Put your health in check: Solutions for all types of problems

Most students would gladly disregard their health problems because they have an upcoming exam ahead of them. As a student myself, I was used to ignoring all my health issues until I couldn’t even walk up straight or sleep at all. Now, with some experience gained and after numerous dialogues with others, I’ve realized that health is a factor that many students overlook until it comes to them. This list isn’t by any means conclusive, but it considers some main problems students face with their health and how to deal with them. 

Most common health problems among students

It doesn’t matter where you live and what you do: if you’re a student, you have a specific routine that can significantly affect your health. You can even make mental checkmarks on problems you have or had as well. 

Back pain. Learning offline or online still requires a student to spend hours sitting at the table or even in their beds, which can lead to aching back or neck. 

Sore or dry eyes. It’s a common issue among those who read a lot from books or laptops. Focusing too much on one line or place without blinking is typical, but the results of it aren’t pleasant. Many students can even have worse eyesight by the time they graduate from a university. 

Issues with hands and wrists. Either typing or writing too much can lead to problems with movement or even severe pain. 

Exhaustion. Everyone jokes about it but no one tries to solve it. I don’t know a student who doesn’t feel tired after a day of studying. We all have been there, but for some reason, everyone views it as a norm. There are different strategies on what to do with it. 

All types of mental health problems. You may be stressed, depressed, or anxious to an extreme point. It can all go in a circle. While psychological health isn’t always related to physical symptoms, you can’t ignore it. 

Sleep issues. Some sleep too much while others can’t sleep at all. Even if you had such issues before, the university probably influenced your sleep quality at least a few times. 

Exercises for back pain

Back pain often occurs among students after they’ve been sitting for hours in class and later have to study while sitting at their tables at home. Some of the most common exercises are head and shoulder rolls that help you awaken your muscles. Then, you can continue by stretching your arms to the opposite side above your head and letting your palm remain in such a position for some time. An even better step after that is to stand up, lock the fingers of both hands behind your back and slowly straighten your arms, moving them further from your back. 

There are actually a few exercises that you can do even when you’re sitting in your chair and can’t afford to lose a lot of time. You can rotate your back. Simply sit straight, then slowly rotate your upper body to one side of the chair and hold onto it. Do it on the other side. The other exercise works with your back: lay with your back on your chair and go further down, stretching your hands, so that your spine is at least a little arched. 

Some exercises should be done on the floor, and I prefer some yoga poses that help my spine. Consider Cat-Cow pose: you have to be on all fourth with a straight back and then, slowly round your back so that it would move upwards while your head is lowered down. Then, move in the opposite direction, with your back moving towards the floor. The simplest position is the Child Pose, and it helps a person feel relaxed. Simply sit on your knees, slowly lower your body onto the floor, and allow yourself to face it while putting your hands above your head or on both sides. 

Tips for sore and dry eyes

The best thing to do when you have to study for a long time is to blink a lot and not forget to move your eyes, but everyone fails to do so, especially without a reminder. I often forget to blink when reading another Stephen King’s novel, especially because if you blink you don’t know what’ll happen next. But here’s what you can do. 

Have your humidifier on when reading. It doesn’t have to be expensive but this’ll help you deal with dry air and have it wetten your eyes when you forget to. 

Set alarms for short breaks. Let’s say you have to stare at the screen for three hours. Then, set the alarm every 15 minutes, look away and blink during the break. 

Adjust the lighting. I prefer a little soft light in the evening, but some people work better and allow their eyes to relax when the light is in full force. Think about what helps you specifically. And don’t save money on lamps and lighting. It’s probably the most important thing to save your eyes. 

Don’t forget to do some exercises. When taking longer breaks (let’s say once an hour or at least after all the studying), try to move your eyes in different directions: clockwise, counterclockwise, then close them and relax. You can make lines and circles with your eyes, paying more attention to what makes you feel better. Don’t forget a well-known exercise. Stay near the window, look at the object near you (for example, a small dirt mark on the glass or the pane), then shift your gaze to something outside. Then, focus on the object even further. And return, step by step, to the closest object. Make sure to focus your eyes a little before shifting your focus. 

Make sunbaths. Don’t look directly at the sun, but close your eyes and raise your face to the sun. It’ll give you some of the best feelings ever. 

Hands and wrists exercises

If you work with computers or write for too long, your hands and wrists often remain in one position, which makes it painful to write. Some exercises can help you with these issues, but remember that if you have any problems with your hands that need medical intervention, don’t do any of the exercises before your doctor allows you to. 

Pray pose. Put your palms together and slowly lower them to your belly or where you feel possible. This exercise will help you stretch almost all parts of your hand. Return your hands back near your face. Repeat.

Wrist stretch. Extend your arm and put your palm up so that it faces the ceiling. With your free hand, pull the fingers down, stretching your palm and wrist. You should feel a bit of relief instantly but remain in such a position until you feel it is enough. 

Finger lock. Lock your fingers together and if you want, you can also clench them into fists. Roll your hands while keeping your wrists relaxed. Be careful not to make uncomfortable moves. 

