5 Health Tips Every Student Needs to Know
Tired of dragging yourself to school each morning? You don’t have to! By following these 5 health tips, you can be on your way to a healthier and happier lifestyle as a student.
Quick facts: Health Tips For Students
✅ College students should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night – National Sleep Foundation (https://sleepfoundation.org/college-students-and-sleep)
✅ Eating breakfast can improve cognitive performance – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/school-breakfast/)
✅ Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety – American Psychological Association (https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/exercise-stress)
✅ Make sure to wash your hands often to reduce the spread of germs – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html)
✅ Incorporate healthy foods into your diet – American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/healthy-food-choices)
- ✅ College students should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night – National Sleep Foundation (https://sleepfoundation.org/college-students-and-sleep)
- ✅ Eating breakfast can improve cognitive performance – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/school-breakfast/)
- ✅ Exercise can reduce stress and anxiety – American Psychological Association (https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/exercise-stress)
- ✅ Make sure to wash your hands often to reduce the spread of germs – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html)
- ✅ Incorporate healthy foods into your diet – American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/healthy-food-choices)
Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is essential for students of any age. Sleep helps to restore energy levels and helps to maintain mental clarity for studying and completing tasks. Getting a full night’s sleep can help improve focus and concentration, which is essential for academic success. It is important to set a regular sleep schedule and stick to it each night.
Let’s look at some other tips for improving your health as a student:
Establish a bedtime routine
Establishing a bedtime routine is an important health tip every student should take. For example, by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps your body keep track of when it’s supposed to be awake and when it’s supposed to be asleep.
Prior to sleep, engage in a relaxing activity like reading or unwinding with light stretching or meditation. This will help you de-stress from the daily hustle and bustle that comes with being a student. Also, make sure you avoid activities associated with excitement such as watching TV shows or playing video games for hours upon hours. Doing this will make it harder for your mind and body to relax when you actually want them to do so.
Finally, ensure that your bedroom is cool, dark, peaceful, and clutter-free; this will help create an environment conducive for sleeping. Following these tips will help get on track for getting enough sleep!
Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed
Many students tend to rely on caffeine and/or alcohol in order to stay awake, but they don’t realize the impact this has on their sleep. Caffeine is a stimulant that can make it more difficult for a person to fall asleep, and can also reduce the time spent in the deep stages of sleep. Alcohol may initially seem like it helps you relax, but it actually disrupts your sleep later on in the night. Both caffeine and alcohol also cause dehydration, so avoiding them before bed is essential for restful sleep.
If you have trouble sleeping, try avoiding caffeine and alcohol as much as possible—especially late in the evening.
Avoid screens before bed
Research demonstrates that exposure to bright light from screens can interfere with the body’s natural sleep cycle. To avoid this interference, it is recommended that blue-light emitting devices such as smartphones and laptops be avoided at least two hours prior to bedtime.
Moreover, exposure to simulated daylight late in the evening can also lead to a decrease in melatonin production, which plays an important role in regulating our circadian rhythm. To that end, dimming the lights before bed or using an eye mask if necessary can help to achieve a better night’s rest.
By avoiding screens before bedtime and creating a calming nighttime routine that doesn’t involve blue light emissions allows your body’s natural circadian rhythm to stay in sync with when you need to sleep and when you should wake up each day.
Eat Healthy Foods
Eating healthy foods is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, particularly for students. Eating nutrient-rich foods helps the body to function optimally and increases mental clarity, focus and energy. Additionally, it helps to regulate hormones, improve immunity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
In this article, we will talk about the importance of eating healthy foods as a student.
Incorporate fruits and vegetables into meals
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is essential for a healthy diet. Not only do they provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but they are also packed with fiber and other nutrients to keep you full. Eating fruits and vegetables in every meal can not only help you eat nutritiously, but it can also help you stay within your budget.
Incorporating them into your meals can be done in a variety of ways:
- Add fresh fruits or vegetables to salads or sandwiches.
- Incorporate frozen fruits or vegetables into smoothies.
- Substitute white grains with whole grain options like quinoa or brown rice/pasta/bread.
- Adding cooked vegetables to your stir-fries makes them more nutrient-dense meals.
- Adding toothsome textures like nuts and seeds to snacks & meals is an easy way to make them interesting.
Eating more fruits and vegetables will give you the nutrients needed for peak health – all while saving money.
