It can be a challenge to look after your mental health, especially if you are a student. One usually struggles with juggling both studies and mental well-being.
If you are out of town, it can be especially hard as you miss your parents and hometown. It is essential to access resources that keep your mental and physical well-being in check.
Students need to know how to maintain a balance between self-care and demanding schoolwork. Here are five ways you can take care of your mental health as a student.
Consistent Sleep
Poor sleep quality affects the ability of our prefrontal cortex. That part of our brain helps us think rationally, and sleep deprivation can affect our ability to think clearly.
This can lead to low grades and impact your memory, focus, and immune system. A balanced and adequate sleep cycle enables students to be more productive.
One needs to be mindful of where one sleeps. Sleeping on chairs and couches results in a disruptive sleep cycle.
To achieve a consistent sleep cycle, students should avoid caffeine before bedtime and avoid working on their beds and just use them for sleep and unwinding.
Also Read: Quality of Sleep or Quantity of Sleep, What Is More Important?
Nutrition
While a good sleep cycle ensures a productive day, a nutritious diet provides students with the energy that they need to carry on with their daily tasks.
Students, especially college students, are always on the lookout for a quick and reasonable fix.
But when it comes to food options, cheap and fast foods like pizza, instant noodles, and microwaveable dinners are not only detrimental to their physical but also mental health.
Our bodies need nutrients to function, and these nutrients act as fuel, which pushes students to perform their best. Bad nutrition leads to fatigue, lack of motivation, low grades, and also depression and anxiety due to poor performance.
Eating a healthy balanced diet is key to ensuring your mental health as a student does not spiral downwards.
Exercise
Our mental well-being is interconnected with our physical health. Students need to give an equal amount of importance to exercise and working out to ensure their mental health stays in check.
Getting a friend or companion to exercise and work out with is a great way to stay motivated. Students can opt for campus fitness centres and online video routines to work out daily and remain energetic.
Also Read: How Exercising Can Manage Stress, Anxiety, And Depression
Train Your Mind
Physical exercise will train your body, while mindfulness and meditation will train your mind.
Mindfulness is important for a student’s mental health as it helps them to be aware of their thoughts and feelings without judgement. It is natural for one’s mind to focus on the negative and immediate stressors. Mindfulness helps students accept the present and prevent feeling overwhelmed.
Meditation, journaling, and talking to a professional can also be of great help.
Extracurricular Activities
It is common for students, especially college students, to feel like outsiders and feel lonely. This can negatively affect their mental health.
Feeling homesick, lonely and like an outsider can be easily prevented by building a strong support system in the educational institution.
Joining campus activities and various clubs is a great way to combat loneliness and meet new people from different backgrounds.
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