Studying and discomfort: How to help your body and enjoy learning
To be intelligent and healthy remains an everlasting challenge for modern students. Day by day, young learners activate all forces of their organisms, both mental and physical ones. Even those individuals who do not pursue athlete majors significantly overload their bodies without recognizing it. Any guesses, how do they do so? Stop for a second and assess your current pose. Then stretch a bit and wait for your muscles’ response. You were probably sitting in an extremely uncomfortable position and now feeling tense, tight, or even in pain. Good news: further information will help you get rid of this discomfort once and for all!
Just imagine: you sit at the table, typing an essay, and your back doesn’t hurt like hell. Or, you’re sitting in a classroom, listening to an exciting lecture, and don’t have any problems sitting straight without your spine taking a zigzag shape. To accomplish these goals and optimize your body, you should regularly dedicate some time for uncomplicated exercising, which, by the way, is not limited to sit-ups and crunches. The information about this topic is limitless, but we tried to gather the most practical and proven guidelines.
The typical physical problems
- Physical discomfort & pain
An uncomfortable position due to computer use hits your back, neck, and shoulders. As a result, you get this annoying feeling of hard rock behind your back. Additionally, your blood circulates worse than when your body is flexible.
- Stooped posture
When you don’t have an adequately settled workspace, your posture struggles tremendously. The absence of support for your back, inappropriate placement of screen, or use of unfit furniture force you to study in unnatural body positions. Eventually, such a habit results in a stooped posture.
- Weak muscles
Spending too much time at the computer inevitably leads to lowering muscle tone. As a result, you feel exhausted and usually get weary increasingly fast. The idea of going to the kitchen to make a cup of tea can seem like an expedition to Everest. A constant sense of tiredness is also a typical consequence of sitting in an uncomfortable position. Stronger muscles will help you to be more resilient.
- Headaches
This common problem is also known under the term CVS which stands for computer vision syndrome. It often results from excessive time spent in front of the screen. Additionally, you can have painful migraines when some part of your body is in pain.
- Excessive weight
A properly organized workspace stimulates concentration, and you can easily focus on your tasks. The lack of such space or its impractical optimization can undermine the quality of your study and lead to procrastination. Overeating is your enemy number one, and it goes hand in hand with extra weight and bad mood, a significant limitation of quality learning.
- Mood swings
Mood decreases result from many factors except overeating. Constant pain and discomfort can force the sense of disappointment and feeling down. Waking up every morning after studying late and being increasingly tired certainly do not contribute to outstanding academic performance, wellness, and good humor.
Why do the problems occur
Let’s face it: nowadays, most of our studying has shifted to online. A significant number of lectures, assignments and even tests occur in remote settings. Those institutions that function in mixed environments also benefit from technologies and expect their students to perform many tasks using laptops and other devices. Despite all the convenience and mobility of remote learning, young people’s health is still suffering.
Who does not lie down on the sofa with a laptop when they feel tired? Or who doesn’t lie on the desk in class when they feel that they cannot sit straight because of pain in their spine? Notably, posture-related pain does not only result from work on the computer. Without a regular and uncomplicated sports routine, you will feel discomfort in any learning environment.
We should admit it from the very beginning: we often don’t value and prioritize our health, among other objectives. Striving for academic success is great, yet unfortunately, sacrificing physical and mental health comes hand in hand with educational ambitions. Besides, lack of education about appropriate studying conditions affects our attitudes.
As we can see, such ‘simple’ misactions as neglect of your posture when studying, excessive screen time, and an improperly organized workplace can cause a lot of harm, even in those aspects of your life where you don’t expect them. Most likely, you don’t expect to be in a bad humor when reading the lecture in a weird position. But it is how it works.
To help yourself, realize that knowledge and attention to your physical and mental health are your power. Isn’t it inspiring that you can change your life for the best when you genuinely listen to yourself and provide your organism with the help it so much requires?
Where to start
- Listen to your body
What does it mean to be a modern student? You most certainly work with a significant amount of information, process and analyze it, study something new, and reflect on acquired knowledge. Also, there is a high probability that your learning process is almost unstoppable. Consequently, you are often so busy that you do not have time to reflect on your mental and physical state. A friendly piece of advice: stop doing it. Immediately. You can’t even imagine how much you’ll win if you let yourself slow down and figure out how your body responds to the pressure it experiences.
- Search for tutorials
If you feel some confusion and don’t know how and where to start exercising, explore the Internet. Indeed, you may find the amount of information about fitness and aerobics a bit overwhelming; however, after finding out what concerns you about your posture or general condition, you’ll know approximately what to look for. For example, you can use special video tutorials or even train with professionals online.
- Ask your friends
Most likely, you’re not the one who struggles with backaches and tired eyes. Ask your friends about their coping mechanisms; it is a great chance that you’ll reveal useful techniques. Moreover, when sharing your problems, you can find a partner and exercise together, which is more fun than alone.
