Going to college is one of the phases during which one might experience pressure and stress. It’s different from school as there are more classes to attend and more work to do including projects, assignments, and seminars. Thus, the pressure builds up. During this phase, students are more likely to fall into habits that are bad for their health. Have you ever thought of how to stay healthy and attend college at the same time? Well, here are some answers:
Take care of your sleep:
The first and one of the most important factors contributing to a healthy life at college is sleep. Let’s see the reasons why students usually struggle with sleep during college and then find answers to them. Students fall short of sleep for a number of reasons:
- Lack of activity: students at college might spend a lot of time sitting at their desks attending long lectures or sitting at their desks at home working on assignments and projects, so they neglect the importance of exercise. Lack of activity makes them stay up at night when they should be asleep.
- Technology: Students at college get involved with technological devices more than they used to at school. They are more likely to spend time on their phones talking with friends or at their desktops studying as desktops offer more access to resources than college libraries. These technological devices affect their sleep.
- Caffeine: students at college think that being young does not make them liable to caffeine effects, but that’s not true. Taking too much caffeine can have obvious effects on their sleep.
The quality and amount of sleep students get affect both their physical and mental health which will be reflected in their concentration and study. Therefore, if you want to stay healthy when going to college you need to get enough sleep. Here are some useful tips if you are having difficulty controlling your sleep:
- Maintain exercise. This does not have to take the time or to go to the gym. You can maintain activity while walking to college or playing a kind of sport with friends in your free time.
- Turn off your phone and desktop at least an hour before your sleep. This will ensure a better quality of sleep
- Monitor your intake of caffeine. It’s better not to have caffeinated drinks two or three hours before sleep.
Take care of your diet:
Diet, like sleep, is a contributing factor to a healthy life at college. Students usually acquire bad diet habits while trying to follow the schedule of college. For example, they usually miss breakfast due to waking up late and rushing to get ready for college. They also tend to depend on fast food for lunch because it saves them the time and effort to prepare and carry their lunch. All of these practices affect their health.
The time and quality of food are important for you to be healthy, successful, and mentally focused at college. Therefore, try to make use of these simple tips:
- Begin your day with a quick and easy-to-prepare breakfast which can constitute an egg, a supply of protein, few dates, a supply of sugar and fibers, and a glass of milk, a supply of calcium and other minerals. This breakfast is easy and nutritious and would provide you with the energy to begin your day.
- If you don’t have time to cook your lunch, don’t go for processed fast food. Instead, pack an apple, banana, or any kind of fruit you like in addition to a handful of nuts. These are easy and quick to prepare, pack, and carry and would provide you with a healthy resource of the energy you need to continue your day.
Take care of your living place:
It’s important for you to take care of your living place if you want to stay healthy when going to college. This is very important when you are staying at the college hostel. You should make sure that your room gets enough ventilation which plays role in maintaining your health and energy. Cleanliness is also important in a hostel, especially with shared rooms. Restrooms should be cleaned daily. Try not to keep food inside the room as it will attract insects especially over the night.
Take care of your time schedule:
Although time is not directly related to your health when going to college as the way sleep and nutrition do, it plays a vital role in that it organizes all those important factors. You should get enough sleep, go to bed, and get up early. Your meals should be at their due times, so does exercise. Other activities related to health also have to do with time. For example, your social activities should be organized according to time. Going out with friends and attending parties should not delay your sleeping times or get you indulged in harmful drinks or snacks.
Conclusion:
The answer to ‘How to Stay Healthy When Going to College?’ has to do with taking care of your sleep, diet, living place, and time. Taking care of these elements will make your life healthy and help you reap success in your college life.
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