With all the demands of final examinations, approaching deadlines, and extra work shifts, it is easy for college students to feel a surmounting amount of stress entering their lives. Yet, a stress-controlling-factor that is often neglected, but remains vital to many of these efforts, is maintaining your “holistic health”—a term used to describe your mental and physical health.
While staying up late studying for an upcoming economics exam or reviewing logical equivalences for your philosophy course, think back to the Ancient Romans. Roman poet Juvenal once said, “Mens sana in corpore sano”—“A sound mind in a sound body”.
Through thousands of years, this saying still holds its truth and value. Without your physical health, it is nearly impossible to perform at your best, as demonstrated through the struggles of completing an essay while battling a common cold or working through your 4-hour work shift and four hours of rest from the previous night. The stress from a weakened immune system or exhausted body will only deter your performance from reaching its full potential.
So remember the importance of self-care during this busy time of the year or any other time you are facing the stress of a full agenda. The physical aspect of your health is important and affects your daily performance and ability to focus. Whether that means picking up your favorite tennis racket on a Wednesday night, choosing a kale quinoa salad over a box of donuts, or scheduling a half-hour nap this afternoon, a little investment in your physical health can go a long way.