It’s a common thing that at university students can hardly find time to take care of their physical and mental health. Our top priority during that time is studying, so we would sacrifice our sleep, diet, and general well-being to get better marks or submit that paper on time.
In case you recognize yourself here, we strongly recommend reconsidering your lifestyle habits to find the desired balance in mind and body. When you feel that you need rest, but the deadlines are approaching, do not worry. Be sure to ask professionals for case study writing help or assistance in any university writing assignments of yours. The university years are the perfect time to start taking care of your body and make a commitment to it. So feel free to start immediately, without waiting for the next week, month, or year to come.
A healthy body is a result of proper nutrition and moderate physical activity. Moreover, healthy eating habits result in a better mood, performance, and improved mental health. Luckily, nowadays, university canteens offer healthier meals with various options (vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, etc.), but still, homemade food is a totally different experience. Although it might be hard to cook for oneself regularly when you have been overloaded with your assignments, you have the freedom to choose what to eat whenever you need it.
On the other hand, you might experience peer pressure from your roommates whose diets are far from ideal and consist of junk food or snacks. Try to surround yourself with people with similar viewpoints who would support you in your decision to lead a healthy lifestyle. Anyway, no matter what people are around you, with some willpower and commitment you can achieve your goal.
Here are the main ideas for you on how to stay healthy at university at the beginning.
1. Have a routine
Timetables, planners, notes, etc. should be controlling your day. When everything is planned and foreseen, you reduce your stress level since you are no longer afraid of the unknown.
Having routines will help you become that disciplined person who wakes up early in the morning, does lots of tasks during the day, works, and achieves so much with so little time.
Surely, be moderate with your schedule and overwork. But be sure, with a routine you will know exactly when to work out, eat, study, and, of course, rest, which will be beneficial for your health and academic performance.
2. Workout regularly
Do not skip your yoga classes or gym hours. Try to dedicate at least 3 hours per week to exercise, and you will be impressed with the results. You will not only feel the energy to live but also improve your mental abilities.
If you do not know where to start, just visit your university’s gym or group dance/fitness courses. You may also try an unusual sport you always wanted, and thus you will have a new useful hobby.
It is also a good idea to find a buddy who could share with you this new fit interest and go jogging with you in the morning, for instance. As a result, you both stay motivated and fit.
3. Eat properly
That means that you need to reduce the amount of processed food in your freezer and buy more fresh and clean food instead. Frozen lasagna or instant soups should be seen less in your kitchen (only rarely when you want to have cheat meals after exams).
For the majority of the time, try to cook yourself healthy dishes from fresh vegetables and fruits and other nutritious and vitamin food.
What is more, you should eat regularly without skipping meals. If you know you won’t be able to have a proper lunch due to the class, prepare a sandwich or a healthy snack like nuts or apples in advance.
Another good practice for you could be to control food portions or count calories. It’s another pain in the neck, but in such a way you have good chances of losing extra weight. But be sure to be smart with it and accompany it with physical activity.
4. Snacks
As we mentioned before, snacks are necessary for a balanced diet for the cases when you do not have access to cooked meals. So consider preparing snacks beforehand and having them in your bags all the time. Except for bananas or apples, you may surely take some fitness or granola bars.
5. Less coffee but more water
The idea of staying energized and awake after a sleepless night thanks to a cup of coffee seems to capture everyone around the world. But the use of coffee is way overestimated since most people consume it with milk, sugar, which could be not that healthy. If you need caffeine for boosting, you may drink green tea as it is a great alternative.
Students also often forget about the importance of staying hydrated, so we recommend getting a bottle that you will take everywhere with you so that you will always be able to have enough water throughout the day. For more fun, you can add fruits to it.
6. Have enough sleep
We all know that it is recommended to have at least 7-9 hours of sleep, but we all underestimate the importance of sleep for our bodies.
Especially, it concerns students who would stay up all night studying or partying. But without a night of proper sleep, you lower your ability to focus and learn, so all that you tried to learn at night will disappear soon.
In addition to enough sleep at night, consider taking short naps for 10-15 minutes. It’s a good way to get distracted from your studying and restore your concentration.
7. Let yourself relax
To start leading a healthy lifestyle does not mean you have to stop doing things that you like. If your day was stressful, feel free to chill out, read, watch an episode of Friends, or go out with your mates.
You are allowed to break your routine as long as you feel better at that moment. But be sure to get back on track without punishing yourself for not being productive. The main point here is to feel good, with good food and moderate sport.
