With the middle of the semester here, many students are left feeling burnt out, both mentally and physically. Jeans are becoming tighter, beds are becoming cozier and that annoying scratch in your throat just won’t go away.
To help maintain a healthy lifestyle while staying on top of your studies, here are some helpful tips on how to stay healthy in college.
1. Eat Right
It might sound cliché, but eating a well-balanced diet can help boost your immune system and maintain a healthy weight. It may be difficult to make the right choices when Taco Bell or Chick-Fil-A is right around the corner, but with minimal effort you can find a healthy alternative. If you need a little extra help making the right choice, you can check out the Healthy Choices Guides from Ball State Dining.
2. Exercise
Fitting exercise into a busy college schedule can be difficult, but Ball State has many different outlets to make exercising fun and easy such as intramurals, Zumba classes and yoga. With two large gyms and exercise equipment in each dorm hall, there is always a machine ready for you to use it.
If the idea of going to a gym with regular exercisers scares you, you can always opt to walk to class instead of riding the bus or driving. Depending on your class schedule, this could add 20 minutes to an hour of walking each day.
3. Get enough sleep
Though you may be tempted to stay up all night to study for an exam or stay out at a party until the wee hours of the morning, sleep deprivation can lead to reduced brain function and headaches. If you don’t get enough sleep at night, try to take a short nap during the day.
4. Avoid drinking caffeine and sugar-filled drinks
It can be tempting, especially when you are feeling the lack of sleep from the night before, but it will actually harm you in the long run. If you need an energy boost, try eating high-fiber or high-protein foods instead.
5. Don’t isolate yourself
Jane Ellery, the wellness management coordinator at Ball State, said there are studies that show that if you live to be 50, the determining factor on how much longer you live is the quality relationships you have built throughout your life.
“Don’t be afraid to step up and ask for help; we are all here to help you succeed,” Ellery said.
6. Get vaccinations and wash your hands
With meningitis B making its way through college campuses, it is important that you are protected from diseases. Most colleges offer vaccines for $25 or less, which is far less than the cost of a bill for actually contracting a virus. Because of close contact with other students, you should be sure to wash your hands before every meal as well.
7. Take time to relax
Stress can cause numerous problems, but a way to avoid this is by creating a schedule where you have some down time and stick to it. Take some time away from the stress of school to watch a movie or spend time with friends.
Read More
Ball State women’s basketball runs out of gas against Columbia in the Battle 4 Atlantis
By Elijah Poe / 1 hours ago“As hard as we played, we literally were running on fumes,” Ball State women's basketball head coach Brady Sallee said about the 69-62 loss to Columbia in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Ball State defeats Eastern Kentucky in opening game of Gulf Coast Showcase
By Zach Carter / 6 hours agoBall State defeated Eastern Kentucky 63-61 for the Cardinals' second win of the season.
Therapy dogs help relieve students' stress
By Dylan Chesnut / 10 hours agoWith finals coming up, Ball State students got the chance to hang with these furry friends.
