Top 5 Tips for Staying Healthy while Studying
Lots of students make the mistake of thinking that study is more important than your health.
Actually, all the research shows that health and brain function are interlinked . If you take care of your body, you’re definitely going to get better marks. It’s time to put away the junk food, step away from your desk and get smart about your brain and body health.
What are the 5 key ingredients to a healthy student lifestyle
1. Choosing a healthy place to study
We often don’t realise how much our environment affects our health. It’s not just a matter of having clean air to breathe and water to drink; it’s also about the way cities are designed, and what kind of infrastructure is available to you. Cycle routes, for example, are essential to a lifestyle that involves daily biking.
2. What you eat becomes a part of your brain!
Even when you have exams and you don’t have much time to think about food, it’s important to keep eating well and eating regularly. What you eat is ‘fuel’ for your brain, so you want to give it the very best you can.
Food needs to have vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre to support your gut bacteria. Don’t just go for fast food because it’s easy; pick the healthiest options on campus. Make sure you have a healthy breakfast every morning and try to avoid too much caffeine and sugar (easier said than done, we know!).
As a student, the good news is that eating healthy is actually the cheapest option. Buying fresh produce and cooking your own healthy meals at home saves you money. If you get yourself some lunch containers, you can take your food to school every day!
3. You can’t think if you can’t sleep
Have you ever tried listening in class when you stayed up the night before finishing an assignment? It’s impossible to concentrate or take in information without a good night’s rest.
Make sure you have a regular sleeping rhythm, and choose somewhere to live that’s not too noisy. If you’re sharing a room in student accommodation, some earplugs and a sleeping mask can be priceless.
4. Exercise helps you study
Not only does regular exercise help you sleep and prevent all sorts of diseases, it’s also linked to improved memory and brain function. Doctors recommend at least 150 minutes of medium level exercise per week, such as brisk walking.
5. Build a network of support
It’s just as important to take care of your mental health, as it is to take care of your body. Research shows that having an active social life is just as important as exercise for your brain and life expectancy.
Student life can be stressful. You’re juggling lots of different tasks and you can sometimes feel under pressure from exams and assignments.
Connecting with friends and other students and talking to each other about life’s ups and downs can be a big help. You can simply reach out to a friend or peer in your class, go out for a healthy juice and chat about whatever’s on your mind.
Most importantly, don’t forget to ask for help when you need it. At Naijaparry, there is a range of different counselling and support services available for any students who are having a hard time.