfast like a king
- Carry healthy snacks
- Take drinks in moderation
- Never overeat to fight stress
- Drink plenty of fluid
- Restrict intake of caffeinated and sugary beverages
- Limit junk food
- Place more vegetables and fruits on your diet chart
- Have plenty of organic food in stock for convenient access
- Never skip meals
- Indulge yourself in spicy foods occasionally to break away from strict monotony
- Take foods rich in vitamins and minerals
- Consult the doctor and dietician if you ever experience eating disorders
Exercise
“Oh, I am too busy to find time for exercises”. Well, students offer this common excuse for not fitting exercise in their busy schedule. However, the following tips will put you on track to fitness and good health.
- Stretch yourself before a workout to avoid injuries
- Ride your bike to the destination
- Visit gym regularly
- Play a sport
- Use necessary safety measures
- Join fitness courses if possible
- Walk to college if it is not far away from your home or rented flat
- Fit different types of exercises in your routine
- Make it fun so that you never feel bored during workout
- Devote some time to meditation and practice it in an open space
Sleep
“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”, Benjamin Franklin.
Only a few students practice this good habit. They are often late to bed, if not for studies, then for other activities. Lack of enough sleep will reduce your focus on studies, make you feel tired and negatively impact your behavioural pattern. Go through the tips to make sure you have enough rest to revive the lost energy.
- Take a nap
- Never work in bed
- Don’t compromise with a full night’s rest
- Stick to your fitness schedule
- Prepare a bedtime routine
- Avoid drinking or caffeine before bed
- Switch on a night lamp
- Keep your room clean and quiet to catch sleep quickly
Sexual Health
Sexual health is important to lead a healthy life. During their college years, many students explore their sexuality. They can adopt some useful tips to do it safely.
- Get tested for STDs every year or more frequently
- Make sure to take precaution
- Discuss problems (if any) with your partner
- Go for regular checks to maintain a happy and healthy sex life
- Go for the HPV vaccinations to curb out the risk of HPV virus infection
- Attend classes for sexual issues (most colleges now offer these)
- Don’t indulge yourself in uncomfortable sexual activities
Illness
Communal living, which is a norm in college/university campus, makes it easier for viruses and bacteria to spread faster. Check out the following tips to prevent illness:
- Wash your hands and face properly
- Don’t share beverages from the same glass
- Never attend classes if you are ill
- Visit a doctor as soon as you sense that something is not right
- Detoxify your body with plenty of fluids
- Get a flu shot
- Slip into flip flops while taking a bath in your dorm room
- Avoid spending time with sick friends
- Never touch your eyes, nose or mouth without washing your hands
- Resort to home remedies or consult a doctor (if the problem is serious or not going away in a couple of days) instead of relying on over-the-counter medicines
- Make yourself up to date if it comes to immunization
Stress
Mental health is important for everyone. Students are more prone to stress. These tips will help you beat the stress:
- Meditate regularly
- Avoid overworking or working for hours at a stretch
- Take a break to give some rest to your eyes, brain and mind
- Set reasonable goals
- Understand that not all dreams come true
- Get back to your hobbies
- Spend time with your family members and close friends
- Don’t allow frustration to set in after a failure
- Never stretch yourself too thin
- Evaluate what went wrong after failure and address the problems
- Learn the skill of time management
A healthy body enhances one’s creativity and productivity. So, never allow anything to come in your way to stay fit both physically and psychologically. Enjoy Your College Years as these will never come back again.