Fists clenching and unclenching. As long as you feel alright, go with clenching and unclenching your fists until you feel that your fingers have relaxed a little. 

Hand rolls. Move your hands in circles clockwise and counterclockwise in slow repetitive motions. It’ll allow you to take some pressure off your hands and wrists.

Make short breaks. If you can, try to be in different positions so that your hands don’t remain fixed in one place or make stops in typing and writing when you feel that your hands are tired. This seems like an obvious thing to do but many people ignore this suggestion. Unfortunately, it leads to a situation when a person’s hands hurt too much. 

What to do with exhaustion? Short-term tips

We can all agree on one thing: sleep at least six hours a day. That’s the norm you can’t ignore. There’s no cure for tiredness if you don’t have a rest. That being said, some things can help when you have short-term exhaustion that has to be addressed now. If it’s alright for your health, take a cold shower. It’ll definitely help a lot if you need a short-term way to get more alive. Another option is to drink water, and if you have lemon, even better. Some people prefer coffee, but a lot of the time, the excessive amount of caffeine makes it worse for you. 

Physical exercises are also excellent. Make a short jog around your dorm or even do a quick five- or ten-minute exercise session that’ll just pump up your adrenaline. Don’t do a full workout if you’re tired today, that’ll be just useless and drain all your energy. It’s also great to go outside, put your telephone aside, and really observe the surroundings. Try to breathe deeply, filling your lungs with air. 

Music is also your ally: you can blast it really loud or in your headphones and make sure that it is dynamic. I like epic music, and others are more engaged in rock-n-roll or rock. It all depends on what makes you happy. The last suggestion is to try a short nap. It doesn’t work for all people because some may find it actually more tiring or impossible to have a short sleep while others doze off easily. Find a place to nap, choose the approximate time for your sleep, and go with it. After the alarm, you’ll feel more refreshed. 

Help your mental health with these tricks

Let’s begin with an important note: severe issues with psychological health cannot be solved with internet tips and suggestions and require professional intervention. It isn’t something that you can take lightly. The younger generations are among the leading ones in reports on mental health problems, and the older groups aren’t aware enough of the ways in which they can receive help. So please be mindful of this. However, for minor cases, I’ve prepared a few tips I myself find useful.

Short and angry workout or any movement. If you’re angry, close your eyes, play the most aggressive music you have, and dance, jump, do push-ups, and move any way you like until your anxiety or anger is out. 

Nice music with background noises. To target anxiety and depression, a good thing is to play something in the background. YouTube has thousands of videos, my favorites are when people play vintage music with train or chatter noises. 

Reach out to friends but don’t focus on the negative. It’s a complex piece of advice. First of all, it’s vital to talk to others about your feelings as you won’t feel abandoned anymore. But if you’re friends with people who are always focused on the negative, don’t contact them too often because the effect will be adverse. 

Have a hobby. Many people stop participating in other activities when they start learning in college. That’s understandable during the first few months because everyone needs time to adjust. But as you develop a routine, make sure to dedicate some time to your interests. Read a book, make a nice collage, join book crossing or start roller skating again. 

Remember to keep yourself safe. Have a small mental health box with your favorite blanket, a few sweets, maybe a book that always comforts you, and some other nice things that can immediately help you when needed. 

Sleep better with these ideas

Sleep is the most important part of our lives, and students’ sleep depends on how well they can rest at night. If you have issues sleeping, your cognitive abilities will seriously decrease. If you experience problems remaining calm and falling asleep, consider a few calming techniques. Although meditation is often ignored by many, it can do wonders with your sleep and relaxation. Look for any suitable meditation app or find one on YouTube. Then, lay in bed and repeat after the speaker. The last time I did it, I managed to fall asleep before the end of the meditation, so that really works well. 

If you sleep too much, another option is possible. Start by setting alarms and deciding if they work for you. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t wake up with alarms, think about an alternative. Sometimes, the similar ringtone of the alarm can make people used to it, so change the ringtone (but not to your favorite music piece, that’s the worst idea). If you’re still too tired after more than eight hours of sleep and that’s a habit, consider visiting a doctor because that indicates that you have chronic exhaustion. 

Some suggestions are universal for all types of sleep-related problems. Have a regular routine. It’s useless to ask someone to get up early and go to bed late; no one does it at the university. Instead, have relatively similar time frames for when you sleep so that your body gets used to it. Regardless of how much you want it, don’t read or play something dynamic because it’ll disrupt any sleepiness you can have. Have proper sleep hygiene and lay on the bed when you’re resting, not throughout the day. Better yet, have a spare set of clothes for your sleep. 

Health should always come first

Even in the most challenging times, remember to care for yourself. You’re a living being, and nothing will become better if you ignore the first signs that something is wrong. Remember: if you feel tired or sore, ignoring it will only make you push it for later, and later, it’ll be worse. So remember it and care for your needs when you can, visit doctors, and keep in touch with people you love. With such efforts, the university will be a much more pleasant experience!