1. Sleep
Remember, your body needs 6-8 hours of rest to function correctly. Sleep lets our bodies to heal themselves, and when you don’t get enough, it affects every aspect of your life. Not sleeping enough can kill your sex drive, contribute to symptoms of depression, age your skin and make you gain weight.
2. Hydrate
Did you know that even slight dehydration could negatively impact your mood? I know that when I don’t drink enough water, I tend to get a migraine, which makes me feel worse. Water improves your skin, keeps you energized and makes you more alert. Drinking more water can only help you and make your day easier and better.
3. (Try to) Eat Healthy & Balanced Meals
Everyone knows how hard it is to eat healthy while on a meal plan, and having Sodexo food doesn’t help. However, by following a nutritious food plan, it will give your body the natural vitamins and nutrients it needs to thrive. As a college student, you should incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily intake. Next time you get something from the Grill at College Center, try to get an apple instead of the fries. You can also try to get a salad for lunch at least twice every week. Blue Line also has cheese & grape packs, vegetable & hummus bowls, and other healthy snacks that you can take to Shad to eat while you’re studying.
4. Exercise
Elle Woods said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” Exercising can help to decrease stress levels. Students have access to the ASFC Gym almost all day, as long as you have your Student ID. Merely going to the gym and walking on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes will make you feel better compared to sitting in your room on your third hour of watching Netflix and procrastinating your homework.
5. Journal
Journaling is a great way to write out your thoughts and feelings. We tend to keep our thoughts and feelings bottled up and locked away instead of releasing them. If you write out your thoughts (especially the negative ones) for even just 10 minutes, that helps you release some of your stress and allows you to focus on other things. You can also create a gratitude list in your journal. This will help to shift your mind to think positive even during stressful moments in college.
6. Meditate/Practice Relaxation Techniques
Meditation is a great way to build self-awareness and develop a strategy to manage stressors in college. You can practice meditation and relaxation techniques by finding a quiet space to take deep breaths in a relaxed position. You can also look at this article of the best iPhone apps for relaxation and meditation.
7. Go Outside
A lack of sunlight can result in a drop in serotonin, a hormone that affects your mood. By going outside, you stimulate your brain to make more serotonin. We had a warm few days this past week, and there are more sunny days ahead as it gets closer to summer! So if you can, go out on Hartman Green, grab a few friends, a pair of sunglasses, and soak up that sunlight.
8. Listen to Music (and get into it!!)
Like exercise, singing is a form of exercise that releases endorphins. This aerobic activity increases the oxygen in your blood, which can improve your mood. If you’re dancing and singing around your room, then you’re giving your brain a break from all your stress. You’re likely breathing more deeply if you’re singing, which is a typical anxiety-reducing technique.
9. Do Something Creative
Many of us enjoyed coloring or doing a puzzle when as kids, even if we didn’t understand why. Doing something creative releases stress and bottled up feelings we haven’t resolved otherwise. It gives you time to reflect where you can think and mentally work out a problem in your life, which can make you happier and less anxious. Self-care doesn’t mean ignoring your issues; it means regularly taking the time to promote your health and well-being.
All gifs from giphy.com