This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Purdue chapter.
With Midterms upon us and spring break around the corner, here are 3 simple swaps that will help improve your mood and boost your overall health.
- Awareness of Breath: This may seem crazy, but if you are under a lot of pressure and are experience high stress or anxiety, being aware of your breath can make a huge difference. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I try to use the 4 in 4 out technique, where I breath in for 4 seconds, hold it for a few seconds, and then breathe out for 4 seconds. It helps me refocus, ground myself, and take some time to relax and focus.
- Workout: Whether it’s taking a short walk around your dorm building so you don’t have to go outside, or hitting the gym, exercise is a great mood booster and it improves your health! Even if you don’t feel like you have time, it can be as simple as walking for 20 minutes to get out of the library or your dorm and give yourself a break! A good workout can increase focus as well as boost your mood as you give your brain a break and stretch your body!
- One Healthy Meal a Day: Most people have dropped their New Year’s resolutions by now, but this is an easy way to take baby steps towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether its swapping a bowl of sugary cereal for some fruit before your first class or choosing to have some salad and a slice of pizza instead of just pizza, choosing one healthy thing to swap into one of your meals is a great way to make small steps towards a balanced diet and feel good about what you are eating. I find that these little swaps make a huge difference in my mood and overall health as we push through the last of the winter blues and head toward sunnier days!