Choose healthy snacks
Healthy snacks are an important part of eating well and maintaining a healthy weight. When choosing healthy snacks, opt for foods that have the fewest added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium while providing protein or fiber.
Healthy snacks can include:
- Crackers and cheese
- Cottage cheese with fruit or vegetables
- Greek yogurt with honey or oats
- Smoothies with nuts or seeds
- Hummus with pita chips or veggies
- Nut butter on whole grain toast or crackers
- Low fat popcorn with spices like chili powder or curry powder
- Boiled eggs
- Frozen yogurt to make a healthy treat
Keep in mind that snacking should only be done in moderation—no more than two times per day—and when choosing snacks it’s important to aim for approximately 150-200 calories per snack. Eating healthy snacks can help keep you from feeling overly hungry throughout the day and help prevent overeating at meals.
Limit processed and fast foods
Healthy eating is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. Eating too much processed or fast food can cause unhealthy eating habits and lead to poor nutrition, weight gain, and illness. As a student, it is especially important to focus on eating nutritious foods and limiting processed and fast foods.
Some simple tips for limiting processed and fast foods include:
- Avoiding pre-packaged meals and snacks
- Choosing smaller portions when possible
- Reading nutrition labels
- Preparing meals in advance using fresh ingredients
By following these guidelines, students can make healthier choices that promote good health while still enjoying delicious food.
Exercise Regularly
Exercising regularly is one of the most important things that students can do for their physical health. Exercise not only helps to improve physical fitness, but it can also help improve mental health. Regular physical activity can reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and help manage weight. It can also help to boost your energy levels and your concentration.
Let’s explore some of the other health tips every student needs to know:
Identify an activity you enjoy
When it comes to exercising regularly, it’s important to find activities that you enjoy. In order to see results, exercising needs to become a regular part of your day-to-day life and if you’re participating in an activity that you don’t like, it won’t be sustainable in the long run.
Think about things that make you feel energized or relaxed – such as team sports, running, biking, yoga classes or even just going for a long walk with friends. You don’t need a fancy gym membership; just pick something that fits your budget and lifestyle and stick with it. That way, you can look forward to dedicating yourself to make progressing towards your fitness goals easier and more enjoyable.
Set achievable goals
When it comes to exercising regularly, setting achievable goals is key. You don’t have to go from zero to hero overnight! Start small and slowly build upon your fitness goals as time goes on. This could be going for a 10 minute walk every day or signing up for an online workout class.
It’s important to focus on how you feel more than what the scale says by listening to your body and noting how your clothes fit differently. Don’t get too hung up on numbers and progress, but instead concentrate on developing a lifelong healthy lifestyle routine that works best for you.
Experiment with different exercises and activities, such as:
- Running
- Yoga
- Swimming
- Cycling
Find what works best for you and stick with it!
Get creative with exercise
For students who feel that traditional exercise isn’t for them, fear not! With so many forms of exercise available, there is something for everyone. Get creative with your workout and explore different activities to find the one that works for you. It could be as simple as running around the neighborhood or playing a sport like soccer or basketball.
For those who prefer something more leisurely, think about activities such as swimming, yoga, Pilates or walking your dog. There are so many options to choose from – no matter what type of exercise you enjoy, the important thing is that you stay active! Regular physical activity has immense mental health benefits and can help reduce stress levels in today’s busy lifestyle. Make sure to factor in some time every day to get moving!
Manage Stress
Having a busy lifestyle and managing stress can be challenging for students, especially during exams. To maintain optimal health and wellbeing, it is important to identify and address stress triggers.
In this article, we will discuss five health tips that every student needs to know in order to manage stress and stay healthy:
- Tip 1
- Tip 2
- Tip 3
- Tip 4
- Tip 5
Find healthy ways to cope with stress
Students often experience stress due to their academic workload, social or personal life pressures, and other factors. When faced with too much stress, it’s important to find healthy ways to cope with the situation. Here are five health tips that every student needs to know in order to manage their stress:
- Exercise – Exercise can help reduce stress by releasing endorphins that naturally make us feel better.
- Practice deep breathing – To give your body a break from the physical symptoms of stress, try taking some deep breaths for a few minutes each day.
- Take a break – Time away from your studies can help you reset your mind and encourage more productive studying sessions later on.
- Get enough sleep – Sleep gives our bodies an opportunity to restore itself and keep our minds in balance so we can approach challenges with more clarity and focus the next day.
