College students often neglect essential aspects like their physical health and well-being because they are too busy attending classes, studying for exams, making important decisions, and maintaining relationships. The majority of college students have harmful lifestyle habits. They spend the entire day in class, spend hours at the computer doing research reports, gorge their faces with pizza, sleep for about five hours, and then repeat the process.
Students are especially likelier to engage in these lousy health behaviours as finals approach. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is advised to manage several responsibilities and combat the unavoidable stress of college.
The college environment is ideal for starting or maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Following these eight suggestions, you can be happy, healthy, and stress-free during the semester.
Ways To Stay Healthy During College Life
Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet is essential to maintaining good health, especially during college. The college environment can be challenging when finding healthy food options, but simple adjustments to your eating habits can help you maintain a healthy diet.
Eating a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help improve overall health, maintain a healthy weight, and boost the immune system. These foods are rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre necessary for optimal health.
While finding healthy food options in the campus cafeteria may seem challenging, students can make simple adjustments to their eating habits. For example, students can choose a salad or grilled chicken sandwich instead of a greasy burger and fries. They can also try to eat more fruits and vegetables and choose whole grains instead of processed foods.
College students should develop shopping lists and commit to it to maintain a balanced diet. Additionally, they should avoid processed foods and sugary beverages in favour of fresh and natural foods. While maintaining a healthy diet at college can be difficult, it is doable with the proper preparation and dedication.
Stay Hydrated
Because it aids in regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, removing waste and pollutants, and supporting numerous metabolic processes, drinking adequate water is crucial to sustaining excellent health. About 60% of the human body is made up of water; thus, maintaining this balance is vital for proper operation.
College students must try to drink at least eight glasses of water each day to rehydrate and avoid dehydration. This is owing to the requirements of their hectic schedules, which can involve long hours of studying, exercise, and socialising, which may make college students more prone to dehydration. Additionally, drinking alcohol and caffeine, both popular among college students, can dehydrate the body.
Getting Enough Sleep
College students should aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to ensure they are well-rested and able to function at their best. This is because college students often have demanding schedules that can include long hours of studying, attending classes, and participating in extracurricular activities. College students may also experience stress and anxiety, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
A lack of sleep can harm a college student's academic performance, leading to decreased attention, memory, and cognitive function. It can also lead to an increased risk of accidents, mental health issues, and physical health problems.
Sleep is essential for good health, and college students should aim to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to ensure they are well-rested and able to function at their best. Maintaining good sleep hygiene and a consistent schedule can also improve sleep quality.
Daily Exercise
Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health because it helps to improve cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and endurance, flexibility, and overall well-being. It can also help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
College students should get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises, such as brisk walking or cycling, at least thrice a week. This is because college students often have sedentary lifestyles, spending long hours sitting in class, studying, or working on a computer. It's crucial to remember that exercise isn't just restricted to formal activities like workouts at the gym. Reaching the suggested exercise guideline can also be accomplished by incorporating physical activity into daily routines like using the stairs rather than the elevator, biking or walking to class, or playing intramural sports teams.
In conclusion, college students should strive to acquire at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, like brisk walking or cycling, at least three times a week. Regular exercise can lower the chance of developing chronic diseases and enhance physical and mental health. It can also be simple and efficient to adhere to practice recommendations by including physical activity in everyday routine.
Don’t Over Commit
Effective time management is a crucial aspect of college life, as it can help students balance academics, extracurricular activities, and personal responsibilities. One of the biggest challenges for college students is managing their time effectively, especially when it comes to extracurricular activities. With various clubs, societies, and teams to choose from, it's easy to become overcommitted and spread too thin.
One way to successfully manage your time in college is to start by picking a few core extracurricular activities that align with your interests. Campus clubs can be a great way to establish friendships and build your resume, but you must be selective and choose the most important to you.
Additionally, you must be aware of your class schedule and how much time you'll need to devote to studying, reading, and writing. Even though you have hours of free time each day, it's important to remember that those hours will likely be spent on academic work.
Avoid Unhealthy Habits
Smoking can lead to lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause liver damage, addiction, and an increased risk of accidents and violence. Drug use can lead to addiction, overdose, and long-term health problems. These habits can also harm academic performance and future career opportunities.
Furthermore, smoking, drinking, and drug use can also lead to financial strain. College students must be aware of these risks and make healthy choices to protect their physical and mental well-being.
Timely Health Checkups
Regular check-ups with a doctor can help identify and prevent potential health issues before they become more serious. For example, a check-up may reveal high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which can be treated early to reduce the risk of heart disease.
College students are also at a higher risk of contracting certain illnesses such as meningitis, HPV and human papillomavirus and HPV, and getting vaccinated can help protect against these diseases. Regular check-ups can also help ensure that college students are up-to-date on essential vaccinations, such as the flu shot and the HPV vaccine, which can prevent serious illnesses.
College students may also benefit from mental health check-ups, as the stress of college life can take a toll on mental well-being. Regular check-ups with a therapist or counsellor can help identify and address mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and stress.
Clutter Free Space
Cleaning your home might be easily neglected when you're busy with classes and meetings. However, maintaining control of the situation will make things more straightforward in the long term. Focusing on keeping specific places clean, such as washing off surfaces and doorknobs and routinely cleaning your keyboard and mouse, is an excellent method.
Make sure to replace your bed linens periodically and clean the bathroom once a week. Maintaining a clean living environment is essential for keeping your health throughout the semester because poor air circulation in the winter can accumulate dust, dander, and bacteria.
