Staying Healthy While Attending College Anyone who has spent time as a student in college understands how difficult it can be to maintain a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle. Classes, papers, projects, studying, work, a social life, and sleep must all be balanced. Sometimes one or another of these tips the scale and suddenly sleep, eating right, and your social life are suffering because your Econ class is killing you. Either that or your grades begin to slip as your social life and work demand your attention. How then, do you create and sustain the balance required for you to stay healthy? Your life is unique to you and while it will take some work to figure out what you need to stay balanced, here are a few suggestions to get you started.
Sleep This is one of the biggest factors in an unhealthy lifestyle. Sleep deprivation has been linked to a broad and varied number of illnesses, diseases, and health conditions that can significantly reduce your quality of life. Make sure that you are giving your body the rest and recuperation that it needs so that you can function at full capacity each day. One late night cram session may not do too much harm, but poor sleeping habits naturally promote other unhealthy habits.
Eat Right Making healthy food choices may be difficult for your on-the-go cram packed schedule. Take some time to learn what foods are healthy and keep those foods with you so that you’re not tempted to buy unhealthy snacks. Eating smaller meals more often can help you maintain your energy throughout the day and keep your metabolism up, helping your body burn more calories than if you only ate once or twice a day. Before we leave this topic, it should be mentioned that tobacco and alcohol should be avoided completely. If you do drink, do so sparingly and avoid doing it right before bed. Additionally, caffeine and sugary drinks should be consumed on a limited basis. Drink water. Your body needs the hydration to work properly.
Exercise It may seem like running from class to class should be enough of a work out,
but there is great value in a dedicated exercise routine. Even if you are only spending 15 or 20 minutes at the beginning and end of each day to stretch, and work select muscle groups, your body will be better prepared to meet the rigorous demands of a busy student’s schedule.
Relaxation Make time for yourself in your day. Even 10 minutes of meditation can make a huge difference in your ability to handle stress. Spend time with friends who support and uplift you and develop your hobbies and interests. While devoting too much time to these may be detrimental to your GPA, the quality time you spend on them can give your brain the break it needs. Whether you’re pursuing a graphic arts degree in Colorado Springs or are a working mom trying to get a nursing degree, learning to balance life is just that: a learning process. It requires patience, diligence, and motivation, but with time, you will learn not only to balance your life, but adjust and stay balanced as things are added and removed from your list of responsibilities.
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