As easy as it is if you’ve just moved to the city to forsake sleep and good food in exchange for staying up all night drinking London dry, not looking after yourself can have rather unpleasant consequences. You can only burn the candle at both ends for so long before you start to feel down, both physically and mentally. The inability to concentrate and skin turning a whiter shade of grey are typical of sleep deprived students. However, it is possible to be a socialite, stay on top of your studies and remain healthy; you just need an ounce of discipline and a speck of imagination.
Eat
Eat regularly, and eat well. Surviving on fast food will affect your immune system, skin, weight and therefore mood; it also makes you feel hungry again quicker. Try doing a big weekly shop, most stores let you order online and deliver to your door if you don’t have access to a car. Fill your basket with the mandatory fresh fruit and veg, and staples like fish, eggs, meat, bread, milk, cereal…that way you’ll avoid waking after yet another busy night to find breakfast will have to consist of gherkins and mustard.
Certain foods have been proven to boost things like your immune system, memory, etc. You might want to include the following in your shopping basket:
For memory: spinach, red grapes, broccoli, apples, fish, walnuts.
To boost your immune system: fresh citrus fruits, red peppers, sprouts, broccoli
Preserve your energy: with pasta, bread, potatoes; essentially carbs. If you tend to feel bloated after eating pasta try the wholewheat variety, similarly with brown bread and rice.
For clearer skin: your skin directly reflects your liver, therefore alcohol, fatty foods, and sugar will affect it. Drink lots of water and as many fresh foods as possible.
Mood boosting: A little chocolate makes you smile so they say, also seafood, bananas and water help to stabilize your moods.
Foods to keep you alert: once again water, eggs, milk, fish, greens.
\n\nExercise
If you’re not a fan of slogging it out in a gym, there are other ways you can keep fit. Look at your lifestyle, can you walk instead of taking the bus, or take the stairs rather than the lift? Look into taking up a dance class, or you might want to do something like swimming or Pilates if (like me) you worry you’ll collapse over the intimidating looking machines at the gym while the world watches. If the issue is one of money, you could always try doing some exercise at home. Do sit-ups; invest in a yoga book or get some weights.
The benefits of exercise are not restricted to keeping your weight down (though this is the primary reason for most people), they also keep your heart healthy and aid a good night’s sleep because you effectively tire your body out. Lack of sleep has a knock on effect on your mood, your immune system and your skin, therefore it’s important you get the sleep you need to be able to face the day (and night!)
Be healthy at exam time
If you’re plagued by insomnia, as mentioned earlier try exercising. It’s a well known fact that those that practice some form of exercise find it easier to get to sleep. Don’t do your coursework or revising in bed or in your bedroom if you can avoid it, a simple thing like keeping your sleeping area apart from your study area makes a huge difference. Similarly avoid watching TV or eating in bed.
Don’t skip breakfast to save time as you’ll be craving a full English by 10am. Have a healthy first meal of muesli, cereal, or a boiled egg and toast; you’ll be amazed what a difference it makes. Skipping meals generally may feel like a timesaver, but starving later will only make you lose your concentration and end up eating foods that aren’t necessarily the best for you. Give yourself breaks to eat. Remember to drink plenty of water as a lack of it makes you feel lethargic.
Do take breaks from studying, as once your eyes start to feel tired and your concentration goes you’ll be about as productive as a sloth attempting to climb the Everest. We have an average attention span of 20 minutes, so don’t feel guilty if you find yourself logging onto facebook to distract yourself from the task in hand from time to time.
Avoid colds and boost your immune system by taking vitamin c and iron supplements. Meat, fish and pulses are good sources of iron; citrus fruits are good sources of vitamin C. \n\nProtect yourself
You’ve heard it all before (hopefully) but it is extremely important. You can do without pregnancy scares and STD’s, therefore use condoms; you can get these for free at GUM clinics. Find out where the nearest one is in your area, and if you are ever concerned or experience any unusual symptoms then go as soon as possible. Granted, it’s not the most comfortable of experiences for either boys or girls but trained doctors and nurses are understanding and will put you at ease, after all, it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
Females over 21 should be having their first smear test, and if you are of this age it is likely you will receive a notification in the post. It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to have one if these. Though the percentage of young women afflicted with diseases like cervical cancer is small, the death of Jade Goody recently showed us just how vital it is to get regular check ups, and if anything unusual is detected follow it up.
Find out where your nearest GP and dentist are within the first few weeks of moving to save hassle and time when you genuinely need to go. You’ll need to register and for this the doctor will ask you general questions about your health and habits, whether you smoke, are sexually active, etc. Be honest, these records are confidential. As a student your prescriptions are free, as is most dental work (as long as it’s NHS).