- Talk it out – Expressing feelings openly is key when it comes to managing stress because talking can help release some of the built-up pressure inside us that causes tension and anxiety around stressful situations or experiences. Doing this also helps us realize what is causing or contributing to our feelings of distress in the first place.
Take breaks from studying
Taking regular breaks while studying is essential for managing stress levels. During these breaks, it is important to focus on an activity that will relax your mind and body. This may include going for a short walk, enjoying a snack, taking a nap, or even just stretching or meditating. It’s important to take time away from the books and computer screens to allow your eyes and brain to rest and refocus.
Another good idea is to schedule social activities into your study routine. Spending quality time with friends not only relieves stress but also serves as a great motivation for getting back to work afterwards. Additionally, try mixing up your study environment by visiting different places such as libraries and coffee shops every few days; this allows you to adopt different perspectives while studying the same material in different environments.
Finally, don’t forget that exercise can help relieve stress as well so don’t forget to squeeze in some physical activity during your breaks.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is an important tool for managing stress. It involves being aware of what is happening around you and within you – the thoughts, emotions, sensations, and environment. Practicing mindfulness helps to ground us in the present moment and respond more effectively to current events.
It can be helpful to practice simple breathing exercises, stretch or move your body, listening to calming music or nature sounds, and focus on what you are feeling in the moment without judgment. Having a regular mindfulness practice can help students stay centered as they move through their day-to-day activities and challenges. Students may find that regular practice helps them better manage their stress levels so that they can do their best work and succeed in school.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Not only does it give you the energy to stay productive throughout your school day, but it also helps keep your brain functioning at optimal levels. Drinking adequate water throughout the day can improve your focus, alertness and mental stamina.
Let’s explore more health tips that every student should keep in mind:
Carry a water bottle with you
Carrying a water bottle with you at all times is a great way to make sure you stay hydrated. Keeping your body hydrated has numerous benefits, such as improved energy and concentration, better athletic performance, and improved digestion. For students who spend a lot of time in lectures or studying, it’s important to have easy access to water.
Drinking enough water every day is key for overall health and wellness—try to drink 8 glasses! And make sure to refill your reusable water bottle throughout the day—it’s an easy way to stay on top of your hydration goals!
Avoid sugary drinks
Sugary drinks, such as sodas and energy drinks, are incredibly popular among students. However, they can come with a variety of negative health consequences. Drinks like these are often packed with sugar and empty calories that can cause weight gain, tooth decay, and an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Furthermore, their acidic nature may erode tooth enamel if not consumed in moderation.
Instead of reaching for sugary beverages, opt for natural alternatives such as infused water or unsweetened herbal teas. These options not only taste better but contain zero calories and added sugars that can impair your overall health. Staying hydrated is key to staying healthy while pursuing your studies!
Monitor your water intake
It is important to monitor your water intake every day as it helps to keep your body hydrated, regulate your body temperature and flush out toxins. As a student, you need to ensure you drink enough water throughout the day to be able to stay alert and focused while studying. When you’re busy during the day, it can be easy to forget about drinking water, so set reminders or write down a list of tasks that involve drinking more water.
To make sure you’re staying hydrated, measure how much water you are drinking per day. The Institute of Medicine recommends a minimum of 92 ounces (2.6 liters) of fluids per day for adult men and 75 ounces (2.2 liters) per day for adult women. Additionally, avoid beverages with high sugar content or caffeine as these can lead to dehydration – although an occasional cup of coffee or tea is ok!
FAQs about: Health Tips For Students
Q: What are some tips for staying healthy in college?
A: Eating healthy, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, avoiding tobacco and drug use, and seeing a doctor regularly are all essential tips for staying healthy in college. Additionally, it’s important to practice good hygiene, manage stress, and be aware of your mental health.
Q: How can I maintain good nutrition in college?
A: Eating healthy in college can be challenging, but it’s important to maintain good nutrition. Eating a balanced diet with more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and cutting down on processed foods can help. Additionally, drinking plenty of water and limiting alcohol consumption can also help you stay healthy.
Q: How can I manage stress in college?
A: Stress management is essential for college students. Prioritizing tasks, breaking down large tasks into smaller ones, and creating a schedule can help manage stress. Additionally, talking to a close friend or family member, taking breaks throughout the day, and exercising regularly can also help manage stress.