- Seek help from professionals
Do not underestimate the problem – young people often consider expert help as a last resort. But it is always better to prevent the issue instead of coping with its negative consequences. Describe your concern to a fitness coach or your therapist and get expert advice that will work to your advantage. Your body and mind will be increasingly grateful!
Practical tips before starting exercising
Sometimes, people limit their physical activity because they mistakenly think they do not have appropriate conditions or equipment. We are about to destroy this misconception and prove that you don’t need much space or tools to feel good. Here are the first two steps that are essential to take before starting your personal story of becoming strong, smart, and healthy:
- Optimize your workspace
Remember, to study in comfortable conditions; you should adjust your equipment and its placement. Make sure that your table, chair, computer, keyboard, and mouse are placed evenly and that you don’t need to make extra moves to reach them. Also, it is useful to support your back with a special support pillow for the office chair and/or with single leg support under the office desk or under-desk footrest.
- Select your exercising
Do you know the famous “Your body is a temple” proverb? So, in addition to this fact, your body needs a unique approach to keeping it clean. Give it time and try different approaches to exercise: yoga, stretching, sit-ups, meditation, crunches, or a simple walk around the block can help you get rid of physical tiredness and discomfort. Perform real testing till you discover which type of activity fits you the best.
- Explore mobile apps
Since you may lack time for searching information on the Web, you can try to download several home workout apps and look at what better suits your needs. For example, such apps as Apple Fitness Plus and Fiit are the most popular choice of thousands of satisfied learners worldwide.
Top-5 physical activities to help your body
Below you will find the most helpful exercise that will benefit your body even if you have a perfectly optimized workspace.
- Stretching
Unfortunately, most learners are well familiar with the state when your shoulders and back are hardened and then start to ache. Take little breaks and do the stretching – it is an excellent way to warm up your muscles, make them work more effectively, and facilitate your blood flow.
- Sit-ups
When you study in an uncomfortable position, your core is the first to suffer. Sit-ups are a great technique to strengthen your core and lower the risk of backache. Additionally, who says you cannot be creative while doing sports? Do ten sit-ups and come up with a creative idea for your essay!
- Squats
This exercise isn’t just the fastest way to burn calories. As well as most types of physical activities, squats boost your energy and make your muscles strong, which is essential for comfortable studying. A nice bonus: regular squats will help you create a sporty and healthy figure.
- Breathing/meditation
Our body and brain are increasingly interconnected. Sometimes, it is pretty challenging to identify the real source of discomfort. When doing your assignments, take short breaks, lie down on a cozy carpet, go outside, and lie on the grass. Breathe in, breathe out. Do it in silence or listen to your favorite music. Let your brain recharge and your body relax.
- Lunges
A great way to learn how to make your posture straight and not feel pain every time you’re sitting is not slouching for more than 5 minutes. Moreover, this exercise helps to improve physical concentration.
Outside activities’ perks & other benefits of exercising
Another significant aspect of physical activity is that you don’t have to stay in your room if you don’t want to. Put on your favorite joggers, comfortable shoes, or an outfit that doesn’t limit your movements, and go outside. Here are some activities that you can perform:
- Walking
- Jogging
- Dancing
- Yoga
- Riding a bicycle
Even ten minutes spent outdoors are vital for recharging your inner batteries. Fresh air and the shift of pictures help get quality rest, boost concentration, and improve creative thinking. Despite the temptation, try to put your mobile phone aside and look at the blue skies, it is definitely worth it.
Let’s recap what you ultimately gain when integrating a regular sports routine into your daily life and studying:
- Strong body
- Better cognitive skills
- Improved quality of sleep
- Prevent mental health issues
- Increased energy levels
- Better social connections
Being physically strong is an essential first step towards a more effective and comfortable learning process. The absence of pain and discomfort facilitates your cognitive development, improves the quality of rest, and even lower stress levels, releasing endorphins. Consequently, you have sufficient energy to acquire knowledge and become more competent in the areas of your academic interests. Another unexpected benefit of exercising – if you choose to take a break and do sports outside, it is a big chance to meet new people and extend your social circle.
Believe it or not, you often wrongly detect the center of painful sensations. Also, when researching the Internet about types and tips of physical activity, you’ll probably find a ton of recommendations like “a young person has to exercise an hour per day” or “do 50 sit-ups to warm your body up.” Indeed, some individuals follow this advice and feel comfortable exercising this particular amount of time. However, regardless of your age, the only thing you have to do is focus on your health and your body’s requests. The universal formula of physical activity is a myth. So, create an individual one to maintain a healthy studying routine and improve your health!
The good thing about exercising during studying is that you don’t have to focus on the number of squats or deep breaths. To boost your concentration and have a rest, even five minutes of physical activity play a game-changing role on a condition you’ll do it regularly. Your youth is not the time when feeling OK should be enough. Don’t limit yourself to average satisfaction; put a little effort, and become genuinely happy with your physical shape, muscular tonus, and overall condition. You’d be surprised how your life will change if you implement the knowledge and tips you’ll discover in this post.
